God Judges

 

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV)

This morning I read a very insightful blog by Phylicia Delta (@phyliciadelta). In part, she wrote:

"If I judged Christianity by its women’s conferences, I’d be led to believe that the Bible is no more than a series of compliments from God to man. Instead, the real story is far less complimentary and far more humiliating. Jesus didn’t come to earth because we were beautiful, special, or great. He came because we were too grossly sinful to bridge the gap between ourselves and God." (http://phyliciadelta.com/christian-womens-ministry/)


The fact is, the American Church, in an effort to ignore, cover up, and literally wipe out any idea that we should fear God, is offering a message to people that is less than the best, less than what we need to hear, and, frankly, when taken as a whole, less than the truth. God loves us. Yes, that is true. But His love caused Him a terrible price. "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NIV). I think perhaps our exposure to "death" through the fiction of media has dulled us to the truth of what this verse actually says . . . and means. And while we watch "death" (fictional) all the time in movies, television shows, videos, and games, as a culture we run from death as fast as we can through our medical and health practices. We know that death is awful, even when we refuse to face its reality. But it’s more than that; it’s more than just "Christ died." He died physically and spiritually in that terrible moment (Matthew 27:46). Our God, Who didn’t have to die, died for us. Suffered greatly—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—in order to pay the penalty for our sin. He died so that we could live with Him. He died to make it possible for us to be obedient to God’s laws established before the creation itself. He died in order to give us forgiveness from our sinfulness. 

All that we are unwilling to face about ourselves, God sees . . . and He still loves us. All that we have done in the darkness, in the shadows, He sees . . . and He still wants to forgive us. But there is a condition for our forgiveness, for His acceptance. We must give an account for our actions and that "account" isn’t an explanation. He will accept nothing less than either full payment for our sins or a full pardon through the death of our Savior. God is going to judge us and the only way we will avoid hell is to fully embrace the salvation offered to us through the death of our precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is an urgency in the writing of Hebrews. At least three times (3:7-8, 3:15, 4:7), the writer quotes Psalm 95:7-8: "Today, if only you would hear His voice, ‘Do not harden your hearts’" (NIV). Our response to God’s unbelievable offer of mercy and grace should be to fall on our faces, speechless before a God Who would love as He loves us. He is going to judge us. He has provided a way of escape from the horrible penalty for our sinfulness. Why will we not hear His voice today and turn to Him in repentance?

© 2017 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

Fix Our Thoughts on Jesus

"Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. . . . Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. . . . See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end." (Hebrews 3:1, 7, 12-14 NIV).
Salvation, according to scripture, was never meant to be a one time event, but rather is a process in which we interact with the Holy Spirit to become more and more like Christ. And that interaction happens solely through the grace that God freely gives.

A lot is written about grace in the Church. It is a free gift. It is something we cannot do within ourselves. That being said, grace—charis—is also interactive: It is "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life" (Strong’s G5485). The reflection in the life. There is a God influence that comes to each believer through the Holy Spirit, but we must accept it, appropriate it, and surrender to it in order to become the person God wants us to become. We don’t lose our free will upon salvation and so we must participate in the process of sanctification.

The writer to the Hebrews wasn’t writing to the sinners outside of the Church, but rather was writing to the believers within the Church: "holy brothers and sisters." And this writing stressed that it is possible for a believer to have "a sinful unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God." That it is possible for a believer to become "hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." We are to encourage each other daily to stay the course, to continue to trust, and most importantly, continue to be obedient to God’s commands on our lives. To be obedient to the very end.

Sin can slip in so easily and so invisibly. It can come from a phrase we hear in a movie, from an offense we take up, from a single choice to be liked. Our very being is sinful and we need to distrust our own hearts, feelings, and motives because they will betray us at every turn. The apostle Paul wrote: "I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:27 NRSV). We need to submerse ourselves in the Word, surrendering our will to God in everything and turning away from our desires, feelings, and inclinations so that, in the end, we will be found still trusting and believing in His Word. We need to fix our thoughts on Jesus!

© 2017 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

Salvation for Our Sinfulness

 

"We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. ² For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, ³ how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard Him." (Hebrews 2:1-3 NIV)
Stuart Briscoe, in The Fullness of Christ, discusses the parable of the lost son. In his conclusion, he states:

"It is important to note that [the lost son’s] repentance was real repentance—not only did he repent of the sins that he had committed against heaven, and against his father, but he also repented of himself. . . . Real repentance is infinitely more than being sorry for what I have done, but rather recognizing and repudiating all that I am." (p. 28).

"So great a salvation." I think it is easy, and perhaps even common, for us to categorize salvation as that which forgives us of what we have done. The next logical step then, is to belittle what we have done as really not all that bad. I mean, none of us are serial killers or despot dictators or full-blown gangsters. The fact is, we have, in these last generations, been taught to esteem ourselves, to embrace ourselves, faults and all, and to glory in who we are as individuals, gifted and unique. We rarely even address the possibility that there might be an inherent flaw in who we are as persons, that something at the very core of our souls might be significantly wrong and sinful.

But that is also who we are. While we are greatly beloved by God, we are also greatly sinners. That condemnation of sin comes not from what we have done, but rather from the fundamental rebellion within our souls against God Himself. "Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight; so You are right in Your verdict and justified when You judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me" (Psalm 51:4-5 NIV).

The salvation that Christ offers is "so great a salvation" because it goes much further than simply forgiving our sinful actions; it changes us at our very core. It remakes us into His own righteous and sinless image! "For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29a). How could any of us want to turn away from being made right and true and in line with God’s holy will? And yet the scripture in Hebrews says that if we fail to pay the most careful attention to what we have heard (in His Word), we may drift away! The Greek meaning is a superlative of giving devotion of thought and effort to something. Let’s resolve today to put our focus and energies into living as we should live, allowing the Holy Spirit to redirect even our thoughts and desires so that we may fully embrace this great salvation and refuse to be even tempted to drift away.

© 2017 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

After this life, Angels?

 

 

"Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? . . . ‘Here am I (the Christ), and the children God has given me.’ Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason He had to be made like them, full human in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people." Hebrews 1:14, 2:13b-17 (NIV)

Frequently, I hear from families who are grieving that their loved ones have become angels and are now looking down from heaven, protecting them. And while this thought may be in the way of comfort for one’s loss, as people we shouldn’t aspire to be angels. Angels aren’t held in the same esteem in God’s eyes as we are. Angels and humans are two totally different creatures.

Angels were created first, prior to human beings. We know this because angels were worshiping God, around His throne, prior to creation. But we also know that some of the angels, about a third, lead by Satan, rebelled against God. And that those angels cannot be redeemed. There is no salvation for them. The Lord Jesus Himself told us, in Matthew 25:41 that Satan and the angels who followed him will be thrown "into the eternal fire prepared" for them.

There is no salvation for angels who have sinned.

But for people there is the greatest gift, the gift of salvation and mercy. "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8 NIV). The Lord Jesus Himself died that we might be redeemed, that we might be able to receive forgiveness and not be condemned forever. The angels aren’t loved by God in this way. They don’t have even a possibility of salvation. If they are among those who rebelled, they are condemned already . . . and forever.

As believers, we need to take comfort in the fact that those who have gone before won’t become angels. If they too have accepted God’s salvation, then they are now the beloved of God, before His throne and with Him in Paradise. They have started their "forever" lives with Him.

That’s so much better than becoming an angel.

© 2017 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

By Faith, Jesus

 

"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. ⁴ So He became as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs." (Hebrews 1:1-4 NIV)
Jesus is the "exact representation of His being." Jesus is God. It is something I can’t begin to understand, but something I choose to, by faith, believe.

God is portrayed in scripture as one God, but that word is plural. One but plural. One but three. Jesus Himself said, "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30 NIV). The Greek word heis ("one") is used, not only to signify a single thing, but to contrast it against many things. This was more than just a statement that Jesus and the Father are in agreement. They are, in fact, one God. It is a mystery that we may never understand, even in Heaven, but the concept of the Godhead being both plural and singular at the same time is as complex an idea as most of the characteristics of God Himself. God Who is not gendered. God Who is not constrained by time or physicality. God Who is unique to Himself in every way, but Who chose to come to earth and encapsulate Himself in flesh that He might become the propitiation for our sins. God Who I can only worship through faith.

Who is Jesus? Jesus is the God-man Who was born of a virgin 2000 years ago, but Who also existed at the beginning of time and was the Word by which all creation came into existence. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Jesus sustains all things not only by His word, but because He is the Word. Jesus is the very expression of God, not separate from God, but fully God. Not even a part of God. Jesus is God. God is Jesus. But they are both completely and fully more. They are the ultimate Being, the ultimate power. They are beyond the universe, apart of it (as They created it), and yet within it through the Holy Spirit (Who is also fully God).

Even as I write, I find myself shaking my head because I can’t find the words to explain what I will never understand but what, by faith, I embrace. The mystery of the Trinity. The mystery of Jesus Who has become my Savior and Lord.

Francis of Assisi wrote:

Let all things their Creator bless,

And worship Him in humbleness,

O praise Him! Alleluia!

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,

And praise the Spirit, Three in One!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

O praise Him! Alleluia!

Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

What I can’t understand I can still praise. What I can’t understand I can still worship. That’s the power of faith.

© 2017 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

RUN THE RACE

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. . . . These [the ancients] were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 11:1-2, 39-40, 12:1-2


What do I want for this new year? What do you want? It seems that social media is filled with wishes for more success, more happiness, more prosperity and "perfectness" in life. Is that what we want? If I were to focus on my life right now, I guess that might be. But I think that as a Church we are losing the long view, the idea that there is much, much more to living than simply getting through this next year. There are rewards far greater than peace in the moment, happiness in the year, growing success over a career. There is, for each Christian, the RACE. 

Think about a runner in a race, particularly long races, marathons and the like. Marathons are often run on regular roads and trails. During those races, the runners aren’t always surrounded by the crowds in the stadiums, but are surrounded more by the incidentals and objects of daily life. They run past mail boxes, homes, and schools. They run past cars and strollers and bikes. They run past the old and the young, the sad and the happy, the idle and the hard-working. They run on city streets and country roads. The one constant in the race of a runner is that . . . they RUN. They don’t stop. They run.

As Christians, we often forget about the RACE. A runner sees so many things during a race. So many distractions. They could stop running at each and every one. But the minute they stop running, they emotionally and physically begin to pull themselves out of the race. They begin to wonder whether or not it’s worth finishing to the goal. They begin to lose.

As Christians, we are called to run the RACE with perseverance. And this RACE has several characteristics: 1) It is a RACE for which we will not see the fulfillment of the promise until we reach Heaven; 2) It is a RACE in which the end of the RACE will occur only as we collectively as the People of God gather before His Throne; 3) It is a RACE that requires we throw off everything that hinders us, sin which always entangles and everything else that impedes our perseverance; and 4) It is a RACE where we are required to run even though we can’t see the goal. We run with faith!

In 2017, perhaps rather than wishing or hoping that our lives get better or happier or more prosperous, we should be longing that we gain perseverance for the long haul so that we can continue to run the RACE that our Lord has set before us. If we want to be commended before the Throne, this year, we need to RUN THE RACE!

© 2017 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

Worship God in Fear -- Jeremiah 2:19

Jeremiah 2:19

"‘Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God, and have no awe of me,’ declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty."

In God, there is no love without justice.
     There is no mercy without repentance.
          There is no worship without fear..

I read last night, and then again this morning, many comments from friends and family about having a wonderful, prosperous, and amazing new year. I had every intention of writing a study about how much God loves you, each and every one of you. It was to be a study about unending mercy, everlasting love, and God reaching out to embrace you.

All of which is true.

But then. (How many times are our best intentions stopped coldly by a "but then.")

But then, this morning, near the top of my news feed on Facebook came a post from an acquaintance. A post about the abuse within her marriage. About the pain in her heart caused by an unfaithful "Christian" husband. About how the Church needs to rise up and be the Church that God wants, that He intended.

And I knew that I couldn’t write what I had hoped to write. I knew that I needed to return to the message that God has placed on my life and in my heart. The message that has permeated my thoughts (and my writing) for many years.

The message that if we don’t face our sins, if we don’t repent, we are going to face grave consequences. If we refuse to understand that we are not only to love and worship God, but that our love, our worship, is impossible unless we fear Him! He isn’t a BFF to be coddled, compelled into some outrageous situation, and then dropped when He disappoints. He is the Lord, the Lord Almighty. And English doesn’t have words strong enough to describe Who He is and how we should fall at His feet and worship without regret.

In this verse, the NIV says: "[You] have no awe of me." The NKJV translates it thus: "The fear of Me is not in you."


The Hebrew root word is pachad and means "to fear, tremble, revere, dread, be in awe or dread; to be in great dread; to cause to dread." (Strong’s H6342). Unfortunately, in the late 1960's-1970s, this concept became completely watered down within the Church. We were taught that we shouldn’t be afraid of God; that this concept was only that we should respect Him. And then Satan, I’m convinced, used this idea of respect and turned it totally around until it became about us and our rights, us and our circumstances, us and our feelings. And suddenly worship became about how we feel about God and not about Who He actually is.

It’s always been about God. About Who He is. About what He rightly and righteously demands from us as those who claim to be His people. The Lord, Adonai, Yahweh (Jehovah), the Lord of all the hosts of heaven. The Lord Who holds this creation in the palm of His hand. The Lord Creator, Ruler, Master, the Beginning and the End. The Lord Who has demanded that He be worshiped with fear in our hearts because He can justly do whatever He wants with sinners such as us and the only recourse we have is to fall at His feet and accept His mercy which He didn’t have to give, but which He gives freely because of His love.

Here’s the thing: God loves us! That is a truth. But He loves only extends through His mercy and that given through the blood of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. There is no love except through His salvation, no reaching out except through the blood, no love extended except through forgiveness. And forgiveness comes only when we repent. It is not tolerance or acceptance. God doesn’t accept us as we are in the sense that He doesn’t excuse our sinfulness. Our sinfulness was so repugnant to Him that only His great love overcame that revulsion. And that only through His death on the cross to pay the penalty for our sinfulness. There was no excusing, no avoiding, no learning to tolerate who we are. Justice, God’s justice, had to be served and it was through the death of His only Son. There was nothing we could do. And it’s time that we began to be serious about our own sinfulness and crouch down on our faces before a Holy and Mighty God.

If we want to experience God’s love, we must first experience His forgiveness. And we can only be forgiven when we confess our sins. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Forgiveness can’t come without confession and confession comes at the foot of the cross, looking at His justice and righteousness and knowing that we will fall short every day, every time. Confession only comes when we, in righteous fear, allow our worship to shed the pure light of the Holy Spirit on our sins. Only then can we truly understand how much God loves us.

© 2017 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.