The Way, Will, and Word of God

Dear God-seekers,

In my previous article, The Ways of Life, I coined an expression, "the www of God's kingdom." I explained how there are the ways of God, the will of God, and the Word of God. These three w's are emphasized throughout Scripture. But today I want to show you how the Lord Himself emphasized them in His famous Sermon on the Mount, teaching on all three of these topics at the closing of that sermon in Matthew chapter seven.

The Narrow Way

"Walking on the Narrow Way"

First of all, as I have explained in The Straight and Narrow Path, Jesus taught that we must enter through the narrow gate and follow the narrow way.

He said, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Mat 7:13-14)

We have choices. On the one hand, there is the wide gate with it's broad way. On the other hand, there is the small gate with its narrow way. Many people enter through this wide gate, which leads to destruction. In fact probably the majority do so. But few people find the narrow way, which leads to life. They are the minority.

Like I explained in Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, in Luke's gospel, the Lord is recorded as saying, "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." (Luk 13:24). That word strive means "to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), to endeavor to accomplish something), fight, labor fervently, strive, to contend, struggle, with difficulties and dangers antagonistic to the gospel."

Beware of False Prophets
One of the reasons you have to strive to enter the narrow gate is because the devil does not want you to, and he tries to prevent you from doing so. You have a very real adversary, who hates you and wants to destroy you. That is the reason you must strive to enter the narrow gate, not because the Lord does not want you to.

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits." (Mat 7:15-20)

The Lord warned us of the devil's emissaries, who come preaching the message everyone wants to hear. they will convince you that you don't need to strive and that the narrow road to life is much wider than you think it is. They come wearing sheep's clothing on the outside, but they are actually ravenous wolves inside. You must be careful not to be deceived by them.

Since you cannot determine by their outward appearance that they are wolves, you must test their fruit. The Lord said you would know them by their fruits, which refers to what they produce and what they do. This is the way that everyone is known in the spirit realm, not by their outward appearance. For example, angels and demons can appear in different forms, but they are known by their character. That too, is how we know these false prophets.

The Lord said that a good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. This is how it is with people. So any preacher who bears bad fruit is not a good tree. And any preacher bearing good fruit cannot be a bad tree. I covered this in my previous article, Testing the Spirits of False Prophets.

What does the good fruit look like? It's the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23)

On the other hand, the bad fruit is the deeds of the flesh. “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal 5:19-21)

Consider what each of these sins listed here is referring to. Immorality means fornication or sexual relations outside of marriage (e.g., adultery, incest, rape, molestation). Impurity means any uncleanness, any dirty things in your life and heart (e.g. sexually impure thoughts, impure actions, even those that are not of a sexual nature like smoking cigarettes, watching secular TV, videos, and movies, listening to secular music). Sensuality means being sexually immodest or promiscuous, filthiness, or debauchery.

Idolatry means image worship, making anything into a god, putting anything above God, loving anything or anyone more than Him, praying with an image or diagram before you (e.g., statues of Mary or other saints, images of Jesus, Buddha, phallic symbols, figurines, satanic symbols, etc.), loving or being controlled by material things (e.g., cars, boats, toys, games, money, etc). Sorcery means magic or witchcraft, which includes occult activities like incantations, casting spells, white or black magic, voodoo, drugs, séances, contacting the dead, mediums, Ouija boards, burning incense, crystals, astrology, horoscopes, tarot cards, palm reading, fortune telling, psychic healing, channeling, telepathy, role playing games, Dungeons and Dragons, yoga, transcendental meditation, astral projection, levitation, mind control, satanism, etc.(Also see Demon Busters list).

Enmities means hatred, opposition, conflicts, or being adversarial. Strife means quarrel, disputing angrily, contention, debate, variance, or discord that produces a dispute. Jealousy means envy, fervent mind, zealousness for something other than the Lord or the true things of God (e.g., it was out of jealousy they crucified Christ). Outbursts of anger means passion (as if breathing hard, loud sighing), fierceness, indignation, wrath, fits of rage, temper tantrums, losing your temper. Disputes means selfish ambition, plots, complicated schemes, secret plans, conspiracies, (e.g., they plotted to kill the Lord). Dissensions means disunion, division, sedition (rising commotion in which people come together against authority).

Factions means a party (e.g., political or religious) or disunion, clique, sect, cult, splinter groups that follow heresy (error in fundamental religious beliefs). It also includes secret societies and brotherhoods that require oaths or initiation of some sort for membership (e.g., Freemasons, Knights of Columbus, Shriners, Elks, mafia, fraternities, and sororities).

Envying means ill will, envy, jealousy. Drunkenness means using alcohol to change your state of mind, using it as a drug. Matthew Henry said, “Drunkenness is excess in drinking of wine or strong drink, whereby the stomach is overcharged, the mind is intoxicated, and the body enfeebled and unable to perform its office.” Carousing means reveling. Matthew Henry said, “Reveling is excess in feed, nocturnal riotings in eating, drinking, dancing, singing, chambering and wantonness. The Syriac version renders it, ‘lascivious singing’; and the Arabic version, ‘songs’ which are a part of the nightly revels: and such like which are of the same nature and kind.” To put it in modern terms, reveling is jamming to worldly music, nighttime dancing, partying, “kicking,” singing lascivious songs, “rocking,” letting loose, etc.   It means to make a racket, make whoopie, make merry, whoop it up, jollify, “kick” it up, or participate in orgies.

A Christian medical doctor I know in Africa said that in the Spirit, God showed him something. He discovered that the church he used to attend in the village was dominated by witchcraft and surprisingly some of those he thought were Christian were in fact using Christianity as a cover while they continued to work for Satan.

I have already explained in my article, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, that this is not a comprehensive list of all sins. In that article, I showed numerous lists found in the Scriptures of sins that will keep you from heaven. But at the end of this list in Galatians, Paul finished by saying, “And things like these”. That is a very broad expression that covers a vast array of sins. So not all bad fruit that a false prophet could produce are necessarily listed in Galatians 5:19-21, but any fruit they produce that are like the ones Paul listed are also bad. He said, “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”. So you should avoid any preacher who is practicing such things. As the Lord said, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Mat 7:19). Therefore, those who follow them will also end up in the fire. 

The Will of God

As I have covered in Walking in the Perfect Will of God, those who enter the kingdom of heaven are the ones who do the will of God.

Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'" (Mat 7:21-23)

Not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” will enter. He who does the will of God will enter. The will of God is His desire or pleasure. It is what He has determined should happen.

Elsewhere Jesus also said, "For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother." (Mar 3:35). He also taught us to pray, “Heavenly Father, Your will be done.” We are constantly seeking the will of God. It's not always easy to follow His will, as Jesus Himself experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. You may recall that He prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." (Mat 26:42b).  But even though it may be difficult, and it may require self-denial, it is the only way to inherit eternal life. The apostle John said, "The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." (1Jn 2:17)

The Lord said on “that day” (judgment day) many people who call Him "Lord" will point to their gifts and how He used them (prophesying, casting out demons, performing many miracles). They will seek to show that since they did all these things in His name, that it is evidence of their allegiance to Him and qualification to enter the kingdom of God.

But He doesn’t know such people. He said He will command them to depart from Him. He will call them those “who practice lawlessness” (i.e., workers of iniquity, wicked people, evil people). In the expression, "you who practice lawlessness", the word “practice” refers to what they do (i.e., their works). And the word “lawlessness” refers to wickedness (i.e., unrighteousness, iniquity, violation of law, that which is illegal). Yes, even in the New Covenant of grace, we must still obey The Law of Christ. It’s not enough to call Jesus "Lord". Don’t think that because the Lord uses you a lot in supernatural gifts that you’ll enter the kingdom. You must obey His commands, or else you will not see His face.

The Word of God
Finally, the Lord said we must hear the Word and act on it.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall." (Mat 7:24-27)

The man who hears the Word of God and acts on it (puts into practice) is the one who built his house on the solid rock. His house represents his life. On the other hand, the man who hears the Word of God and does NOT act on it is like the one who built his house on shifting sand. Both houses encountered a storm. Both men will stand before the Lord in judgment, which is like a great storm. Each of us is either like one of these men or the other. The house is your life. We are either building our lives on the solid rock or on shifting sand.

The house that was built on the rock will not fall, and neither will the person who hears the Word of God and obeys it. The house that was built on the sand fell with a great fall. This is how the person's life will end, who merely heard the Word of God, but did not put it into practice. Wise men build on the rock. Foolish men build on sand.

As I explained in my article, You Must Be Born Again, Jesus said, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (Joh 3:36)

He also said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments...He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me..." (Joh 14:15,21a)

This is why it says in Scripture, "And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation." (Heb 5:9)

Putting it All Together
The Lord concluded His Sermon on the Mount by emphasizing the need to follow the way of God, which is the narrow way, as well as do the will of God, and put into practice the Word of God.

In this passage, entering through the narrow gate involves bearing good fruit, doing the will of the Father in heaven, and obeying the Lord’s commands, as well as hearing the Word and putting it into practice. Those who do so are wise. They will not fall, they will find life, they will enter the kingdom of heaven.

On the other hand, taking the broad way and the wide gate is to produce bad fruit -- the deeds of the flesh, to practice lawlessness, to work iniquity, to lead a wicked life, and to merely hear the Word without putting it into practice. Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God, even though they may call Jesus Lord and operate in the supernatural spiritual gifts in the name of Jesus Christ. They will either be deceived by false prophets or become one. They will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Those who take this broad road are foolish. They will end in destruction. They will fall with a crash. They will be told to depart from the Lord, since He doesn’t know them.

We must strive to enter through the narrow gate. We must beware of the false prophets. We must test their fruit. We must obey the Lord’s commands and do the will of God to enter the kingdom of heaven. We must hear the Word and act on it. All who are wise will do so.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "Thy Will Be Done" painting and the "Wise and Foolish Builders" painting © 2012 is by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. The "Walking on the Narrow Way" illustration is by my seventeen-year old daughter C.V. Lacroix. You can find more of her artwork at A Brush with Life.

Author's note:  I invite you to visit these related articles of mine: The Ways of Life, The Straight and Narrow Path, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Testing the Spirits of False Prophets, You Must Be Born Again, The Law of Christ, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, Is Obedience Optional?, Obedience by the Spirit, Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Faith Works!, and Doing What is Right, and Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth? You can access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.  I also recommend the booklet by brother Sadiq Ibraham, called Walking in God's Perfect Will.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Praying for the Lord Jesus

"Thou Art Worthy"

The seventy-second psalm is a prophetic prayer regarding the Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the glorious, thousand-year period when Christ will reign on earth. In one of the verses, it says:

“May people ever pray for Him and bless Him all the day long.” (Ps 72:15).

Let's look more closely at that.

May People Ever Pray for Him
First of all, the Lord Jesus doesn’t need our prayers. He is fully God, and as our Great High Priest, He ever lives to make intercession for us (He 7:25).  However, we should still pray for Him and bless Him always, since the Scripture teaches to do so. Here are some ways to do so:

Pray for the riches of this earth to be given to Him. (Ps 72:15). Pray for people to bless Him all day long (Ps 72:15). Pray for the whole earth to be filled with His glory (Ps 72:19; Hab 2:14; Is 6:3). Pray to the Father in heaven, "Let Your hand rest on the Man at Your right hand, the Son of Man you have raised up for Yourself." (Ps 80:17, NIV). Pray for His kingdom to come. (Mt 6:10). Pray for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Mt 6:10). Pray for the advancement of the gospel: "May Your ways be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations" (Ps 67:2). Pray that the people groups of the earth would praise Him, that all the peoples and nations would praise Him (Ps 67:3). Pray for all His lost sheep to be found (Lk 15:4), because that's what's on His heart, that sinners would turn back to Him (Ps 51:13; Lk 19:10). Pray that all His prodigal sons would come home (Lk 15:11-32).

Pray for His Body, especially that we would be perfected in unity (Joh 17:21-23), be healthy, whole, holy, pure, righteous, obedient, and functioning properly as we should. Pray especially that which He taught us to pray for His Body in the Lord’s prayer (Mt 6:9-13). For we are His Body and He is the Head (Col 1:18); the Father is in Him and He is in the Father; He is in us and we are in Him and the Father (Joh 14:20); so to pray for us, His Body, is one way to pray for Him. Pray also for His second coming. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev 22:20).

May People Bless Him All Day Long

Secondly, we ought to bless the Lord. The Psalm says, “May people…bless Him all day long” (Ps 72:15). What does it mean to bless the Lord, and how do we do it? Is it the same as praising Him? Since the Hebrew word for “bless” (barak) is different from “praise” (tehillah, or halal), we know that the expression “bless the Lord” means something different from “praise the Lord.”

Sometimes we find both praise and blessing in the same verse. One such example says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD!” (Psa 104:35b)

Praise is a laudation, a celebration, boasting in the Lord, and giving Him glory, however, a blessing means the bestowal of good. When a blessing is given, the one giving it verbally expresses the desire for the bestowal of the good designated. The one who blesses is pronouncing over another the good that he names. According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE), “The Creator is regarded as the source of blessing and the creature the recipient, but the order is sometimes reversed, and the creature (man) is the source and the Creator the recipient.”  

We can actually bless the Lord! There are many examples of this in Scripture, but one of them is found in the account of Abraham’s servant. He said:

"And I bowed low and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. (Gen 24:48)

There are many ways to bless the Lord. We may kneel before Him and adore Him, which is the literal meaning of the word “barak”. To adore Him is to love Him in the highest degree, and regard Him with the utmost esteem, affection, reverence, and respect. We may also say, “Bless the Lord!” However, in addition to all of these, we may also speak a blessing over Him, which is naming the good we desire for Him, such as “Thy kingdom come!” or “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!” Other examples include, “May all Your lost sheep be found,” and “May the gospel be advanced throughout the world.”

Scripture Meditation
Here are some Scriptures that refer to blessing the Lord:

I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
(Psa 16:7)

My foot stands on a level place; In the congregations I shall bless the LORD. (Psa 26:12)

A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. (Psa 34:1)

A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. (Psa 103:1)

Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; (Psa 103:2)

Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! (Psa 103:20)

Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. (Psa 103:21)

Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, O my soul! (Psa 103:22)

Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty, (Psa 104:1)

But as for us, we will bless the LORD From this time forth and forever. Praise the LORD! (Psa 115:18)

A Song of Ascents. Behold, bless the LORD, all servants of the LORD, Who serve by night in the house of the LORD! (Psa 134:1)

Lift up your hands to the sanctuary And bless the LORD. (Psa 134:2)

O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD; (Psa 135:19)

O house of Levi, bless the LORD; You who revere the LORD, bless the LORD. (Psa 135:20)

"Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.' And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.' (Rev 5:11-13)

"And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, 'Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.'" (Rev 7:11-12)

Putting it All Together
There is a Scriptural basis for praying for the Lord Jesus and blessing Him. As we spend time before Him in His presence, communing with God, these are some of the ways we can make the heart of God glad, bring Him delight, as well as help to establish and further His purposes here on earth.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Artwork and calligraphy by my daughter, C.V. Lacroix. For more of her work, I invite you to visit A Brush with Life.

Author's note: I invite you to visit the Main Directory for Seeking the Lord, especially The Son of Man, Is Jesus God?, Lifting Hands in Prayer, Lifting Your Face in Prayer, Praise the Lord!, Inquiring of the Lord, The Disciples’ Prayer, Who intercedes for us?,  Standing in the Gap, and Hearing the Lord's Voice. You may also access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Living a Life Worthy of the Lord

"Thou Art Worthy" by C.V. Lacroix

Dear God seekers, I want to encourage you today, brethren in Christ, to live a life worthy of the Lord. The Lord has marvelously saved us by His grace, through His work of atonement on the cross.  He has called us out of darkness into His glorious light. And now we are expected as disciples of His to live up to that calling.

Once we have come to know the Lord, we must live according to heaven's standard. We need to realize once again that being a disciple of Christ is a very high and holy calling. That's why the apostle Paul said, “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” (Eph 4:1).

Some people may have a high esteem for certain servants of God like missionaries or pastors, because we perceive that they live at a much higher standard of devotion to God. But the standard for simply being a Christian is much higher than we realize.  It is a holy and righteous standard. We are expected to live the same way here on earth as they do in heaven.

Our Lord Jesus has come from heaven, stripped of all His glory, appearing as a man, humble and meek. He has laid down His life willingly for us, and suffered greatly at the hands of sinful men. He became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Though He Himself knew no sin, He became a sin offering for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God. He did not do all of that for us, so that we could go on living in sin!

The apostle Paul exhorted the Colossians, “So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” (Col 1:10). That's my exhortation to you today. Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and please Him in all respects. It will cost you everything, but He's worth it! He is worthy of our highest and best.

Don't settle for a lukewarm life of ease and pleasure that is lived only for yourself. The gospel requires total devotion to Christ. Paul wrote to the Philippians, "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;” (Php 1:27). That's the message I am giving you today that you conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.  We must elevate the gospel once again to it's rightful place and then align our lives in accordance with it.

This is no easy task. That's why Paul told the Thessalonians he prayed earnestly for them, “To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling…” (2Th 1:11a NASB).  In his second epistle to them, he said he was still praying for them that God would count them worthy of their calling. He also reminded them in his first epistle how he dealt with them as a father deals with his children, encouraging, comforting, and urging them,“So that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” (1Th 2:12). That's my prayer for you today as well, that you would walk in a manner worthy of God. After all, He has called you into His own kingdom and glory.

We must live by kingdom standards now, not by the world's standards. That means the world is not going to accept us or our message, and that results in persecution. The Thessalonians were persecuted, and Paul encouraged them that “This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.” (2Th 1:5 NASB).  He said that because they were suffering for the kingdom, they would be considered worthy of the kingdom. Are we suffering for the kingdom today?

The Lord Jesus told His disciples the signs that would occur before He returns, and gave a clear picture of how terrible this world would become (Mt 24; Mk 13; Lk 21).  We are now living in those days, and He is coming back right away. Therefore His admonition to them then is necessary all the more for us today. He said, “Watch therefore, and pray continually, that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and that ye may stand before the son of man.” (Lk 21:36, GNV). We must watch and pray continually so that we may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and that we may stand before the Son of Man when He comes in all His glory.

Putting it All Together
Therefore, walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. Live a life worthy of the kingdom of God, and walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, Who is worthy of our highest and best. 

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. "Thou Art Worthy" illustration by my seventeen-year old daughter, C.V.  You can find more of her lovely artwork at A Brush with Life.

Author's note:  I invite you to visit these related articles of mine: "Called to be Blameless," "The Obedience of Faith," "Is Obedience Optional?", "Obedience by the Spirit,"  "Righteous Deeds and White Robes," "Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God," "Doing What is Right",  "Faith Works!" "Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?", "Pleasing the Lord," "The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer," "Holding Fast the Faithful Word," "Godly Attire & Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations," "Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Three Divine Revelations," "Tattoos and Body Piercing," "The Lord Will Rejoice Over You," and "The New Covenant."  You can find more articles like this on the Home Page of this blog, and you can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Who is God?

View Over Crystal Lake, C.V. Lacroix

Dear God-seekers, today I'd like to ask the question, "Who is God?" Have you ever sat and tried to answer that question? You could try it right now before you read this article. So grab a sheet of paper and a pen, or your keyboard, and attempt to define who God is. Then come and compare that with my definition based on Scripture and see how close you were. So here's Who the Word of God says God is:

God is One
“Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord;” (Mar 12:29)

“You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.” (Jas 2:19)

God is the Only God
"Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.” (Isa 45:21b-22)

God is the Great I AM
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exo 3:14)

God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. (Exo 3:6) 

“God, furthermore, said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, “The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.” This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.’” (Exo 3:15)

"But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ‘I am the God of Aabraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." (Mat 22:31-32)

Also see Gen. 31:42,53; Exo. 3:6,16; 4:5; 1Ki. 18:36; 1Ch. 29:18; 2Ch. 30:6; Psa. 47:9; Mat. 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 3:13; 7:32.

God is the Creator of Heaven and Earth
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1)

“May you be blessed of the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psa 115:15)

“Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever;” (Psa 146:6)

“Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.” (Isa 40:26)

“For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), "I am the LORD, and there is none else.” (Isa 45:18)

“Thus says the LORD, ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,’ declares the LORD. ‘But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.’” (Isa 66:1-2)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (Joh 1:1-3)

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” (Heb 1:1-2)

God is the Maker of All Mankind
“The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all.” (Pro 22:2)

“Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” (Psa 95:6)

"And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;" (Act 17:26-27)

God is Worthy to Receive Glory, Honor, and Power
"Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." (Rev 4:11)

God is the Head of Christ
“But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the Head of Christ.” (1Co 11:3)

God is a Consuming Fire, a Jealous God
“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” (Heb 12:28-29)

"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deu 4:24)

“A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies.” (Nah 1:2)

God is Holy
“Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” (Psa 22:3)

“In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.’ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.” (Isa 6:1-4)

“The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.’"  (Rev 4:7-8)

"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before You, for your righteous acts have been revealed." (Rev 15:4)

God is Righteous
"Therefore the LORD has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the LORD our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.” (Dan 9:14)

"They will say of Me, 'Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.' Men will come to Him, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.” (Isa 45:24)

“Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.” (Psa 119:142)

God is Witness
“For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is witness.” (1Th 2:5)

"Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant." (Mal 2:14)

“If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son.” (1Jn 5:9)

God is True
"He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.” (Joh 3:33)

God Knows All Things
“For God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” (1Jn 3:20b)

"Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all." (Ps 139:4)

“Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding?” (Isa 40:13-14)

God is Judge
“God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day.” (Psa 7:11)

“But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.” (Psa 75:7)

"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds." (Rev 20:11-12)

God is Opposed to the Proud
“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’" (Jas 4:6)

“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (1Pe 5:5)

God is Gracious and Compassionate
"For the LORD your God is a compassionate God;” (Deu 4:31)

“Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.” (Psa 116:5)

"For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."  (2Ch 30:9)

God is Love
“The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1Jn 4:8)

“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1Jn 4:16)

God is Good
"And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone." (Mk 10:18).

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting." (Ps 107:1)

God is the God of gods
"For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.
(Deu 10:17)

“The king answered Daniel and said, Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.’ " (Dan 2:47)

God is Eternal
"The eternal God is a dwelling place, And underneath are the everlasting arms; And He drove out the enemy from before you, And said, 'Destroy!'” (Deu 33:27)

"Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; The number of His years is unsearchable.” (Job 36:26)

“Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” (Psa 90:2)

“But You, O LORD, abide forever, And Your name to all generations.” (Psa 102:12)

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.” (Isa 40:28)

“Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One?” (Hab 1:12a)

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (Rom 1:20)

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Rev 1:8)

God is Great
“The LORD is great in Zion, And He is exalted above all the peoples.” (Psa 99:2)

“For I know that the LORD is great And that our Lord is above all gods.” (Psa 135:5)

"God is greater than man.”  (Job 33:12b)

“Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust…All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.” (Isa 40:15,17)

God is Mighty
"Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any; He is mighty in strength of understanding.” (Job 36:5)

God is Exalted
"Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him?” (Job 36:22)

"Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; The number of His years is unsearchable.” (Job 36:26)

God is Awesome
"Out of the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty.” (Job 37:22)

God is Glorious
"And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished." (Rev 15:8)

God is the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible – the only God
“For God is the King of all the earth.” (Psa 47:7a)

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1Ti 1:17)

“To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1Pe 5:11)

“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” (Psa 145:13)

“God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne.” (Psa 47:8)

“He rules by His might forever; His eyes keep watch on the nations; Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.” (Psa 66:7)

"How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation.” (Dan 4:3)

"He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes.” (Dan 5:21)

"The LORD shall reign forever and ever." (Exo 15:18)

“You, O LORD, rule forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.” (Lam 5:19)

"And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,  'Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.'" (Rev 15:3-4)

Also see Revelation 4.

God is a Victorious Warrior
"The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious Warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (Zep 3:17)

God is a Refuge
“God is a refuge for us.” (Psa 62:8b)

God is a God of Deliverance
“God is to us a God of deliverances; And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.”  (Psa 68:20)

God is a Sun and Shield
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psa 84:11)

God is Light
“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (1Jn 1:5)

God is in the Heavens
“But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” (Psa 115:3)

The Lord is My Shepherd
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psa 23:1)

God Cares
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Pe 5:7, NIV)

God is My Helper
“Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul.” (Psa 54:4)

God is Our Strength
“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” (Psa 46:1)

“The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds' feet, And makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.” (Hab 3:19)

“My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psa 73:26)

God is Salvation
"Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation."  (Isa 12:2)

God is the One Who Justifies
Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies;” (Rom 8:33)

"In the LORD all the offspring of Israel Will be justified and will glory." (Isa 45:25)

God is Faithful
“God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1Co 1:9)

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” (1Co 10:13)

God is Able
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, (Eph 3:20)

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;” (2Co 9:8)

God is All-Powerful
“'Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name; great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds;” (Jer 32:17-19)

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?" (Jer 32:27)

"Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?" (Isa 43:13)

"For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?" (Isa 14:27)

“Then Job answered the LORD and said, ‘I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.’” (Job 42:1-2)

“There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.” (Pr 21:30, NIV)

“He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.” (Heb 11:19)

"Why is it considered incredible among you people if God does raise the dead?” (Act 26:8)

And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Mat 19:26)

God is Spirit
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (Joh 4:24)

God is Everywhere
“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psa 139:7)

God is Wise and Strong
“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1Co 1:25)

God is Without Equal
“To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?” (Isa 40:18)

"’To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?’ says the Holy One.” (Isa 40:25)

Now let's see who God is not, what He is not like, and what He will never do.

God Does Not Change
“For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” (Mal 3:6)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (Jas 1:17, NIV)

God is Not a Man That He Should Lie
"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num 23:19)

God Cannot Be Tempted By Evil and Does Not Tempt Anyone
"Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone." (Jas 1:13)

There is No Unrighteousness in God
"The Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him." (Ps 92:15b)

God Will Not Fail You
"He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.” (Deu 4:31b)

God Does Not Become Weary or Tired
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.” (Isa 40:28)

“Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psa 121:4)

God Gives Endurance and Encouragement

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom 15:5-6)

God is Not Dependent on Man 
"Nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;" (Act 17:25)

God Does Not Show Partiality
“Opening his mouth, Peter said: ‘I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality…’” (Act 10:34)

“For there is no partiality with God.” (Rom 2:11)

God is Not a God of Confusion
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” (1Co 14:33)

God is Not Mocked
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” (Gal 6:7)

God Will Not Give His Praise to Graven Images
"Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it, I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison. I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images." (Isa 42:5-8)

God is Not Unjust
“For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.” (Heb 6:10)

God is Not Ashamed to Be Called Their God
“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” (Heb 11:13-16)

Putting it All Together
God is one. He is the only God, the Great “I AM Who I AM.” He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Maker of all mankind, the Head of Christ. He is a consuming Fire, a jealous God. He is holy and righteous. God is Witness, and He is True. He knows all things. God is Judge, and He is opposed to the proud. Yet He is gracious and compassionate, giving grace to the humble. He gives endurance and encouragement. God is love. He is good. He is eternal, great, mighty, exalted, awesome, immortal, and invisible. He is the King and the God of gods. He is a Victorious Warrior, a Refuge, a God of deliverance, a Sun and Shield. He is Light. He is in the Heavens. The Lord is My Shepherd. He cares. He is our Helper and our Strength. God is Salvation. He is the One who justifies. He is faithful, He is able, He is wise and strong. He is all-powerful! God is Spirit. He is everywhere. He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power.

God does not change. He is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. He  cannot be tempted by evil and does not tempt anyone. He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant. God is not one to show partiality, and there is no partiality with God. God is not a God of confusion but of peace. God is not dependent on any mortal man. He does not become weary or tired. Nothing is too difficult for Him. God is not mocked. God is not unjust. He will not give his praise to graven images. God is not ashamed to be called the God of those who live by faith in Him.

Have you put your faith in Him? Do you trust in Him with all your heart? Do you love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength? Are you holy, even as He is holy? Do you give thanks to Him in all things? Do you obey His commandments? Do you give Him the praise that is rightly due Him? Are you living according to His ways of life? Have you repented and asked Him to forgive you of all your sins? Are you prepared to meet your God? Do you know Him?

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (Jn 14:6). He is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15). He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word (Heb 11:3a). I urge you to give your life to Him today, so that He may truly be your Lord and Savior.

Who is God? - Part II

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted. Where note, Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®.The "View Over Crystal Lake" painting by my seventeen-year old daughter, C.V. Lacroix. You can find more of her lovely artwork at A Brush with Life.

Author's note: You are invited to read Who is God? - Part II, The Loving God Who Bids Us to Come, The Bodily Form of God the Father, Is Jesus God?, God is an Awesome God, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, The Cost of Discipleship, and Ask for the Ancient Paths. You may access the Main Directory for this Seeking the Lord blog for more articles like this, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Purge the Evil from Among You

I’d like to discuss a sensitive topic, which is purging the evil from the Church. The apostle Paul said, “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” (1Co 5:13b).  He was referring to a man in the Corinthian church who had slept with his father’s wife. The woman may not have been his mother, but was still his father’s wife.   There are no New Testament verses that explicitly forbid this particular practice, but only a general prohibition against sexual immorality and adultery. Yet according to the Law, this practice is evil and forbidden. Here are the Scriptures that say so:

Sexual Morality is Based on God's Law
'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.” (Lev 18:8)

'If there is a man who lies with his father's wife, he has uncovered his father's nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.” (Lev 20:11)

"A man shall not take his father's wife so that he will not uncover his father's skirt.” (Deu 22:30)

“'Cursed is he who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's skirt.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'” (Deu 27:20)

God makes it clear that if anyone lies with his father’s wife, he uncovers her nakedness, and in so doing he uncovers his father’s nakedness. That is why a man is forbidden from doing so. Such a man is cursed, and God commanded that the couple that do so shall be put to death. So we see that under the New Covenant, Paul still upheld the Law, but rather than putting the brother who did this to death, he instructed the Corinthians to expel him from the church.

Removing the Wicked Man is Based on God's Law
When Paul told them to “remove the wicked man from among yourselves”, he was citing and upholding the Law, which says, we must purge the evil from among us.  There are many verses in which God commands us to purge the evil from among us.  Here they are:

"But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 13:5)

"The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.” (Deu 17:7)

"The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.” (Deu 17:12)

“Then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 19:19)

“Then they shall bring out the girl to the doorway of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death because she has committed an act of folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father's house; thus you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 22:21)

"If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.” (Deu 22:22)

“Then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor's wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 22:24)

"If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you.” (Deu 24:7)

Two or Three Witnesses Based on God's Law
None of this was to be done based on the testimony of one person, but on the testimony of two or three witnesses everything was established.  "A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.” (Deu 19:15).  Both the Lord Jesus and the apostle Paul quoted this verse in Mat. 18:16; 2Co. 13:1; and 1Ti. 5:19.

In the book of Hebrews, Paul elaborates further on this verse from Deuteronomy and how it applies to the New Testament believer:

“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb 10:26-31)

So as you can see, the will of God is still to purge the evil from among us, even in the New Testament.   In fact the punishment is more severe, according to Hebrews 10:29. The stakes are much higher now than they were under the Law of Moses.

It has always been the Lord’s will to uphold His holy standard among His chosen people. And those who do not live according to that standard perish unless they repent. The Lord used His appointed priests and judges to carry out the judgment in such cases. "The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, nor to the judge, that man shall die; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel. Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again.” (Deu 17:12-13)

Under the New Covenant, He has appointed elders over the churches to judge such cases, as in the example of Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5:1-11). “And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things” (Act 5:11). The same happened likewise the case of the sexual immoral man in the Corinthian church.  The apostle Paul judged him and expected the church to execute that judgment. He said, “For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1Co 5:3-5)

The Corinthian church did obey Paul’s instructions on this matter and expelled the immoral man from their midst. We are not to associate with immoral people who call themselves brothers or sisters. Later after the man was punished, he repented, and Paul instructed them to forgive him and love him (2Co 2:6-11). 

While God’s plan is still to use the elders in the churches to carry out His judgments, how many pastors, elders, and apostles are actually doing so? Is it because they don’t have the courage? Is it because they don’t know God’s standard of holiness? Is it because they fail to realize that this is their duty? Whatever the reason is for the laxness in this area among the church authorities, it is clear from Scripture that this process requires the cooperation of the whole church.  For when you see your brother in sin, you are supposed to take action. This is where the two or three witnesses do their duty to God. Let’s look at those passages:

"So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish. If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." (Mat 18:14-20)

Notice the power of two or three! When two or three are gathered together in His name, He is there with them in their midst. When two or three agree about anything they ask, the heavenly Father shall do it for them. Likewise, every fact shall be confirmed by the mouth of two or three witnesses. And whatever they bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, including these judgments upon immoral brethren in their midst. But it all begins with a single brother who sees his brother sin.  The Lord said, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private…” You must go to him and speak to him about it.  It may not need to go any further than that. If he listens and repents, then you have won your brother.  If not, then you take the extra steps of taking two or three others with you to address the issue with him. That way the matter will be confirmed by the proper quorum. If the errant one refuses to listen to them, then the matter must be brought to the church authorities. And at that point, if the sinful brother refuses to listen, the Lord commanded that he be expelled, as Paul also taught.

This is the due process afforded to everyone who practices sin in the church. This is justice. It’s quite fair and merciful, as there are plenty of opportunities for repentance, forgiveness, and restoration.  But when the wicked person has no respect for the presence of the Lord in this process, he or she deserves to be expelled, because we must purge the evil from our midst. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. Therefore, the process is designed to uphold God’s holy standard in the Church to keep it from becoming compromised.  This is gospel severity and is not inconsistent with evangelical life.

For the apostle John said:

“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.” (1Jn 5:16-17)

The only point I want to make from this passage is that if the person’s sin is “unto death”, there is no Scriptural basis to pray for life for that person, but even if you do pray for life, there is no basis for assurance or faith that your prayer will be answered.  His sin may still lead to physical death, and God may still punish him with eternal death, if it is in fact a sin unto death, as with Ananias and Saphira.  This also happened with those in the Corinthian church who partook of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner (1 Co 11:30). 

We are our brother’s keeper and when we see him sin, we must do what is necessary to show him his fault, following the church discipline method the Lord commanded.  If the sin is not unto death, there is the hope that if we do so obediently, he will eventually repent and be restored.

Doing It the Right Way
Any time you approach someone about a sin in their lives, first make sure you have checked yourself and taken the log out of your own eye. Jesus said, "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Mat 7:4-5)

In other words, if you yourself are practicing sin, you must repent before you go and speak to your brother about his sin. If any man thinks he stands, let him take heed that he doesn't fall (1 Co 10:12). Make sure your conscience is clear and you walk in humility. Ask the Lord for the humility of Christ. Restore the person in a spirit of gentleness.

The apostle Paul wrote: "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted." (Gal 6:1)

And you are not to treat the erring brother as an enemy.  If he doesn't listen and he has been expelled from the Church, don't associate with him, but warn him as a brother.

For Paul wrote: "If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." (2Th 3:14-15)

Turning a Sinner from the Error of His Way
Finally I would like to mention what James said in closing his epistle. He wrote: “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (Jas 5:19-20). Doesn’t that encourage you to follow through with the due process laid down in Scripture, in order to save a soul from death? Let's rescue souls! You are not doing your brother a favor by looking the other way, pretending not to see his sin, or acting as if it is acceptable.

Putting it All Together
We as a Church must once again realize the severity of sin.  There are many Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven. God still requires holiness, blamelessness, and purity.  He does not allow compromise in His Church. The punishment now is more severe than it was under the Law of Moses.  And we must still purge the evil from our midst. Jesus commanded it, the apostles obeyed Him, and they taught it, too! Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. This begins with preachers upholding God’s righteous standard (Rom 3:31), preaching the whole counsel of God (Ac 20:27), and the Church obeying it. Come let us return to the Lord, Church (Hos 6:1)! Let us confess our sin to the Lord, and He will heal us.

The Lord is coming back right away, and there will be no more delay!  But He is only coming for the holy ones. His Church must be pure.  He is coming for a holy and blameless Bride, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing (Eph 5:27).  That's why many will be left behind in the rapture to undergo the horrors of the tribulation.

If you are a preacher that has not taught or upheld God’s standard, you need to repent and begin to do so. If you are a member of the Church and you have not obeyed the Lord in this area, then you also need to repent. If you are a Christian, who is living in sin, you too need to repent with all your heart and ask the Lord to forgive you.  Let’s return to the standard of God’s Holy Word. Ask for the Ancient Paths once again!

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Ultimate Accountability, Separation from the World, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Garments of Godliness, Keeping Your Body Pure and Holy, Keeping Sundays Holy,  Faith Works!, Godly Attire and Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Two Divine Revelations, Alcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Tattoos and Body Piercing, Zipporah Mushala’s Third Testimony of Hell, The Straight and Narrow Path, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Carrying Your Cross or Cross Dressing?, The Judgment Seat of Christ, and Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian. I highly recommend reading, Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies and Holy Fire Baptism. You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.