Jim Wilson's Blog, page 18

Partial Obedience, Partial Repentance, Partial Belief

In recent days,* I have been struck again by the partialrepentance of the kings of Israel and the partial repentance of the kings ofJudah. Here are two examples from many.

Israel:

“Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the LORD, theGod of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins ofJeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit” (2 Kings 10:31). The lastsentence was said of every king of Israel.

Judah:

“He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not ashis father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his fatherJoash. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued tooffer sacrifices and burn incense there” (2 Kings 14:3-4). This last sentencewas said of Amaziah and his son, his grandson, and his great-grandson. Amaziahwas one of the good kings of Judah.

Hezekiah, his great-great-grandson, turned things around:“He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David haddone. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down theAsherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up tothat time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was calledNehushtan.)” (2 Kings 18:3-4).

Are we guilty of partial obedience, partial repentance,belief in a partial Savior who gives partial forgiveness?

 

*Written November 2006.

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How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Four Passages to Live By

Here are four passages of Scripture which have meant verymuch to me. There are many others, but these stand out. Each has a promiseattached. The promises are in bold.

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie themas symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to yourchildren, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along theroad, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes ofyour houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of yourchildren may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers,as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth” (Deuteronomy11:18-21).

“Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for aman to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and forlying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable tothe LORD? Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains ofinjustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and breakevery yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide thepoor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not toturn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forthlike the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousnesswill go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then youwill call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say:‘Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointingfinger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungryand satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in thedarkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide youalways; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthenyour frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose watersnever fail’” (Isaiah 58:5-11).

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, whatyou will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life moreimportant than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at thebirds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet yourheavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who ofyou by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry aboutclothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet Itell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one ofthese. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here todayand tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O youof little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shallwe drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things,and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first hiskingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you aswell. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry aboutitself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:25-34).

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord,and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let lightshine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the lightof the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have thistreasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God andnot from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed,but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but notdestroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:5-9).

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How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Pressing on Toward the Goal

There are portions in Paul’s writings that talk about beingmore like the Lord Jesus.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have alreadyarrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesustook hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to havetaken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and strainingtoward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which Godhas called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified” (1Thessalonians 4:3).

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’sglory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, whichcomes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

“I am using an example from everyday life because of yourhuman limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurityand to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves torighteousness leading to holiness” (Romans 6:19).

“Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, letus purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit,perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

It is not enough to be satisfied with our justification. Weshould want to increasingly be transformed into His image.

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How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

All Christians Are Evangelists

The Scripture says there are certain gifts: apostles,prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. I am a teacher and anevangelist—but I am an evangelist by obedience. I may have the gift also, butit is certainly obedience. The Great Commission says, “Allauthority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go,therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name ofthe Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teachingthem to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, tothe end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20).

Just by being a Christian, I am anevangelist. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me,” and He said,“Make disciples of all nations.” That means all Christians who obey JesusChrist are evangelists. They are to make disciples of all nations. They arealso to teach these disciples to obey everything that Jesus commanded. Just byobeying that, I am an evangelist and a teacher. If you are an obedientChristian, you are also called to be an evangelist and a teacher.

“I’m not gifted as an evangelist.” No, Isuppose you aren’t—but you are commanded to be one. Not being gifted doesn’tmean you get to slide out from under the command; you have orders to makedisciples of all nations.

I have written three books on this subject: Principles of War, Weapons and Tactics, and Taking Men Alive. They areavailable at Amazon, Audible, and ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

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Conditions for Answered Prayer

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Isaiah 58.

The first five verses are Godtelling the religious people why their prayers are not answered.

“Shout it aloud, do not holdback.

       Raise your voice like a trumpet.

       Declare to my people their rebellion

       and to the house of Jacob their sins.

 For day after day they seek me out;

       they seem eager to know my ways,

       as if they were a nation that does whatis right

       and has not forsaken the commands of itsGod.

       They ask me for just decisions

       and seem eager for God to come nearthem.

 'Why have we fasted,’ they say,

       'and you have not seen it?

       Why have we humbled ourselves,

       and you have not noticed?’

       Yet on the day of your fasting, you doas you please

       and exploit all your workers.

 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,

       and in striking each other with wickedfists.

       You cannot fast as you do today

       and expect your voice to be heard onhigh.

 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,

       only a day for a man to humble himself?

       Is it only for bowing one's head like areed

       and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?

       Is that what you call a fast,

       a day acceptable to the LORD?”

 

The next ten verses give threedifferent conditions and the wonderful result of meeting those conditions:

 

Verses 6 and 7 give theconditions:

 

“‘Is not this the kind of fastingI have chosen:

       to loose the chains of injustice

       and untie the cords of the yoke,

       to set the oppressed free

       and break every yoke?

 Is it not to share your food with the hungry

       and to provide the poor wanderer withshelter—

       when you see the naked, to clothe him,

       and not to turn away from your own fleshand blood?”

 

Verses 8 and 9a give the result:

 

 “Then your light will break forth like thedawn,

       and your healing will quickly appear;

       then your righteousness will go beforeyou,

       and the glory of the LORD will be yourrear guard.

 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;

       you will cry for help, and he will say:Here am I.”

 

9b and 10a give the conditions:

 

"If you do away with theyoke of oppression,

       with the pointing finger and malicioustalk,

 And if you spend yourselves in behalf of thehungry

       and satisfy the needs of the oppressed…”

 

10b-12 give the answer:

 

“Then your light will rise in thedarkness,

       and your night will become like thenoonday.

 The LORD will guide you always;

       he will satisfy your needs in asun-scorched land

       and will strengthen your frame.

       You will be like a well-watered garden,

       like a spring whose waters never fail.

 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins

       and will raise up the age-oldfoundations;

       you will be called Repairer of BrokenWalls,

       Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

 

Verse 13 gives the condition:

 

 “If you keep your feet from breaking theSabbath

       and from doing as you please on my holyday,

       if you call the Sabbath a delight

       and the LORD's holy day honorable,

       and if you honor it by not going yourown way

       and not doing as you please or speakingidle words…”

 

Verse 14 gives the answer:

        

 “Then you will find your joy in the LORD,

       and I will cause you to ride on theheights of the land

       and to feast on the inheritance of yourfather Jacob.

       The mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

 

Over the years, we have occasionally met the conditions. Theanswers are always wonderful. One of our great joys is seeing our children andgrandchildren meet the conditions.

Here is a New Testament counterpart:

“Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon ordinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your richneighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. Butwhen you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid atthe resurrection of the righteous’” (Luke 14:12-14).

How many of the saints obey this at least some of the time?

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How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted

“Just as there were many who were appalled at him—hisappearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marredbeyond human likeness” (Isaiah 52:14).

We believe that this is a picture of Jesus on the cross. Ifso, “His face was disfigured beyond that of any man,” meaning that no one hasbeen disfigured that much ever; and “beyond human likeness,” meaning that Hiscrucified body did not look human.

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet weconsidered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he waspierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; thepunishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; andthe LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

This text tells us the why of the disfigurement. Every lie,every murder, every rape, every idolatrous act was nailed to the cross inJesus. Those few hours He not only carried every evil action in the history ofthe world, but He became sin itself:

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that inhim we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

When we speak of the cross, it should not be glib or in acommonplace way. Thank God.

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Overflow

“For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Thegood man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil manbrings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that menwill have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word theyhave spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words youwill be condemned” (Matthew 12:34b-37).

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasonedwith salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).

At several points in my life, I have been conscious ofspeaking words that were not gracious. Apparently, my heart had not been storedwith good things, or the overflow would have been gracious words. I want tostore my heart so full of good that the overflow will be always good.

 

Written November 1988.

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The Laugh of Faith

This post is an excerpt from The Lordship of Jesus Christ by Bill Pape.

The Devil defies God to deliver His people. He attacks Godthrough the Christian, which is the only way he can attack God. Deliverance isby referring the whole matter confidently to the Lord. [When the Assyrian armysurrounded Jerusalem and demanded surrender, saying that God could not deliverthe city] Hezekiah, in effect, prayed, “Hear what the enemy is saying aboutYou, O Lord.”

The king frankly admitted that the enemy had hadconsiderable success, but he saw equally clearly that the glittering victoriesover nations and their pantheon were not due to the greatness of the kings ofAssyria, but to the littleness of the gods of the conquered peoples. “They wereno gods, but the work of men’s hands” (Isa. 37:19). The prayer that began witha declaration of the greatness of God and continued with an exposure of thereal nature of temptation now admits that human effort cannot devise a methodof countering such an enemy. The world is strewn with the wreckage of schemesthat were intended to make men what they ought to be by delivering them fromevil influences. Satan has indeed “laid waste all the countries” in spite ofprofound philosophies, moral codes, new methods of education, and everyconceivable variety of religious system. The reason for defeat is evident: thegods were human inventions. There are no gimmicks to give victory over evil. Nomagic formula, and not even a verse of Scripture used as a kind of lucky charm,will preserve us from the pollution of sin. Deliverance is from God, the livingGod, alone.

Hezekiah knew that, and realized with crystal clarity thebasic reason why God delivers those who call on Him. “Save us from his hand,that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art Jehovah, even thouonly” (Isa. 37:20). The final answer to the defiance of the Devil is thedeliverance of the Lord who deals with the temptation for His own sake. God isconcerned that His people should be victorious over a mocking enemy, becauseHis own honor is involved, and every temptation is an opportunity for Him toshow that He can do what no other can.

The counterattack against the Assyrians was in two parts.First was the answer of Israel (Isa. 37:22) given to her by the Lord; secondwas the answer of the Lord (Isa. 37:23-38). Israel’s answer was the laughter ofconfident faith. “The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughedthee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.” What adramatic picture this is. Sennacherib, conqueror of nations, head of a mightyempire, and commander of the most powerful army of the day, laughed at by agirl. It is as if a dainty maiden, leaning over the ramparts of the city totake a look at the massed military might of the greatest nation on earth,should shake her head with uncontrollable mirth at the sight of the powerless hordes.She laughs in scorn at the incredibly silly idea that armed forces shouldattack the Holy One of Israel, and she despises any who think that God can bedefeated.

See it that way, and you also will laugh the laugh of faith.Much of our uncertainty about the outcome of a particular temptation originatesin matching our strength against the Devil’s and predicting the resultaccording to whether we are optimistic or pessimistic about ourselves at thetime. The way to victory is to be wholly pessimistic about ourselves andcompletely optimistic about the Lord. Defeat is born of doubt about God, orconfidence in ourselves; victory begins with a conviction that the Lord iscapable of dealing with the enemy. That is to say, we take our stand on thebasic truth that the Devil is not too strong for the Lord, and that we are nottoo weak for Him.

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How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Joy to the World

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all thingswere made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life,and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it…. The true light that gives light toeveryone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the worldwas made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that whichwas his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him,to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children ofGod—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’swill, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Wehave seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from theFather, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-5, 9-14).

This is the Christmas story according to John. This is thereason for all of my descendants and many other relatives being Christiantoday.

My wife Bessie received Christ in 1935 at the age of 15 at arevival meeting in Edmonton, Alberta. I received Christ on October 18, 1947, ata Youth for Christ meeting in a Presbyterian church at the corner of NorthAvenue and St. Paul Street in Baltimore, Maryland. It was after a football gamemy second year at the Naval Academy. I had turned 20 on October 6.

The message preached that evening was by a Filipinoevangelist, Gregorio Tingson. His text was Psalm 40:1-4: “I waited patientlyfor the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimypit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm placeto stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many willsee and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.”

After the meeting was over, Willard Peterson (USNA class of’49) took me to another room and introduced me to the Father through JesusChrist. I wanted to sing for joy! If you do not know the Father, please readthe next five chapters of the Gospel of John.

My favorite Christian carol is Isaac Watts’ “Joy to theWorld, the Lord is Come.” Watts did not write this for Christmas day. He didnot believe in celebrating Christmas. Let’s look at it. Verse 3:

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as, the curse is found.

It sounds like the Second Coming when there will be greatjoy.

Look at Luke 10:17-21:

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even thedemons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightningfrom heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions andto overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do notrejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are writtenin heaven.” At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “Ipraise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden thesethings from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes,Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.”

“Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

“But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered,‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them’ … ‘In the same way, I tell you,there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner whorepents’ …  ‘The son said to him,“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy tobe called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring thebest robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For thisson of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So theybegan to celebrate’” (Luke 15:2, 10, 21-24).

God is into parties when sinners are saved.

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How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Darkness for Light, Bitter for Sweet

In the book of Isaiah, several chapters stand out in mymemory. One of them is chapter five. Here are a few verses from it. It is God’srebuke to Israel, 700 years before Jesus’ time on earth.

“Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit,
    and wickedness as with cart ropes,
 to those who say, ‘Let God hurry;
    let him hasten his work
    so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One of Israel—
    let it approach, let it come into view,
    so we may know it.’

 Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
    and clever in their own sight.

Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine
    and champions at mixing drinks,
 who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
    but deny justice to the innocent.”

(Isaiah 5:18-23)

These verses apply to the United States today. Verses 24 and25 describe the judgment of Israel because of their sins:

“Therefore,as tongues of fire lick up straw

    and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,

so theirroots will decay

    and their flowers blow away like dust;

for theyhave rejected the law of the Lord Almighty

    and spurned the word of the Holy One ofIsrael.

Thereforethe Lord’s anger burns against his people;

    his hand is raised and he strikes themdown.

Themountains shake,

    and the dead bodies are like refuse in thestreets.”

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How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships