Jim Wilson's Blog, page 7

Me, Obey Him?

Dear Friend,

It has been several weeks since we have talked. In one ofour more recent conversations, I promised you a letter. This is the beginning.

Recently, in the car, I listened to two cassette tapes byElisabeth Elliot entitled Me,Obey Him? I was so impressed with Betty’s graciousness and herstrength. Actually, much of her talks were readings from a book called Me?Obey Him?: The Obedient Wife and God's Way of Happiness and Blessing in theHome by a classmate of hers from Wheaton College, Elizabeth Rice Handford.It has been my position, but it is more difficult for a man and a husband toteach it. I ordered six sets of the tapes and two of the books. They havearrived, so I am now ready to send them out.

I have known for a long time your strong position onScripture. Where you and I have differed has not been on the meaning of thetext (any text) but on the application. In the teaching on these talks byElisabeth Elliot, I am convinced that you will agree, and I hope you agree alsoon the application.

Now I will get back to something we have talked aboutseveral times. That is your expression of anger, either toward your husband oryour children. Your explanations have not been satisfactory, even assuming thatyour view of his or the kids’ conduct or talk was exactly rightand that some action had to be taken. From your own description of yourangry responses, they sound like first or rage or loss of temper. Those are neverin the category of “be ye angry and sin not” (Eph. 4:27). They are always sin. They are the reason some of yourchildren are (or seem to be) against you. It is your husband’s main reason fornot backing you up on your discipline. It is not that the kids do not needdiscipline; it is how you have done it in the past and how you continue to doit. I have heard your explanation many times, and it is not convincing. Infact, it is convincing in the opposite way.

I am well aware,and you know that I am well aware, that your husband’s conduct and decisionshave not been right many times and your kids’ conduct would not be allowed ortolerated in our home. That conduct would not have happened, because they wouldhave learned before they were two-year-olds. That is assuming that the parents’conduct toward the children would have remained godly.

Your conduct has not remained godly. Althoughyou have chosen not to see it, your strident voice, loss of temper, hysteria,and physical discipline of them while you are in this condition is prima facieevidence of an ungodly mother. The few times you told me that you were sorryabout your temper, it seemed to be a horizontal sorrow, not repentance to theliving God for an evil action. Most of the time, you said that your anger wasrighteous. As long as you insist on that position, your family is going to continueto react and go downhill. When the children get older and leave home, it willbe difficult for them to give Christianity consideration.

Over the course ofour conversation, I have listened to you prayerfully and carefully. And youhave listened to me. For this I am grateful. However, there has not been achange anywhere close to what it should be based upon the hours we have spentagreeing on the Scripture. There is a lack of application.

Here is the resultof my thinking on this.

1. “For out of theoverflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). When you speak, it isthe overflow from your heart. What you say and how you say it tells everyonethat your heart is filled to overflowing with the same stuff that comes outyour mouth. “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man bring evil things out of the evil stored up in him” (Matt. 12:35). Evil things have been coming out of your mouthfor years. This tells me that you have had a lot of evil stored up in you. Venting it does not get rid of it.

2. “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity anddebauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred,discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factionsand envy; drunkenness, orgies, andthe like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will notinherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21). This list is then followed by alist of the fruit of the Spirit.

I think that you will admit that your lifeis better described by these verses just quoted than by the fruit of theSpirit. Certainly, those who live close to you on a daily basis will say that.

There is a limited number of possiblereasons for this list describing you well.

1.     You are a Christian who can live a life of walking in the light (1 John 5:7), but you will not.

2.     You are a Christian who cannot (is unable to) live a life of walking in the light. This is hard forme to understand. Biblically, it does not seem to be one of the choices.

3.     You are not a Christian. You cannot live the life of walking in the light because you have never enteredthe light.

All of these areawful states. But you are in one of them.

1.     You are a Christian who will not.

2.     You are a Christian who cannot.

3.     You are not a Christian and consequently cannot.

I am unwilling tosay that you will not. So it seems to be that you cannot. It is then you cannot as a Christian, or you cannot because you are not saved and never have been.

I have just rereadthe above. It would not sound so either/or if we were talking in person, butneither would it all get said.

This problem may inface be a “will not” situation because you have convinced yourself and haveattempted to convince others that you have taken care of and have beendelivered from your past. Since you are convinced, then it is difficult toadmit wrong now. Certainly, you have the symptoms of someone who is not setfree.

My common sensetells me that you might get very angry reading this letter. My common sensealso tells me that if you do get angry, it would be further evidence that theprobability that I am right is high.

Your friend,

Jim Wilson

 

 

 

 

https://elisabethelliot.org/resource-library/series-index/a-real-woman/

 

 

Send out with recommend for the Elisabeth Elliot seriesand also a gospel message and/or assurances of salvation.

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

Being Sure of Your Salvation

Dear Friend,

AsI understand it, you are convinced of your salvation because of the commitmentyou made to the Lord Jesus Christ many years ago. That could well be. WhenJesus Christ saves, He does it for eternity. However, some of your relativesdoubt your salvation or are convinced you are not saved. This is the mainreason for my letter.

Iwant to give you a list of biblical parameters that will help you know for acertainty one way or the other. The same will help others know of yoursalvation, but not with the same degree of certainty. I can be sure of my ownsalvation. I cannot be sure of someone else’s salvation in the same way.

However,I can doubt someone else’s salvation without being guilty of “judging.”Here is why.

1Corinthians 5:12 says, “What business is it of mine to judge those outsidethe church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge thoseoutside.”

Theparagraph on judging is in Matthew 7:1-5:

Do not judge or youtoo will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged,and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look atthe speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank inyour own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out ofyour eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, firsttake the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove thespeck from your brother’s eye.

 

Theteaching here is not against judging, but against unqualified judging.In order to take a speck out, you must know one is there and your owneyes must be in good order. Later on in the same chapter, Jesus said, “By theirfruit you will recognize them.” We are required by Jesus to be fruitinspectors.

Twomore texts before we get to the means of know you are saved:

Nevertheless, God’ssolid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knowsthose who are His” and “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord mustturn away from wickedness.” (2 Timothy 2:19) 

And this is thetestimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Hewho has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not havelife. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son ofGod, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13) 

Godknows, and you can know!

Hereare several biblical means of knowing.

1.Love for the brothers. 1 John 3:14 and 1 John 4:20: “We know we have passedfrom death to live, because we love our brothers.”

Lovingour brothers is not the means of passing from death to live. It is ameans of knowing that we have already passed from death to life.

       Non-Christianslove non-Christians.

       Christianslove non-Christians.

       Ittakes a Christian to love a Christian.

Oneof the first evidences of new life in a newly-converted person is he delightsin being with other Christians. He could not stand being with them before hisconversion. “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar.For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love Godwhom he has not seen.”

Thislove for our brothers in Christ is an assurance of our salvation. It is also anassurance to others that we are Christians. Jesus said it this way inJohn 13:34-35: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have lovedyou, so you must love one another. All men will know that you are Mydisciples if you love one another.”

IfI do not love my brother, all men have a good reason to doubt that I ama follower of Jesus.

2.Change of character. Galatians 5:19-24:

(List 1) “The actsof the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfishambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like. Iwarn, as I did before, that those that live like this will not inherit thekingdom of God.”

(List 2) “But thefruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is nolaw. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with itspassions and desires.”

Thequestion that needs to be asked is this: Do the characteristics of list 1describe me the best, or do the characteristics of list 2? If the first listdescribes me the best, then I am not a Christian, and I will not inherit thekingdom of God.

Whatabout my conversion experience? If my experience does not get me out of list 1and into list 2, then my experience was spurious. Jesus does a better job ofsaving than that. You may say, “Then there are not many real Christians.” Thatis a true statement. Real Christians have been saved out of the works of theflesh into the fruit of the Spirit.

3.Spiritual understanding. “The man without the Spirit does not accept thethings that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, andhe cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor.2:14).

Didthe Bible become understandable to me after my conversion? Yes, it made muchsense. Did it make sense before my conversion? No, and I had read it daily foreighteen months.

4.Obedience to God. “We know that we have come to know Him, if we obeyHis commands” (1 John 2:3). Our increased obedience is an evidence that we havecome to know Him. if I have not become more obedient, then it is doubtful thatI have been saved.

5.Increased discipline from God. “In your struggle against sin, you have notyet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten theword of encouragement that addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not makelight of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you,because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone Heaccepts as a son.’ Endure hardship as disciplines; God is treating you as sons.For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (andeveryone undergoes discipline) then you are illegitimate children andnot true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us for alittle while as they thought best, and we respected them for it. how much moreshould we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! … God disciplines usfor our good, that we may share in His holiness. No disciplines seemspleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest ofrighteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews12:4-11).

Thistext says several things. 1) I should resist sin to the point of death. 2) If Ido not resist and do sin, God will discipline me. This discipline will be a) anencouragement, b) painful, c) for my good, my holiness, righteousness, andpeace, and d) proof of my sonship.

IfI do not get disciplined for sin, it will be proof that I am not a son of God.

Thereare two normal ways God disciplines us: our conscience (Romans 13) and thepolice (also Romans 13). If our conscience is not sensitive and we donot get caught by the police, then it is evidence that we are not Christians.

Hereis a review:

·      We must judge those inside the church, those whosay they are Christians. We must be spiritually qualified to make thejudgement.

·      God knows who the real Christians are.

·      Christians must depart from wickedness.

·      Evidence of the new birth: love for Christians;change of character; spiritual understanding; obedience; discipline.

 

Ifyou have a love for the saved people, a longing to be with Christians; if yourcharacter has changed from the works of the flesh to the fruit of the Spirit;if you understand spiritual things (i.e., the Bible makes a lot of sense); ifyour obedience has increased; and if your conscience is very sensitive onlittle things as well as big things, then you are clearly a Christian.

Ifthe opposite is true, then you should doubt your salvation.

Thereis one other possibility. “But if anyone does not have them [the fruit of theSpirit] he is nearsighted and blind and has forgotten that he has beencleansed from his past sins” (2 Peter 1:9). If that is the case, thenconfession of sin is necessary, as in 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, Heis faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from allunrighteousness.”

Also,we have this teaching in Hebrews 5:

In fact, though bythis time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you theelementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyonewho lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teachingabout righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use havetrained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (vv. 12-14)

Ihope this gives you a description of a basic Christian life. I would love tohear from you.

In our Lord Jesus Christ,

Jim Wilson

      

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

Marriage Counseling, Part 2

Dear Friend,

This letter is long overdue. It has been in my head formonths.

First, I think you know that I both love you and like youand respect you. If you do not know that, please take my word for it. You knowthat I am willing to be confronted without dissimulation.

In the many years we have known each other, I have assumedyou were a Christian. I do not have to know absolutely (God knows those who areHis). You have had an interest and an education in Christianity. Even if youwere not, or are not, a Christian, this does not affect my love, like, orrespect for you.

The last few times we have been together, you have assuredme that any adultery was in the past and that you were ready to get right withthe church and with your family and that you had repented toward God. Youassured me that you loved your wife and your children and you were committed tothem.

I recognize that Christians can (and sometimes do) sinrepeatedly. I also understand that it is possible for Christians to lie tocover up repeated sins. However, there are sentences in the Bible that aredefinitive about a man’s moral state and his Christianity. Examples of theseare found in 1 John 1-5 and Galatians 5.

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness,orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live likethis will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit islove, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness andself-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to ChristJesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live bythe Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited,provoking and envying each other” (Gal. 5:19-26).

You may think that you know these chapters well. I encourageyou to read them in the light of your life, past and present.

Which list in Galatians describes you the best: the first inverse 19, or the second in verse 22? If it is the first, then you are verylikely not a Christian. Jesus Christ does a better job of saving than that.

There are other considerations. Are you dead to sin as inRomans 6? “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning sothat grace may increase? By no means! We are those whohave died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Ordon’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptizedinto his death? We were therefore buried with himthrough baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from thedead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Rom. 6:1-4).

Are you now a slave to God or still a slave to sin? “Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and toever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousnessleading to holiness” (Rom. 6:19).

You may think that by this standard thereare not many Christians. This is the case. More and more “born-againChristians” are finding out that they have not been born again and are notChristians. How? Either 1) they cannot keep from sinning or 2) they will notkeep from sinning.  If it is the first,they are not Christians. If it is the second, they are in great trouble asChristians.

Another consideration: For a long time (ifyour conversation is an evidence), you have been envious of others andcoveting houses, land, cars, etc. I do not spend my time listening supercritically, but these things would be hard to miss in your talk.

Consequently, you have been competitive forrecognition soon (in fact, right now). You have wanted to be somebodyfor your sake, not for the sake of your family or the world.

These observations make me wonder whetheryou have passed from death to life. It is a much easier explanation to say thatyou are this way because it is your nature as a natural (that is, an unsaved)man, than it is to say that it is contrary to your nature as a spiritual manwith much biblical knowledge and that you just choose to act like anatural man. If the latter is true, then the instruction in Ephesians 4:17applies to you. “You must no longer live as the Gentiles do in the futility oftheir thinking.” It is more likely that you are a Gentile in that sense.

If you do not want to read theseScriptures, or if you do not understand them, then it is more evidence that youare a natural man.

If you are a natural man, then confessingsins will not change your nature. It is probably why things have not changed inthe past when you confessed your sins.

Of course, I could be wrong and would beglad to admit it if you can establish to me that you can walk in thelight. That would be established by actually walking in the light. I do notthink you can.

If you are not a Christian (never havebeen) and really realize it, then church discipline does not apply. That is forpeople who call themselves Christians.

Sincerely, your friend,

Jim Wilson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Marriage Counseling: A Letter

Dear Friend,

Thank you for listening to us. We both love you, and as Isaid we’ve been friends for a long time and have agreed with each other aboutmany things. I am grateful for the friendship.

You are right when you say I do not understand the hurt youhave gone through for the last twenty years. I understand it in words, but notin experience. I have listened to you of your desires in marriage and ofall the effort you put into the marriage.

When I have talked to your wife, I have talked to her abouther.

It has been difficult to talk to you about you, at least onthe subject of marriage. You have insisted on talking to me about her.

1. The last few years, you have been very angry andaccusative toward your wife. Even if all of your accusations are true, yourcontinued anger is unrepentant, unforgiven sin. You need to repent.

2. This anger has been building up for years, even thoughyou were doing things a Christian husband should do.

3. In Luke 17:3, we have Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness. Wehave it in Matthew 18:35 also.

“So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, andif he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day,and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of youunless you forgive your bother from your heart.”

You have not forgiven your wife. It may be that you do notwant to; it may be that you think you cannot. In any case, you have not. “Outof the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Forgiveness is notcoming out of your mouth. I assume it is not the abundance in your heart. Youneed to repent of your unforgiveness.

4. You have left your children. The little that you see themdoes not make up for not being a father every day. They are hurting. They needyou. You cannot hold your wife responsible for not being a good fatherand mother. You need to repent for leaving your children.

5. You are very conscious of not having your needs met. Areyou as conscious of not having met her needs? Do you realize that youalso hurt her? Do you know where? How? Why don’t you know? You need to repenttowards God for not loving your wife as Christ loved the church.

6. You have told me several times that you are interested inanother Christian woman. Do you realize that this is sin? Does she realize thatthis is sin? You need to repent.

7. You have held many Christians responsible for judging youwith malicious attitudes. I have been included in your list. You are guilty ofdoing what you think others are doing. You need to repent.

8. You left your wife for reasons that are not biblical. Youneed to repent. Unless you repent of all of the above, you will continue in alife of no joy.

9. You may get angry with me. That will be another thing youwill need to repent of.

You may think I am coming on heavy because of the immanenceof your divorce. This is partly true. I am sorry that I did not press you onyour sins earlier.

If you reject the things I am saying, there is another way.Come into God’s presence as Isaiah did in Isaiah 6. Forget me and come to God.You will find

·      God’s presence

·      Conviction

·      Confession

·      Forgiveness

·      Ready to go

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I sawthe Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robefilled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each withsix wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered theirfeet, and with two they were flying. And they werecalling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;the whole earth is full of his glory.’ At the sound of theirvoices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I liveamong a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal inhis hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched yourlips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for’” (Isaiah 6:1-7).

A very real friend,

Jim Wilson

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

Identifying Godless Chatter

“Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas ofwhat is falsely called knowledge” (1 Timothy 6:20).

We are bombarded with “godless chatter” every day. In universitytowns like the ones we minister in, we are immersed in it.

In all of this, there is some of God’s truth. People hear thepart that is truth and consequently do not recognize the “godless chatter” forwhat it is. This makes the godless chatter even more dangerous. Nevertheless,Timothy was instructed to turn away from it.

There are three ways to discern godless chatter:

1.    Know the wisdom of God very well. “We do,however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of thisage or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak ofGod’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined forour glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, forif they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:6-8).

2.    Know the enemy. “…in order that Satanmight not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” (2 Corinthians2:6-8).

3.    Stay awake. “Be self-controlled andalert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking forsomeone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you knowthat your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind ofsufferings” (2 Peter 5:8-9).

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

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

The Lord Your God Is with You

“The LORD your God is with you,

He is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.”

(Zephaniah 3:17)

 

This is one of the great verses of God’s character expressedtoward us. Most of us know that He is with us, that He saves us, and that Heloves us. But there are two additional expressions which cause me to wonder:

“He will take great delight in you.” That ought to help anyChristian with a “poor self-image.” God delights in me greatly!

“He will rejoice over you with singing.” Most of us love tosing praises to Him with joy. Here it tells us that He also sings withjoy over us.

There is grandeur, wonder, and awe portrayed in Revelation5:11-14 where a hundred million plus angels and every creature everywhere sing“to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.” That is wonderful, but it isfar more wonderful that God will sing with joy over me.

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

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

A Famine of the Word

There is a frightening prophecy in the book of Amos:

“‘The days are coming,’ declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘when Iwill send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water,but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to seaand wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but theywill not find it’” (Amos 8:11-12).

I have no idea whether this prophecy was ever fulfilled in thepast. If not, it is, of necessity, still future. It certainly is not in thepresent. In this world we have places where the Word of God is very accessible.The supply is greater than the demand. There is a famine in the midst of plentybecause people are not reading the Word.

There are places where the Word of God is not available at all.People do not know it is not available. They are in a famine and do not knowthat they are in a famine. There are still other places where there is a famineand people know it. They are eager for Bibles. The demand is much greater thanthe supply.

This post coordinates with tomorrow's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

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

Therefore

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set yourhearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Setyour minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your lifeis now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, thenyou also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whateverbelongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desiresand greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:1-5).

“That, however, is not the way of life you learned when youheard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that isin Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put offyour old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be madenew in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to belike God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each ofyou must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we areall members of one body” (Ephesians 4:20-25).

Colossians 3:5 and Ephesians 4:25 start with the word“therefore” and follow it with a series of commands. These are not optional,and they are not a process. They are based upon us being dead and raised withChrist. Write them down and check them off as you have obeyed them.

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

Slow to Anger and Abounding in Love

One of the great God’s great self-declarations was given by Himto Moses on his second trip up the mountain in Exodus 34:6-8:

“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord,the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding inlove and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgivingwickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; hepunishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to thethird and fourth generation.’”

We see here the truth that upset Jonah:

“But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. Heprayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home?That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a graciousand compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relentsfrom sending calamity. Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for meto die than to live” (Jonah 4:1-3).

God was not angry. Jonah, however, was angry because God wasnot.

We see the same slowness to anger as a requirement forChristians:

“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should bequick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger doesnot bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19-20).

Normally, anger is not a virtue. It should not be impetuous,must be over by sundown, and must be gotten rid of.

“‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go downwhile you are still angry…. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawlingand slander, along with form of malice” (Ephesians 4:26, 31).

This post coordinates with today's reading in the Tothe Word! Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan,please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

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

What the Bible Says About Giving

“Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandmentsand teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom ofheaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called greatin the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousnesssurpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainlynot enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to the peoplelong ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’…Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember thatyour brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of thealtar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer yourgift” (Matthew 5:19-21, 23-24).

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to bearrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to puttheir hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous andwilling to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as afirm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life thatis truly life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).

The Bible has a lot to say about giving. Please take time toread the following:

1 Corinthians 9:1-23 and 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.

Here are a few short passages on giving:

“The elders who direct the affairs of thechurch well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work ispreaching and teaching. For Scripture says, ‘Do notmuzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves hiswages’” (1 Timothy 5:17-18).

“[False teachers] have an unhealthyinterest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife,malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corruptmind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a meansto financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For webrought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if wehave food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to getrich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desiresthat plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a rootof all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from thefaith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:4-10).

“I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewedyour concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity toshow it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to becontent whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I knowwhat it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in anyand every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or inwant. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good ofyou to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the earlydays of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, notone church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except youonly; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once whenI was in need. Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more becredited to your account. I have received full payment and have more thanenough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus thegifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasingto God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of hisglory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:10-19).

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultlessis this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneselffrom being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).

“But now that there is no more place for me to work in theseregions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan todo so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to haveyou assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for awhile” (Romans 15:23-24).

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