In this issue, we begin a new series on the Frailty of Life. This series will be in three parts, each part focussing on a different passage of Scripture that concerns how frail our life on earth is, and what our response should be to our realization that life is frail.
Of course, we continue the studies in the other series. Of note is the in-depth study on the Fall of man in our Genesis study. Also, within the various studies in this issue, the following topics are touched upon: the danger of mishandling God's Word (in the Genesis study); the elements of temptation (in the Genesis study); the benefits of being poor (in the New Testament study); God's answering of prayer (in the Study in Psalms); false gods in today's world (in the Study in Psalms); the importance of self-examination (also in the Study in Psalms). We also give an answer to that oft asked question: "What about the native of Africa or New Guinea or South America, etc. who has not heard about Christ? Can he be saved?" See the Topical Study for an answer.
In Christ,
Scott Sperling
Masthead
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"Scripture Studies" is edited and published ten times a year by Scott Sperling. All unsigned articles are by the editor. Submissions are welcome with the understanding that no contributors are compensated by the publisher for their submissions. They will, however, receive their full reward in heaven.
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Unless noted otherwise, scripture references are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright ⌐ 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
Here, we continue the study of Genesis with chapter 3.
Overview
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In this chapter, one could say, the main action of the plot of the Bible begins. However, the fall of man is more than just a plot element. It is the most significant event in the history of mankind: more significant than any war or victory; more significant than any scientific breakthrough or natural disaster; more significant even than the death and resurrection of Christ, for Christ's advent would not have been necessary if man had never fallen.
Every aspect of our lives is affected by the fall and by the sin that the fall introduced to the world. In our careers, we toil under the curse of the fall. As a society, we live in strife. In our bodies, we suffer pain and sickness. Even our leisure-time activities are influenced by the fall: the arts are expressions of man's anguish as a result of man's fallen state; lyrics in music often reflect failed relationships, failed due to selfishness, pride, deceit, etc.; sports and competition are driven by man's desire to exalt himself over others. The fall has seriously affected our ability to relate to one another and to live at peace with one another. Most importantly, the fall has seriously affected our ability to relate to God and to live at peace with Him. The main theme of the Bible concerns the restoration of our relationship to God and the redemption of man from his sinful state, climaxing at the cross of Christ, which made the way for us to return to God. Just as man chose to rebel against God in his sin, so man can also choose to return to God by accepting the sacrifice of Christ to pay the price for his sin. Thus, Christ's sacrifice, in a sense, undoes the event of the fall and brings man back to God. This is what the story of the Bible and, indeed, this is what the history of mankind is all about.
The Temptation of Man
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"1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, "you must not eat from any tree in the garden"?'
2 The woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, "You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die." '
4'You will not surely die,' the serpent said to the woman. 5 'For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' "
Moses here introduces us to the serpent, the instrument that Satan used to deceive Eve and bring about the fall of man. That it is Satan that indwells the serpent is confirmed by other Scriptures. The Lord relates through Ezekial that Satan was in the Garden of Eden: "You were in Eden, the garden of God" (Ezek. 28:13). Christ alludes to Satan's deception of Eve as murder, as He spoke to the Pharisees: "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him" (John 8:44). John, in the book of Revelation, specifically identifies the serpent when he describes a future incarnation of Satan as "the great dragon": "The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray" (Rev. 12:9). So, there is no doubt that it was Satan who used the serpent to deceive Eve.
Moses chooses to relate the episode of the fall from the point of view of Adam and Eve. There is no indication that Adam and Eve realized that a spiritual being, Satan, was inhabiting the serpent. I believe that God did not allow Satan to appear to Eve in his own form, because it probably would have awed Eve. The Lord, through Ezekial, describes the appearance of Satan: "Every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared" (Ezek. 28:13). God allowed Eve to be tempted by Satan in the form of an animal so that she would not think that the tempter was a superior being to her. Man was specifically tasked to rule over the animals (cf. Gen. 1:26,28). As a ruler, rather than listen to the serpent, Eve should have punished the serpent for being in open rebellion against the Lord. Thus, one reason for the fall is that man failed to carry out properly the service that God assigned to him.
Moses informs us that "the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made". Satan presumably chose the serpent because of this trait. Satan took advantage of the craftiness of the serpent to use the serpent to deceive Eve. In the same way, Satan looks for character traits in us that he can use for his advantage. Be careful of the enemy using your weaknesses for his work. If you are prone to anger, lust, pride, abuse of power, be careful lest the enemy use you.
Having studied the animals while he was naming them, Adam was most certainly aware of the serpent's craftiness. Satan, therefore, approaches Eve, who apparently did not have as much knowledge concerning the animals as Adam did, since she did not exist when the animals were named. So, we see that Satan shrewdly chose to focus his attack on Eve because she was less prepared to counteract the temptation. The tempter is shrewd. We must be on guard and be aware of his devices. The Bible is full of examples of Satan's work. We should study the Word of God with this in mind in order to learn from these examples, so that we will not fall into the same traps.
Satan begins by asking, "Did God really say...?". True to Satan's nature, this question is replete with deception. First, Satan depersonalizes the Lord by calling Him "God". Throughout the second chapter of Genesis, which describes the foundation of God's relationship with Adam and Eve, God is referred to as "the Lord God". As explained in the last issue of Scripture Studies, the designation "Lord" ("YHWH" in Hebrew) is the personal name of God. Since this designation is used in chapter two and also later in chapter three, we must assume that Adam and Eve normally addressed God using His personal name "Lord". Satan, however, refers to the Lord as "God", presumably with the motive of depersonalizing Him. In doing so, Satan turns his conversation with Eve into a theoretical discussion about some abstract entity ("God"), instead of about a personal friend of hers, the Lord. Many do this today. They treat God as some abstract being rather than the personal God that He is. Those of the world must be made aware that God is intimately concerned with and involved in the affairs of His creation, and not an unfeeling, impersonal essence.
The question "Did God really say...?" can be interpreted two ways:
1. Casting doubt on what God said. In other words, the question could be interpreted as saying: "Are you sure that you heard right? Did God really say that?" So today, many will ignore the command of God because Satan sows the seed of doubt as to whether God really did make such a command.
2. Questioning the motive of God's saying it. In other words, the question could be interpreted as saying: "Are you kidding? That's pretty unreasonable. Did God really say that?" And again today, many will ignore the command of God because they perceive that the command is unreasonable. Those who do this are putting themselves above God: They do not understand the motive for the command so the command must be unreasonable. Instead, they should realize that God is wiser than they are. True obedience to God is to be satisfied and content with the command of God, even not knowing the reason behind it, trusting in the fact that God is righteous, holy and good.
So, Satan's first tactics during his conversation with Eve is both to cast doubt upon and to question the command of God.
Moses goes on to relate what "the woman said to the serpent". Eve's first mistake was to listen to Satan. She should have said, as Christ did, "Get behind me, Satan" (Matt. 16:23). Eve's second mistake was to listen to Satan with interest. We should never try to dwell on the words and ideas of Satan. He is shrewder than we are, easily able to deceive us. Eve's third mistake was to respond to Satan. Seeing Eve's openness and eagerness to carry on the conversation, Satan jumped right in and continued with his deception. We must learn from this episode: do not respond to Satan, do not be interested in Satan and his evil, do not even listen to him. Satan is powerless in temptation if we do not entertain his advances. As James exhorts: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
The root of Eve's being deceived was in her incorrect handling of God's Word. In her answer to the serpent, Eve corrupted the Word of God in three ways:
1. She took away from God's Word. In Gen. 2:16, God said that they were "free to eat" or, more accurately, they may "freely eat" [1] from all of the other trees in the garden. Eve merely said that they "may eat". This omission may seem trivial, but it is significant in that it causes emphasis to be placed upon the prohibition from eating from the one tree, rather than the allowance to eat from all of the other trees.
2. She added to God's Word. Eve related to the serpent that God said "you must not touch" the tree. There is no record of God making that prohibition. This addition to God's Word is significant in that it pictures God as making unreasonable prohibitions. We must be careful that we do not add to God's Word and, thus, misrepresent the character of God. The area in which I have most seen people add to God's Word concerns the observance of the Sabbath. I have heard of well-meaning Christians prohibit skiing, golfing, sewing, going to Disneyland, etc. on Sundays. In doing so, they portray God as One who does not want His children to have any fun! They also deny the fulfillment of the Sabbath law by the rest we find in Christ (cf. Heb. 4:9,10; Col. 2:16-17).
3. She modified God's Word. In Genesis 2:17, God said that when they eat of the forbidden fruit that they "will surely die"[2], stating in no uncertain terms that they will die. In Gen. 3:3, Eve related that God told them not to eat of the forbidden fruit "lest you die", as if to say maybe they will die and maybe they won't. Thus, she weakened the certainty of the punishment of disobeying God.
So, we see that Eve, when dealing with the temptations of Satan, misused the Word of God. This is contrasted to Christ's resistance of temptation by accurately citing Word of God in Matt. 3. Knowing the Bible accurately is a powerful weapon in the resistance of temptation. Be prepared! Study and know the Word of God accurately, so that you may resist in the time of temptation.
Satan took advantage of Eve's misuse of God's Word. He quickly chimes in "You will not surely die", which is a direct contradiction to the words of God in Gen. 2:17. Satan is capitalizing on Eve's implied doubt as to whether they will really die for eating the forbidden fruit.
Satan says the same thing today. He says to many, "you will not surely die". The belief that God will not really punish sinners is prevalent. Many, even some in the pulpit, deny the existence of hell and eternal punishment. . To deny the existence of hell is to contradict the Word of God (for the Bible clearly affirms its existence[3]), to water down the holiness of God (by implying that those who have not been cleansed from sin can enter His presence) and to deny the righteousness of God (by implying that God will allow sin to go unpunished). More significantly, to deny the existence of hell is to claim that Christ's sacrifice for us was futile. Why would we need a Savior if there is nothing to be saved from?
Again, even today, Satan says to many: "You will not surely die", and he makes the statement with emphases in different places. Sometimes he says, "*You* will not surely die", as if to say, "You are a 'good' person. Why would God punish you?" Sometimes he says, "You will not *surely* die", as if to say, "It is by no means certain that you will die. There must be another way out." Sometimes he says, "You will not surely *die*", as if to say, "The punishment for sin could not possibly be death, but surely something weaker." Whatever the emphasis, this statement is dangerous. There is only one way to escape the punishment of death for sin, and that is by acceptance of the atoning sacrifice for sin of Christ on the cross.
Satan goes on to say to Eve that she will not die "for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God". Here, Satan not only casts doubt on the truth of the punishment, but also casts aspersions on the motive of God for making the command. Satan is, in effect, saying, "You will not surely die. God only said that because He does not want you to become like Him." Satan here is denying that God loves us unselfishly; Satan is denying that God desires only the best for us. And as it was in the beginning, so it is now. Satan claims that the command of God is to keep us from enjoying life. However, the more that you study and obey the law of God, the more that you realize that the law is for our good. Why are we so apt to believe Satan, yet disbelieve God? Satan says that God does not love us, but there is an extremely powerful argument that supports the fact that God indeed does love us: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). Satan may say that God does not love us, but God demonstrated that His love for us.
Satan told Eve that if she ate of the forbidden fruit, she would "be like God, knowing good and evil". This was a true but misleading statement from the father of lies. Yes, she would be like God in that she would have the knowledge of good and evil; but, in dying spiritually, she was to lose her holiness, thus becoming less like God in this respect. Her exaltation from the knowledge of good and evil was to be miniscule as compared to the fall that resulted from her sin.
The desire to "be like God" tempts many. Many false religions appeal to people because they promise that one can "be like God". The desire for knowledge also tempts many. We have the mistaken belief that more knowledge is good and invariably brings happiness. This is not so. On the contrary, the knowledge of good and evil brought death to the first man and woman, just as it brings death today.[4]
The Sin of Man
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"6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."
After her encounter with Satan, Eve viewed the tree as she never had before. She "saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom". Often, through the influence of Satan, we view the forbidden things with pleasure, the perverted things with passion, the shameful things with pride. The glass he holds in front of our eyes colors to make sin enticing, desirable, even permissable; yet, that same glass blinds us to the destruction of sin. Eve no longer viewed the fruit as the bringer of death, but as the giver of pleasure.
The three elements of temptation that confronted Eve when she then looked at the fruit are elements found, either singly or collectively, in all temptation, even in the present day (cf. I John 2:16, KJV):
1. Lust of the flesh: she saw that the fruit was "good for food". Bodily desires, when improperly channeled, are the source of many temptations.
2. Lust of the eyes: the fruit was also "pleasing to the eye". Jesus summed up the danger of allowing our eyes to dwell on things that we should not: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness" (Matt. 6:22-23).
3. The pride of life: she saw the fruit as "desirable for gaining wisdom". All men, from the youngest age, have a desire to be the best, to exalt themselves over others. This attitude is contrary to the teachings of Christ. When the disciples were arguing about which of them would be considered the greatest, Jesus said to them: "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves" (Luke 22:25,26). Christ Himself is our example in this, for He, "being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant" (Phil. 2:6,7).
Interestingly, these three elements were also used by Satan to tempt Christ in Luke 4. Christ was told by Satan to break His fast by turning the stones into bread, trying to appeal to the fleshly desires. Christ was shown by Satan all the kingdoms of the world over which He could reign, trying to appeal to the lust of the eyes. Christ was told to jump off the pinnacle of the temple and cause the angels to come to His rescue, trying to appeal to the pride of life.Note also the order of the three elements of temptation in the narrative: first, "good for food" then "pleasing to the eye" then "desirable for gaining wisdom". Satan works from the outside to the inside, appealing to the physical desires with the goal of winning over the heart. This is the opposite of how God works. God works from the inside to the outside. He desires first a repentant heart, then He works to change the external behavior. Many hesitate to turn to God, saying, "My life is a mess." We must realize that God does not expect us to come to Him in a perfect state. God sent His Son so that we would not have to be holy to come to Him. Come to Him first, as you are, then He will transform you.
Moses then relates that "she took some and ate it". In addition, "she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it". And so, death entered the world. Paul states that "sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin" (Rom. 5:12). In the Bible, it is implied that man's fall not only first brought death to man, but also to the animals. It seems that before the fall, the animals did not die either. This is supported by the fact that both man and animals were originally vegetarian, for God said to man: "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--everything that has the breath of life in it--I give every green plant for food" (Gen. 1:29-30). A deathless world will return in the future when God creates a new heaven and new earth: "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox" (Isa. 65:25).
Eve was not content just to eat the forbidden fruit herself, but "she also gave some to her husband". Note the progression of her sin: first she looked upon the forbidden fruit, then desired it, then took it, then ate it and finally gave it to her husband. We are not content just to sin ourselves; unfortunately, we must corrupt others too. Sin loves company. We feel comforted when we hear that others sin in the ways that we sin. This is wrong. We must detest sin, in ourselves and in others.
Interestingly, throughout the Bible, Adam, not Eve, gets the blame for the fall of mankind. The Lord, speaking to Israel through Isaiah, reminds us: "Your first father sinned" (Isa. 43:27). Paul relates that "sin entered the world through one man" (Rom. 5:12). He goes on to say that "death reigned from the time of Adam" (Rom. 5:13). Elsewhere, Paul teaches that "as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive" (I Cor. 15:22). Why does Adam get the blame? Two possible reasons:
1. It was Adam's sin, not Eve's, that brought the fall of mankind in toto. If Eve had sinned but Adam did not, mankind would not have fallen. Eve would have eventually died, but Adam would have continued to live. To carry on the human race, Adam, quite possibly, would have lost another rib!
2. Eve was deceived. All mention of Eve in the Bible outside of the book of Genesis speaks of her as being deceived. "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ" (II Cor. 11:3). "And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner" (I Tim. 2:14). The fact that she was deceived does not lessen her responsibility for the sin, but it does point out a striking contrast between her sin and Adam's. Eve was deceived; but Adam knew full well what he was doing. Adam knowingly chose to obey Eve and die, rather than to obey God and live. Adam loved the creature more than the Creator. This sets up Adam as a "pattern" (as Paul says in Rom. 5:14) of Christ. Just as Christ chose to die to be with His bride (the church), so Adam chose to die to be with His bride (Eve). However, as Paul argues in Rom. 5:15-21, "the gift is not like the trespass" (Rom. 5:15). Adam's death was a consequence of disobedience to God and resulted in death for all mankind, but Christ's death was in obedience to God and resulted in life for mankind.
In any case, both Adam's and Eve's sin resulted in death. They both took of the forbidden fruit and ate it. Whether deceived or not, it was their choice to disobey the direct command of God.
The immediate result of their sin and the obtaining of the knowledge of good and evil was guilt and shame: "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked". The first sin brought into action the first evidence of a conscience. Their desire was to immediately cover their sin. However, even though their sin was against God, instead of going to Him to seek atonement, they try by their own means to cover their sin and to appease their guilt. By sewing "fig leaves" together, they try to cover their sin. This same means is used today. Many think that by their own works that they can balance out the consequences of their sin. We see many "fig leaves" today: feeding the poor, giving money for the work of God, religious rituals, church-going, etc. These are noble works but they do not cover one's sin in the sight of God or save one from the death that results from sin. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). It is only through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross that we can atone for our sins.
Closing Prayer
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And so Father, we come to You and You alone, through Christ, for salvation. We praise You for the gift of salvation through Your Son. We confess our sins to You and accept the provision that You have made for the atonement of our sins by the death of Christ. Help us by Your Spirit to resist the enemy. Make us aware of his tactics so that we may not be deceived, and may turn from him as he seeks to deceive. Give us the strength and the knowledge through the study of Your Word to withstand the attacks of the enemy. In the name of Jesus we ask these things, Amen.
. (The study in Genesis will continue in the next issue with the conclusion of chapter 3.)
This article continues an on-going, verse-by-verse series on the exhortations in Romans 12.
The Body of Christ
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"4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." (Rom. 12:4,5).
These verses contain an illustration that compares the fellowship of Christians to the human body. In verse 3 of Romans 12, Paul began a series of exhortations concerning the Christian's relationship with other Christians. That verse urged the Christian to look at himself with sober judgment, not thinking too highly of himself. Then, in verses 4 through 8, Paul describes the fellowship of believers as forming one body in Christ. So, verse 3, speaking of developing a correct estimation of oneself and one's own gifts, serves as an introduction to verses 4 through 8, because the attitude encouraged in verse 3 is necessary for the successful operation of the Church as one body.
Paul speaks of the Church as being the Body of Christ in many places (see I Cor 10:17; Eph. 1:23; Col. 1:18,24; 2:19; 3:15; etc.); however, there are three major passages on the subject: I Cor. 12:12-30; Eph. 4:4-16; and the one here in Romans (Rom. 12:3-8). These passages are not redundant, but they each emphasize a different aspect of the church as the body of Christ:
1. In I Cor. 12:12-30, Paul deals with the Church as being one body organizationally, with Christ as the head and the members given specific roles to make up a structured union. Thus, he says: "But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other...Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues" (I Cor. 12:24-25,27-28).
2. In Eph. 4:4-16, Paul deals with the Church as being one body spiritually, unified in doctrines and beliefs. Thus, he says: "There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph. 4:4-6).
3. Here, in Romans 12:3-8, Paul deals with the Church as being one body purposefully, with each member contributing his talents and gifts according to the purpose and goal of the Head. Thus, Paul says: "We have different gifts, accourding to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully" (Rom. 12:6-8).
Note that Paul is not describing the unity within a single church or church denomination, but the unity within the whole Body of Christ, "the" Church, if you will. We should see ourselves, not as members of an individual church organization, but as members of the Body of Christ, united under His rulership as the Head of the Body.
Paul begins these verses by saying "Just as...", thus, signaling the beginning of an illustration. Illustrations and parables are very useful in teaching the truths of God. This is why the Bible is full of illustrations, parables, types, analogies, etc. The things of heaven can seem abstract when put in heavenly terms; but when spoken in earthly terms, they become straightforward and immediately applicable.
In this case, Paul uses an illustration that is easily understandable to "each of us", because, indeed, "each of us has one body with many members". The interpretation of this illustration is directly at hand. We need only consider how the different parts of the body work together to keep the body alive and functioning properly. In the same way, we are to perform our duties in the service of the Head of the Body (Christ), just as the members of our body perform theirs. Each of us has a purpose and we are each vitally important for the health and survival of the Body. As a member of the Body, we must see that we do not fail to perform our well-defined role. Just as a heart must pump blood, a lung must breathe, a kidney must cleanse the blood, so we too must not neglect our duties and responsibilities to the Body of Christ.
Now, as in the human body, the "members do not all have the same function". It is important that we all, by the guidance of the Spirit, seek our proper function as a member of the Body of Christ. As Paul says in the next verse, "We all have different gifts" (Rom. 12:6). And elsewhere, he says: "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?" (I Cor. 12:29-30). Indeed, "God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be" (I Cor. 12:18).
With this in mind, the body of Christ has unity. There is no reason to envy someone else's gifts in the service of God. It is God who has distributed them. You will be most content when you serve the Lord according to His will, for it is His Body. It is damaging to the Body when someone is not being guided by the Holy Spirit in the work of Christ. Not only does this promote disorder in the Body of Christ, but if you are not performing your assigned role, a vital function is left undone. "If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?" (I Cor. 12:17).
"So in Christ, we who are many form one body". Since it is "in Christ" that we form one body, this unites us toward one goal and purpose: the goal and purpose of the Head of the Body. When strife occurs, it can quelled by seeking the will of the Head. If we seek His will and follow it, unity will be restored. It seems strange that sinful people from so many walks of life, with varied backgrounds, from vastly different cultural backgrounds can be united in one purpose and "form one body", until we realize that the union of us into one Body results from the fact that we have one Spirit dwelling in us, a Spirit that is able to bring us together in unity if we would but follow His guidance.
We not only form one body, but "each member belongs to all the others". Because we belong to each other, we should readily render our services to others and accept the service of others in our works for the Lord. Furthermore, since they "belong" to us, we should consider precious our fellow "members" who are working together with us for the furtherance of the kingdom.
In summary, we must all be acutely aware of the fact that we, as Christians, are members of the same Body. Belonging to the same body rules out rivalry, stifles selfish ambition , suppresses separate interests and induces intimacy. When we were on our own, we were driven to disorder, division, self-exaltation, and apathy. However, with the awareness that we belong to the same body, we are driven to humility, charity, affinity, unity and activity.
So Father, give us this awareness. Guide us by Your Spirit to our role and purpose as a member of the Body of Christ. Give us the opportunity and willingness to work together with the other members of His Body to further His kingdom on earth. We ask these things in the name of the Head of the Body, our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Here, we continue our study in the Epistle of James.
The Sin of Favoritism
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"1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, 'Here's a good seat for you,' but say to the poor man, 'You stand there' or 'Sit on the floor by my feet,' 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"
Here, James begins a section where he speaks against the sin of favoritism. It is wrong to show favoritism based on external circumstances, whether it is favoritism to the rich or to the poor: "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly" (Lev. 19:15). James here focusses on the more prevalent case: showing favoritism to someone because of their riches. It is natural for the world to honor the rich and famous, because riches and fame are things for which those of the world strive. As Christians, we should have different values. Therefore, we should esteem individuals for different reasons than the world does. As Paul says, "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view" (II Cor. 5:16).
We should examine ourselves concerning favoritism. Do we favor the worldly wealthy? Are our heroes the great athletes, the rich entrepreneurs, the glamorous actors? Are we not surely guilty of showing favoritism to the worldly wealthy, even at church? Unfortunately, upon examination, I think that most of will indeed find ourselves guilty in this regard. We greet the rich and upstanding, while ignoring the lowly and humble. We admire worldly wealth on the outside, ignoring the presence of God on the inside. We often allow fame to excuse immorality, being more tolerant of the actions of the rich. The excellent of the world should not gain our respect and honor, but the excellent in Christ. Our only consideration of outward adornment should be based on if one is clothed with the righteousness of Christ.
Indeed, Christ Himself is our example in this. He never showed special treatment based on external circumstances, but rather dealt with people based on the condition of their hearts. Even the Pharisees recognized this. At one point, they said to Him: "We know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are" (Matt. 22:16).
In the passage we are studying, James begins by addressing his readers as "My brothers", in order to underscore his point: All believers, whether rich or poor, are our brothers. James goes on to categorize those to whom his exhortation is directed as "believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ". Love toward all, without favoritism, is an evidence and a fruit of true faith in Jesus Christ. Throughout this epistle, James "grounds Christian practice on Christian faith".[5] Indeed, the main theme of this epistle is that true faith will result in behavior that reflects that faith. So here, James relates that favoritism is not consistent with being a "believer".
Moreover, by telling "believers" not to show favoritism, he is reminding us that our standing in relation to God is derived from our faith, not our external circumstances. In the things of God, all have an equal advantage. Therefore, just as God does not show favoritism, but allows any and all to come to Him, we are not to show favoritism.
To explain what he means by favoritism, James describes a hypothetical situation, where a rich man and a poor man come into a church meeting. The rich man is "wearing a gold ring and fine clothes". Many people don their jewelry and fine clothes at church, almost to invite special attention. There is a defect with churches that have "dress codes" (even though unwritten), in that those with humble means may feel intimidated to attend amongst the finery. A church should have an atmosphere such that all feel welcome, even the poorest, most wretched sinner.
The rich man is told, "Here's a good seat for you". This was a common practice in the synagogue, to reserve the best seats for the most wealthy. Nowadays, seats in the churches are normally not reserved in such a way; however, are not the elders and deacons of many churches chosen among the parishioners who are the most well-off? Do not the more wealthy receive more dinner invitations from fellow believers? Is not the better dressed newcomer given the better welcome at the church door?
Unfortunately, favoritism is alive and well in the modern church. In the hypothetical, the poor man was told "You stand there" (so as to be ready to serve) or to "Sit on the floor by my feet" (so as to be at a lowly position). In both cases, the result is to exalt the hypothetical speaker above the poor man. Thus, James asks rhetorically: "Have you not discriminated among yourselves?". Discrimination is a damaging sin to the cause of Christendom because of its poor testimony to the world.
Those who show favoritism have "become judges with evil thoughts". In this, they doubly err: They not only are serving in a role to which they were not called (by being a judge), but they also are carrying out that role poorly (by showing partiality). To show favoritism is a sin, as cited above: "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly" (Lev. 19:15). Thus, it is an "evil thought" that shows respect based on worldly riches.
The Behavior of the Rich
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"5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?"
James goes on to point out that, most often, it is the "poor in the eyes of the world" that God uses, and it is the rich who are oppressive and who blaspheme the Lord.
James begins by saying, "Listen, my dear brothers". He is calling for his readers to pay special attention because the point that he is making is contrary to many people's understanding. Human understanding would say that it is the rich who are approved by God, because their lives are the most comfortable. However, wealth cannot, in itself, be used to determine approval by God. "Lest riches should be accounted evil in themselves, God sometimes gives them to the righteous; and lest they should be considered as the chief good, he frequently bestows them on the wicked."[6]
To illustrate this point, James asks rhetorically: "Has not God chosen those who are poor...?" It is the poor whom God usually chooses to use in mighty ways. "The lion and the eagle are passed by, and the lamb and the dove chosen for sacrifice."[7] As Paul writes: "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him" (I Cor. 1:26-29). As stated, the reason God chooses the poor is so that "no one may boast before him". When the rich and well-educated are chosen to do great work, often God does not get the glory. However, when God uses the poor, we can only give the glory to Him for using someone with no apparent outward advantages.
The poor are certainly freer to serve the Lord, free of worldly possessions, ties and responsibilities. When God says, "Pick up and go", they can pick up and go. They can serve the Lord wholly and undistracted. Very few realize the advantage of poverty! The poor of the world, yet in Christ, should glory in their riches. As James pointed out in chapter 1: "The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position" (James 1:9). On the other hand, the rich believer must understand the danger of riches. Our possessions become an obstacle to serving the Lord. The rich of the world should not consider their riches an advantage, but strive all the more to give themselves to the Lord despite their riches.
God's choosing of the poor to serve Him is exemplified by Christ's ministry. Jesus came into the world as a poor man, choosing the poor to be His disciples. God could have chosen Jesus to come into this world as a respected Pharisee, a wealthy merchant, even the emperor of Rome. Instead, God chose Christ to be born in a manger, a humble carpenter, with fishermen as followers. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich" (II Cor. 8:9).
It is the poor "in the eyes of the world" that God chooses. However, they are the poor of this world only, not the next. Though their worldly means be short, their benefits in the kingdom of heaven are three-fold (as described in verse 5): 1. They are chosen by God; 2. They are rich in faith; 3. They are heirs of the kingdom. With this in mind, it is difficult to call them poor!
In verse 6, James points out the root of the sin of favoritism, by telling those who show favoritism: "But you have insulted the poor". To show favoritism to the rich and ignore the poor is to insult the poor and, thus, contrary to the command: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:18). This is the basis for calling favoritism a sin.
James goes on to illustrate the folly of indiscriminantly showing favoritism to the rich by reminding them: "Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?" Historically, the rich are usually the persecutors and oppressors, not because they are more wicked than the poor, but because they have more opportunity to be so. Many who are not rich have the desire to oppress, but do not have the occasion to do so. "And usually when a disposition and an occasion meet together, then sin is drawn forth and discovered. Many have will, but have no power."[8]
The rich feel themselves self-made, self-sufficient and secure, so, in the book of Proverbs, Agur prayed: "Give me neither poverty or riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' " (Prov. 30:8-9). The pride resulting from riches often leads to self-exaltation and, ultimately, blasphemy and atheism. So James states: "Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?" Those who love Christ will hate blasphemy.
Now, we must be careful. It is not only the rich heathen who blaphemes the Lord. Often, rich Christians blaspheme the Lord by their behavior and by their example. Their love for riches is more evident than their love for Christ. To avoid this, we must not trust in our riches but realize that it is God who has given us everything. Just as He has given, so He can choose to take them away, according to His purpose. Thus, we are warned: "Though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them" (Ps. 62:10). And: "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment" (I Tim. 6:17).
Lawbreaking
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"8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker."
In this section, James states the importance of keeping the whole law, including the "unimportant" commandments. In fact, James in effect says that there are no "unimportant" commandments. This applies to his discussion concerning favoritism because those who were showing favoritism may have thought that it was an "unimportant" sin.
James begins by stating the law that sums up all of the commandments dealing with man's relationship with man: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (citing Lev. 19:18). He calls this the "royal law". It is a "royal law" because it requires noble behavior, behavior fit for kings. In addition, it is a "royal law" because the benefit for keeping this commandment is a royal place in the kingdom of heaven: "Whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:19). Most importantly, it is a "royal law" because it was given by a king, none other than the King of kings. In fact, Jesus Himself designated it as one of the greatest commandments: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matt. 22:37-40). One does not lightly break a king's law in the presence of the King.
James points out that this law is "found in Scripture"; thus, James appeals to the authority of the Word of God. This command is, indeed, found many places in Scripture. Originally, the commandment is found in Lev. 19:18. In addition to being described as one of the greatest commandments, as cited above in Matt. 22, this commandment is described as summing up the law: "The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery', 'Do not murder', 'Do not covet', and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself' " (Rom. 13:9; see also Gal. 5:14).
Jesus teaches in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-36) that our neighbors are not just those whom we like. They are not limited to the ones who live nearby; they are not limited to those of the same race, same financial status, same social standing or even same religion. Our neighbors are all those in need, everywhere.
The love of one's neighbor is a test of whether one is truly a Christian. As Jesus said: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35). And John teaches: "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 God, whom he has not seen" (I John 4:20).
James goes on to state, in no uncertain terms, that favoritism is a sin: "But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers". Although the Word of God exposes favoritism as a sin; our consciences may rationalize it as an attribute. We may say, "Well, I am showing love to my brother (albeit to my rich brother, and albeit at the expense of my poor brother)." However, it is pretended obedience to excuse violation of the law by citing obedience to a "lesser" law.
One may try and say that favoritism is a "small" sin, but James rebuts this by essentially saying that there are no small sins: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it". Now, James is not saying that all sins are equally bad or equally damaging. Rather, he is saying that breaking one commandment, no matter how "small", puts one in the class of people called "lawbreakers". Disobeying one law causes one to be among the disobedient.
The law of God is a unified whole, pure and perfect in its entirety. "The law is one seamless garment, which is rent if you but rend a part; or a musical harmony, spoiled if there be one discordant note (Tirinus); or a golden chain, whose completeness is broken if you break one link (Gataker). . . If any part of a man be leprous, the whole man is judged a leper. God requires perfect, not partial obedience."[9] It is the way of the world to say "I am not as bad as that other guy". The child of God must strive to keep the law in its entirety and not excuse "small" sins by being obedient only to the "big" commandments. The wage of any sin is death. They all result in separation from God, whether the most horrible murder or the smallest oversight.
The realization that all, from the cruelest murderer to the teller of white lies, are in the same class from God's point of view ("lawbreakers"), should cause one to pray that the grace of God be shed on all sinners. So many desire the immediate wrath of God to fall on those whom they consider unrighteous. This is reminiscent of the disciples of Christ who, when the inhabitants of a Samaritan village did not welcome Him, asked Jesus: "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" (Luke 9:54). Jesus' response was to "turn and rebuke them". How quickly we forget our past unrepentant state! We justly deserved (and, indeed, still do!) the full measure of God's punishment. It is hypocrisy to wish judgment on anyone, even the "worst" sinner.
We should pray for the repentance and salvation of sinners, rather than for their judgment. We must realize that, "but for the grace of God, there go we".[10] We all have our own weaknesses, thus, as "lawbreakers", we are no better than others. Though you don't steal, you covet; though you don't kill, you hate; though you don't commit adultery, you lust. For the most part, I dare say, it is through the lack of opportunity to commit the "greater" sins that we satisfy ourselves by committing the "lesser" sins.
In addition, the realization that all sinners are classed together as "lawbreakers" should cause us to be sensitive to all commands. The breaking of any law will equally make us a lawbreaker: whether we commit murder, whether we commit adultery, or take a long lunch at work, or cut corners on our taxes. The smallness of the sin is no excuse. Many times the seemingly smallest of sins have brought the greatest consequences: Adam ate a mere "apple" and caused the fall of mankind; Moses struck a rock and was unable to enter the promised land (Num. 20:1-13); Uzzah grabbed the Ark of the Covenant so that it would not fall, and was struck down for his irreverence (II Sam. 6:7). "Every sin is an affront to God's sovereignty, as if his will were not reason enough; and to his wisdom, as if he did not know what were good for men; and to his justice, as if the ways of God were unequal."[11]
Moreover, the realization that all sinners are classed together as "lawbreakers" should cause us to turn to God in repentance and confession when we stumble in any way. All sins, no matter how small, need to be dealt with and repented from. We need the cleansing of sin provided by God through confession: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
Finally, these verses negate the concept that one can balance one's sins with good works. How can one balance through works the weight of the whole law? Satan often tempts us in this regard, sometimes after the fact, sometimes before. After our good works, Satan will say: "Look at the good you have done this week. You deserve to sin a little now". Before our good works, Satan will say: "If you stumble now, you can make up for it later this week". One cannot, through one's own works, make recompense for violating the whole law, of which, as pointed out here, the smallest sinner is guilty.
As "lawbreakers", we might well cry out, as did Christ's own disciples: "Who then can be saved?" (Matt. 19:25). The answer: None on their own, yet all through Christ. As Jesus answered: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26). Through the death of Christ, God did the impossible: He reconciled to Himself sinful man, man who is guilty of breaking His whole law.
Judgment and Mercy
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"12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"
Here James deals with a danger of being a Christian. We are tempted to sin because we know that our sins are forgiven. To battle this, James exhorts: "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law". Do not treat being forgiven as a license to sin. Satan often uses God's grace in order to tempt us, by saying: "Don't worry. Go ahead and sin. God will forgive you anyway." To withstand this temptation, always have an awareness of the unmitigated judgment that you deserve for your sins.
We who are saved tend to ignore the judgment from which we have been saved, but it is worth reflecting upon. It gives us perspective. It causes us to appreciate the sacrifice of Christ. We need to be in awe of the judgment of God; we should soberly consider God's judgment. Indeed, the judgment is a necessary part of the gospel. Without the judgment, our salvation would be worthless. Thus, through an awareness of the judgment, we will more greatly appreciate and value our salvation.
James says that we are to "speak" and "act" as those who will be judged. We are not merely to act Godly, but we are to control our speech as well. On the other hand, we are not merely to speak as Christians, using Christian terms, but we are to support our Christian "talk" with Godly actions that reflect our faith.
James describes the law that judges as "the law that gives freedom". The Christian has a different view of the law than the non-Christian. To the Christian, the law frees us from the chains of sin. However, to the unbeliever, far from bringing freedom, the law brings death.
James goes on to say that "judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful". Mercy is a necessary fruit in the life of the child of God. To fail to show mercy is to misunderstand the mercy that has been shown you. To misunderstand the mercy that God has shown you is to fail to appreciate the importance of Christ's sacrifice for us. To fail to appreciate the importance of Christ's sacrifice is to reject the gospel. Thus, mercy is a necessary fruit in the life of the child of God.
God's mercy through Christ's sacrifice, when understood by the believer, will result in the believer himself showing mercy. Now, it is not man's mercy that saves him, but God's mercy that "triumphs over judgment". God considers His own mercy as a very important attribute. In fact, when God described Himself to Moses, He emphasized His own mercy: "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin" (Ex. 34:6,7). The Lord then went on to describe His righteous judgment. For God, it is always mercy first, then judgment. This can be seen in the two comings of Christ. The first time Christ came in His body to the earth was to save us. When He comes again, He will judge the world. Likewise, in our lives, God, by His Spirit, strives with us so that He may be merciful to us through Jesus Christ. If we reject His mercy, God, true to His righteous nature, will judge us. However, God truly desires that "mercy triumph over judgment".
Closing Prayer
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So, Father, we praise You for the great mercy that You have shown us by sending Your Son to die for our sins. By Your Spirit, help us to appreciate Your great mercy, so that we too may show mercy to those around us. Also, give us a respect for Your law. Help us to realize that any sin, no matter how "small", is detestable in Your sight. Finally, Lord, give us love for all--the rich and the poor, the famous and the insignificant, the strong and the weak--that we may not fall into the sin of favoritism. In the name of Jesus, we ask these things, Amen.
"Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure." (Job 14:1-2)
"My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: 'Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath.'" (Ps. 39:3-5)
"What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." (James 4:14)
This article begins a three-part series on the frailty of life. Each article will focus on one of the three passages cited above, and its context.
These passages deal with the frailty of human life: life is a "fleeting shadow", a "mere handbreadth", a "mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes". It is interesting that though these passages are similar, they were written by three different men, each separated by approximately a thousand years, each existing in vastly different living conditions and situations.
The first author was Job. The Book of Job is thought by many to be the oldest book of the Bible, written even earlier than Genesis (which was written by Moses). Job was a rich, Godly man whom the Lord tested by allowing Satan to afflict him. After losing all of his riches and all of his children, and then being inflicted with boils all over his body, Job spoke the words cited above concerning the frailty of life.
The second author was David. David had a very eventful life. When a shepherd as a young man, he was anointed by God to be the king of Israel, though the king at the time, Saul, was alive and well. Later, he became a hero for the people after he slew Goliath. He consoled the angry spirit of Saul by playing his harp and singing for him. He was later forced to flee from the jealous Saul, who was bent on killing him. After Saul's death, David was finally crowned king. Early on as king, he had many victories as he trusted the Lord for his strength. But later he fell into sin and became an adulterer and murderer. Though he thought he had gotten away with his sin, the Lord revealed it to a prophet who confronted David with it. Repenting from his sin, David returned to God's favor, but not unscathed from his sin. His own son rebelled against him and turned the hearts of the people against him, forcing David to flee once again. Sometime in the midst of this eventful life, David sat down and wrote the words cited above (from Psalm 39) concerning the frailty of life.
The third author was James. He grew up in the same household as Jesus, as His step-brother. He watched Jesus, as a young man, grow in knowledge, wisdom and understanding of the Holy Scriptures, far beyond His age. James witnessed his step-brother performing astounding miracles as He gathered a following of disciples who began to proclaim Him as the Messiah. Yet, during Jesus' ministry on earth, James and the rest of the members of Jesus' earthly family did not accept Him as Messiah. However, after Jesus' death and resurrection, James came to faith in Jesus and became a prominent leader of the Christian Church in Jerusalem. In his epistle, James wrote the words cited above concerning the frailty of life.
Though each of the three speak of the frailty of life, each does so for a different purpose and with a different emphasis. Job questions why God would be concerned with man, who is so frail and insignificant. David tries to ignore his need for God, but when he realizes his frailty, he becomes aware of his desparate need for God. James uses the fact that man's life is frail to dispel the belief that we control the events of our lives and to proclaim the fact that our lives are in God's hands.
In this issue, we will study the context of Job's passage concerning the frailty of life.
Man's Need for God in His Frailty
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"1 'Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. 2 He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure. 3 Do you fix your eye on such a one? Will you bring him before you for judgment? 4 Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No one! 5 Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. 6 So look away from him and let him alone, till he has put in his time like a hired man. . . 13 If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed! If only you would set me a time and then remember me! 14 If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. 15 You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made. 16 Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin. 17 My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you will cover over my sin.'" (Job 14:1-6, 13-17)
Job begins by summarizing the plight of man: "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble." When he spoke these words, Job was a frustrated man, to say the least. He had been rich, now he had nothing; he had been blessed with many sons and daughters, now all his sons and daugthers were dead; he had been healthy, now he was lying in bed with boils covering his body. Thus, Job came to the realization that man's days are "full of trouble".
Job's afflictions also gave him the realization that man's days are "few". When we are prosperous, when affliction is absent, when our lives are going well, we feel invincible. We feel as if we could live in our present state forever. We feel as if we are in control of our destiny, and as long as we continue in the strength of our own wisdom, our lives will remain prosperous, peaceful, plightless. It takes affliction to bring us back to reality. Job came to the realization that the glory days of man are indeed brief: "He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure".
After these observations, Job went on to ask God a series of questions. Given the insignificance and frailty of man, Job asked God: "Do you fix your eye on such a one?" The rhetorical answer is "Yes". God does concern Himself with each of His creatures. Knowing this lead Job to ask his next question: "Will you bring him before you for judgment?" The realization that God is watching him produced in Job a fear of God's judgment. By our God-given consciences, we all realize that we have sinned against God and deserve His judgment. Job recognized that man's case is hopeless in the court of God's judgment, which lead to his next question: "Who can bring what is pure from the impure?" Job believed that it would be impossible for sinful man to be reconciled to God in His holiness, so he answers the last question himself: "No one!"
With this answer, Job erred. Job is essentially asking the same question the disciples asked Jesus: "Who then can be saved?" (Matt. 19:25). Jesus' answer was: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Job erred because he put the burden on man to save himself. At that moment, he did not consider that God was able and willing to save; Job did not realize that God, in His great mercy, would provide a way to "bring what is pure from the impure".
Man's situation is hopeless in the absence of God's mercy. Job expressed the hopelessness he felt: "So look away from him and let him alone, till he has put in his time like a hired man." In our sin, we know that we cannot withstand God's holy gaze upon us. When we do not take into account God's mercy, we desire to flee from God in our sinful state.
Through this train of thought, Job discovered the most significant predicament for all of mankind: How can sinful man be reconciled to a holy God? Going on to verse 13, Job gropes for a solution to this predicament. He realizes that it could be solved if God would show mercy: "If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed! If only you would set me a time and then remember me!" Job insightfully realized that the solution to this predicament would have to come on the other side of the grave. Job understood man's sinful nature and the impossibility of man, as man, to be reconciled to God.
By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Job realized that the predicament possibly could be remedied given a new birth: "If a man dies, will he live again?" In this, Job put his trust: "All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come." Job here illustrates Old Testament saving faith. First, understanding the sinfulness of man, Job realized that man needs God's mercy. Then, understanding the nature of God, Job realized that God, in His mercy, would provide a way of salvation. As a result, Job put his faith in God for salvation.
It is noteworthy that Job came to this saving faith without the benefit of the revelation of the Bible. The Book of Job is thought to have been the first book of the Bible written, so, certainly, Job did not have any of the other books of the Bible to refer to. Rather, Job sincerely and humbly sought a relationship with God, although he knew that he did not deserve to be in God's presence. Then, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Job came to the faith that God would provide a way for salvation. He expressed his faith in verses 15-17: "You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made. Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin. My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you will cover over my sin."
So, without benefit of the Bible or the church or missionaries, but by God's revelation to him through His creation, Job's conscience and by the Holy Spirit, Job came to a saving faith. Many people ask: "What about the native in Africa or South America or New Guinea, etc. who is not exposed to the Bible or to Christ? Can he be saved?" My answer: Does not Job's example provide an illustration of how such a person could come to a saving faith?
Now, Father, we praise You for the salvation that You have provided through Christ. We praise You for the revelation of Your Word and Your Son so that we have the knowledge and assurance of salvation. Help us to realize how frail our lives are so that we may have a deep awareness of our need for salvation. We ask these things in Jesus' name, Amen.
(In the next issue, the series on the frailty of life will continue with a study of Psalm 39:1-7)
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
1 Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah
3 Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
the Lord will hear when I call to him.
4In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord
6 Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.
7 You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
In this Psalm, David seeks hope for the future by turning to God in prayer. As prayer should be, this prayer is a dialogue between the one who is praying (David) and God. Also, as often happens in prayer, the one praying was initially distressed, but, through prayer, acquired God's peace.
From the inscription, we learn that David wrote this psalm for "the director of music". David understood the importance of music in the worship of God, as evidenced by the many psalms of music that he wrote. Music enables us to express praise and worship to God that mere words cannot convey. The goodness of God often transcends our vocabulary; the depth of His mercy cannot be described. Yet our worship through music can involve our whole body and being, so that our worship reaches beyond the words we speak. What a thrill it would be to hear the inspired music that David wrote to accompany his psalms. I am sure his music would serve to interpret his psalms better than the most exhaustive scholarly commentary.
David's Plea
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"1 Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer."
In this verse, David, in his seemingly hopeless situation, states his plea. He cries out for God to answer his prayer in his time of need. We are fortunate that David faced many trials, because, through them, he wrote many Psalms that bring us encouragement, comfort and instruction in our time of trouble. David turns to God in his time of distress. We face trials and troubles of many kinds, but there is only one God who can give us comfort and relief through them all.
David addresses the Lord as his "righteous God". It was, most certainly, the ungodly who caused David so much distress. So here, David is asking of God something that is consistent with His nature: to protect the righteous and punish the wicked. As David points out in Psalm 1: "For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish" (Psalm 1:6). We are always on safe ground asking God something that is consistent with His nature. On the other hand, it is an affront to come to God for any request that is not a righteous request. Such a request cannot be answered; it is contrary to God's nature to answer such a request.
David's specific request is for "relief from [his] distress". David realizes that for a righteous God to answer his prayer would be an act of mercy, so he asks, in the same breath, for God to "be merciful". Indeed, all of us need God's mercy: the rich and the poor, the proud and the humble, the best and the worst.
David then ends his request by saying "hear my prayer". David does not say this because he thought that there was a chance that God would not be aware of his prayer, or that God would be asleep, or some such thing. God literally hears all prayers. But David wants more than God to be just aware of his prayer. David wants positive feedback concerning his prayer, observable evidence in response to the prayer, preferably in the form of deliverance from his distress.
We all desire concrete, tangible proof that our prayers have been heard. Moreover, we desire that the result of the answered prayer be exactly as we have asked, as if we know the best way to resolve the situation. And when the answer to the prayer does not come about exactly as we had desired, we lose faith and wonder: "Did God really hear my prayer?" But God is not fickle. If He hears one prayer, He hears them all. Whatever the resolution, His will is done. In prayer, rather than attempt to persuade God that we know exactly how to resolve the situation, we should seek to discover and to be content with God's perfect resolution of the situation.
God's Response
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"2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah"
Here, God responds to David's cry by stating the problem, in general, with man. Man turns the "glory" of God into "shame"; man "loves delusions and seeks false gods". Man's sin is the primary reason that the prayers of men are not heard: "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" (Isa. 59:2) and "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened" (Ps. 66:18). Man's chief sin is the rejection of Christ and the rejection of Christ is the chief manner in which man turns God's glory into shame.
The question posed is "How long?" The posing of the question, in itself, demonstrates God's long-suffering and forbearance. God could righteously judge us immediately but, instead, He asks "How long?" in order to give man a chance to repent so that He can save him. The answer to the question "How long?" is each man's choice. Each man can choose to repent in his lifetime and turn to God by accepting the forgiveness of sin available through Jesus Christ and, in doing so, receive the benefit of God's forbearance, which is eternal life; or he can choose not to repent and, in doing so, reject God's long-suffering mercy, a decision which has eternal consequences in hell.
Instead of accepting Christ, men "love delusions". They reject Christ and seek happiness and fulfillment in the things of this perishing world. They continually deceive themselves. Men from all stages and walks of life strive after things that they believe will lead to a happy and fulfilled life. "The young expect to find it when grown up and their own masters. Parents, when their children are settled and provided for. The merchant, when wealth is acquired and independence secured. The laborer, when his day's or week's toil is ended. The ambitious, in gaining power and reputation. The covetous, in gaining money to supply all his wants. The lover of pleasure in earthly enjoyment. The sick, in health. The student, in gaining knowledge. The self-righteous, [in their own righteousness]."[12]
The result of "loving delusions" is, invariably, to "seek false gods". Men are not content merely to reject the true and living God; they must put their hope for salvation in idols. They develop a philosophy of life that reflects their own carnal desires and serves to further their pursuit of these desires. They erect gods in their lives to worship, icons for the ruling philosophies of their lives: the god of money for the philosophy "he who dies with the most toys wins"; the god of pleasure for "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die"; the god of self for "I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul".
However, as God attests of Himself: "Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed--I, and not some foreign god among you" (Isa. 43:10-11).
God's Care for His Own
----------------------
"3 Know that the Lord has set apart
the godly for himself
the Lord will hear when I call to him."
Despite the rebellion of man in general, God has specifically "set apart the godly for himself". Note that it is "the Lord" who sets the Godly apart, not the Godly who set themselves apart. Try as we may, we cannot, by our own will, sanctify ourselves. Peter describes those who have been "set apart" as ones "who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 1:2). This passage details who is involved in our being "set apart": not us, but the three persons of the Trinity.
Note also that the Lord sets them apart "for Himself". We are chosen and set apart to serve the Lord. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph. 2:9). Our being chosen by God should result in our doing His work. "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?" (James 2:14). Our being chosen should result in a changed life, living for God rather than ourselves. Can the world tell by your behavior that you are chosen by God?
The Godly are set apart in many ways: they have accepted Christ; they are born of God; they are justified in God's eyes; they are under God's protection; they are in His service; they are to be glorified; etc. What an honor that the God of the universe grants us such privileges! Our being set apart in so many ways is evidence of God's love for us. Just as we set apart things that are precious to us, so the Lord sets apart His treasure.
Since the Lord has set us apart, He certainly desires that we relate to Him through prayer; thus, to encourage this, "the Lord will hear when I call to him". The advantage of the Godly is prayer. The Godly and the ungodly alike often have trials and troubles, but the Godly can turn to God in prayer and He will hear.
God's Call to Self-Examination
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"4 In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent Selah"
The Lord here prescribes self-inspection as a means of getting right with Him, clearing the way for Him to answer our prayers. We should examine ourselves daily and "search our hearts", discovering the sin we have committed, so that we may confess it to God and be cleansed.[13] As suggested in this verse, a good time to examine ourselves is as we lie on our beds in the evening. When we are furthest from the haze of the world, we can see more clearly to commune with God. Then, after we discover and confess our sins to Him, we can awake in the morning at peace with God, with a clear conscience and a cleansed heart, ready to face the day in service to Him.
Indeed, any time of solitude is appropriate for self-examination. We would never be bored if we used our solitude for self-examination, repentance, confession and prayer. This work is never finished. "When ye have none to speak with, talk to yourselves. Ask yourselves for what end ye were made, what lives ye have led, what times ye have lost, what love ye have abused, what wrath ye have deserved."[14]
The result of self-examination, as pointed out here, is to "be silent" before God. We no longer say to God, "It is my right to be blessed! You promised it! You must answer my prayers!" but rather "Have mercy on me, O God, a sinner."
Sacrifice and Trust, then Joy and Peace
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"5 Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord
6 Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.
7 You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
The response to the exhortation of self-examination is to "offer right sacrifices". Searching our hearts makes us recognize our depravity before God, thus making us aware of the need atone for our sins by offering "right sacrifices" to the Lord. In the Old Testament times, atonement for sin came through the blood sacrifices prescribed in the Law. For us, Jesus' death is the "right sacrifice" to make atonement for our sins; we need only to accept His sacrifice.
In addition to offering "right sacrifices", we are to "trust in the Lord". We are to trust that the "right sacrifice" will indeed atone for our sins and amend our relationship to God. Many after accepting Christ and confessing their sins still feel that God may condemn them. We must "trust in the Lord" that the method He prescribed for atonement is sufficient. As Paul says: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:1,2).
Those who have not offered "right sacrifices", realizing the depravity of man, are asking: "Who can show us any good?" In this world, apart from God, we may find many riches, much fame, abundance of pleasure but not much good. How necessary it is that we make the plea: "Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord".
The evidence that this plea is answered is found in verse 7, where David says: "You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound". David is filled with the joy of the Lord; certainly the light of the Lord's face is shining upon him. David realizes that the pleasures of this world hold no comparison to the riches of the joys of the kingdom of God. The pleasures of this world are temporary; the joy of the Lord is eternal. The "grain" of the world satisfies for only a season, the Bread of Life, Jesus, satisfies for eternity. The "new wine" of the world brings happiness for an evening, the new wine of the Lord brings joy for eternity.
In the end, given this joy, David sleeps "in peace", recognizing God's protection in making him "dwell in safety". The child of God can indeed "sleep in peace", and not let the cares of this world disturb them. Yes, the child of God does face trials, but the Lord says to him: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" (Isa. 43:1-3).
In Summary
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In summary, this Psalm can be viewed as a model of a new believer's growth in the Lord. In verse 1, he cries out, desiring to be heard by God. Then, in verse 2, the Holy Spirit convicts him of sin. In verse 3, he realizes that one must be holy, set apart, to be one of God's people. Next, in verse 4, through self-examination and confession of sin, he clears the way to atone for his sin. In verse 5, he accepts the right sacrifice, through Christ, and begins to trust in the Lord for his salvation. Finally, in the remaining verses, he experiences the light of the Lord, the joy of the Lord and the peace of the Lord.
Father, we praise You for hearing our prayers, and that through confession and communion with You, we can experience Your joy. We praise You that through prayer, You can turn our distress into Your peace, as You did for David in this Psalm. Continue to let the light of Your face to shine upon us. In Christ we ask these things, Amen.
Alexander, Joseph A. Commentary on the Psalms. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1991. (Originally published 1864).
Candlish, Robert S. Studies in Genesis. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1979. (Originally published in 1868).
Candlish, Robert S. Studies in Romans 12: The Christian's Sacrifice and Service of Praise. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1989. (Originally published in 1867).
Dickson, David. A Commentary on the Psalms. Reprint Edition. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1959. (Originally published 1653).
Hodge, Charles. Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1947. (Originally published 1886).
Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New Testaments. 3 Vols. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdman's, 1993. (Originally published in 1866).
The Thompson Chain Reference Bible, New International Version. Indianapolis: Kirkbride and Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.
Keil, Carl & Delitzsch, Franz. Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971. (Originally published ca. 1880).
Manton, Thomas. A Commentary on James. Reprint Edition. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1962. (Originally published in 1693).
[1] All other major translations (New American Standard, Revised Standard Version, King James Version, Amplified Bible) render this phrase "freely eat".
[2] The NIV renders the phrase "or you will die". I agree with all of the other major translations (KJV, NASB, Amplified, RSV) which say "lest you die".
[3] See Isa. 66:24; Matt. 3:12; Matt. 13:42; Matt. 18:8; Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:15; Rev. 21:8.
[4] See the discussion on the danger of the knowledge of good and evil in Scripture Studies, Vol. 1, No. 3, pg. 6.
[5] Jamieson, Fausset, Brown. Vol. 3, Pt. 3, pg. 586.
[6] William Secker, 1660, cited in Spurgeon, A Treasury of David, Vol. 1, p. 41.
[7] Manton, A Commentary on James, pg. 193.
[8] Manton, A Commentary on James. p. 202.
[9] Cited in Jamiesson, Fausset, Brown, vol. III, pt. 3, pg. 587.
[10] John Bradford (1510-1555).
[11] Manton, A Commentary on James.
[12] Bickersteth, cited in Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms, p. 75.
[13] "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).
[14] Swinnock, cited in Spurgeon, A Treasury of David, Vol. 1, p. 40.
