Responding to God's Strictness

Responding to God's Strictness

 

Romans 11:22, Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

God’s balanced nature is set forth to grip our attention! The verse pairs severity with goodness, indicating God is both just to those who fall away and loving to those who trust Him.

 Message:

How Should We Respond Appropriately?

What does God require of us now that we’ve embraced the reality of His strict judgment and justice? What is an appropriate reaction to this truth?

Believers should respond to the severity of God with humble fear, avoiding spiritual pride, and continuing steadfastly in His goodness by faith. –Dr. Martyn Llyod-Jones

“Behold” again is one key word in this observation…. Romans 11:22, “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God”. God wants us to ‘realize, perceive, know, experience, think about, and learn…His “severity”. 

Such insight and conclusions should control and influence us for righteousness! God wants us to ‘notice,’ ‘dwell on,’ and ‘linger’ on the truth that He deals with unbelief very severely…we of necessity must open our eyes of faith. Allow ourselves to sit with this grand insight about God….

Severity means "judgment and destruction", showing that God does not ignore sin or lack of faith. –Bible Gateway

God gives specific attitudes for us believers:

     1.    Avoid an Arrogant Attitude as if it were the Plague! Believers are warned not to look down on others, brag about being chosen by God or become arrogant about our standing. Paul explicitly states in Romans 11:20, “Be not highminded, but fear.” Beloved, our spiritual standing depends on faith rather than personal merit.  We are told to stay humble remembering the grace of God, and thankful rather than proud, knowing that faith requires continuing in God’s kindness.

o   In this verse, the Apostle Paul is writing to Gentile Christians, warning them not to become arrogant toward the Jewish people who rejected Christ. Paul explains that the unbelieving Israelites were metaphorically "broken off" from the tree, and the Gentiles were grafted in purely by faith, not because of any inherent superiority. –Bible Gateway

o   “It means people should not be proud or arrogant about their faith, but instead stay humble and respectful before God.” –Bible Gateway

Beloved, we must maintain a respectful, humble reverence for God’s strict holiness and recognize the serious reality of turning away from faith.  

2. Maintain a Healthy Respect for God’s Capacity to Judge Perfectly! You see recognizing “God’s judgment on unbelief and disobedience produces a sober, reverent awe that keeps a person from taking God’s mercy for granted.” –Desiring God

• To sustain a healthy regard, you must remember God’s supreme holiness, His fair justice, and His power over all life.
• God is holy: He cannot look at evil and He loves what is right and good.
• God is fair: He sees all hidden actions and judges every person with total truth.
• God has total power: He holds the power of life and death, and His word always comes true.
• To stay humble and trust that God sees and understands everything perfectly.
• Perfect sight: we only see a small part of a situation, but God sees the whole picture.
• Pure justice: our judgment can be unfair or biased, while divine judgment is always fair.
• Humility: this reminds us not to judge others harshly, since only God knows a person’s true heart and life story.
• Peace: this idea allows us to let go of anger, trusting that true justice is in hands higher than our own.

An everyday comparison is like watching a single replay of a sports game from a bad angle versus having a referee who can see the game from every camera angle at the exact same time. We have the bad angle, but God has the perfect view.

• What else should we do to Respect God’s Severe Nature?
• Humble your heart by admitting your mistakes quickly and asking for His forgiveness each day.
• Obey His word by following His commands closely because you know He sees everything you do. Knowing that judgment is inevitable helps us live responsibly. We are not just living for today but for eternity.  
• Do not judge others’ hearts by leaving the final judgment to God, since only He knows a person’s true heart. The lord shall brings every work in to judgement with every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:14.
• Trust His timing by resting in the fact that God will make all wrong things right in the end.

In our eyes, these ideas might seem to be rather harsh and probably even cruel and uncompassionate acts of judgment. But this is perceiving God accurately.

3. Continue in God’s Goodness Rooted in Faith! Believers must remain rooted in faith rather than drifting into the hard-hearted unbelief that brings about God’s cutting off or discipline. Continuing in God’s goodness means staying close to Him, letting your life grow deep roots, and living each day with a thankful heart.

Conclusion:

God’s standards of absolute truth and righteousness must be regarded as unchanging and not subject to human negotiations or feelings.

• Absolute standards? The Bible presents God’s moral law as holy, just, and completely different from evil. Beloved, these are the principles we live by.
• What now for us Believers? We are encouraged to stand firm in our faith and avoid diluting biblical boundaries. Beloved, standing firm may be difficult in our cultural and at this moment, but we must not compromise for anyone.
• Remember the many scriptural warnings to never compromise with worldly ideas! The Bible frequently warns against adopting double standards or mixing godly principles with worldly corruption (2 Cor. 6:14; 1 King 18:21; Rom. 12:2; Jas. 4:4).

Refuse to compromise on right and wrong! When considering fundamental issues of right and wrong protect your moral integrity and avoid supporting situations you know to be unethical.

• It is advisable to preserve a godly character! Yielding on fundamental principles chips away at your perception of God as uncompromising, your self-respect, and the very foundation of your values (Matt. 6:24).
• Take a stand to avoid unscriptural and unethical choices! An unprincipled compromise is not just about feeling uncomfortable; it means agreeing to do something you know is wrong. Compromising with sin, false teachings, or worldly values is turning away from God’s holiness (Eph. 6:14). 
• Choose to exemplify stability and steadfastness! A person who refuses to break under pressure becomes a steady anchor for others in a confusing world (1 Cor. 15:58).  

Stay connected to the Lord on purpose! Keep your heart close to Jesus like a plant gets water from its roots. Trust God daily and habitually! Lean on His love when life is hard or confusing. Give thanks and cultivate a spirit of gratitude! Remember to thank God for His gifts all through the day.

Grow stronger in the Bible; learn God’s true words to keep your mind steady. Stand firm in the Lord no matter what comes. Do not let worries or bad choices move you away from your safe place in the Lord.

Beloved, God is both just to those who fall away and loving to those who trust Him.

Does God View Murder as Wrong?

Does God View Murder as Wrong?

 

A moral position is agreement with God bases on Bible facts, and eternal truth no matter what our feelings may dictate or worldly ideologies may demand.

Murder is strictly wrong to God and His Bible explicitly forbids this serious sin for an individual and society.

What Does the Bible Actually Command? 

• The Sixth Commandment: Exodus 20:13 famously states, “Thou shalt not kill” prohibiting the unlawful and malicious taking of human life rather than all killing in general.
• The Hebrew Clarification: The Hebrew word used is ratsakh, literally meaning to murder, slay, or kill and here specifically refers to the unauthorized, premeditated, and unlawful taking of human life.
• This refers specifically to murder and not to capital punishment or to manslaughter. The command teaches respect for human life.^[1]
• To help preserve society and because people are made in God’s image (Gen. 9:6), the Israelites were commanded not to take another person’s life by murder (rāṣaḥ, “to slay”).^[2]
• Why Is Murder Wrong: Scripture teaches that humans are made in the image of God (imago Dei). Therefore, murdering a human being is viewed as a direct assault on God Himself and an illegal takeover of His sole authority over life and death.
• Life is something that the God of Israel does not treat lightly, and it is thus incumbent on his people to behave likewise. W. Harrelson puts the entire matter in a helpful perspective:
• In short, the sixth commandment stakes out the claim of God over all life and serves notice to all human beings—but especially those who claim the biblical heritage as binding upon them—that God’s claim upon life is to be given priority in the decisions taken by a community of its individual members.^[3]

Are there Bible Exceptions to Consider?

The Bible makes a clear distinction between unlawful murder and authorized or accidental killing:

• Permitted Actions to Consider: Taking a life is not considered sinful murder in cases of accidental manslaughter (with cities of refuge provided for protection), necessary self-defense, or authorized wartime combat.
• Capital Punishment Considerations: God authorized governing authorities to carry out justice or capital punishment for severe crimes, which is separate from individual personal murder (Gen. 9:6; Lev. 24:17; Exo. 21:12; Rom. 13:4).
• Capital Crimes Considerations: The Bible contains many passages that establish or support the death penalty for murder and major offenses—capital crimes. God instituted capital punishment as a constant standard to value human life and give governments the authority to punish plain wickedness.  Governing authorities still have a God-given responsibility to use serious punishment, including execution.

What Did Jesus Teach in The New Testament?

• Reflect on Matters of the Heart: In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21–22), Jesus draws out the implications of this command, teaching that harboring deep, unrighteous anger, hatred, or insults against another person violates the spiritual intent of the law, equating internal malice to murder of the heart. Jesus fully expects moral purity in our hearts, teaching that deep seated irritation, abusive language, and disdain have serious spiritual guilt concentrations comparable to physical murder.
• Reflect on Fulfilling the Law: The New Testament reiterates that harming a neighbor breaks God’s law, while loving a neighbor fulfills it. Satisfying the deep intentions behind God’s law requires looking at our attitude of heart. God’s laws are about love and respect for human life, not just avoiding a crime.

The New Testament affirms the sixth commandment as “Thou shalt not kill” and expands it to forbid unjustified anger and hatred in our heart. In addition, Jesus also teaches that repairing a broken relationship is more important than observing religious rituals (Matt. 5:23-26).

What Did the Apostles Have to Say about the Law?

The writers of the New Testament letters repeat this commandment as a guide for Christian living:

• Paul: Commands like “thou shalt not kill” are summed up in the rule to love your neighbor as yourself (Romans 13:8-10). Genuine love actively avoids hurting others, it naturally satisfies the ethical demands of God’s law.
• James: If we do not commit murder, but we commit adultery, we still break the whole law (James 2:10). God’s law is a single, connected system from the Lawgiver Himself, not a list of separate options. Because failing once ruins the whole record, we desperately need God’s grace and mercy and not mere human self-righteousness.

Conclusion:

So, there you have it! Murder is the intentional, unlawful taking of an innocent human life. Additionally, the New Testament does not forbid all use of government authority or self-defense, but it condemns personal malice, hatred, and unlawful violence.

     ·       Lindsay Clancy was charged with three counts of first-degree murder for the January 2023 strangulation deaths of her three young children—5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson, and 8-month-old Callan—in Duxbury, Massachusetts. –Facebook

     ·       Clancy pleaded not guilty, and her defense attorneys argued she was not criminally responsible due to severe postpartum psychosis. -NPR

     ·       Her trial ended in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked and could not reach a unanimous verdict, and she remains held in a psychiatric hospital pending further proceedings by the Plymouth County District Attorney. —PBS  

Sadly, Modern Feminism affects personal values, moral judgment, and social responsibility. This was supremely evident in the very recent Ms. Lindsay Clancy murder mistrial. Certain modern stories avoid personal accountability by blaming systemic structures for their individual actions and personal crimes. Ms. Clancy resorted to ‘victimhood.’ Further, redefining traditional gender roles replaces clear ethical guidelines with subjective personal preferences jeopardizing all judicial law and order. Beloved, this is rank moral relativism!

Feminist supporters argue that early and continuing goals focus on basic legal fairness, voting access, and workplace protections. Well, where is the justice for the three innocent children who were murdered by their own mother? How many more ‘mothers’ will follow her example and justify killing their babies? How is a young man supposed to select a potential wife...how can he ensure she will raise the children with godly character? How can you justify any female hires if she can claim a hormonal complication defense for her inappropriate actions? Does hiring her jeopardize the rest of the company? Can a female ballot or vote be trusted or taken seriously? Isn't emotional regulation expected of men? Is there an automatic excuse if it's a women? Isn't this another double standard that favors women? 

---

^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 109.

^[2] John D. Hannah, “Exodus,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 140.

^[3] Peter Enns, Exodus, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000), 422.

Our Prayer Focus Can Influence the World

“Our Prayer Focus Can Influence the World”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim 2:1-4

THEME: the church is to conduct its services with order.

RELEVANCE:

Often, what we think is the “freedom of the Spirit” are the carnal ideas of some Christian who is not walking in the Spirit. Eventually this “freedom” becomes anarchy, and the Spirit grieves as a church gradually moves away from the standards of God’s Word.

INTRODUCTION:

To counteract this tendency, Paul exhorted the men and women in the church and reminded them of their spiritual responsibilities. Paul's urge, “I exhort therefore,” echoed his original mission for Timothy (1:3). False teaching had to be challenged, and right actions needed to be reinforced.

MESSAGE: 

The Focus Of Prayer (1Tim. 2:1c-2).

1. “All Men” Makes It Clear That No Person On Earth Is Outside The Influence Of Believing Prayer.

a. Although God is all-powerful and all-knowing, he has chosen to let us participate in His changes in the world through our prayers. How this works is a mystery to us because of our limited understanding, but it is a reality. 

b.     This verse highlights the words “for all men” everyone.

1.     We often miss the inclusiveness of these words and focus instead on the examples that Paul immediately gave.

2.     Prayer for all men is both a privilege and an obligation.

·       It is a sheer privilege for us to have audience with God in behalf of our fellow men.

·       And it is an obligation, too, for we are debtors to all with reference to the good news of salvation.

·       This passage means we should pray for the unsaved and the saved, for people near us and people far away, for enemies as well as friends.

c. We have no examples of encouragement that say we should pray for the dead. If we should pray for the dead, Paul certainly had a good opportunity to tell us in this section of his letter.

d. Unfortunately, the Pharisees did not have this universal outlook in their prayers, for they centered their attention primarily on Israel.

·       “The wider the subjects for prayer, the larger becomes the vision of the soul that prays.” -- Donald Guthrie

·       Missions and Missionary Praying can certainly be included here.

2. Paul Urged The Church To Especially Pray For Those In Authority.  (1 Tim 2:2)

a.     Kings.

                              1. Godless Emperor Nero was on the throne at that time, and yet the believers were supposed to pray for him!

·       “Paul's command to pray for kings was remarkable considering that Nero, a notoriously cruel ruler, was the current emperor (A.D. 54-68). When Paul wrote this letter, persecution was a growing threat to believers. Later, when Nero needed a scapegoat for the great fire that destroyed much of Rome in A.D. 64, he blamed the Roman Christians so as to take the focus off himself. That triggered severe persecution throughout the Roman Empire. Not only were Christians denied certain privileges in society; some were even publicly butchered, burned, or fed to lions.” --- (from The Life Application Commentary Series) 

·       Even when we cannot respect men or women in authority, we must respect their offices and pray for them.

·       But believers are taught to support the government, not rebel against it (Rom 13:1-6; 1 Peter 2:13-25).

2. “Christian public prayers for the emperor and provincial and local officials showed Christians as good citizens of the society in which they lived (Jer 29:7). Paul's motive is more than keeping peace (1 Tim 2:2); it is also to proclaim the *gospel (2:3-4).” --- (Craig S. Keener)

·       Jeremiah 29:7, And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

·       Elsewhere, Paul has reminded us that the authorities that exist are ordained of God (Rom. 13:1) and that they are ministers of God to us for good (Rom. 13:4). 

·       “The NT teaches that a Christian is to be loyal to the government under which he lives, except when that government orders him to disobey God. In such a case his first responsibility is to God. A Christian should not engage in revolution or in violence against the government. He may simply refuse to obey any order that is contrary to the word of God and then quietly and submissively take the punishment.” –William MacDonald

b.     Authorities (1 Tim 2:2)

1.     “[All that are in authority] This does not necessarily mean those who hold office, but refers to any of elevated rank. The happiness of all who are under their control depends greatly on them, and hence we should pray for them that they may be converted people, and inclined to do that which is right.” --- (from Barnes' Notes) 

2.     If we live in a country with a good government, our lives move along peacefully and quietly, making it difficult to remember to pray for those in authority. We take good government for granted.

·       But we should pray for those at the top -- whether we agree with them or not, whether we voted for them or not. In this way, we Christians can make a difference in the course of our nation.

·       We should also pray for world leaders so that other cultures will be open to the gospel.

·       Pray for your leaders, not just in times of national crisis, but every day -- thousands of decisions are made daily that affect everyone. And beyond praying for those decisions that will affect you, also pray for the conversion of your leaders.

c.      Their Realm of Influence.

1.     In fact, it is for our own good that we pray for them: “that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Tim. 2:2b). The early church was always subject to opposition and persecution, so it was wise to pray for those in authority.

2.     “Quiet” refers to circumstances around us, while “peaceful” refers to a calm attitude within us. The results should be lives that are godly and honorable.

3.     It is for our own good that the government should be stable and that the country be preserved from revolution, civil war, turmoil, and anarchy.

4.     To be sure, Paul has not named all the persons we can and should pray for, since “all men” covers the matter fully. We can’t pray for everybody in the world by name, but we certainly ought to pray for those we know and know about. Why? Because it’s a good thing to do and because it pleases God.

The Reasons For Prayer (1 Tim. 2:3–4).

            1. Its Good.

·       The word “good” is a key word in Paul’s pastoral epistles (1 Tim. 1:8, 18; 2:3; 3:1, 7, 13; 4:4, 6; 5:4, 10, 25; 6:12–13, 18–19; 2 Tim. 1:14; 2:3; 4:7; Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14).

·       The Greek word emphasizes the idea of something being intrinsically good, not just good in its effects. “Fair” and “beautiful” are synonyms.

·       Certainly prayer of itself is a goodly practice, and brings with it many good benefits.

2. It is Acceptable.  Prayer Is Also Pleasing To The Lord.

·       It pleases the Father when His children pray as He has commanded them to.

1.     The Pharisees prayed in order to be praised by men (Matt. 6:5) or to impress other worshipers (Luke 18:9–14).

2.     True Christians pray in order to please God.

o   “acceptable in the sight of God our Savior”

o   “As in modern times, some in the Ephesian church were prepared to question the validity of a prayer for the salvation of all men. Thus Paul defended his instructions by pointing out that such a prayer is good, and pleases God our Savior (cf. 1:1). Literally, the Greek says that such a prayer is “acceptable before” (in the presence of) God. Many prayers are unacceptable to God, but not this one.

The reason this prayer is acceptable to God is that it is a prayer “according to His will” (1 John 5:14). God, who is by nature a Savior, wants all men to be saved.” ---Walvoord, J. F. 

o   “The title which Paul gives to God here is significant. God’s desire is for the salvation of all men. Therefore, to pray for all men is to promote the will of God in this regard.” ---William MacDonald 

3.  It is God’s Will. (1Tim. 2:4)  “Who will have”                                                 

·       This suggests that we must pray in the will of God, because it certainly does not please the Father when we pray selfishly (James 4:1–10; 1 John 5:14–15).

o   James 4:2-3, Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. [3] Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

o   1 John 5:14-15, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: [15] And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

o   1 John 3:22, And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

·       It’s often said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth.

4.  It is for the Salvation of People. (1Tim. 2:4)  “Who will have all men to be saved”

Prayer Should be made for the Salvation of Souls.

a.     What is God’s will?

1. The Salvation Of Lost Souls, For One Thing.

·       We can pray for “all men” because it is God’s will that “all men” come to the knowledge of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. 

·       This explains further what we have already pointed out in verse 3. God desires all men to be saved (Ezek. 33:11; John 3:16; 2 Pet. 3:9). Therefore, we should pray for all men everywhere.

·       God loved the world (John 3:16) and Christ died for the whole world (1 John 2:2; 4:14).

·       1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

·       1 John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

·       Jesus died on the cross that He might draw “all men” to salvation (John 12:32).

o   John 12:32, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 

2. God Desires That No One Perish (2 Peter 3:9), That The Entire Human Race Come To Salvation. He wants all to know the truth through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the Truth (John 14:6).

·       2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

·       Isaiah 45:22, Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

3. Of Course Not All Do Come To Salvation; Paul Was Not Teaching Universalism.

·       This is the belief that all men are children of God and do not need a personal salvation from sin. The doctrine of universalism denies many important Bible doctrines, such as man’s lost condition, the necessity of the new birth, the atonement, and the uniqueness of Christ as The Savior.  

a.      This verse does not mean all people will be automatically saved without exception, for certainly the whole world is not going to be saved.

b.     It does means all people without distinction—Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, religious and pagan.

·       “From this, it should be clear that this verse does not teach universal salvation. Although God desires that all men should be saved, yet not all men will be saved. It was not initially God’s will that the children of Israel should wander for thirty-eight years in the wilderness; yet they did it just the same. He permitted it, but it was not the pathway of blessing which He had planned for them.” ---MacDonald, W.

b.     If God doesn’t want anyone to perish, then why are so many lost? (1Tim. 2:4)

1. God Is Long-Suffering With Lost Sinners, Even Delaying His Judgment That They Might Come To Christ (2 Peter 3:9).

2. But Salvation Depends On A “Knowledge Of The Truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).

·       Not everyone has heard the truth of the Gospel, and

·       Many who have heard have rejected it.

3.     We Cannot Explain The Mystery Of God’s Sovereignty And Man’s Responsibility. 

·       John 6:37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.  

·       But realize that both are taught in the Bible and are harmonized in God’s great plan of salvation.

a.      This verse (1Tim. 2:4) sets forth clearly the divine and the human aspects of salvation.

b.     The first half of the verse indicates that man must be saved. The verb here is passive; man cannot save himself but must be saved by God. This is the divine side of salvation.

c.      In order to be saved, man must come unto the knowledge of the truth. God does not save men against their will. He does not populate heaven with rebellious subjects. Man must come to Him who said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” This is the human side.

4.     We Do Know That Prayer Is An Important Part Of God’s Program For Reaching A Lost World.

a.      We have the responsibility of praying for lost souls (Rom. 10:1). 

·       Romans 10:1, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.   

b.     And to Make ourselves available to share the Gospel with others.

 

CONCLUSION:

Men should seek to maintain an atmosphere of holiness and unity in the church (1 Tim. 2:8).