I Am Truly A Wretch

This morning, I sat down to continue on in the book of Romans.  I have been reading small portions each day from my MacArthur ESV Study Bible, including John's commentary, which greatly enhances the study.  My late Pastor Paul, who worked under MacArthur, once told me that John MacArthur preached on the book of Romans for 10 years.  Paul, himself, preached (if I'm remembering right) about 3 or 4 years, plowing through the rich mine of wealth that's to be found there and faithfully passing it on to the congregation.  If you have been blessed to have a pastor like Paul or John, who will devote himself with such tremendous passion to the Word, you have been blessed, indeed!

Today's verses gave me a serious pause, but only after seeing myself through the eyes of God.  As I read chapter 3, verses 9 through 18, the words resonated in my mind and penetrated my heart.  I found myself reading the verses out loud, then re-reading them a couple more times out loud.  It became obvious that the point was being driven home: I am a wretched sinner, and I needed to be reminded just how wretched I truly am.

Because of our profession of Jesus Christ, we often forget that the sinful baggage we carried in the past still has the propensity to rear its ugly head, now and then.  Forgiven, we are, and nothing, nor anyone, can or will separate His children from the love of Christ (Rom. 8:35-39).  But because we are still in our flesh, we continue to sin.  Most professing Christians don't want to be told that.  They would prefer to ride in on the laurels of their new-found state, declaring, "I'm definitely not as bad as THAT guy!"  The difference between a true believer and a pretender is that when the true believer sins, conviction is immediate and repentance comes quickly.  He understands that he is just as much a wretch as the next guy, regardless of the degree or severity of the sin.  The pretender uses his self-perceived position of salvation to justify his behavior or sin.  He flippantly brushes it away, using the false and damning excuse that he's only human.  "After all, Jesus died for every offense I will commit, right?  So, no sweat!  I've got this!"

But the Word of God tells a very different story.  And although the Bible is full of evidence, from beginning to end, of the total depravity of mankind and what man is capable of, Romans 3:9-18 is perhaps the most compounded, undeniably clear, broadly construed assertion that we aren't what we pridefully confess ourselves to be.

We are wretched.

Let's take it verse by verse, with convincing snippets of Pastor MacArthur's commentary following each verse in italics. I would encourage you to read the following verses out loud.  They do carry an impact.

Concerning verses 9 through 18, MacArthur states, "Paul strings together a series of OT quotations that indict the character (vv 10-12), conversation (vv 13-14), and conduct (vv15-17) of all men.  Nine times he uses the words such as 'none' and 'all' to show the universality of human sin and rebellion" (emph. mine)

"What then?  Are we Jews any better off?  No, not at all.  For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin ("completely enslaved and dominated by sin"), as it is written:

• "None is righteous, no, not one;" (Ps 14:1-3 and 53:1-3) - "Man is universally evil" (cf. Ps. 14:1)

• "no one understands;" - "Man is unable to comprehend the truth of God or grasp His standard of righteousness (see Ps. 14:2; 53:3; ;cf. 1 Cor 2:14)  Sadly, his spiritual ignorance does not result from a lack of opportunity (Rom. 1:19, 2:15), but is an expression of his depravity and rebellion (Eph. 4:18).

• "no one seeks after God." - "See Ps. 14:3.  This verse clearly implies that the world's false religions are fallen man's attempts to escape the true God - not to seek Him.  Man's natural tendency is to seek his own interests (cf. Phil 2:21), but his only hope is for God to seek him (John 6:37, 44).  It is only as a result of God's work in the heart that any seeks Him (Ps. 16:8, Matt. 6:33).

• "All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;"  - "See Ps. 14:3.  This word basically means 'to lean in the wrong direction.'  It was used to describe a soldier's turning the wrong way, or deserting.  All men are inclined to leave God's way and pursue their own (cf. Isa 53:6).

• "no one does good, not even one." - See note on verse 10.

How are you doing?  Still need more convincing proof?  God gets a bit more forceful describing our nature in the following verses.  Let's continue...

• "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongue to deceive." - "See Ps. 5:9.  Graves were sealed not only to show respect for the deceased, but to hide the sight and stench of the body's decay.  As an unsealed grave allows those who pass to see and smell what is inside, the unregenerate person's open throat - that is, the foul words that come from it - reveal the decay of his heart (cf. Prov 10:31-32; 15:2, 28; Jer. 17:9; Matt 12:34-35; 15:18; James 3:1-12).

• "The venom of asps is under their lips." - "See Ps. 140:3 ["They make their tongue sharp as a serpent's, and under their lips is the venom of asps."]; cf Matt 3:7; 12:34 [Jesus calls the Pharisees a "brood of vipers"]" 

• "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." - "This is quoted from Ps. 10:7.  It refers to wanting the worst for someone and publicly expressing that desire in caustic, derisive language.  'bitterness.'  The open, public expression of emotional hostility against one's enemy (cf. Ps. 64:3-4).

• "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known." - "3:15-17 - This is quoted from Isa. 59:7-8.   'ruin and misery'.  Man damages and destroys everything he touches, leaving a trail of pain and suffering in his wake.  'way of peace'.  Not the lack of an inner sense of peace, but man's tendency toward strife and conflict, whether between individuals or nations (cf. Jer. 6:14)

And now the piece de resistance, the profound summation of all the above accusations:

• "There is no fear of God before their eyes." - "See Ps. 36:1.  Man's true spiritual condition is nowhere more clearly seen than in the absence of a proper submission to and reverence for God.  Biblical fear for God consists of 1) awe of His great glory, and 2) dread of the results of violating that holy nature (cf. Prov. 9:10; 16:6; Acts 5:1-11, 1 Cor. 11:30).

In verse 19, Paul writes, "Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law [Jews, through the written law of Moses, and Gentiles, who have the works of the law written on their hearts], so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God."

The Law was written in order that man would see his utter inability to keep any jot or tittle of it and point him to Jesus Christ, and because man is unable to keep it, he is cursed by that inability.  In simpler words, his mouth is zipped shut and he's without any excuse.  We know that the law makes sin known, but we also know it can't save us.  Instead the Law condemns us.  As Scripture tells us, if we have broken one commandment, we have broken them all (James 2:10).  If you believe you aren't guilty, I challenge you to take this short quiz.

So, what do we do?  How do we solve this sin problem?  The answer is that we can't do anything to make ourselves less of a wretch and clean ourselves up by attempting to adhere to and keep the Law.  Our works, our deeds, our good intentions are worthless and ineffective when it comes to pleasing God.  The prophet Isaiah summed it up in this verse:  "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.  We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away." (Isaiah 64:6)    When one understands the meaning behind "polluted garment," or as the NIV translates it, "filthy rag," the meaning of "unclean" becomes quite clear.

Look out on today's world and the condition it's in.   The world is a HUGE a mess of decay, debauchery, unrighteousness, and outright wickedness.  Evil abounds in every corner.  Abortion is universally encouraged and accepted under the guise of "personal choice," even within the church which largely avoids speaking out against this child sacrifice to Molech.  Homosexuality and every form of sexual deviancy fills every nook and cranny of a society that demands Christians be tolerant.  Porn, not only rampant outside the church, but within it.  Lying and not being called on it.  Adultery.  Covetousness.  Disrespect of parents, elders, and society at large.   Blasphemy.   Wolves standing behind the pulpit preaching falsehoods and filling the minds of their hearers with heresy and gleefully emptying their congregant's pockets.  Unbelief and outright enmity and antagonism for God and His Word.   Violence on every street of every nation.  Hatred of all that is moral and virtuous.  Ethnic wars being waged and hostility poured out upon our brothers and sisters who are persecuted in over 60 nations.  Governments corrupted with the pride, arrogance, and greed of their leaders...

...the list is endless and only limited to man's vile and malevolent imagination - and it's getting worse each day.

It kind of makes your head want to explode, doesn't it?

"There is no fear of God before their eyes"

That's us, folks.  Mankind in all our flawed "glory" (and I use that term very loosely).   Having been made in the image of God by His own hands, but doing everything we can to malign and denigrate that image and to thwart and negate His very Word.

If you could look at yourself through God's eyes, what would you see?  Would you see a son or daughter clothed in the blood of Jesus' righteousness, striving to keep firmly entrenched in the Word of God, standing on His  foundation, and continuously repenting of your ever sinful thoughts and actions and striving to finish the race well? (2Tim 4:7-8)  Would you see the wretch you truly are when you consider God's great power and glory?

Or does that image of you reflect a pseudo you; one who wears the badge of Christianity, yet secretly, or even openly, revels in godlessness and arrogantly thinks God doesn't notice or shrugs His shoulders because it's just a little straying off the pathway, a short jog in the road, and, after all, you are all you were meant to be?  No one is perfect, right?

Let me answer that:  there was only One who was perfect, but we are supposed to strive for His perfection, putting off the "old man" and putting on the new (Eph. 4:17-24).  In other words, we need to get out of the gutter.

Do you see yourself as you should?  Like I see myself?  A man or woman much worse than the next; a wretched sinner, chief among them all, grieving the Holy Spirit daily, and unworthy of the deep, abounding and abiding love and providence God continues to pour out on us?

Each one of us should tremble at the thought that the day is coming when we will stand before Almighty God in all His glory and holiness - an image we can't even begin to comprehend! - and the unrepentant life we led, thoughts we had, and things we did or did not do will be splayed before us.  Even more dire is that they may condemn us: 

"On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness...’" (Matt 7:22-24).

"There is no fear of God before their eyes"

For those who are true professors of Jesus Christ, they understand that Scripture isn't talking about the kind of fear that causes dread and anxiety.  They know it to mean reverential awe, admiration, and submissiveness to Almighty God and a "good understanding" of His righteous standards of holiness and justice.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding." (Ps. 111:10)

However, within the body of Christ, there is a growing number of professing Christians who are not being told that the "wisdom and instruction" contained within the Word of God is there to benefit them in their spiritual growth.  A whole new breed of "fools" are being reared in the church through apostate and heretical teaching, ungodly entertainment, idolatry, complacency and apathy, and a watered-down, seeker-sensitive Gospel that is void of its very essence - the actual Gospel!

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Prov. 1:7)

They "despise" the truth of God when it's presented to them; after all, that's not what their pastor told them!  "He told me he didn't believe in total depravity and that there was good in all of us!"  (I actually witnessed a pastor utter those words in his sermon - and it was the last one I suffered through).  They are quickly becoming deficient in making good judgment, and unwisely following after the world and its cunning wiles because they are witnessing it from their pew within the very church they attend and, as described above, straight from the mouths of those who are supposed to be leading them towards Christ's righteousness.  And as they blithely trip along throughout their lives, once in a while dipping their toes into the polluted waters of sin and foolishly thinking there is nothing wrong with an occasional  hiatus away from holiness, they are proving God's admonition and point:  

Man is wretched to the very core of his soul.

There is a solution to all this.  Although the apostle Paul begins the above verses with a precise demonstration of mankind's current state of wretchedness, God's righteousness, the Law and faith and their purpose and effect, and very clearly details God's holy judgment and wrath that will be poured out upon the unrighteous, unrepentant sinner, he brings us full circle to the cure:

"But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.  For there is no distinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.  This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins ^{[delaying judgment to a future time].}  It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Yep, I am truly a wretch.  I have fallen short of God's glory and righteousness - far, far short.  I acknowledge my depravity and sinfulness that is before God's sight each and every moment and that rises as a stench to His nostrils.  But because Jesus Christ took upon Himself my wretchedness - crediting every sin I had and will commit to His own account, shed His precious, sinless blood, and on my behalf, bore the punishment I deserved - through Him I have found favor with God.  In a way, I guess you could say that when God now looks at me, He has narrowed His lens:

• God has shown me through His Word that I am incapable of doing anything to earn His favor.

• Through Christ's righteousness being imputed to me (justified through faith in Christ and His atoning work on the cross) and clothing me with His righteousness, the Father sees me also as righteous.

• God sees that I am seeking after Him and desiring His wisdom and a "good understanding" of Him and His Word.

• Instead of viewing me as a miserable, sinning wretch He probably wishes He had never created and destined for eternal condemnation, He sees His Son's worth in me, giving me great value, and has given me His Holy Spirit to gently keep me pointed in the right direction.

• Because the Holy Spirit is continuing His work of sanctifying me, the wretch I was before He came to dwell within me is slowly and surely being transformed into the perfect image of Jesus Christ.   I still battle the world and sin, and will continue to do so until this body of flesh is replaced with perfection, but the world's appeal is viewed with great disgust and fading fast into obscurity.

I am truly a wretch but, through the work of the Holy Spirit, I'm becoming less of one every day. 

My one true desire is to finally be rid of this body of flesh and the sinfulness it brings.  I long for the day when Jesus returns to establish His glorious kingdom upon this earth and restore justice.  But while He tarries, a spiritual battle is constantly being waged in my flesh.  Further on in the book of Romans, Paul laments over the war that's continually waged in his flesh and his mind (Rom. 7:15-25), and I can definitely relate.

But it's a battle that will, with absolute certainty, end in victory, for I know the One who victoriously waged the battle for my soul.  He suffered unimaginably for His wretched children, saving them from an eternity of death, gathering them unto Himself, sanctifying them to His perfection, and He deserves all the praise for His work. 

When that day finally comes - and when I consider all that is happening in the world, it can't come soon enough - I will rejoice in eternal praise and worship and fall on my face in humble adoration before the God who saved such a wretch as me.

"How deep the Father's love for us,

how vast beyond all measure;

that He should give His only Son

to make a wretch His treasure."

Here For Such A Time As This

"For You formed my inward parts;
You knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are Your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
when I was made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in Your book were written, every one of them, 
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them."
 
Psalm 139:13-16, ESV


"God has ordained the battle, which means He has raised up the enemy so that we, His bride, could be a help suitable to the second Adam as He destroys all His enemies for His glory; for the glory of His Namesake, for the glory of His Father.  We are here for such a time as this, so that Jesus will win." ~ R.C. Sproul, Jr.

For me to add anything else in the way of introduction to this post, other than what the psalmist and R.C. wrote, would pale in comparison.

Please take 54 minutes to watch this documentary.  After you do, I hope you will share it with your church and others, and that you will see that you may have also been raised up by God for a time such as this.

Numbers 6:24-26

I seek in prayerful words, dear friend,
My heart’s true wish to send you,
That you may know that, far or near,
My loving thoughts attend you.

I cannot find a truer word,
Nor better to address you;
Nor song, nor poem have I heard
Is sweeter than God bless you!

God bless you! So I’ve wished you all
Of brightness life possesses;
For can there any joy at all
Be yours unless God blesses?

God bless you! So I breathe a charm
Lest grief’s dark night oppress you,
For how can sorrow bring you harm
If ‘tis God’s way to bless you?

And so “through all thy days
May shadows touch thee never”
But this alone, God bless thee,
Then art thou safe forever.

(author unknown)

Joseph: God's Other Divine Choice

(Editor's note: this post was originally published Dec. 15, 2010.)

As we celebrate Christmas, we are reminded of specific people, things, and events that surround God the Savior’s glorious entrance into the world.  The most prominent is usually the manger scene and our focus is placed on Mary, who is certainly a major participant in this divine event.  But what about the man God the Son chose to be His earthly father?

I have always had a curious fascination with Joseph and the role he played.  Much more is written about Mary than her husband and, unfortunately, her status and significance has been un-Biblically elevated by the Catholic Church.  She would be the receptacle through which the Lord would come, but not the deliverer or intercessor, as they would have you think.   The Messiah she would carry and give birth to would die for her sins as well as the sins of others.  

In my mind, the blessing that was poured out upon Mary was no greater than the blessing Joseph received from God.  The Lord entrusted His feeble infancy and fledgling adolescence to the watchful care of this poor carpenter.  And Joseph accepted the responsibility of loving, nurturing, providing for, and protecting Jesus until He physically matured (Matthew 2:13-15).  Until that time would come, it was Joseph’s responsibility to raise up and teach Jesus as his own son, even training Him in his chosen trade of carpentry.

In the beginning verses of Matthew and Luke, Jesus lineage is given.  Because he was writing to the Jews, Matthew traces Jesus' genealogy from Joseph and Mary back to Abraham in order for him to demonstrate His right to the throne. (See Matthew 1:1-17)  Luke, because he was writing to the Gentiles, traced the Lord’s lineage back to Adam, emphasizing Jesus as the Savior of all people.  But what is clear from both genealogies is that Mary and Joseph were equally direct descendants of David, thereby proving and legitimizing Christ’s rightful inheritance. (See Luke 3:23-38 for Mary’s genealogy)  The significance of this is that the Christ must come from David’s seed and is proven in both gospels.  It further demonstrates that, although Jesus was not Joseph’s physical offspring, it established Jesus’ rightful claim to the throne of David as Joseph’s legal heir by adoption.

Joseph’s age is not mentioned, however.  We know Mary’s approximate age to be between 13 and 19 because girls were then considered mature enough to marry at this age due to their child-bearing ability.  Any unmarried woman beyond her teen years was not as desirable,  and she may have been considered an old maid of lesser value, her ability to produce offspring lessened by her age.  Because it was common for an older man to take a young girl as his wife to insure progeny, Joseph could have been middle-aged when they married.  This is not to say that he was, rather to give us a possible explanation for his lifespan as compared to Mary's as recorded in Scripture.

In the Jewish culture, when a man chose a wife, he became “betrothed” to her.  In other words, a promise of marriage was struck and a year-long engagement ensued.  Joseph probably looked with joyful anticipation to the day when his marriage vows would be fulfilled.  But, what must have crossed his mind when Mary, the virgin that had been betrothed to him, came to him and revealed she was pregnant with not just a child from another man, but a child she claimed was from the Holy Spirit?  Surely, Joseph would have thought she was attempting to cover up infidelity by concocting a wild story, or that she was insane.  

As Mary recalled the unbelievable account of the angel Gabriel’s visit to her, proclaiming her as the “favored one” of God (Luke 1:28), Joseph’s discomfort had to have been just as great as Mary’s.  Although she believed Gabriel’s pronouncement, she felt “greatly troubled” over his words (v29), and it probably added to Joseph’s doubt over her mental state.  For Joseph to hear her say that God had chosen her to bear His Son Who “would reign over the house of Jacob forever,” establishing an eternal kingdom of which there would be no end (v33), nothing short of quickly relieving himself of Mary would be prudent.  It would have seemed such an exaggerated tale given the fact that the Jews believed the Messiah would physically reign over Israel, and Joseph's economic status was a poor one.  Wouldn't the long-awaited King be born in less humble circumstances, in spite of what was evident in their holy scriptures?  How could he believe what Mary was telling him?  And to top it off, what would he tell his family, his friends, and worse yet, the synagogue leaders?

The social stigma for Joseph would have been tremendous.  The legal complications of the Law would have been greater still.   Because the term “just man” is used to describe him, Scripture suggests Joseph was a true believer in God and was declared righteous.  He carefully followed the Law and applied it to his own life.  For Mary to be found pregnant before the marriage was legally consummated would have been seen by Joseph and his peers as disgraceful.  Justice would have been demanded by certain pious Jewish leaders and others in his community.  As a Jew and because he knew the child was not his, Joseph had two legal choices in how to deal with Mary’s pregnancy: the remedy of stoning her for adultery (Deut. 22:23-24), or obtaining a legal divorce (Deut. 24:1), which would free him from his obligation of marriage to Mary.

But because Joseph was a “just man”, he was also a merciful one.  As he “considered” the situation he found himself in and his choices (Matt.1:20), there is reason to assume he sought the counsel of the Jewish synagogue leaders.  He could have chosen to settle the matter using the stricter punishment the Law provided.  Instead, Joseph chose to spare Mary from death or further “public disgrace” by divorcing “her quietly” (v19), and to try and pick back up the pieces of his shattered life.

Through all the turmoil Joseph was experiencing, there was one thing left for God to do as He set the stage for His human birth.  In a dream, the Lord assuaged Joseph’s fears, doubts, and certain heartbreak by encouraging him to take Mary as his wife.  God assured Joseph that the things Mary had told him were true.  The Son she bore would be the long-awaited Messiah Who would be sent to “save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:18-21).  And, as God did with Mary in His declaration to her in Luke 1:31, He also did for Joseph, giving the Child's Name:   Jesus, “the LORD saves”.

Coming back to the manger scene, we find Joseph faithfully by Mary's side.  As Jesus is born into this world, the anxious father gazes down with wonder and awe at the Child.  Perhaps as he listens to the voices of the angels proclaiming the Lord's birth, he recalls the promises God made to him in that dream: promises of a King born to rescue His people; a Savior to sit upon the throne of David.  He thinks about his own lowly existence and is filled with wonder that the promised Messiah lies helpless in his arms.  Joseph accepts the fact that the infant is not from his own loins, but his thoughts are filled with the days and years ahead when he can bounce Him on his knee, and do what all devoted fathers do: teach Him all that he knows.

From this point on, Joseph became God the Son’s adoptive earthly father.

Any mention of Joseph in Scripture ends when Jesus is 12-years old during the Passover Feast that the family participated in at Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-52).  As they were leaving the city, Joseph and Mary discovered Jesus was not with them and frantically began a search for their missing Son.  Finding Him in the temple with the teachers, His parents admonished Him for causing them distress, as any good parent would do for a wayward child.

This account gives us a glimpse into the lack of understanding Mary and Joseph had of just Who their son truly was.  They had been told by Gabriel and God that the son they would raise would be a king. But up to this point, they probably still believed that He would physically reign over Israel in the manner of King David, as did even the teachers Jesus was found with and who were  also waiting for the Messiah.  Many years would go by before the realization of Jesus'  true purpose would come to fruition, and witnessed only by Mary as she watched Him suffer on the cross and rise three days later.  But as any good son would do, Jesus "...went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them…And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

Although Scripture tells us little of the man Joseph, if we read between the lines, much can be determined by what little is said.  He was a righteous man of great faith.  His heart was full of compassion and love.  He was unquestionably obedient to the tremendous responsibilities God placed upon him. And he chose public humiliation over disobedience to the Lord.  Although Jesus was God incarnate,  the Creator of all things known and unknown, as with any earthly father-son relationship, Joseph undoubtedly influenced the Son of Man as He matured, teaching Him not only what was necessary to provide for one’s life and maintain a respectable position within the community, but also about virtue and mankind’s responsibility to God through obedience and adherence to the Law and the Jewish rituals.  These were the things any good Jewish father would desire to teach his son, and Joseph would have been that kind of father.

Because so much focus is placed on her, we tend to attribute Christ’s earthly rearing to Mary and her efforts.   It is clear that of His two parents, she alone was with Jesus at the end and there is no mention of Joseph.  But let us not forget that without Joseph, who was also God’s other divine choice to lead His family, the events surrounding the Lord Jesus’ life may have been dramatically different.  God chose him for a reason, and Joseph understood the seriousness of his responsibility and assumed the role perfectly and with great devotion to God.

The account of his life and purpose in Scripture may be short or lacking other noteworthy mention, but Joseph's role in God's divine plan should never be found insignificant.  He faithfully fulfilled God's purpose for placing him on earth.  He was the father to  the young Jesus that God planned and expected him to be.

In a way, I find it sad that there is no mention of Joseph beyond the temple incident.  Even sadder is that there is no mention of his death.  I am sure that somewhere buried among the  Jewish genealogical scrolls is a line or two recording his name.  But, perhaps his seemingly insignificant role needs no further accolades because we know that, through his obedience to God, Joseph fulfilled His purpose by taking Mary as his wife and helping raise and bring the Lord safely to the completion of His purpose for being born - to claim His throne and bring salvation to His earthly parents and to the world.

And for this, Joseph received his crown.



I hope you will take a few moments and listen to the following song that was written to perhaps reflect Joseph's emotions and wonder for the Gift with which God graced the world.

 Merry Christmas, everyone.

What If?

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”   God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”

Exodus 3:13-14 

What if...

You hang on doubt and refuse to hear

the still, small voice whispering in your ear;

the gentle call from womb to death

that tells of glory and blissful rest?

Your heart is hard and refuses to budge

when those who know Him tell of His love;

you turn your back with scorn and spite

from those who offer His glorious light?

What if...

You believe those who say it is not so;

there is no God to whom you can go

for relief and rest from toil and strife,

Who offers His peace and eternal life?

You build your life on things and self,

refusing the mighty hand of help'

until that day all men come to,

death stands at your side and summons you?

What if...

At that moment you suddenly see;

the question rises, "Could it be?

Have I been so blind and stubborn of heart

that now from mercy I must part?"

You now know that you were wrong;

all your life you refused the song

that swelled from heaven midst love divine,

that spoke the words, "Come, be Mine"?

And before the God you chose to deny,

you stand before Him, eye-to-eye,

with no one left to defend your cause,

exposed and naked, knowing your loss?

But, what if...

You choose just now, upon this day,

to seek the road and be shown the way

to mercy, forgiveness and boundless grace

that's written upon His beautiful face?

You come and meet the Great I AM

Who waits to take you by the hand

and bring you into His blessed fold

to give to you true life foretold?

And angels sing and saints rejoice,

"All glory is His!" they say with one voice.

"He's brought another who answered His call,

and made our God his all in all!"?

What if?

(© Karen L. Brahs, April 22, 2006) 

Loving Others Into Hell

Quite often, my posts begin with a title before any words are written.  The title is placed in the little box where it belongs, I know the message I want to convey, but the page can remain blank for days, weeks, or even longer while I wait for the words to build in my mind.  This particular post has been graced with a title for over a month, and it's a doozy, don't you think?  I decided it needed an explanation and found myself gravitating to the computer today to fill in that blank page.

But before you get started reading my thoughts, stop for a moment and meditate on those three words.................................................................................................................................................................................................

Are you done?

Let's get started on why I chose such a startling title, and whether or not you are as guilty as I often am by its implication or, perhaps better put, insinuation.

If I had used each word individually, they could be viewed as innocuous, or less harmful.   Or if I had only used the first two words as my title, there would be the appearance of a warm and compassionate post filled with encouragement to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:38-40).   But by adding the last two words, the title then becomes a little more threatening to our sensibilities.  It implies a negative connotation, creating an undertone of suspicion that the writer of this blog may be going just a little too far with what some perceive as finger-pointing, or today's popular usage of the accusation, "being judgmental."  However, what is possibly not being considered by the "judge not" crowd is that I am not only pointing the finger at some, but also right back at myself.

Are you confused?  If so, let me explain.

Each and every Christian has unsaved friends and family members.   If we were true to ourselves, we would even acknowledge that as we walk through a crowd of strangers, our eyes are incapable of landing on someone who isn't in need of hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  As I sit here writing this post, there are two men, one I've known for over 30 years, who are working on a foundation for a new addition to our house.  I'm as positive as we can be that neither are saved.  Their words and actions (their talk and walk) give enough evidence to assert that claim.  But what I am not positive about is if they have ever heard about their desperate need for salvation.

With that question bouncing around in my head, the burden then becomes mine.  Why should it be my burden?

God may have placed them before me for a reason, other than a new utility room.

Although I don't know the young man that is with my old friend, I can honestly say that I love them both.  Not in the physical or emotional sense that the world would understand.  Rather, I love them for what they lack.  I love them for what they sorely need.  I am given a glimpse with my eyes into their lives, I am able to hear with my ears their sins, and know that unless I or someone else speaks up and tells them about God's law and the death it can bring and why man has fallen from grace and how he can be restored to life and tell them of the One who secured that for us, they will leave this world without hope and suffer eternal punishment in Hell.

But fear prevents me because I don't want to offend, to anger, to be rejected, to be scoffed at, to become that "religious nut," or to possibly lose a long-time friendship, or fail to establish a new one.  And when it comes to our unsaved family members who exhibit all of the above, there is even less willingness to speak up for Jesus, because to be alienated from them is the worst possible scenario in this life.  We don't want to upset the apple cart of family continuity.  We say we love them too much to break the family apart, or to be avoided at family gatherings.  But do we truly love them enough?   Do we love them so much that we would be willing to sacrifice good relationships with them by boldly giving the prescription they desperately need and that would cure them of the soul destroying disease of depravity and eternal death?

Sadly, the answer with most of us is usually "No."  We would rather that someone else step up and do for us what we ourselves should have done.

In other words, by our failure to obey the LORD Jesus' command to go out and make disciples of men (Matt 28:18-20), we are loving our friends and family straight into Hell.

By now, I'm sure you've caught on to the subject matter.

The greatest love we can demonstrate is to give the Gospel to everyone, regardless of their relationship to us, or the situation we find ourselves in with them.  To remain silent is a gross exhibition of hatred in its worst form.   When it comes to family and friends we say we love and would do anything for, it could safely be said that the love we have for them is shallow and without substance.  We love their sense of humor.  We love being with them.  We love their little quirks.  And we love that they also love us.

But that's not enough.

There are four types of "love" in the Greek language which are used throughout Scripture:

1. "Storge," a term rarely used in ancient text, denotes affection mainly between family members.
2. "Philia" or "phileo" is used to demonstrate loyalty to friends, family, and community and must include virtue, equality, and familiarity.
3. "Eros" is physical, passionate love that compels one to sensual desire and longing.  It's the type of love described as "love at first sight;" romantic, pure emotion without the balance of logic.  Although the word is usually used in the context of sexual desire, it isn't necessarily always attributed to it, but is also used as a deeper form of the "philia" type of love between friends, or an appreciation of the beauty within another person.
4. "Agape" means love in a spiritual sense, or unconditional love.  It is selfless, expecting nothing in return.  It is a deep and abiding love that expresses God's unconditional love for His wayward children.  The apostle, Paul, wrote of this type of love in 1Corinthians 13:1-13.

Taking these words and definitions into context, in what should be our witness for Christ, most Christians never succeed in getting past the first two Greek words when it comes to the type of love we demonstrate.  We have deep affection for our family and friends.  We are loyal to them and consider them to be equal with us, but that's as far as our professed love goes.  We all too often overlook their sinfulness and depravity.  We roll our eyes, maybe uttering a prayer for their repentance and redemption.  We neglect their absolute need of Jesus Christ and His gift of salvation, and fail them - and Him - time and time again, until it's too late and their destination after they die is fixed for all eternity.

We just don't want the reaction we think we're going to receive.

When I consider my failings and my utter unwillingness to give the Gospel of Jesus Christ to certain family and friends, I understand just how superficial and limited my love is for them.  Honesty with myself compels me to admit it borders on hatred.  Hatred not for their physical presence in the here and now, but for their soul that will continue to live on after their body is mere dust.  We should love as Jesus loved, not the way we think is appropriate and acceptable.  In light of the glaring fact that life on this earth and our relationships with others is fleeting, our primary focus should be on the next life and what those can expect who do not yet know, and are known by, Jesus Christ.

Instead of loving others into Hell through our complacency, unwillingness, or fear of reprisal, we should strive for the same love Jesus Christ demonstrated by faithfully telling them the truth.  And just as equally important, Christians should never think that any specific moment is inappropriate, especially during gatherings of frivolity and gaity, or a few moments together over coffee.  Seconds are ticking by, and the clock that measures the length of a person's life on this earth cannot be paused or stopped.

Three times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him.  Three times, Peter responded with a "yes."  But the third time, Peter understood the depth of Christ's question and it grieved him (John 21:15-17).   I am often reminded that my love for Jesus Christ is just as shallow and limited as the love I have for my family and friends.  I shouldn't be able to find the bottom but, ashamedly, I do, just as Peter realized his own lack.  I, too, should be willing to go out and "feed" Jesus' sheep each and every time the opportunity is presented, even if it means Jesus telling me what He told Peter: "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”  (John 21:18)

If anything would compel someone to keep silent about the way to salvation, Jesus telling Peter how he would die should have done so.  But Peter understood the vital necessity of the message he would carry and faithfully delivered it.

Peter loved others as Christ loved.  Never faltering.  Never wavering.  Never watering down the Gospel.  And in all circumstances and all situations, Peter never feared rejection or persecution when he gave it.

Thus the meaning for the title of this post.

It took a while to reveal my thoughts and the conviction that I fail my Savior far too often, including the courage to confess it.  Although I am ashamed to admit it, my failures are ever before me.   But I'm thankful Jesus has revealed one more of my endless flaws that needs gentle correction.  Sanctification is a long process, and I am thankful He is patient with me.

If we truly love Jesus as we should, instead of loving others into Hell through our silence, we will love them with the same "agape" He has for us.  Knowing that, with each breath, our unsaved friends and family members are approaching eternity and a fixed location, we must be driven to set aside any discomfort we may have while in their presence and love them into Heaven by giving them the greatest gift a man can receive, regardless of the situation or timing.

So, here I am, pointing the proverbial finger at you and praying for your conviction, as well.  It sure gave me pause, and I hope it does you.

There's a world of sinners waiting for someone to speak up without fear.  Some you know.  Some you won't know until God places them in front of you.  Some will reject it in various ways.  Some will embrace it with joy.  And we should always remember it's not us that does the heart work.  It's the Holy Spirit.  We're just the instrument by which the Good News is given.

As I told my late father once, when he was attempting to give the Gospel to his sisters who were lost in false beliefs, and who cruelly refused to believe what he brought them, "It's not you they were rejecting, but the Holy Spirit Who sent you.  You did what the LORD asked, and that's all that was required of you."

So, go out and boldly proclaim Jesus Christ to your friends and loved ones so that they may also know and live in the glorious presence of God with you for all eternity.