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“If Your Right Hand Causes You To Sin…”

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Question: Helena asks, “What is the meaning of Jesus’ words, ‘If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off…’ (Matt. 5:29-30)?”

right hand

Answer: These words of Jesus appear in the “Sermon on the Mount” and are found again in Matthew 18:8-9, and in Mark 9:43-48. Mention is made of amputating a hand and a foot, and putting out an eye. But these cannot be commands to engage in self-mutilation. The Bible condemns such behaviour. It is the idolatrous heathen who abuse their bodies in an attempt to please their gods (I Kgs. 18:25-29). Physically, we are the special creation of God (Gen. 2:7) and the Christian’s body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit,” to be used to glorify Him (I Cor. 6:19-20).

When we examine closely what Jesus said, nothing seems right. It is not the hand, the foot or the eye that “causes” sin. Nor is it the present physical body of the unbeliever that enters hell, but a new, resurrection body (Rev. 20:11-15). Further, even one who is blinded may be lustful still. Jesus used these startling words to stir a reaction. The seeming anomalies in the teaching are meant to force us to see the real problem. Amputation will not solve a problem that is rooted elsewhere. It is in the heart where sin is generated (cf. Mk. 7:20-23). So we are driven back to the opening word, “if.” If the eye is the problem….But it is not.

Centuries ago, a man was arrested in England for being a pickpocket. As a cruel punishment, his right hand was cut off. But he simply learned new dexterity with his left hand and went right on stealing. When arrested again, his left hand also was amputated. But he then taught himself to pick pockets with his teeth! The gruesome tale makes a point. Where does the real problem lie? Not in the hands of the pickpocket, nor even his teeth. What he needed, and what we all need if we are to consistently obey God’s Word, is a transformed heart. David realized that and prayed, “Create in me a pure heart, O God” (Ps. 51:10). And the creation of a new heart is the central promise of the New Covenant (Ezek. 36:26).

Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (cf. 3:18). By the power of the Holy Spirit we are to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). And when the Spirit of God changes the human heart, it will affect our eyes (what we admire and desire), our feet (the path we choose in life), and our hands (what we do and make). That is the point of the passages in question.

The “Best Hymn”?

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Question: Ken asks, “What is the best hymn, in your opinion?”

hymnals

Answer: Though there is agreement on some hymns that belong near the top of the list, a final choice will always come down to subjective opinion. And it depends a lot on the criteria laid down for evaluating them. The three traditional hymns that hymnologists often put at the top of the list are: Jesus, Lover of My Soul; Rock of Ages; and When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. Others ranking near the top are: All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending; and Abide With Me.

If the question were to be a bit different, and we asked what are the most popular hymns, the answer has changed somewhat over the years. An extensive poll, taken 50 years ago, rated the following as the top ten favourites (in order of rank): The Old Rugged Cross; What a Friend We Have in Jesus; I Love to Tell the Story; In the Garden; Rock of Ages; Sweet Hour of Prayer; Abide with Me; He Leadeth Me; Jesus Lover of My Soul; and Nearer My God To Thee.

In 1990, ten thousand people of all ages were asked to list their favourites. The top ten (in order) were: Amazing Grace; How Great Thou Art; In the Garden; The Old Rugged Cross; What a Friend We Have in Jesus; A Mighty Fortress Is Our God; Blessed Assurance; He Lives; Victory in Jesus; and Holy, Holy, Holy.

You will notice that the two favourite hymns on the more current list do not even appear in the top ten a generation ago. So, are they new hymns? Hardly. “Amazing Grace” was first published in 1779, and “How Great Thou Art” was written in 1886. But in 1955, the Billy Graham Toronto Crusade introduced a “new” hymn they had found, and within the next few years “How Great Thou Art” had become the most popular hymn in America. Then, in 1970, folk singer Judy Collins made a recording of “Amazing Grace” and it went on to achieve “Top 40” status on the hit parade–one of the few Christian songs ever to do so. It has been popular ever since.

The Lie

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Question: Glenn asks, “In Romans: 1:25, it states, ‘…who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and serve the creature rather than the Creator…’ Explain the meaning of the words, ‘for the lie,’ and what was the ‘creature’? And at the end of the verse, it reads, ‘…who is blessed forever.’ Please explain.”

Answer: “The lie” is mentioned a number of times in the Word of God. John 8:44 (literally) says of the devil, “When he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own resources. for he is a liar and the father of it [i.e. of the lie].” And of those who will be deceived by the coming Antichrist we read, “God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie” (II Thess. 2:11).

“The truth of God” in this case might be summed up by the words of the Lord Jesus to Satan, “You shall worship the Lord Your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matt. 4:10). Only Almighty God is worthy of our allegiance and our worship. That is the truth of God. And an assertion that we should worship anything or anyone other than God “the lie.”

In the context, in Romans (vs. 23) the heathen worship various creatures (animals) made into idols, rather than the One who created them. And you’ll notice “man” is included in vs. 23. The glorifying of man is humanism, a religion whose ruling passion is pride, with man himself as its ultimate god.

This was behind “the lie” of Eden–“Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Gen. 3:5). In other words, “You don’t need God; be your own god!” “The lie” of Second Thessalonians is akin to this, since it involves the worship of Satan’s counterfeit Christ, a mere man.

You also ask about the closing words of Romans 1:25. “…the Creator, who is blessed [praiseworthy, or praised] forever” is simply Paul’s way of saying he totally rejects “the lie.” He refers to God in a similar way in Romans 9:5. “Blessed” translates the Greek eulogia which gives us the English word eulogize–a eulogy being words of praise for the dear departed at a funeral. In Mark 14:61, Jesus is asked, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed [the One Forever Praiseworthy].”

Women Head Covering: Is it necessary for women to have their heads covered in the house of God?

Question:  Are head coverings for women for today? I have a dear sister-in-the-Lord who has a blog, and is very much pro-head coverings. I was surprised to discover also that R.C. Sproul condones head coverings.

Answer: Thanks for the great question. There are a number of issues that arise in the context of the Bible passage that deals with the subject (I Corinthians 11:2-16). I won’t attempt to address them all. I’ll focus mainly on the verses that apply to women covering their heads in the meetings of the church.

As you imply, there are differences of both interpretation and application with regard to the passage. Some, of course, reject the validity of the teaching altogether, asserting that Paul was simply speaking for himself, and was prejudiced against women. For those who believe in the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, that is not an option.

But even when we deal with sincere Christian people, ones who accept that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, there are differences. Some believe Paul’s instruction is universal, and applies to our own time, and women should have their heads covered in the house of God. Others are convinced it was a cultural thing in the first century that has no direct application today. That the principle of humility behind it is still valid, but the specifics of dress are not.

When I was a boy, our family attended a church that believed in women having their heads covered. This was interpreted to mean that a woman should wear a hat in the Lord’s house. But nothing was said about the kind of hat, and those of some got bigger and fancier as time went on. Easter Sunday, in particular, was the traditional time to wear new finery and show off your latest head gear.

It doesn’t take much thought to realize that this practice actually flies in the face of the principle Paul was trying to teach. The hats became a matter of personal pride (for some, at least) rather than a sign of humility, modesty and submission.

As to the passage of Scripture, I checked a number of commentaries. Most authors seem to come to the conclusion that there were unique cultural implications to head coverings in Bible times that do not pertain today. Josh McDowell provides an example of the most frequent approach:

“Most scholars today see this passage as a cultural injunction rather than a universal command. They see it as an issue in the first century on how Paul dealt with matters of authority….So to many the issue for us today isn’t a covering for a woman’s head, but an attitude of heart–one of humility, submission, and service to one another.” (The Bible Handbook of Difficult Verses, by Josh and Sean McDowell)

My own conclusion is similar. That a woman’s head being covered in the culture of the first century had symbolic meaning it does not generally have for Christians today, certainly in North America. In the first century, head coverings were not simply to keep the sun off, or worn as a decoration. They made a statement about a woman’s humility and modesty.

I don’t think the vast majority of people today would think of that, if they saw a girl wearing a hat. In some situations, it might make her stand out even more, and be more of a focus of attention, which could end up sending just the opposite message.

Things like tradition, culture, and custom can be tricky. There are, for example, those who are against women wearing slacks. But I find it difficult to point to a specific Scripture for insisting on that. (Men wore skirts in Bible times!) And some pant suits on women are far more modest that mini-skirts I’ve seen!

However, even if women covering their heads is not an absolute command for Christians today, I would try to avoid offending those who take that position. If my wife and I visited a church where that practice was the norm, I know she would have no problem wearing a scarf or shawl over her head. It would be a way of showing respect and Christian love for brothers and sisters in Christ.

Now, here is the passage (vs. 2-5) in the NKJV, with some explanatory additions I’ve included in squared brackets.

“I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions [teachings  passed on from the Lord] just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to know that the head of every man [the One to whom he is responsible] is Christ, the head of woman [the one to whom she is responsible] is man [i.e. her husband], and the head of Christ [the One to whom He is responsible, as Man] is God [the Father]. Every man praying or prophesying, having his [physical] head covered, dishonors his head [Christ]. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her [physical] head uncovered dishonors her head [her husband], for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.”

In these verses, the apostle addresses a distortion of what it means to have liberty in Christ, the idea that under grace we are free from restraint and can do as we please.

For some women, this apparently included a rejection of the headship of their husbands in the home. And to display their independence they cast aside a symbol of humility recognized in the culture of that day. But Paul declared this not to be a liberating, but a degrading step. If women do that, they might as well shave their heads–a sign of disgrace in that culture which was particularly associated with prostitutes.

As the context indicates (vs. 8-12), the headship of the husband was established in the very beginning, with Adam and Eve. It is taught in the New Testament too (Eph. 5:22-24).

This is a God-ordained administrative order in the home It does not mean women are inferior to men. That can be seen in the passage when vs. 3 says, “the head of Christ is God.” As God the Son, Christ is fully God (Col. 2:9), and is worthy of equal honour with the Father (Jn. 5:23). But He willingly submitted Himself to God the Father in order to carry out a divine purpose and plan.

Not only were those in the unsaved in the community watching the Christians and how they behaved, so were the angels (vs. 10; cf. Eph. 3:10). The holy angels are quite interested in earthly goings on, and the purpose of God in them (I Pet. 1:12). And just as these spirit beings are submissive to God, they expect that this attitude will be seen in the saints as well (cf. Matt. 6:10).

Where Ministry Begins: Ministry begins with seeing what Jesus sees

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When we consider the ministry of the gospel, we often begin with the Great Commission. That’s stated most fully at the end of Matthew’s Gospel (Matt. 28:18-20), but it’s found in various forms in the other three Gospels, and in Acts (Mk. 16:15; Lk. 24:46-48; Jn. 20:21; Acts 1:8).

That’s our mandate. In the power of the Holy Spirit; we’re to proclaim the Word of God, and take the good news of salvation to all the world. But there’s a significant passage in Matthew which concerns something that comes before that. In a real sense it lays the foundation for the Commission to come. The Bible says:

“When He [Christ] saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest'” (Matt. 9:36-38).

Sheep on a mountainside

As Christians ponder the work to which the Lord has called us, there’s a great deal in these three verses that provides food for thought. Basic things that can effectively undergird and animate our service. And the first, it seems to me, is the most fundamental of all. Christ “saw the multitudes.”

But we all know there’s seeing, and there’s seeing. Go to a shopping mall, and you’ll see people, milling, jostling, pressing on their way–or sitting in the food court, chatting over coffee or a meal. It’s much the same in all the marketplaces of the world.

And we can look upon them with curiosity, or with a critical eye. (“Why has he painted his hair green? It looks ridiculous!”) Or perhaps we see the crowds and complain, because they get in the way of us finishing what we’ve come to do. I can be as guilty of this as the next person.

However, the Lord Jesus saw something different. He saw people in great need. And the motivating attitude in His heart was neither mere curiosity, nor criticism, nor selfish complaint, but compassion. He saw them as hurting and in distress, and looked upon them with infinite love and mercy. It’s helpful to check on how various translators have handled the words “weary and scattered.” What did Jesus see? He saw those who were:

“Bewildered and helpless” (NET); “harassed and helpless” (NIV); “distressed and dispirited” (NASB); “troubled and wandering” (BBE); “bewildered (harassed) and distressed, and dejected, and helpless” (Amplifed); “torn and thrown down” (Rotherham); “faint and cast aside” (Young).

Oh, my! And there are “multitudes” like that. See them through the eyes of Jesus. They may wear masks of unconcern, even of gaiety. Or they may be focused on the task of the moment. But inside they carry weary burdens, and wrestle with perplexing issues. They’re discouraged over the mistakes of yesterday, distressed over the problems of today, and fearful of what may come tomorrow. They’re looking for answers, and so often finding none that fully satisfy.

They are “like sheep having no shepherd,” sheep who have gone astray, each choosing his or her own perilous path (Isa. 53:6), only to find new dangers and difficulties along the way. Jesus weeps for them (cf. Matt. 23:37), and longs to be the Shepherd they so desperately need (Jn. 10:11; cf. Ps. 23:1). In the eloquent words of hymn writer Frank Mason North:

Where cross the crowded ways of life,
Where sound the cries of race and clan
Above the noise of selfish strife,
We hear Your voice, O Son of Man.

In haunts of wretchedness and need,
On shadowed thresholds dark with fears,
From paths where hide the lures of greed,
We catch the vision of Your tears.

From tender childhood’s helplessness,
From woman’s grief, man’s burdened toil,
From famished souls, from sorrow’s stress,
Your heart has never known recoil.

Oh, see them through the eyes of Jesus! They are His creatures, seeds of God’s planting. And He is “the Lord of the harvest,” and “the harvest truly is plentiful.” There are many, many in deep need. But not so many of us to help them. Even with all our modern tools, the task is overwhelming.

Of the many today who call themselves Christians, perhaps less than ten percent are truly born again. And of those, in the average evangelical church, sometimes only ten percent are actively engaged, using the gifts God has given them. It’s an estimate, but about half a century of ministry in various venues suggests to me it’s close to the truth.

Unfortunately, the answer to the need for workers is sometimes to “lay hands on [an individual] hastily” (I Tim. 5:22), without careful thought and prayer. Or to press “a novice” into a leadership position for which he or she is ill prepared (I Tim. 3:6). That approach so often creates more problems than it solves. It’s the Lord who needs to do the sending (Matt. 9:38), though we do have a role in identifying and affirming His choice. Much prayer is needed there too.

We also need to be “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18), that God will move and motivate the other ninety percent to get involved, using the abilities and opportunities He provides. Let’s pray earnestly for more labourers to take up the work. But be careful!

There’s an interesting postscript to the passage in Matthew chapter 9. In the next chapter, the disciples are named. Then we read, “These twelve Jesus sent out” (vs. 5).

When we pray, the Lord may well call us to be part of the answer to our prayers! For that reason, we need to ask God to help us see the multitudes as Jesus sees them, and “catch the vision of [His] tears,” as Mr. North puts it (cf. II Cor. 5:14-15). And let’s pray with a submissive heart, ready to seize the opportunities to serve the Lord that He presents to us, believing Him for great things.

Salvation and Suffering: Is it necessary to suffer for Christ to be saved?

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Question: I have a question about Romans 8:17. If we do not suffer for Christ or share in His sufferings, does that mean we will not have eternal life at all? I kept struggling with the thought that if I do not suffer for Christ or share in His sufferings, I do not belong to Him at all.

Answer: Thanks. You ask an excellent question. There are several points we need to deal with to provide a full answer.

First, the implication that there is something else necessary for salvation, other than trusting in the saving work of Christ. The simplest explanation of how to be saved comes from Paul’s encounter with the Philippian jailer. He asks the apostle, “What must I do to be saved?” And the answer comes back, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 16:30-31). It’s not “Believe and suffer…” or “Believe and join a church…” or “believe and do good works…” It’s simply “believe.”

Each of the things mentioned has its place in the Christian life, but not in terms of receiving the gift of salvation. And that’s an important point–it is a gift. That’s what God’s grace is all about. It’s unearned and unmerited favour. Something God gives us that we haven’t paid for. Christ did the paying on the cross (I Cor. 15:3). Salvation is not a do, but a done. By putting our faith in Christ, we are accepting what He did as being for us, personally, and receiving God’s gift.

The Bible is quite clear that grace excludes any kind of works (Rom. 4:4-5; 11:6; Eph. 2:8-9). Instead, to be saved, we are to receive (believe on) Christ as our personal Saviour (Jn. 1:12-13). Something like a hundred times, the New Testament gives simple faith in Christ as the one and only means of salvation (e.g. Jn. 3:16, 36; 6:40, 47; Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 1:16; 5:1; Gal. 3:26, cf. 4:6-7). Sufferers for Christ will be rewarded one day, but that is not to say that suffering is how we’re saved.

This should be enough to raise a question about adding suffering as a requirement for salvation. And there’s a logical problem with doing that, as well as a biblical one. The question must be raised: How much suffering is enough suffering? Will I get to heaven if I’m mocked for being a Christian and bear it humbly? Or do I have to lose my job, or be put in prison? Or be burned at the stake? You can see the problem!

Since these things are so, we should ask whether there is another acceptable interpretation of the verse in Romans–and I believe there is. Here’s the verse, in context, in the New King James Version:

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom. 8:16-17).

About this passage, William MacDonald writes, “[Paul] is not making heroic suffering a condition for salvation….Rather, he sees all Christians as being co-sufferers and all Christians as glorified with Christ. [The Greek word for] “if” is equivalent to ‘since.’…All who acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Saviour are seen here as incurring the hostility of the world, with its shame and reproach” (Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1711).

Notice the alternate translation of “if” (ei per in Greek) that MacDonald offers: since. The Bible Knowledge Commentary suggests, “if, as is the fact” (Vol. 2, p. 471). William Newell, in his classic commentary Romans Verse by Verse, suggests, “inasmuch as” (p. 316). M. R. Vincent, in his Word Studies in the New Testament says, “the conditional participle with the indicative mood assumes the fact: if so be, as is really the case” (p. 709).

A note in The NIV Study Bible sums it up this way: “The Greek construction used here does not set forth a condition but states a fact. The meaning, then, is not that there is some doubt about sharing Christ’s glory. Rather, despite the fact that Christians presently suffer, they are assured a future entrance into their inheritance” (p. 1717).

Let’s render the Romans passage with the acceptable option discussed, and see what happens. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, since indeed [ei per] we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom. 8:16-17).

What is being described is not an optional choice, but an actual fact. We do suffer. The only other place in the New Testament where that phrase “suffer with” is used is in First Corinthians 12:26, which says, “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” The point there is that the church is a body, and what happens to one part (or member) happens to all. Therefore, what happens to all should be a concern of each one.

In other words, if the church, the body of Christ, suffers (which it does), that means we suffer as Christians, because we are a part of the body. If you have a toothache, your whole body feels miserable until it’s somehow dealt with. That’s all Paul is saying about the spiritual body of Christ, and it’s the key to the meaning of Romans 8:17. Just as surely as we can look forward to future glory, as members of the body of Christ, we also face the world’s antagonism and opposition as His body, here below. It’s not something added on; it just is.

Salvation and Baptism: Is baptism necessary for salvation?

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Question: What is the meaning of the words of Ananias to Paul, after the latter met with Christ on the Damascus Road: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Does this means that water baptism cleanses away sin?

Answer: Though Paul’s conversion is described first in Acts 9:1-19, this (i.e. Acts 22:16) is the only place where these words of Ananias are recorded. Various attempts have been made to explain the seeming implication that water baptism effectually cleanses sins. But the New Testament makes it clear that it is the blood of Christ that does that (I Jn. 1:7; Rev. 1:5). What then is the meaning here?

1) Some (Charles Ryrie and others) try to avoid the problem by re-translating–”having arisen, be baptized; and wash away your sins, having called on the name of the Lord.” However, though this accurately reflects the meaning of the Greek original, it does not explain why baptism precedes cleansing–especially when there are other indications that Paul was saved (and cleansed) before this.

Paul (then called Saul) had already demonstrated faith in, and submission to Christ, on the Damascus Road (Acts 22:10). And he was filled with the Spirit before he was baptized (Acts 9:17-18). Further, Paul heard the gospel not from Ananias first, but from Christ Himself (Gal. 1:11-12). In other words, there is every indication that Paul received Christ as Saviour and was filled with the Spirit and cleansed of his sins before his water baptism.

2) It may be helpful to consider his baptism as being more Jewish than Christian. Water baptism was used by the Jews to initiate proselytes to Judaism, and John the Baptist used it as a symbol of repentance, in preparation for Christ’s coming. The church, thoroughly Jewish in the early days, would be untaught about the truth of being positionally “in Christ” and the union with Him that is expressed by Christian baptism.

Rather, they would attach to baptism something of its former significance. Note Paul’s emphasis on the Jewishness of this event (Acts 22:3, 12, 14). The only ones in Acts who are told to be baptized “for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38), or similar words, are Jews.

The nation of Israel had rejected their Messiah. “His blood be on us and on our children,” they’d said (Matt. 27:25). By a public baptism conducted by church leaders, individual Jews were openly disassociating themselves from their Christ-rejecting nation, and identifying themselves with Him.

Baptism thus was a sign of their repentance of the specific sins related to the death of Christ and of any prior opposition to His work through the church. In effect, it took them off Jewish ground and put them on Christian ground–though a full understanding of this only came gradually. For Paul, his baptism likely testified outwardly to a repudiation of his former hateful actions against Christ and the church.

It is only when we move away from the early days, and past the official introduction of Gentiles into the body of Christ, that we see a greater emphasis on positional truth in connection with baptism. Today, believer’s baptism by immersion signifies the individual’s identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and a determination to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:3-4).

Paul certainly never saw it as essential for salvation. He baptized very few individuals (I Cor. 1:14-17), which would be strange if he believed they couldn’t be saved without it!

Sacred Music

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Sacred music (music dedicated to God’s glory) has been around for a long time. Both vocal and instrumental music were used in the Jewish temple. The choosing and training of musicians and other factors suggest some sound principles for preparing music and musicians for church ministry in the Age of Grace.

Overall, one gets the impression of careful preparation in Israel, a high standard of excellence, and a strong sense of responsibility before God–any or all of which are sometimes lacking today. Consider the following points from First Chronicles:

  1. The musicians were specifically chosen for this ministry by those in leadership (1 Chronicles 15:16). Who chooses the musicians who serve in your church? And are they selected for the right reasons to engage in this important and spiritual ministry?
  2. They were freed from other duties, so they could concentrate on this ministry and make it as effective as possible (1 Chronicles 9:33). Overworked workers who take on too many jobs will quickly lower the standards, because they simply do not have the time to prepare properly.
  3. There was vocal music (1 Chronicles 15:16, 19), and instrumental music from stringed instruments (1 Chronicles 15:16, 20, 21), wind instruments (1 Chronicles 15:24), and percussion instruments (1 Chronicles 15:16, 19). It is interesting that drums are never once mentioned in the Bible. Possibly they were associated so much with carnal and pagan practices that God’s people avoided them.
  4. The musicians were trained for their work by experienced and skillful leaders (1 Chronicles 15:22, 27). We are sometimes satisfied to ignore proper training, or leave it to chance. The result is too many times mediocre, and not truly honouring to God who deserves our best.
  5. The proper dress of the musicians was also considered (1 Chronicles 15:27). This can be a major problem in our day. Sloppy or immodest dress detracts from the message and draws attention away from the Lord. Faded or tattered jeans, tight or skimpy clothing, these have no place in the house of God, let alone on the platform. (Do you mean to say you would go dressed in your best to a job interview or a wedding, but not to stand in the Lord’s house and represent Almighty God?)
  6. The focus of the music they presented was the Lord Himself (1 Chronicles 16:6, 8-9; cf. Ps. 22:3). They were not putting on a performance to entertain the people. This is surely another major problem today. Consumerism has taken over the church. What will tickle the ear? What will attract a crowd? Hear the words of Archibald Brown from many years gone by: “The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church of Christ that part of her mission is to provide entertainment for people, with a view to winning them to the ranks….Here now is an opportunity for gratifying the flesh and yet retaining a comfortable conscience. We can now please ourselves in order to do good to others.”
  7. The instruments they used were made and dedicated (I expect exclusively) for that purpose (1 Chronicles 16:42; 23:5). Too many times the theory seems to be, “Let’s make our music sound just like the music in the unsaved world. Then people will feel more at home in the church.” My father once asked pointedly, “How come some churches won’t allow a liberal in the pulpit, but they’ll allow him on the instruments?” The music of the church ought to be distinctly different, dedicated to its sacred purpose, not simply a clone of what is heard elsewhere.
  8. Their work was to be done consistently and thoroughly (1 Chronicles 16:37). This has to do with faithfulness, and with a serious commitment to duty. Tardiness, and absenteeism are not glorifying to God. When you are scheduled to be there…be there! To quote my musician father once more, “God doesn’t want your spare time.”
  9. They were carefully organized, and each knew his responsibility and the schedule for his ministry (1 Chronicles 25:1, 8; cf. 1 Chronicles 23:5). This is a function of leadership. It takes time and effort, and some administrative skill. And it is important.
  10. They were united in ministry, meaning likely there was a unity in their technical execution and in their inner heart and purpose (II Chron. 5:13-14; cf. I Cor. 14:15, 33, 40). It is jarring when musicians do not play or sing together. (Usually it indicates more training and practice were needed.) Beyond that, the music of the church should provide an outward picture of the unity and harmony which should prevail in the church. But this takes effort (Eph. 4:3).

Prayer Answers: Does God Answer Prayer?

Prayer Answers. As to the subject of prayer, I need to ask you a couple of serious questions:

Girl praying

1) Are you on praying ground? By that I mean are you a born again Christian, one who’s trusted in the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? If not, what’s needed in that case is faith in Christ’s Calvary work, trusting fully (and only) in what He did there to pay your debt of sin (Isa. 53:6; Jn. 3:16). We aren’t saved by good works or church rituals, only by what Jesus did for us (Eph. 2:8-9).

2) If you are a Christian, are you harbouring unconfessed sin in your life? As the psalmist says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Ps. 66:18; compare Isa. 59:1-2)? The answer there is confession of your sin, and accepting God’s cleansing and forgiveness (I Jn. 1:9).

If you have dealt with those two areas, then you can be sure that God will hear your prayers. God’s Word tells us that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jas. 5:16). Another translation of that verse says, “Tremendous power is made available through a good man’s earnest prayer” (J.B. Philips paraphrase).

The Bible invites us to make our requests to the Lord, and promises “peace” of heart as we trust Him to answer (Phil. 4:6-7). We are also promised “mercy and…grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:14-16), and “wisdom,” when it’s required (Jas. 1:5).

Some answers come over time, and are more difficult to see. Others come quickly and dramatically. Here are two examples of prayer answers.

1) A few years ago, I was sitting in the living room of the home we are renting. I was concerned because we had little income, and didn’t have enough to pay the rent that month. As I was praying about it, the phone rang. A local pastor said he had something for me, and could he come over and give it to me. It turned out to be an anonymous gift of a considerable amount of money. Enough to take care of the rent that month. Praise the Lord!

2) One time a young woman went to the London airport to share Christ with passengers walking through the terminal. She came upon a stewardess, to whom she witnessed. Afterwards, the woman prayed a simple prayer, trusting the Lord as her Saviour.

A few minutes later, her flight was called and she had to leave. But the girl rummaged in her backpack and said, “Here, take this and read it,” thinking it might help her to better understand what it meant to be a Christian. It was a book by Christian author Dr. Francis Schaeffer. As the stewardess went to the plane, the girl prayed, “O Lord, please send a Christian on that flight to follow her up.”

Later the stewardess got in contact with the girl and told her what had happened during the flight. She was sitting in the jump-seat, reading the book, when a passenger walked up to her. “What do you think of the book you’re reading?” he asked. “Well,” she replied, “I’ve only been a Christian for a few minutes, so I really can’t understand it.” “Perhaps I can help you,” he replied. “My name is Francis Schaeffer.”

The Bible says, “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (I Jn. 5:14). I don’t know the things you are praying for, but God does hear and answer prayer–all prayer–given under the conditions described above. But not all the things we ask for are His will for us, or His will at this particular time. So sometimes His answer is “No.”

We have an example in God’s Word of some missionaries wanting to do something that seems good and commendable, but God said, “No.” Paul and his missionary team wanted to preach the gospel to those in Asia, but in some way the Spirit of God revealed that they should not (Acts 16:6)? Why? We’re not told–and God is not obligated to reveal all His reasons and plans to us.

The missionaries wanted to fulfil the Great Commission. The gospel was needed there, But it’s possible that Paul was not the missionary who could do the best job for those people, or that it wasn’t God’s timing for this venture. But we do know that the gospel eventually reached Asia, and Peter wrote to the Christians in Asia to teach them more (I Pet. 1).

Someone has said that the Lord has four ways of answering prayer: No, Grow, Slow, and Go.

  1. No is a possibility. As wise parents, we have sometimes had to refuse a child something he or she asked for. Perhaps it was something that would be harmful to the child–such as playing with a sharp knife. Our heavenly Father sometimes has to say “No” because our requests are foolish and immature.
  2. Grow. Sometimes, not getting what we ask for is temporary. The Lord knows we have some growing to do before we would be ready for it.
  3. Slow. At other times, God grants us what we ask for, but there are cautions to be considered as we receive and use whatever it is. We need to move forward slowly and carefully, seeking His further guidance along the way.
  4. Go. That represents a direct and clear answer to prayer. It is God’s “yes” to our request.

Philippians 4:6 says we should “with thanksgiving let [our] requests be made known to God.” Why “with thanksgiving”? I believe it’s a matter of thanking the Lord, in advance, for how He will answer–even if the answer is no. That’s a step of faith. It says that we trust the love and wisdom of God.

“We know that all things [even unpleasant things, or things we don’t understand] work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). We can trust Him to answer our prayers in the right way, and at the right time.

Lord of All: Is Christ Lord of all?

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Question: How can Jesus be the God of all people? He Himself said He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel (Matt. 15:24).

Answer: This is a case of needing to distinguish God’s program from His Person. And needing to distinguish the steps in His program from His ultimate goal.

His Program and His Person

As to God Himself, He is One God in three Persons. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, yet there is only one God. Each of the three Persons of the Trinity is fully God, and worthy of equal honour with the others, yet there is only one God. Each Person of the Trinity has a unique function and ministry, yet there is only one God.

We should not reject this truth simply because there is nothing we can see in nature that parallels it, or that can fully illustrate it. God is infinitely transcendent; He is utterly supreme and unique. Nothing, and no one else is like Him.

triquetra

One of many attempts to illustrate the Trinity is a figure called the triquetra, seen above. It is one figure, with three distinct points, yet no point can exist without the others. They are all three interconnected and each is equal to the others.

That is helpful. But the triquetra fails to deal adequately with the uniqueness of each Person in the triune Godhead. As you see from the drawing, the points are all exactly the same, which is not true of the Persons of the Trinity. For example, Jesus Christ is both God and Man, but the Spirit of God is not a Man.

The difficulty of explaining these truths was not lost on the Bible’s authors. John was a Jew who was taught there is only one true God (Deut. 6:4). Yet he wrote of Christ, whom he called “the Word” (cf. Jn. 1:14), and said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn. 1:1). Or, as the Amplified Bible puts it: “In the beginning <before all time> was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.”

Your problem of confusing God’s program (what He does), with who He is, can be illustrated by something that happened to Queen Victoria, long ago. It was the custom of the queen to go for walks in ordinary clothes, with a faithful servant following some distance behind.

On one such occasion she came upon a flock of sheep, driven by a boy who rudely shouted, “Get out of the way, you stupid old woman!” The queen smiled, and said nothing. But when her servant passed by he informed the lad he’d been speaking to her Majesty the Queen. Totally unrepentant, the boy responded, “Well, she should dress like it!”

You seem to be asking that everything the Lord does must be clearly and evidently God-like, from your point of view. But would you have recognized Christ’s deity if you were there to see Him hanging on a cross, or watched as they buried His lifeless body in a stone cold tomb? Not likely. Even His disciples didn’t at first.

However, the Bible assures us of the deity of Christ over and over. He is “our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ” (Tit. 2:13). “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9).

A number of times Christ is also said to be the Creator of all things (cf. Col. 1:16-17). The Lord Jesus Himself said, “All should honour the Son just as they honour the Father” (Jn. 5:23), and He took to Himself the “I AM” name of Jehovah God (Exod. 3:14) : “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” (Jn. 8:58).

His Program and His Goal

Now, let’s think about my second point. That we must distinguish the steps in God’s program from His ultimate goal, and we must allow Him, as the sovereign Lord of all, to do what, in His infinite wisdom, He knows is the best way to reach that goal.

There is no doubt that God has favoured Israel in a unique way, above all the other nations on earth (Deut. 7:6). Four thousand years ago, He chose Abraham, and promised to make of his descendants a great nation, with a land of their own–a land that would be theirs in perpetuity (Gen. 12:2, 7; 13:15).  Through Israel came the inspired Word of God (Rom. 3:1-2), and through them came Christ, the living Word (Rom. 9:5; cf. Matt. 1:1).

The Lord calls the nation “Israel My glory” (Isa. 46:13), something said of no other people. Of Israel it was said, “He who touches you touches the apple [pupil] of His [God’s] eye” (Zech. 2:8)–meaning something especially valued by the Lord. And Israel is the special focus of the narrative in much of the Bible, from Genesis 11:27 (about Abraham’s ancestry), all the way through to the early chapters of Acts.

In the Gospels, the Jews are still the focus on God’s plan. Even in the promise of Jesus’ birth to Joseph it is said, “He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). That, of course, does not mean He was not going to save others too. But this was a message important to a believing Jew. (To say that the allies liberated Paris from the Nazis in the Second World War does not mean they did not also liberate France and other nations of Europe.)

As you point out, Christ’s primary ministry, at first, was to “the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24). And when Jesus sent to disciples out to minister, they too were sent only to the Jews (Matt. 10:5-6). Even the early Christians, after Pentecost, preached the gospel only to the Jews, at first (Acts 11:19).

However, the gospel of grace, salvation through the finished work of Christ, is “for the Jew first and also for the Greek [the Gentile]” (Rom. 1:16). “Jesus Christ–He is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36), not just Lord of the Jews.

When the Jews rejected and crucified their Messiah-King, the gospel message was extended to all nations. The disciples, whose ministry was restricted before, were then given a wider mission: “You shall be witnesses to Me…to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8) The Great Commission is to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:18-20).

Why would the Lord favour one nation above all others as He did? I’m not sure of all the reasons–and He owes me no explanation for that. We do know that God blessed the nation of Israel and equipped them to be a witness for Him to the ancient world. “‘You are My witnesses,’ says the LORD, ‘and My servant whom I have chosen'” (Isa. 43:10). However, through disobedience and unbelief, and habitual idolatry, Israel failed in this task.

Today, the church is the spiritual body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23), made up of all nations treated on an equal basis (Gal. 3:26-28). It is a body, not with an earthly citizenship and kingdom, but a heavenly citizenship and kingdom (Phil. 3:20). And the church has taken up the work at which Israel failed: to witness to a dying world.

This wider work was part of God’s plan from the beginning. Even in His covenant with Abraham we see it: “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed'” (Gal. 3:8).

So, you see, though He had, and still has, special blessings in store for Israel as a nation, in fulfillment of His covenants, God had the salvation of all nations on His heart and in His sovereign plan, even then. But we must allow Him to work in His own way, while rejoicing in what He has done for us personally.

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