The Heaton File

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (James 1:14-15)

Owning My Sin

Sin is the scourge of humanity. Because of sin, God destroyed everything with the breath of life in the days of Noah. Only the eight souls in the ark were saved. The world became corrupt again and remains a realm of darkness. God preserved the Seed promise through the nation of Israel and brought Jesus into the world. The Son of God did what no man could do – He lived more than thirty years and never sinned – not even once. Because of His life, sacrifice, death, and resurrection, hope has returned to the soul of man to be redeemed back to the Father. As great as the miracle of resurrection is in declaring the glory of God, sin remains a dominant force in the world.

It was an understatement when Paul wrote that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The most godly men were sinners. Abraham was a man of faith who sinned. David was a man after God’s own heart, and he committed adultery, lied, deceived, caused a man to be drunk, and then had the man murdered to justify his sin. Job was a sinner. Peter sinned. Paul called himself the chief of sinners. Everyone accountable to God bears the burden of sin.

There are many reasons why men sin. The environment can create temptations that lead to losing control. Many put themselves in circumstances that lead to sinful acts. Much of the world has no conscience about sin and views it as a natural part of life. In the eyes of God, sin is the transgression of what He has determined is right and wrong. As Creator, God establishes what is right and wrong. He also reminds everyone that they are responsible for their sin.

In the Garden of Eden, Satan, through the subtlety of the serpent, deceived Eve into taking the forbidden fruit. Eve gave some to Adam, and he ate. When God demanded answers from Adam and Eve, they both blamed someone else. Adam blamed the woman and Eve blamed the serpent. God ignored their pleas because He did not accept their deflection of responsibility. Adam was to blame for his sin. Eve was to blame for her sin. Each bore the penalty of what they did, regardless of what the other person had done. They could not blame Satan for their sin. He tempted them, but they are the ones who disobeyed God.

James explains the nature of sin. Sin does not happen at once. A man may look upon a beautiful woman and not sin. Sin comes when the heart of the man is drawn away by his lustful desire and enticed to conceive evil thoughts of the woman. His lust gives birth to sin, and if sin remains uncontrolled, death. The nature of sin is that it is self-identifying. Everyone is tempted when their heart is drawn away. That temptation is an individual choice. No blame will be justified against another. A man can blame a woman for being seductive, but he had those evil thoughts because he chose to create those evil thoughts.

Sin is personal. The father does not bear the sin of his son, nor the son the father. Children cannot blame their parents for their sinful ways because sin is individual. In the eyes of God, each person is accountable for himself. The decisions he makes may be swayed by the influence of others, but the blame lies squarely upon the shoulders of the individual. It is hard for a man to admit his sin is his own, but that is all he can do with his sin. Every sin a man commits – he must own it as his own.

Too many people have a misguided notion about the day of judgment. Deep in their hearts, they hope that when they stand before God, the Lord will be merciful because of the circumstances the soul finds itself in. They will want to blame their parents, the country, the world’s influences, and they may even try to blame the devil himself. God said that every knee will bow and give their own account. There will be no excuses. Blaming others will not happen. In reality, the minute death overtakes the soul, eternity is determined. What is more amazing is that everyone who is lost will know they are lost, and they will know it is right to be punished in everlasting fire. One thing they will never do – blame someone else. Own your sin. It belongs only to you.

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)

Following Fables

A fable is a fictitious narrative or story, sometimes with supernatural happenings, to enforce a useful truth. One characteristic of a fable is that animals talk or act like human beings. A wolf finds the skin of a sheep and becomes a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” (Aesop). The lesson is that appearances can be deceiving. While Aesop’s identity is debated, it is thought he was an ancient Greek fabulist who lived hundreds of years before Christ. The early disciples were familiar with fables as fanciful stories lacking practical truth.

Peter used fables as a backdrop to show that the story about Jesus was not a fictitious narrative, made-up story, or legend of human wisdom. The story of Jesus was about a real man who lived in a real time and did real things. When Peter made known the gospel of Jesus Christ, he did not present it as a cunningly devised story created by the mind of man. The gospel of Jesus Christ is about the Son of God, His miracles, teachings, and sacrifice on a Roman cross. When the gospel was presented to the world, it was a story of profound character and eternal message. What the early writers wrote about Jesus were true stories.

During Jesus’ ministry, the Lord took Peter, James, and John to a high mountain where He was transfigured before them. The face of Jesus shone like the sun. His clothes became as white as the light. Moses and Elijah appeared and talked to Jesus about His death. Peter saw this with his own eyes. Jesus forbade the three apostles to tell anyone the story until after He was risen. After Jesus’ resurrection, they told everyone who would listen. In the minds of the world, the story of Jesus glowing like the sun was a myth, a fable, a cunningly devised story to strike the hearts of the hearers. Peter assured his audience that these events were true and that Jesus was the Son of God.

The stories of Jesus were validated by the eyewitness testimony of men like Peter. He saw Jesus heal the dead, feed more than 5,000 people with two small fish and five loaves of bread. Peter told his audience that Jesus walked on the water and that Peter had joined the Lord in walking on the water. Fable? No. Myth? Never. Peter testified that he was there. The resurrection of Jesus was real. Peter and John came to the tomb on the morning of the third day and found it empty. They inspected the contents of the tomb where Jesus was buried and found the linen cloths lying in place along with the handkerchief that had been around His head. The handkerchief was folded together next to the linen cloths. John affirmed this story in his gospel, and Peter affirmed it in his preaching.

Many consider the Bible a book of fables. They do not believe the veracity of its message, condemning it as a book of human wisdom. The story of Jesus is accepted as far as the story goes, but all miracles are rejected. Thomas Jefferson created his own version of the Bible, taking out all the stories of miracles, including the resurrection. The end of the gospel in the Jefferson Bible was hopelessness. People thought Noah was believing a fable. God told Noah to build an ark to save his family because God was going to destroy life on earth. Noah preached a message of salvation but to no avail. Noah and his wife, and their three sons and their wives, were saved in the ark. Everyone else “mythed” the ‘boat’ because they did not accept the word of Noah as truth. They could not believe God could destroy all life on earth – He did. The Bible is not a book of fables. Refusing to believe it has eternal consequences. Don’t myth the Bible.

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. (Exodus 1:15-17)

They Did Not Fear The King

Disobeying the Pharaoh of Egypt had severe consequences. Pharaoh considered himself a descendant of the gods, making him a god. The people revered Pharaoh as a god. When Pharaoh commanded, the people obeyed without question. Many years after Joseph’s death, a Pharaoh came to the throne who had no regard for the stories of the son of Jacob. What Pharaoh saw was a Hebrew population that grew each year and became exceedingly mighty. The land was filling with the Hebrews, and it worried the Pharaoh. His kingdom could become unstable with so many Hebrews, leading to revolt against his authority. The king must take action.

Pharaoh first tried to work the Hebrews to death, setting taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. This only multiplied the Hebrews, and they grew into a mighty force that frightened the Egyptians. Pharaoh increased their burdens with hard bondage. All the work they made for the Hebrews was with rigor. This did not seem to slow the Hebrews. Finally, Pharaoh’s solution was simple and direct. If he could find a way to decrease the population of the Hebrews, especially the Hebrew men, he would solve his national problem.

Two Hebrew women served as midwives among the Hebrews. The Holy Spirit names the two women as Shiphrah and Puah. Pharaoh orders the midwives to kill any baby boys that are born to the Hebrew women. The daughters can live. Pharaoh believed that by rooting out the Hebrew males, he would decrease the threat of the Hebrews rising against him with his enemies. What Pharaoh did not count on was the holy character of Shiphrah and Puah. Faced with disobeying the Pharaoh’s command, Shiphrah and Puah refused to obey. The two Hebrew women feared God more than the man who thought himself to be a god. They did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them. Every male child born to a Hebrew woman was saved.

The day of judgment came for the two midwives as Pharaoh called them to come before him. He demanded to know why they had disobeyed his command and saved the Hebrew males. The women explained that the Hebrew women were so lively that they gave birth before the midwives could attend to them. They faced death for disobeying the word of Pharaoh, but God dealt well with them and blessed them with His care, including providing households for them. Pharaoh then passed a law for the general population that any Hebrew male who was born must be thrown into the river. At this time, Amram and Jochebed gave birth to their third child, and he was a beautiful boy. His name would be Moses, and he would lead the Hebrews out of Egypt.

Courage comes from faith rooted in God’s promises. The amount of courage it took for two midwives to defy the royal edict of the Pharaoh is one of the remarkable stories of faith in all holy writ. To disobey the direct command of the king of Egypt would be met with certain death. Pharaoh could not tolerate a population that refused to follow his commands. He considered himself a god, and none of his citizens would dare refuse the word of a god. The Hebrew women feared the Lord God more than the supposed god. They knew killing the baby boys was murder. If it meant their death, they feared the wrath of God more than the wrath of Pharaoh.

God blessed the two women for their faith. Many of God’s saints stood firm for truth and righteousness and were delivered. There were many who, like the midwives, feared God and refused to turn away from the will of God; they suffered torture and death. Faith is not based on the outcome but on the promise of eternal life with God. The two midwives were willing to die for their faith in God. Their reward was not in this world but that which is to come. There will be times when the child of God must choose to fear God or fear men. The choice is challenging: fear God.

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brethren, came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 1:1-4)

Caring For The Work Of The Lord

Nehemiah had never seen Jerusalem. He was born in captivity and served in the court of the king as a cupbearer. Jerusalem had fallen to the Babylonians approximately 140 years earlier, resulting in the seventy-year captivity of God’s people. Ninety years had passed since the decree of Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their homeland. The second temple had been built, but the city itself remained in ruins. Nehemiah inquired of Hanani, who had come from Judah, concerning the condition of the Jews and the state of Jerusalem. To his dismay, Nehemiah learned that the people were in great distress and that the city remained in ruins, with its walls broken down and its gates burned with fire.

The news of Jerusalem devastated Nehemiah. He wept, mourned for many days, fasted, and prayed. His heart turned to God as he sought His mercy and help for the beloved city. What is striking about Nehemiah is how deeply he cared for Jerusalem, the city of David, where the temple of Solomon had once stood as the center of Israel’s worship. His grief came from the history he had learned about Jerusalem, its grandeur, majesty, and beauty. Everything Nehemiah knew about the city had come through the teachings of God’s Law and the traditions passed down from one generation to another. Yet, although he had never walked its streets or seen its former glory, he was deeply affected because he cared about the work of the Lord.

Nehemiah would eventually receive permission from the king to travel to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls. His leadership provides a remarkable example of planning, prayer, and dependence upon God’s providence. Under his direction, the walls were rebuilt in just fifty-two days. Despite considerable opposition, Nehemiah pressed forward. He united the people in the work, organizing them to build while remaining prepared to defend themselves. Everyone took a part in repairing the gates, rebuilding the walls, and protecting the work. Some attacked Nehemiah’s character. Others attempted to stop the construction, while some refused to participate. Yet nothing could turn Nehemiah away from the work God had placed before him.

The energy that fueled Nehemiah’s spirit was his love for God. He loved everything associated with the work of the Lord and felt compelled to do his part in restoring Jerusalem. What stands out in his life is how deeply he cared about God’s work. Great men and women of Scripture share a common characteristic: they cared about the purposes of God. Abraham left his homeland because he trusted the promises of God. Moses led the people of Israel because he was committed to the deliverance of God’s people. The early saints carried the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world, preaching repentance and remission of sins because they cared about the work of the kingdom.

Jesus left His place with the Father and took upon Himself human flesh because of His love for the world. His sacrifice made redemption possible through the grace of God and the shedding of His blood. The early church grew through the devoted hearts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and countless brethren who cared about the salvation of souls. Many gave their lives in service to Christ. Paul endured suffering and ultimately faced death because he remained devoted to the work of the Lord. One characteristic of the early saints was their love for Christ. Their hearts were united in the purpose for which Jesus came into the world.

The church has continued for more than two thousand years through the dedication of precious saints who have devoted their lives to preaching, teaching, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Congregations have been established across the globe through the efforts of those who cared enough to teach the lost. Millions of souls have been brought to Christ because someone cared about the spiritual condition of a neighbor, friend, or family member. The church will continue to exist, but individual congregations need souls who, like Nehemiah, genuinely care about the work of the Lord.

Many congregations struggle because members have lost their first love. What is needed is a revival of the spirit demonstrated by Nehemiah—a renewed concern for the work of God. Prayer, commitment, planning, and faithful execution must follow that concern. Before the walls could be rebuilt, Nehemiah had to care enough to weep over their destruction. Before the church can grow, God’s people must care enough about its mission to become involved in the work.

The question is simple but searching: How much do you care about the work of the Lord?

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)

Where Is Your Name Written?

Names identify who a person is, their character, their story, and their historical significance. Jezebel immediately brings to mind images of immorality. Adolf Hitler is a name infamous for one of the worst atrocities in human history. George Washington is a name associated with nobility as the leader of the Continental Army and the first President of the United States. Abraham Lincoln is a name synonymous with noble character. The greatest name of all is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. No other name under heaven can bring salvation except the name of Jesus.

Jesus sent out seventy men to preach the kingdom of God. They went out two by two as lambs among wolves to proclaim the kingdom, heal the sick, and prepare the way for the gospel of Jesus Christ. When the seventy returned, they rejoiced with great joy, declaring that even the demons were subject to them in the name of Christ. What a great victory over Satan’s forces! They had been given authority to overcome the devil’s minions. This was certainly cause for great celebration, but the seventy had missed the greatest message of their mission.

Jesus commended them for their work and acknowledged that Satan had been defeated through their efforts. The thirty-five groups had taken the power of God’s message into a world darkened by sin and returned victorious. But Jesus tempered their joy with the eternal knowledge of what mattered most. Their work was glorious. Their victory over Satan was cause for great rejoicing. Yet the one thing that mattered most was that these seventy men could know their names were written in heaven.

There are many victories over Satan that cause the heart to rejoice and shout praises to God. Sharing the gospel with the world is a monumental task of global proportions, and there is much work to be done. What Jesus reminds His devoted servants is that nothing is more important than knowing where salvation is found. Paul rejoiced with the saints in Philippi because their names were written in the Book of Life. Jesus promised the faithful Christians in Sardis that their names would remain in the Book of Life and that He would confess their names before the Father and His angels.

John closes the book of Revelation with the imagery of the dead, both small and great, standing before God as the books are opened and they are judged according to their works. Among those books is the Book of Life. Anyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life is cast into the lake of fire. Only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will receive eternal life. Revelation also warns against adding to or taking away from God’s word and declares the consequences of such actions. The difference between eternal life and everlasting destruction is where a person’s name is found.

Jesus rejoiced with the seventy because their names were written in heaven. Having a name inscribed in marble for man’s glory is fleeting. Men seek the glory of this world and desire to be remembered throughout history, not realizing that within a few generations their names will be forgotten. Exalting a name in this life brings no lasting glory. If a person’s name is not written in heaven, everything else is lost. The Book of Life contains the names of the saved. Life is not measured by how men remember a name but by whether God has written that name in the Book of Life. The eternal question will always be: Is your name written in heaven?

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16)

Preparing the Mind for Action

A slogan from many years ago suggested that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. A man’s character is rooted in the character of his mind. The wise man said that a man is what he thinks he is. Allowing the devil to destroy the mind is a terrible thing. Satan knows that the mind is the battlefield upon which he wages war against the soul of man. Peter admonishes the saints, who were facing persecution, not to allow the devil to sway their minds into giving up or turning away from the faith. It would take great courage to face the temptations of the spirit, the persecution of the world, and the desire to give up. Christians must wage war against the devil with faith, courage, hope, and a clear mind.

Peter gives clear instructions for preparing the mind. First, the mind must be gathered together and firmly established in truth. Albert Barnes writes, “The allusion here is to the manner in which the Orientals were accustomed to dress. They wear loose, flowing robes, so that, when they wish to run, or to fight, or to apply themselves to any business, they are obliged to bind their garments close around them.” In a spiritual sense, fighting against the devil requires concentrated attention to his evil schemes so that they can be refuted, refused, and rejected. An unsettled mind will not prevail against such a powerful foe. The mind must be continually prepared to stand for the truth. This preparation comes from spending time in the Word of God so that faith can be firmly planted in the heart.

It takes a sober mind to battle Satan. The devil should never be underestimated. He is a roaring lion with great influence and power, and the only way to defeat him is through the power of God. Without a mind that remains clear about the dangers of sin, the devil’s influence can overcome and destroy the soul. Using the metaphor of drunkenness, a mind intoxicated by the wiles of the devil will produce nothing good. Being sober means keeping the mind clear and alert. The Christian should never allow the influences of the evil one to invade the mind and corrupt the holiness that should dwell there. Sobriety comes from placing the hope of eternal life firmly in the heart and mind and never losing sight of that hope.

Hope comes through obedience to the gospel. There was a time when the Christian stood outside the blessings of God and was lost in sin. Through obedient faith, the mind of God’s children becomes firmly established in His truths. The hope of eternal life is grounded in the understanding that, just as God is holy, His children must live holy lives. Living a holy life requires removing evil influences from the heart. The Christian must not conform his life to the temptations and desires of the world. Every Christian is called to holiness, and God expects His children to live holy lives. The Christian should desire holiness because he wants to be like his Father. Every characteristic of the Father should be reflected in the lives of those who have been born again into the family of God.

Holiness comes from a sound mind, a mind that is girded and firmly planted in the grace of God. Paul reminds the Romans that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Holiness comes from living a faithful life dedicated and devoted to knowing and following the Word of God. The more time spent in the message of hope, the more firmly the mind is girded with the strength needed to withstand the attacks of Satan. Knowing that Jesus shed His own precious blood to redeem the soul from Hell should direct the heart toward a greater desire to live a holy life. To be holy is to prepare the mind for action. The battle is real, but the victory is assured through Christ. Girding the mind prepares the Christian to stand against Satan and secures the hope of eternal life with God. Let’s gird our minds.

When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. (Luke 22:49-51)

The Miracle No One Saw

It was a night of betrayal when Judas agreed with the Jewish leaders to deliver Jesus to them. Judas knew where to find the Lord and brought a detachment of troops, including Roman legionaries and Levitical guards from the temple. Officers from the chief priests, along with the chief priests and Pharisees, came to arrest Jesus with lanterns, torches, and weapons. A great multitude was armed with swords and clubs. Twelve men stood in the Garden of Gethsemane awaiting the surge of people pouring out of Jerusalem. Only one man knew why they were coming.

Judas first approached Jesus to identify Him with a kiss. The soldiers laid hands on Jesus and took him. Seeing what the multitude was doing, the eleven asked Jesus if He wanted them to attack the multitude and rescue Him. At the same time, Peter drew a sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. Peter was going to make good his boast to die with the Lord. The servant he struck was named Malchus. John knew the high priest’s household and knew Malchus by name. In response to Peter’s rash act, Jesus touched Malchus’s ear and healed him.

All the disciples left Jesus and fled. The detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. They led Him away to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Lost in the hurriedness of arresting Jesus and dragging Him before the Jewish courts was the miracle of healing the ear of Malchus. The gospel writers do not attempt to count the number of miracles Jesus performed during His short ministry, but they would be innumerable. Thousands of people received Jesus’ healing power. Many miracles were done in quiet places, without fanfare. Often, Jesus performed a miracle in the presence of His harshest critics and devoted enemies. In the final hours of His life, Jesus healed a man in the presence of a great crowd of Gentiles and Jews, and no one seemed to care.

Malchus, for one, should have cried out to the mob to see what Jesus did when Jesus healed him. He remained silent. What became of Malchus is unknown, but he lived the rest of his life knowing that, in an instant, Jesus healed him. The pain of having an ear cut by a sword was intense, and there would have been a lot of blood. Without hesitating, Jesus healed his ear. Those standing by would have seen the ear restored and the blood dried up. There were many torches to light up the night for everyone to see. But no one saw a great miracle. No one saw the miracle maker show His power in His final hours. They could only see a man they hated and wanted to kill. And their wish came true the next day.

Many stories describe Jesus healing in the presence of the Jewish leaders, His disciples, and the multitudes. Every miracle Jesus performed testified that He was the Son of God, but many could not see His divinity because of His humanity. A great miracle is done (what miracle isn’t great?), and some deny God’s power and walk away. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after four days, people plotted to kill Him. Why would anyone want to kill a man who raised another from the dead? Like in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the final hours of Jesus’ life, He once again performed a miracle, and they killed Him because they could not see who He was.

The world can see God’s power in the story of Jesus Christ. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the miracle of the Seed promise made in the Garden of Eden is clearly seen generations later in the miracle in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is the Son of God. He can restore the soul of man to God through His blood. Jesus came to give His life through death so that mankind can find life in their death in the waters of baptism. What is heartbreaking is what the world refuses to see. A great miracle is given for the world to see a risen Christ, and they turn to reject Him. Salvation can only come when the eyes see Jesus for who He truly came to be – Savior. Open the eyes. See Jesus and His power.

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1)

Not Everyone Is A True Preacher

Truth is older than error. Satan continually infiltrates the people of God with those who pretend to preach the word of God but are, in fact, false prophets and teachers. The error they teach is the great lie of the adversary of all men. While the world is held under the sway of his lies, the devil is crafty to embed those within the family of God who do not teach truth and present damnable heresies that are accepted as truth. And, like sheep led to the slaughter, many follow the teachings of men who are false to their eternal destruction.

Jesus taught that false teachers would arise in the kingdom of God. The apostles fought against the doctrines of men interposed upon the word of truth. The Holy Spirit warned of apostasy where the people of God would have itching ears to hear some new doctrine or follow some appealing gospel. False prophets have always been around. The nation of Israel was doomed through the teachings of false prophets. If Satan would attack the nation of God with false prophets, there is no doubt the devil will plant false prophets within the borders of God’s kingdom.

Paul warned the Ephesian elders of men who would rise from among themselves that were like savage wolves, speaking perverse things to draw away the people of God. In the church of Ephesus, false teachers would seize control and lead the church of Christ into falsehood, lies, deception, and error. Peter warned the church of false teachers among the faithful. Satan will present himself as a minister of light through the lives of these false teachers to destroy the church. Through the destructive heresies, the church will be led away from the truth found in Jesus Christ. The end will be the destruction of many souls.

False teachers are dangerous because they destroy souls. Their teachings are not from the word of God. They create doctrines foreign to scripture. Churches are created that cannot be found in Scripture. There are many preachers or so-called ‘pastors’ who are leading people astray through their own doctrines. They deny the teaching of salvation as given by Jesus and the Holy Spirit (sinners’ prayer, denying sins washed away). Worship is nothing like the early church. The church hierarchy is polluted in churches such as one man over a worldwide church (the Pope), preachers controlling churches, and women taking leadership roles. All of this comes from the false teachings and pernicious doctrines of corrupt men.

False preachers are real. And false preachers make false followers. Peter warned of false prophets to encourage the saints to examine the word of God and to test all the spirits. Every hearer of the gospel must be a diligent student to carefully examine what is taught and what is written (such as this brief). No one is exempt. Every word and thought must be challenged against what the Bible says. The Bible is the only revealed word of God, excluding the manuals, dogmas, and teachings of men (Book of Mormon, Koran). Truth is found in the Bible and the Bible alone, but that requires every soul to seek, examine, question, and challenge all teaching. If false doctrines are not challenged, false hope is established. And when false hope is established, souls are lost.

The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10)

The Days Of Our Lives

Moses lived an incredible 120 years, but his life was short. The years of a man’s life in the early days of the earth filled hundreds of years, and then they died. It matters not how long a man lives but how he lives the length of his life. Age is a number to mark the march of time. It has nothing to do with length of age, serving only as a reminder of life’s brevity. The old must die, and the young can die. Whatever the days of life will be is undetermined, but the reality of its end must be remembered as certain. No man lives forever in this life. Eternal life is what comes after death.

Adolescence is a time of great energy and innocence. The youthfulness of the teen years leads to young adulthood, where marriage is found, and families are begun. Through the growing years of family life comes the exhausting activity of caring for a family and preparing them for a life of their own. Soon, children leave home and begin families of their own. Life settles into looking forward to retirement. The birthdays multiply. Time creates the burdens of older age. Moses suggested the days of life to be about seventy years, if not eighty by reason of strength.

Young children live in an innocent world of fantasy that belies life’s seriousness. God made them to have pure hearts. As we grow older, the focus shifts to the brevity of life and the reality of its end. The spectrum from innocent children to fully aware older adults reflects the days of life that all share. Death can come for anyone at any age, but growing older guarantees the reality. Moses said the days of life are seventy years with the possibility of eighty. Modern science and medicine have stretched life expectancy into the late 70s and 80s, but that’s still a small dash of life between two dates.

Reaching the seventh decade of life reminds the heart how close one comes to death. Some live in their hundreds but not far beyond. If a man lives to be 110 years, the age of seventy is less than half a life; far less. Most do not reach the age of 100, which means a person has lived 70% of their life at best. Life becomes a matter of focus. What is discovered is that the reality of life and death is no more different at 70 than it was at 35. Life is short. Eternity is dependent upon this brief, short, and fleeting life.

Moses said there was nothing to brag about reaching the age of 70 or 80. To boast is only labor and sorrow because death comes soon regardless. The view is narrowed, but it remains the same. He lived fifty years beyond the seventy mark in good health; his eye was not dim, nor his strength abated, but he still died. The days of a man’s life are vanity because, while it may seem like many years for a man to live to be nearly 100, the days of life are short. What brings joy to the heart facing the final days of life is knowing that all God has said about eternity is about to burst upon the scene. It is poetic that Moses describes death as flying away. Life is cut off, and then the soul flies away. Being found in Jesus Christ assures the heart that when the shadow of death surrounds the soul, the light of God’s grace will usher the soul, by the hands of angels, to the bosom of Abraham.

And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak? For you are bringing some strange things to our ears. Therefore we want to know what these things mean.” (Acts 17:19-20)

The Sermon On The Hill

Athens was one of the most celebrated cities of the ancient world. It was the capital of Attica and the chief seat of Grecian learning and civilization during Greece’s golden age. The Athenians loved spending much of their time outdoors, discussing philosophy, religion, and new ideas. Athens was a city given wholly over to idols, to which a Roman satirist remarked that it was “easier to find a god at Athens than a man.” It is in this city the apostle Paul found himself as he waited for Silas and Timothy to join him.

While roving the marketplaces of Athens and seeing the excess of idol worship, Paul was torn in his spirit to reason in the synagogue with the Jews and devout persons. The marketplace became a pulpit for the apostle to challenge the idolatrous life of the Athenians. Certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers challenged the teachings of Paul. Some called Paul a babbler and proclaimer of foreign gods. The Athenians had not heard of the Christ proclaimed by Paul as one who had been killed and raised from the dead. This was a novel religion to them.

West of the Acropolis in Athens stood a bare, shapeless mass of rock some 380 feet high. It was called the Areopagus or Mars Hill (after the Greek god of war Ares; corresponding to the Latin Mars). Paul took the sixteen steps to the top of Mars Hill and stood in its midst, invited to explain his teachings. As the apostle of Christ stood on Mars Hill, the temple of Mars was near, the Parthenon of Minerva facing him, and the sanctuary of the Eumenides just below him, and the beautiful temple of Theseus in view; what courage it took to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ. Paul did not shy away from declaring the whole counsel of Christ to an assembly filled with idolatry.

Paul’s sermon commends the assembly for their religious zeal. The Athenians were so intense in worshiping gods that they had an altar inscribed “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.” It was common among the Greeks and Romans to build altars to unknown gods in case they had missed worshiping a god they did not know about. Allowing a play on words, the apostle turns the attention to the true and living God they knew nothing about. Paul wants the people to learn about his God and His nature and character. Paul wants the Athenians to recognize the God who made the world and everything in it. Paul’s God was the Creator of the world. He is Lord of heaven and earth.

In a remarkable play on words that would excite the Athenians, who loved their temples and gods, Paul explains that his God does not dwell in temples adorned with gold, silver, and precious jewels. The Jehovah of Paul is not worshiped with the hands of men; He is not dependent upon men, and He needs no help from men. This is in contrast to idols who are created by the hands of men and cannot save themselves. Jehovah God needs nothing because He is the God of life.

Paul declares that only one God has made every nation of men from one blood. The God of Paul is the God of all men. The Greeks had their gods, and the Romans had their gods. The God of Paul was for the world. His God established all men in every place in the limits of the habitation of His will. The God of Paul desires for all men to seek Him and find Him. Even the poets of Greece concluded that all men are the offspring of the one true God. Worship to the one true God does not come from gold or silver or stone, or something shaped by art and man’s devising. God demands worship in spirit and truth. Paul showed the Athenians true worship of the one true God.

To affirm that his God was the true God, Paul told the shocked Athenians that Jesus of Nazareth was killed and raised from the dead by the power of Jehovah God. The resurrection was the key component of Paul’s teaching to the Athenians. Because they did not believe a man could be resurrected from the dead, some mocked Paul. They wanted to hear more. Some believed Paul and became disciples of Jesus. In a city given over to idolatry, the gospel changed the lives of some because Jesus was raised from the dead. Paul’s sermon on the hill remains relevant today. Salvation comes from accepting that Jesus rose from the dead, and salvation comes by the death, burial, and resurrection of the sinner. Preach it.