The Heaton File

So the Lord said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” (Exodus 7:1-5)

The Heart Of Pharaoh

The official title of the Egyptian kings throughout the ages was Pharaoh. It is thought that the name Pharaoh is a compound of the words’ Ra,’ the “sun” or “sun-god,” and the article’ phe,’ “the.” The Pharaohs were considered gods by the people, or “the sun-god.” Everything in the culture, politics, economics, and military revolved around the worship of Pharaoh, who considered himself a divine presence. Egypt was a land filled with idolatry. Egyptian life was deeply polytheistic, with a pantheon that included more than 2,000 deities over the course of its history. They had a god for everything.

God sent Moses to Pharaoh to bring the Hebrews out of the slavery that Pharaoh imposed upon the people. The Pharaoh did not know Joseph and showed no interest in caring for the Hebrews as previous Pharaohs had. He was worried the Hebrews would multiply and join a foreign army to depose the Pharaoh and take over the land. Pharaoh tried to work the people to death, but to no avail. He demanded that the midwives kill all the baby boys. The midwives refused. Finally, he made it a law that all Hebrew baby boys were to be cast into the river. The wickedness of Pharaoh was deeply embedded in his belief that he was a god. Pharaoh considered himself to be divine and was about to meet the One who was truly divine.

God told Moses to return to Egypt and bring His people out. The Lord knew that Pharaoh was a wicked man and would refuse to let the people go. God told Moses that He would harden the king’s heart so that he would not let the people go. The Lord used the heart of Pharaoh to show His signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, knowing Pharaoh would harden his heart. Pharaoh’s heart grew hard and refused to listen to Moses and Aaron. After the first plague of the water turning blood, the heart of Pharaoh was unmoved. The second plague of frogs devastated the land of Egypt, but when the king saw the frogs go away, he hardened his heart. After the third plague of lice, Pharaoh’s heart grew hard. The flies came in the fourth plague. God removed the flies, and not one remained, but Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

Livestock died in the fifth plague. But the heart of Pharaoh hardened, and he would not let the people go. The sixth plague brought boils upon the people, and the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Hail came in the seventh plague, bringing great destruction to the land and animals. When Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. The heart of Pharaoh was hard! He refused to let the people go.

God sent Moses to the king for the eighth time to warn him of the coming plague of locusts. The Lord tells Moses that He had hardened Pharaoh’s heart to show His power and majesty to the Egyptians and the Hebrews for generations to come. Locusts filled the land of the Egyptians, consuming everything in their path. When the Lord took the locust away, the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Again, the king refused to let the people go. After the ninth plague of darkness, the Lord hardened once again the heart of Pharaoh. The people would not be free until the Lord killed all the firstborn among the Egyptians, including man and animal. When the people were freed from Egypt, the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh to go after the Hebrews to kill them. God showed His power over Egypt in the final blow of destroying the Egyptian army.

The Lord God uses evil men for His purpose. Pharaoh was a wicked man whom the Lord used to show His glory and power to the whole world. God used the Canaanites and the Philistines to punish His people. Nations like Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome all played a part in God’s divine plan. Herod the Great was a pawn of God, as were his descendants, who murdered many of God’s people. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart because Pharaoh’s heart was evil. Those who do not receive the love of the truth will be given strong delusions to believe the lie because they did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. God’s power and glory are clearly seen in His dealings with the heart of Pharaoh.

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18)

The Purpose Of Law

God established law to ordain order in the universe. The laws of nature are in place for the benefit of man. Gravity allows humanity to live on the earth in perfect harmony with its environment. The rotation of the earth brings seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night. God also gave laws to man, and He expects His creation to abide by His laws. The laws of God are not burdensome. They are not given for the restriction of the human spirit but the joy found in following the wisdom of God.

The first law given was not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God blessed man with everything he needed as long as he did not disobey the law. When Eve ate the fruit, and Adam also ate, they suffered the consequences of God’s law. The Lord did not desire to punish man, but He did. During the days of Noah, the world turned away from the word of God, seeking wisdom in their passions and lusts. The world became a corrupt place where the wickedness of man was evil continually. God destroyed all humanity except for Noah and his family.

Noah kept the law of God because he believed in the revealed word of God. He was happy when, after the flood, he and his family stepped out into a new world. Noah was happy to be in a saved condition. A year earlier, he had watched friends and family perish in the flood for their wickedness. The world had become a place of lawlessness. There was no respect for the word of God. The people were unrestrained in their passions. God had given the world His truth, but they rejected the truth of righteousness. They desired to live for their own lust and glory. When truth is abandoned, there is no more hope.

The wise man opined that those who have no vision or guidance will run wild and cast off restraint. There is nothing to restrain them. The purpose of law is to establish boundaries and guidelines. Guardrails along a mountainous road are not there to punish the person but to protect them. If there were no guardrails, people would drive off the cliff and perish. Calling the guardrails’ restricting boundaries’ fails to take their purpose into account. God has given many laws and commandments, not to punish man, but to protect him.

Following after righteousness is pursuing the will of God, who knows what man needs. As Creator, God has the right to declare what is right and wrong. The reason something is wrong is that it is not in the plan or purpose of God’s design. Adultery is a sin because it destroys the trust and covenant of marriage. God’s law of marriage is designed for the happiness of man, not his destruction. Without law, everyone would live according to their own design. If there were no laws, the world would decay into chaos and destruction. Those who keep the law of God will not only find happiness in this life but also in the life that is to come. The purpose of law is to show man the glory of God.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (Galatians 6:7-8)

Sowing And Reaping Righteousness

Sowing and reaping are not all bad. Paul warns that sowing wild oats will bring a harvest of heartache. God will not be fooled. If a man sows unrighteousness, he will harvest the same. The rule of nature remains the same for man and seed. When wheat is sown in the field, the farmer is not expecting a crop of watermelons. Apple trees will not bear bananas, and peach trees cannot produce grapes. Each species produces after its kind. Birds create birds, fish make fish, and land animals reproduce in the category of their own species. The law of sowing and reaping applies to the deeds of man. If a man lives a life of immorality and carelessness, he will die accountable for a life of rebellion. God is not mocked.

While Paul confirms the negative lessons of sowing and reaping, the law of sowing and reaping also applies to righteous things. Paul warns against sinful sowing but encourages the saints to sow to the Spirit those things that are true, noble, and righteous. If a man desires to enjoy the fruits of his labor, he will plant those things that will bring joy and happiness. A farmer sows a field of wheat to enjoy the blessings of a bountiful crop of wheat to make bread for his family, among so many other things. God has established the laws of nature that tell the farmer to plant rows and rows of corn, and he will be blessed with a bountiful crop.

Righteousness is a seed that, when planted in the heart, will bring forth multiple blessings. Godliness is a guide to help the soul find eternal life. The blessing of God’s grace ensures that those who live a godly life will be blessed with eternal life. But the outgrowth of godliness will also benefit the life that now is. Godliness is profitable for living in this world as one plants seeds of truth in their hearts. From this truth blossoms the love, mercy, and grace of God. When a man sows the word of God in his heart, he will reap the manifold blessings of an eternal Father who blesses the heart with so many things.

Reaping and sowing are important parts of Christian growth. If a man has barns full of corn, he has worked hard to plant, cultivate, tend, and harvest the crop. His joy is found in the blessings of the bounty. The same applies to growing the Christian spirit. Planting the word of God in the heart is where faith comes. Cultivating the word with prayer helps to ward off the weeds of unrighteousness. Constant attention to the growth of the heart in the word of God will bring about a bounty of blessings that will fill the heart with God’s word. In the spiritual barns of the Christian’s heart is the strength to endure hardship, face persecution, and remain faithful to the end.

Jesus taught that the seed was the word of God when He described different types of hearts. The work of the Christian is to constantly sow the pure word of God in the heart daily, filling the mind with prayer, keeping the hands busy in the industry of the kingdom, and always keeping the eyes on the goal of the prize of the upward call of Christ. When sowing and reaping are a part of the Christian’s life, their lives will be full and complete in the grace of God. Sow the seed. Reap the joys of righteousness. Fill the barns with the harvest of God’s word.

But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. (Luke 22:21)

The Betrayal

Twelve men had been chosen to become the apostles of Jesus. They had spent many hours over the previous few years learning from the Son of God, seeing His miracles firsthand, and receiving the power to perform miracles themselves. These twelve men were chosen to carry the message of Christ to the whole world. Peter, James, and John enjoyed a closer relationship with Jesus as they were often chosen for more personal experiences with Jesus. Thomas was a deep thinker who understood more of what Jesus was saying than the others. Judas was the apostle everyone trusted, given the responsibility of watching over the money bag. Twelve men chosen personally by Jesus.

Judas was a good man. He was a disciple of Jesus and one who loved the Lord very much. Jesus knew that one of His apostles would be targeted by Satan to bring about His death. Peter was a likely target as the devil sought to sift him like wheat. It was Judas who made the fatal decision to gain some pocket change for information that the chief priests, scribes, and elders wanted so they could have Jesus killed. Jesus and the twelve were staying in Bethany as they waited for the Passover feast to begin. While staying in the house of Simon the leper, a woman anointed Jesus with very costly fragrant oil. The twelve were indignant at the perceived waste and sharply criticized the woman. Judas openly criticized her because he was a thief who had been stealing money from the purse.

Shortly after the woman anointed Jesus with the costly oil, Judas went to the chief priests and agreed to betray Jesus to them for a sum of money. They counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. For the next few days, Judas sought an opportunity to inform the chief priests of Jesus’ whereabouts. His opportunity came on Thursday night, when Jesus celebrated the Passover with the twelve in an upper room in Jerusalem. No one knew where the prepared room was until the final moments. Only Peter and John would know where the upper room was prepared. All the preparations were made, and the thirteen men gathered in the room for one of the most solemn feasts of the year.

The Passover meal commemorated the final feast of the Hebrews before God delivered them from bondage. It was a deeply moving gathering as the disciples sang psalms, read from the scriptures, and reflected upon the grace of God. Two disciples sat close by Jesus. John was nearest, but Judas was within arm’s length of Jesus. By the time of Passover, Judas had already agreed to betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders, and the thirty pieces of silver were in his pocket. Jesus knew what Judas would do that night, and He was troubled in His spirit. Before revealing the betrayer among them, Jesus takes some water and a towel, and washes the feet of the twelve men – including the feet of Judas.

After washing their feet, Jesus tells the twelve that one of them will betray Him. Jesus shocks the apostles by saying the betrayer is the one whose hand is on the table with Him. Judas knew Jesus was speaking of him and what he had done. The eleven discussed among themselves who would do such a thing to betray Jesus, unaware that the betrayer was Judas. Jesus tells the eleven that the betrayer is the one who will dip his hand into the dish with Jesus. John asked Jesus who the betrayer was. Jesus told John that it was the one He would give a piece of bread to when He had dipped it. Taking a piece of bread, Jesus dipped it and gave it to Judas, telling him to go and do what he must do quickly. Judas leaves the upper room to carry out his terrible deed, thirty pieces of silver rattling in his purse. Jesus will die in less than 24 hours. Judas will kill himself, remorseful for what he had done to Jesus.

A Psalm of David. I will praise You with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing praises to You. I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name. (Psalm 138:1-2)

An Attitude Of Heart

During a time of peace in the kingdom of David, the shepherd king reflected on his cedar house, where he dwelt, and the Tabernacle of the Lord that had endured four hundred years of use. Time had worn the Tent of Meeting heavily. David did not think it proper for the ark of God to dwell inside the tent curtains. God told David through the prophet Nathan that he would not build a house for the Lord because David was a man of war and had shed blood. It would be the son of David who would build the glorious temple for the Lord.

David prepared the material for Solomon to build the temple. It would take Solomon about seven years to build the great edifice honoring Jehovah God. The temple would stand as the grand centerpiece of Jerusalem until 586 B. C. when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it completely. When the second temple was built in 516 B. C., the elderly wept for the glory of the first temple. The Temple of Solomon was a permanent structure. David would never live to see the glory of the temple he desired to build, but his heart looked upon the Tabernacle as if it were a temple. Constructed of wooden planks, the tabernacle was a three-sided structure 45 feet long and 22 feet wide. The roof was made of white linen curtains, protected by successive layers of sackcloth, red ramskins, and goatskins.

David enjoyed a deep reverence for the worn tent of meeting where the Lord communed with His people. Weathered by four hundred years of use, the Tabernacle was not a pristine remembrance of its former days. David was struck by the fine house he lived in while the Lord’s dwelling was unkept. He writes seven psalms about the tabernacle, referring to it as a temple. David saw a tent of meeting, but in his heart, he saw the holy temple of God. His attitude was that the tabernacle was a holy place where he could commune with God. He loved to worship before the Lord in His tent of meeting. It was not so much the material but the place of honor to stand before the Lord with the congregation of God’s people to offer sacrifices to the name of the Lord.

The tabernacle was destroyed along with the three temples that once stood in Jerusalem. There will never be another temple of the Lord because the practices of the Law are abolished, the priesthood vanquished, and the covenant with Israel voided. In Christ, the people of God worship in the church where God is. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, saints assemble on the first day of the week to bring sacrifices of praise to the name of God. Sadly, the hearts of the worshippers are turning more carnal than before. David saw the tabernacle as a temple. For many in the church today, worship is a casual visitation with God, requiring only a T-shirt, flip-flops, and a cup of coffee or an energy drink.

There is no dress code in the church today, but many are going so far as to make worship of God a communal experience rather than a communion. The attitudes of the heart are more disrespectful to the name of the Lord. Carnal denominationalism has filled the church with attitudes of laxity, slackness, and outright disrespect for the remembrance of the death of Jesus. Churches are filled with weakened hearts that want to bring a relaxed, passive view of worship, instead of respecting the reality that the one they stand before (or sit) is the Lord God Almighty. He gets no respect. Jesus is not honored. The Holy Spirit is humiliated. David saw the tabernacle as a temple. Saints see worship as a trip to the beach.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

The Hinge To Christian Living

There are many things the Christian needs to possess in their life to find the full enjoyment of God’s grace. Knowing one is redeemed by the blood of the Lamb should bring the joy of eternal salvation. Life can be hard, but there is a spirit of rejoicing that should permeate the soul of man, knowing that sin will not have dominion over the one who is in Christ. There are two reminders to rejoice in the Lord always. Having a daily up-look of thanksgiving moves the heart to be filled with a joyous song. This joy shows itself in the relationship people of God have with people of the world. There is a forbearance, gentle, and gracious moderation in the example of the child of God to a world filled with the chaos of sin. What the world sees in the life of the Christian is one that keeps passions in control, showing kindness toward all men.

Worry should not characterize the heart of the Christian. Jesus reminded the disciples in the mountain sermon that worry does not add one cubit to life. Worrying about matters of life causes more destruction than edification. The birds of the air are cared for by God. Those who follow Christ are of much greater value than the sparrows. God will provide. He will never forsake His people. Being anxious for nothing fosters a spirit of prayer and thanksgiving for all the provisions God gives. Prayer is the avenue of faith, trusting in the Lord to provide those things needed to give contentment to the troubled heart. God always answers the petitions of His people. The conclusion of such grace is found in the peace of God. There is a calm spirit possessed by the Christian who knows God will continue to guard and bless the hearts and minds of His children.

Center to all of the blessings of rejoicing, prayer, thanksgiving, and the worry-free spirit of the Christian is the blessing that the Lord is at hand. Knowing that the return of Jesus could be at any time is the hinge that fills the heart of the Christian with all the blessings of God. The reason Christians are anxious for nothing is that the things of the world will have no significance, knowing that the Lord is coming. Prayer and supplication are speaking to the One who can appear at any moment. A thanksgiving heart acknowledges that any day, the Lord will return to take His servants home with Him. Knowing Jesus can come at any time does not bring fear or dread, but the peace of God. This knowledge exceeds anything the Christian can imagine.

The love of the world hampers the knowledge of the return of Jesus. Paul reminded the Philippians that the Lord is at hand. His message is for them to consider the blessings of being in Christ and to reflect on whether, in death or at His return, Jesus is near. The hope of eternal life cannot be realized in this life. Eternal life comes in the next life, guarded by death and the unknown day of the Lord’s return. As the Christian walks in the light, he realizes all the blessings of being anxious for nothing because his hope is in the coming of the Lord. Praying to the Father speaks to the day when the Lord will return. No one knows that day when God will conclude the affairs of man and direct His Son to gather all the saved in the eternal home. Until that time, the saints lived lives of glory, basking in the peace of God and praying for the return of Christ.

The hinge to Christian living is how everything depends on the knowledge that the Lord is at hand. Living in Christ is living in the knowledge of His return. He has not returned for more than 2,000 years, but He will come one day. It does not matter what day that will be because Jesus does not know the day. What this means for the child of God is how joyous each day must be to realize the grace of God to share in His peace. Be anxious for nothing because Jesus is coming back. This knowledge brings rejoicing. Prayer ushers in each day as the day the Lord will come. The heart and mind are guarded through Christ Jesus because He is coming back – one day! Rejoice! Again, rejoice!!

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the Lord.’ ” (Jeremiah 28:15-16)

The Lord Has Not Sent You

Judah was the final remnant of the nation of Israel that remained, and the Babylonians were expanding their rule over the world, which would include the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Jeremiah is the prophet of the Lord sent to declare the final message of God’s wrath upon His rebellious people. He was not the only prophet. There were many false prophets who challenged the word of Jeremiah. Prophets like Isaiah and Micah had faded into history. Habakkuk and Zephaniah brought the word of the Lord to the people. Jeremiah would live in the final forty years of the nation as false prophets preached a message of false hope.

Jeconiah (Jehoiachin), the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, had been taken to Babylon along with the treasures of the temple and the royal palace. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, served the will of the Lord to punish God’s people for rejecting Him. The people of God would be in captivity for seventy years according to the word of the Lord. Faithful prophets would declare the message of doom to Jerusalem, but many false prophets gave the people hope as they trusted in alliances with Egypt and other nations to save them. One such prophet was Hananiah, a prophet of Gibeon. He told the people the vessels of the Lord’s house would return within two years, including Jeconiah and all the captives that had been taken. There was a false hope that Egypt, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Tyre, and Sidon would rise against the Babylonians and crush them. In dramatic fashion, Hananiah broke off the yoke on Jeremiah’s neck to show how God would break off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar. All of this was a message of false hope.

Jeremiah told Hananiah that iron yokes would replace the wooden yokes. Hananiah gave the people false hope, leading them to believe a lie. Hananiah died that same year. Egypt convinced Judah to revolt against Babylon, but the revolt was short-lived before the Babylonians crushed it and destroyed Jerusalem. Hananiah promised the people peace and safety, a message that was not the message of Jeremiah, the true prophet of God. Israel had been destroyed because the nation turned its back on the Lord God. Moses foretold the history of God’s people if they rebelled against the Lord. The word of God was clear that rebellion would not be tolerated. Israel was first divided and then destroyed, ending with the complete destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple. Jeremiah would be proven true because his word came from the Lord.

Satan always attacks the word of God. From the day Satan deceived the woman with the words, “Has God indeed said?” until the final moments of earth’s existence, false teachers will claim to teach the word of God. Like the prophets of old, people are given false hope in a lie that will not save them. Millions believe the “sinners’ prayer” will save them. People mindlessly follow the powerful, the popular, and the exciting religious leaders. False religions espouse the teachings of men like Buddha, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, and the Pope. People flock to the doctrines of men that appeal to the intellectual, the fleshly, and the popular. Jesus taught there was only one way to the Father, and He was the only way, the only truth, and the only life.

False teachers abound in the world today. Like Hananiah, the Lord has not sent these religious leaders who make the people trust in a lie. Anyone who trusts in the words of this writer should be cautioned against accepting truth without the word of God. Everyone is responsible for being responsible in examining the teachings of all men. It demands careful understanding of what the Bible reveals. The spirit of examination should always be to speak where the Bible speaks, and to be silent when God does not speak. It’s that simple and yet that complex.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” (Numbers 25:4)

Failed Leadership

In the final months of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness, the people camped in the plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan across from Jericho. Balak, king of the Amorites, was exceedingly afraid of the sea of people covering the land. He was sick with dread that the Hebrews would devour the land and all the people that lived there. Balak sent for Balaam, the son of Beor, to curse the people of Israel. Through a series of efforts on Balaam’s part to curse the Israelites, God would not allow Balaam to bring any curse against His people. Balaam told the king’s messengers that God forbade him to curse the people. Realizing he was unable to curse the people of Israel, Balaam suggested to the king that he allow the women of the land to seduce the men of Israel.

Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people of God began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. The women of the land, notorious for their debauchery, seduced the men of Israel to join in the sensual rites of their worship. Not only did the people engage in sexual immorality, but they also fell victim to idolatrous worship as they joined themselves to Baal of Peor. Angered by the immoral conduct of His people, God told Moses to bring the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord. Leadership had failed the people. The leaders were to blame for failing to reprimand and forbid the people from yielding to the seductions of the women of Moab. Whether the leaders were punished for engaging in the sexual immorality or whether they were punished for not correcting the people, the message of the Lord was clear. Sin will not be tolerated at any level.

Everyone will be accountable for their deeds, but often those guilty are the leaders who stand idly by, refusing to take action against those in sin. The leaders of the people should have exercised greater control over them. They should have stopped them from being tempted by the ungodliness of the world around them. The sin of immorality was so great that Zimri, the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s house among the Simeonites, took a Midianite woman named Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, the head of the people of a father’s house in Midian, and committed sexual immorality at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he took a spear and killed them both. Those who died in the plague were 24,000 souls.

Leaders have the grave responsibility to guide their followers in the way of the Lord. So often, the people begin to turn away from God, and the leaders take no notice. In the church of Corinth, the leadership was filled with pride, refusing to address the sin that so prominently marked the church. Paul rebuked the leadership when he pointed out the man who had his father’s wife, and there was no action taken to save their souls. Shepherds who ignore their sheep will lose many of the lambs under their care. Church leaders who refuse to address the problem of sin will captain a sinking ship.

God holds responsible leaders who are given the task of watching over His people. The Hebrew writer plainly declares that those who serve as bishops will receive a heavier judgment. Leadership comes with responsibility. God will not tolerate sin, and leaders must follow the same guidance. Leaders who allow people to engage in immorality will be held accountable for their refusal to act against the unrepentant. Guiding the people of God requires diligence in teaching and preaching the whole counsel of God. Those who are sinning must be taught repentance. For those who are unrepentant, they must be shown the error of their way. Leaders hold a higher responsibility before the Lord. Balaam suggested how the people could be destroyed. The leaders should have protected the people from the influences of the women of Moab.

The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

The Example Of Paul

Putting oneself up as an example for others to follow is an intimidating exercise in self-control. The apostle Paul, on multiple occasions, tells his readers to imitate him as he seeks to imitate Christ. He goes a step further with the Philippian letter to exhort his brethren to do four things that directly come from his life as a Christian. He wants the brethren to follow his teaching and to put into practice what he gave them in the teaching of Jesus Christ. Everything they heard from him and everything they saw in him was on the table for discussion. Paul opened his life wide, inviting the saints to examine his teaching and his life to see Christ living in him.

The apostle did not suggest that he was a perfect example of someone who never failed. Paul struggled as all men do in the battle between the flesh and the spirit. What Paul did was to make every effort to present himself as an example for others. He lived his life for the glory of God, but he also recognized the power of example. His aim in life was first to please God and His divine will. He then wanted his effort toward righteous living to serve as a model for others to follow. Paul had the authority of an apostle to enforce his teachings on others, but he would rather they follow his example. The words of the gospel he gave the Philippians came from God. The things that they learned from him, he wanted them to do as God willed. He taught them the gospel. They must obey the words of the gospel because it was from God.

The saints in Philippi received Paul’s teachings as the word of God. Paul wanted them to be accountable for accepting the teaching in their lives. They had received the gospel from Paul as the authority of the word of God. This made them responsible for accepting the word as truth without deviation. One of the core principles of teaching is to receive the word as authority from the mouth of God. Paul did not want any confusion or division over what he taught as the gospel of Jesus Christ. The saints had received Paul’s teachings as authoritative, and Paul did not want them to dismiss the power of the message.

Paul reminded the disciples in Philippi that what they heard from him was from God. He had shared the gospel with them with the expectation of the saints being doers of the word, not merely hearers of the word. Hearing alone does not accomplish the will of the Father. The things that they heard from Paul required them to do. God gave His word to men to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. Paul was accountable for what he taught. He knew the gravity of his preaching rested upon preaching the whole counsel of God. What the saints had heard required the preaching to affirm his word as truth. Hearing the word was part of the disciples receiving what Paul taught and then changing their lives accordingly.

Finally, Paul wanted the brethren to look at his life and follow his example. The apostle wanted the saints to be of the same mind and join in following his model of righteousness. Many Christians were walking contrary to the gospel of Christ, becoming enemies of the cross. They were more concerned about their reputations, pride, self-worth, and popularity than preaching the pure gospel. Paul opened his life, telling the disciples to do what they saw in his life. That requires great courage to present oneself as an example of Christ and to exhort others to emulate that life as a pattern of righteousness. The things that they saw in Paul would become the foundation for their own lives.

It takes courage to invite the world to follow the life pattern that exemplifies the personal example before others. Whatever the saints had learned from Paul, received from the apostle, heard in his teaching, and saw in his life; Paul wanted the brethren to pattern their lives after him as he patterned his life after Christ. The apostle had found the God of peace as his role model. Following the example of Paul was following the example of Christ. It was never a perfect model, but that is what Paul strove for. The example of the one can change the lives of the many. There is no greater challenge than to follow the example of Paul and exhort others to see the same in their own lives.

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:3)

Worship And Rejoice

Serving the Lord is more than ritual, sacrifice, and going through the motions. Jesus taught that His Father demanded worship in spirit and in truth. There can be no exclusion from one of the other. Worshipping the Father only in spirit and not according to truth is false religion. Seeking the truth of God without the Spirit is vain worship. Paul explains to the saints at Philippi the importance of worshipping God in the Spirit, and that worship must include rejoicing in Jesus Christ. Worship to the Father excludes the carnal nature and gives no glory to the flesh. These three parts of service to the Lord are a pattern all Christians would do well to imitate in their lives.

Worshipping God in the Spirit reflects the covenant of grace shared between God and man. When a person obeys the gospel of Christ, their sins are washed away, and they are gifted the Holy Spirit. Apart from the joy of knowing sins are washed away, the gift of the Holy Spirit secures a covenant between God and man, allowing sinful man to approach God with holiness and reverence. Spirit worship is how the Holy Spirit manifests Himself to the soul of man. God created man in His image to worship Him in His image. As an eternal being, man comes before a holy God to honor Him in the Spirit. A reverence for the Almighty is found in humble prayers, a devoted heart to the word of God, obedient lives fulfilling the will of the Father, and a spirit-led life honoring God in every way.

Serving God is the daily manifestation of a godly spirit learning ways to show Christ living in them. The Christian devotes his life to finding ways to draw closer to God through the Holy Spirit. As God is one with His Son and the Holy Spirit, the child of God bathes himself in the glory of the Divine to let His light shine in their lives. Worship to God is in the Spirit. Public worship is in the Spirit. Private worship is in the Spirit. Everything about the heart of the Christian is devoted to the worship of God in the Spirit. There is no greater joy than to experience Spirit worship daily, for the Christian who walks in Jesus Christ.

Paul reminds the Philippians of the message of joy. Throughout his letter to the saints, the apostle extols the virtue of joy and rejoicing. Paul is filled with joy when he thinks of his brethren. This joy is tempered by the knowledge that Paul is imprisoned for his faith, and yet he still rejoices in his suffering. He wants nothing more for the saints to be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ. Paul faced death often, but he did so with the joy of being in Jesus Christ. His life was filled with heartache, trials, and suffering, and his heart was firmly anchored in the hope found in Christ Jesus. Paul’s life was a testimony to the joy of being saved from his sins. Each day for Paul was a blessing to serve to the glory of the name of Christ. He faced many obstacles with this devoted joy in his Lord and Savior.

The worship and rejoicing of the Christian can never be experienced until the heart has no confidence in the flesh. One of the hindrances to worship is the appeal of the flesh. God cannot be worshipped in the carnal. There is no rejoicing in the carnal. Trusting in the flesh will destroy the worship of the Father and the joy of Jesus Christ. Too often, worship is attempted based on the fleshly. While it may appear to be righteous, it is not. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and truth. A committed life seeking to worship the one true God will have no confidence in the things of the world and its fleshly appeal.

The appeal of the religious world lies in the carnal. Hearts are moved by the experience of the flesh, rather than the spirit. Worship becomes a concert of carnal appeals that excites the heart and moves the mind. This is not true worship. God demands that worship be according to the Spirit, which will induce the joy of grace through the blood of Jesus Christ. Life for the worshipping child of God will not be putting any security in matters of the flesh. The joy of salvation is the joy of worshipping God with praise and honor. Praise God.