The Heaton File

But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day — with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods — so they are doing to you also. Now, therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:6-9)

They Have Rejected Me

The Garden of Eden provided everything Adam and Eve needed or required. Food was abundant, the animals were in a common peace with man, there was nothing to be ashamed of and God walked in the garden in the cool of the day to commune with His creation. Moses noted at the end of the description of Eden that Adam and Eve were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. There was nothing to mar the paradise of God’s presence. The Lord created man and woman to dwell with Him and as their Maker would give them everything they would want or need. But Adam and Eve were not satisfied. Hearkening to the voice of the tempter, they threw away the protection and communion of God for a taste of the fruit.

It would seem unworthy that everything given by the abundant hand of God would be traded to taste the forbidden fruit. What did Adam and Eve gain? They felt a rush of independence for a brief moment and that was replaced with fear. The taste of the fruit was an incredible delight in that split second of time but then it bore its bitter aftermath. Now, hearing the sound of God walking in the garden, they did something they had never done before: they hid from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. They were naked and afraid before the glory of God. Their decision to reject the word of God brought consequences. Cast from the garden, Adam and Eve would find how much they needed the presence of the Lord.

When Israel came to Samuel demanding a king, it was the same cycle of what happened in the Garden of Eden. As a nation of God’s people, they were given land by the will of the Lord. The Promised Land was a land promised and delivered through the power of God. Jericho was defeated by the hand of the Lord. Canaan was conquered through the leadership of Joshua and the providential influence of God. It was a land flowing with milk and honey because God prepared the land for His people. Like in Eden, everything Israel needed was provided by the hand of the Lord. They were protected by His might, blessed with crops, flocks, and an abundance of children through the promises of God established in the Law of Moses. Israel lacked nothing. But they turned their back on their Provider and sought for a man to lead them.

Samuel was heartbroken over the desire of the people to want a king to lead them. God understood the pattern that was taking place once again as the heart of the people longed for the tempting fruit of freedom. He granted them their request and they gained their freedom but for a short time. The first king Saul quickly became a despot and was rejected by God. David and Solomon brought the nation to great glory but soon after the death of Solomon the nation fell into civil war, apostasy and idolatry. Three hundred and fifty years after the death of Solomon, the Babylonian army destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. What price did Israel pay for rejecting God for a king to walk among them? It destroyed them.

Every nation that turns away from God turns its path to destruction. It is an age-old proverb that man will never learn from history. When men seek a bite of the fruit for a moment’s reckless folly, they never find what they want. Turning away from God is the greatest mistake any man will make. The only source of protection, care, blessing, and happiness is found in the fellowship with the Lord God. Any other attempt will fail. Israel thought they would be happy with Saul as their king. History bears out how wrong they were. God has given His only begotten Son to bring every spiritual blessing to the world. The decision of which king you choose will determine your happiness here and more importantly, your happiness in eternity. NO God in this world is NO God in the next world. Living WITH God in this world will allow you to live WITH God in the next world. You decide. Who is your king?

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” (John 14:5-7)

Jesus Is The Way, The Truth, And The Life

Thomas was one of the most focused disciples in the company of the twelve. His discernment of the teaching of Jesus was clearly evident as he listened to the Lord talk about being glorified and going way somewhere. Judas had left the Passover feast to make plans for the arrest of Jesus. The Lord tells the eleven that He will be them but for a short time and where He is going, they are not able to come. Peter was indignant at this at challenged Jesus to go away claiming that he would die for the Lord. It is then Jesus tells Peter of his own betrayal that would take place in just a few short hours. The disciples may have been troubled by this and the Lord assures them that He must go away to prepare a place, an abiding place, so they could come to be with Him. It is then Thomas inquires to the place Jesus is going.

For nearly three years Jesus had taught the disciples showing His divinity by His miracles. When He gathered the twelve around Him, the Lord spoke often of His life and work mirroring the will of the Father. If the disciples would look closely at the life of Jesus they would see the Father. When He was about to leave them, the Lord outlined His mission for the salvation of all men as the means to reach the Father. No one could come to God except through Jesus. The eleven did not realize that in a few hours their Lord would be arrested and the following day crucified. They would understand in time the significance of the death of Jesus as the only way to come to the Father, the only truth that will save mankind and the only hope of life either in this world or the world to come. Three basic needs of humanity are embodied in the life of Jesus Christ. His death and His resurrection would open the doors of salvation through these three ideals. Eternal life would come to only those who accept Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus is the way because there is no other way. Men have tried from time beginning to establish their legacy with human wisdom and have always failed. No matter the arrogance of men, they have never found a way in life that gives them happiness, hope, and fulfillment. If anything, the carnal nature of man has followed the wrong way with disastrous results. Jesus tells the eleven the only way to the Father is the divine way of the Son of God. The belief system that comes from the teaching of Christ is the Christian doctrine of the Bible. There is no other system of faith whereby man can save himself. God created the world and gave man everything he needed. When sin-darkened the world with its power, the Son of God came and opened the way back to the Father.

Truth is older than error and sin is the antithesis of truth. In creation, truth is found in the laws established by the Creator. The law of gravity is truth because whether a man believes it or not, the results are the same and truth remains unchanged. Jesus taught the will of the Father as truth and many rejected His teachings but it did not change the will of God. Miracles proved Jesus was the Son of God and yet men denied the power. They never denied the miracle but they would not accept the miracle. The miracle still happened. Jesus is the personification of truth because there is only one way of truth. No man can come to the Father unless they follow the only truth given to humanity. Again, the wisdom of mankind has failed repeatedly because, without the foundation of divine truth, there can be hope. Many religions fill the earth with their brand of truth but none are based upon a lasting truth. Jesus is the only way with the only truth as He teaches the word of God as truth. The Bible is the only book available for men today to understand the truth. Without the Bible, there is no hope.

Finally, Jesus is the only life man will know about this life and the life to come. Human wisdom brings little happiness and fulfillment of life. Following the carnal desires of the flesh, amassing the riches of the world, and seeking for all the fame of historical significance will never bring the soul lasting joy. It becomes an empty life. God so loved the world that He sent His Son to give life to all men. This life is joy now as the word of God guides the soul to live godly and to seek life after death. When men refuse to accept Jesus, they deny there is such a thing as life after death but in death, everyone discovers what they denied. Lives are spent wasting away on things that never amount to any happiness. A life fully lived is not measured by what is gained in this world but what is promised in the world to come. Life is in Jesus. There is only one life. Following the way and the truth will bring greater life.

Jesus is the way. Jesus is the truth. Jesus is the life. When a man desires to come to the Father seeking blessings of eternal life, the Father will examine whether the soul has followed the only way, listened to the only truth, and sought the only life. Without Jesus, there is no hope. With Jesus, there is a way, the truth, and life.

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” (John 4:25-26)

I Am He

The identity of the Christ was always a great topic of dispute in the days of Jesus. In part because the Jews had been looking for the promised Messiah for more than 400 years and no definitive evidence of His coming had been established. Many were supposed to be the Messiah but were found to be false. To claim that one was the Christ suggested divinity. John the Baptist sent messengers to Jesus asking if He was truly the Coming One. The problem with Jesus was the people knew his (supposed) father was Joseph and His mother was Mary. Jesus was from Nazareth in Galilee. He had brothers and sisters and was a common man as much as any other man. For thirty years, Jesus had not appeared on the radar of interest to the Jews and certainly not the Romans. Everyone knew that when the Christ came He would come from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was from. Jesus seemed to not fit that mold.

On a certain day, Jesus was traveling with His disciples near the city of Sychar where Jacob’s well had been for more than a thousand years. As the disciples went into the city to buy food, a woman came to the well where Jesus rested. He asked her for a drink of water. She was startled that a man would openly speak to a woman; much less than a Jew spoke to a Samaritan. Always the teacher, Jesus knew the woman’s heart and began to implore her with a story of everlasting water. This intrigued the woman and she inquired how she might obtain such. Examining the life of the Samaritan woman, Jesus revealed her past by asking her to bring her husband. In fact, she was not married at the time but lived with a man. The woman had been married five times previously. Astonished, the woman perceived Jesus was not an ordinary man but a prophet.

The Samaritan woman defends herself by asking Jesus why the Samaritans worship in one place and the Jews in another. The Lord shows her that God seeks those who worship in spirit and truth. This impacts the woman as she acknowledges the Samaritans also look for the coming Messiah (who is called Christ). She tells Jesus that when the Christ comes, He will explain everything to them. It is then Jesus tells the woman that He is the Messiah, the Christ. To claim one is the Christ is very serious and while Jesus has performed no miracle, His knowledge of her past life strikes a responsive chord in her heart as she leaves her water pot and returns to the city. The Samaritan woman implores the men to come and see a man who told her all things she had ever done. She openly asks if Jesus could be the promised Messiah. At her pleading, the men come to the well to see Jesus. Many of the Samaritans who came to see Jesus believed in Him through the word of the woman who proclaimed that Jesus knew all about her life.

Miracles were often used to testify to the divinity of Jesus as Christ. This was not the case with the Samaritan woman. The divine nature of Jesus was impressed upon the heart of the woman through the word. Jesus knew of her past which she freely acknowledged was true. Viewed by society as an outcast, the woman’s heart was open to the word of the true Christ. Jesus came to bring the disenfranchised, despised, and dejected souls to the Father. The coming of the Messiah would be more than to fulfill prophecy. Christ came to change the world. Through His gospel prejudice would be removed, darkness took away, and hope restored to a lost world. He was the Messiah to bring joy to the heart of humanity again. Only through His sacrifice as the Lamb of God would the true nature of the Messiah, the Christ be realized in Jesus. The Samaritan woman came to know the Messiah because she had a heart ripe for the good news of Jesus the Christ. It was then she experienced the fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. Messiah water. Pure. Holy. Divine. The water of Christ.

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing. (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)

The Doctrine Of An Orderly Life In Christ

There were some great churches in the New Testament times and the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ was one of them. Paul had first visited the city of Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. Luke notes in his history of the church the people of Berea were more noble than those of Thessalonica as an uproar had caused Paul and Silas to leave the city. A change had taken place in the work of Thessalonica as a faithful body of saints formed in the Macedonian city which is evident in the two letters preserved in scripture. The church had experienced a work of faith and labor of love with commendations from Paul. They had suffered much in devoting themselves to the gospel of Christ. These kinds of things would draw people close to one another. It would seem clear the troubles they shared drew them closer together. Paul acknowledges their brotherly love but exhorts them to increase more and more. There is always room for more brotherly love.

Doctrine is not always the examination of law and emphasis on the legal aspects of the commandments of God. The relationship of one to another is a vital part of the doctrine of the church with respect to one another and concerning those in the world. This is found in Paul’s letter to Thessalonica where he exhorts the brethren to find ways to increase in their love for one another. The relationship of brethren to brethren is a key ingredient to the peaceful and productive church. It is easy to assume the love one has for another. There is a need to always look for more opportunities to increase that love. Spending time with one another more, talking with others in the congregation that may not be as well known, helping those in need, and doing things to encourage every member are ways to grow in love and to abound more and more.

The example of the Christian to those in the world is another important part of doctrine. The principles that guide the life of a child of God will have a great impact on those who are outside the faith of Christ. In many ways, the example of faith will become a greater testimony than the emphasis upon the doctrinal matters of the law. If a person does not show Christ in their lives it will be difficult for those in the world to accept the teachings of the gospel. Three things show the doctrine of an orderly life in Christ. First, the Christian must learn to live a quiet life without the distractions of the world. The ambition of the child of God is not to be an example of worldly desire. Living under the calm virtues of the grace of God will show the character of Jesus Christ. The second part of the orderly life in Christ is to be concerned with one’s own affairs and not be a busybody in other people’s lives. Minding the business of self is a full-time job. It is easy to be caught up in the gossip and slander of an evil world. Children of God refrain from showing themselves as haughty and prideful.

A final exhortation from Paul is for the saints to work with their own hands showing the integrity of honest labor. Christians should shine brighter in the workforce because of their faith in Jesus Christ. One of the most important fields of evangelism is where most people spend the majority of their lives – on the job. When a Christian works hard giving honest labor with kindness, grace, and love for others, the gospel of Christ will be seen by the world. The world must see a true character of virtue. These principles must come from the example of children of God. Walking properly will allow the world to see the gospel in action. The people who are not believers will respect the manner of life of godly men and women. This is the doctrine of Christ living in the lives of His people. The light shines brightest in a dark world.

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. (2 Samuel 22:31)

Perfect, Proven And Protective

The Bible is an incredible compilation of sixty-six books spanning 1500 years that has been preserved for the past two thousand years as a message that is perfect, proven, and protective. David did not have the fully contained word of God as revealed today but he had a clear understanding of the limited amount of scripture available in his day. He was not lacking to know the will of the Lord. Much of the present Bible may not have been written in the time of David but the king understood everything he had to know about eternal life. Whether in the patriarchal days of Abraham to the days of the written Law of Moses to the early writings of the New Testament, the word of the Lord has been perfect, His promises true and for all who looked to God for protection, they found it in His word.

David’s song of deliverance is a beautiful poem of eternal gratitude for the infinite blessings of God seen in David’s life. He experienced firsthand the sure promises of God as a young boy fighting for his sheep or standing in the Valley of Elah to defeat the giant Goliath. For many years, King Saul chased David like a flea in the wilderness and the Lord delivered both Saul and David. After the death of Saul, David took the mantle of leadership over the people and sought the divine will of God to be his guide. Through his own life, David could see the perfect will of God working in the divine plan. Providence is best seen from hindsight and for David, he could look back and see the way of the Lord was right. The word of God was present in the heart of the king. Through the knowledge of God’s divine will, David’s life was measured with strength and courage.

History proves whether a word is true or not. David could see in his own life how the will of the Lord had been proven time and again. When the son of Jesse trusted in God and followed His word, blessings would come. David’s life was a testimony to the promise of God. He had confidence in the word of God that when he called upon the Lord, He would answer. When David was in peril, God lifted him up and put him on a broad place for protection. The Lord was the rock of David and his fortress and deliverer. Having confidence in the word of God gives surety to the soul to know whatever the Lord says, it will come to pass. The Lord rewarded David according to his righteousness and clean hands. He kept the way of the Lord by keeping the word of God.

The word of God serves as a shield to all who trust in Him. Looking to the Father for protection is a vital part of the child’s life. Spending time in the word of God is finding the source of strength to bear up under the trials of life, the constant temptations that allure the soul, and the despair often found in the perverse world. David spent much time devoted to an understanding of the word of God and he has so much less than what is found today. How can we do less than David with so much more given by the grace of God? This never limited the faith of David. He thrived on the word of God and trusted its message as his strength, shield, defender, and protector. David loved the word of God. Paul would later remind the early Christians that David as a man after God’s own heart. This character came from spending time in the Book. Get to know the word of God. It is perfect, it is proven and it will be a shield.

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” (Ezekiel 18:30-32)

How To Return To God

The mercy and grace of the Lord have always come from His benevolent spirit of seeking penitent hearts from sorrowful men. Even as the Jews languished in captivity, the Lord begged His people to return to Him with a full heart. They had tried to blame their fathers for their plight with a parable suggesting the fathers had eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth were set on edge. God rejected this excuse reminding the people they were responsible for their sins and no blame could be given to others. Salvation came from a heart of repentance. If an evil man turned from his way to keep the will of the Lord, he would be saved. The soul who sins dies. Sons do not bear the sins of their fathers and fathers do not bear the sins of their sons.

Seeking the Lord through forgiveness requires a willing heart to acknowledge wrong. Repentance is not an excuse to accept sin as common but a God-directed remorse and broken spirit that sees the putridity of how sin separates man from God. The first word of the gospel has always been to repent. Ezekiel implores the people to change their hearts and turn back to the Lord. This requires full repentance of turning away from all of their sins. God will not accept a half-hearted attempt to repent. He demands a full and demonstrable action of a contrite heart and broken spirit worthy of His love and grace. Ezekiel tells the people to turn from all of their transgressions so their sins will not destroy them. Until the day comes that a full release is given, sin remains and the temptation remains.

Repentance is found in casting away and putting the spirit of rebellion away from the heart. Sin is rebellion. It exalts itself against God demanding the appeasement of selfish desires apart from the will of the Father. Sin must be cast away. No man can carry a cross of Jesus Christ and carry the baggage of a sinful life. The two are never compatible. Putting rebellion behind is to take every effort to eliminate the sources of temptation and sin. This shows the heart is diligent in removing the stains of a sinful life so that one can approach the Lord with righteousness. When sin is removed then a new heart and a new spirit are created. David had prayed for a new heart when he begged the Lord to forgive him for his sin with Bathsheba. Jesus taught His disciples the Father is seeking those who have desired the mercy of God. Sacrifices were a part of worship but it was the heart turned away from sin that was desired by the Lord.

Finding a new heart and a new spirit requires taking sin away and turning to God. The Lord has no desire that anyone perishes, suffer eternally, or face His wrath. There is a reality of the wrath of God that will fall upon most men but this is not the purpose God created humanity. Ezekiel cries out to the people to know that God is sorrowful over their rebellion and had no desire to send the Babylonians against them but because of their sin and rebellion the Lord had no choice. God takes no pleasure in the death of one who dies. His eternal desire is for all men to repent. It is incredible to see the grace of God extended to rebellious men who if they repent and turn from all their transgressions, He is willing and able to forgive them. All prodigals have a home to come back to and a Father who loves them still if they would but return. Amazing.

So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor. Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test Me? Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” But they could not catch Him in His words in the presence of the people. And they marveled at His answer and kept silent. (Luke 20:20-26)

A Life Of Truth

The chief priests and scribes were threatened by the teachings of Jesus. They questioned the authority of Jesus as He taught the people in the temple because they feared the influence the Lord had upon the people. No one could deny the miracles that were done. The Jewish leaders wanted to lay hands on Jesus but were worried about how the crowds would react. Spies were sent among the multitudes seeking a way to catch Jesus in what He said so He could be arrested and taken before the governor. The ploy was to send men who pretended to be honest and trap Jesus in something He said. What was remarkable about their ruse was the men who pretended to be righteous told the truth about the Lord. They said He spoke the truth and what He taught was right. It was clear Jesus was not swayed by the opinions of men. The claim was made by these false pretenders of truth that Jesus taught the way of God truthfully. What they claimed about Jesus came from a pretense of truth but what they said about Jesus was true.

Everything Jesus said and taught was true. He spoke the words of the Father. Comparing what Jesus taught with scripture proved that everything He taught was in accordance with the word of God. The scribes were the lawyers of the Law of Moses and would have known if Jesus misquoted or misrepresented the Law. He never did. The charge against Jesus was that He spoke the truth. They accused Him of teaching what was right. If Jesus was guilty of anything, He was convicted of being completely truthful about all things. The character of Jesus was not swayed by the opinions or wisdom of men. There was no personal favoritism in his teaching. What He said was often harsh and offended His audiences but He spoke the word of God in truth without reservation. All of the teachings of Jesus came from the word of God.

If Jesus lived in the age of modern media that prides itself on finding sound bites and videos of what was said in the past, the Lord would be under the intense microscope of examination in everything He said. There would no variation of what He taught when he was twelve years old or thirty years old. The life of Jesus is an open book of open dialogue of the word of God. He spent nearly three years of intense ministry of teaching the message of His Father and the brightest of the Jewish inquisitors could never find one thing that Jesus taught in error. Not only was Jesus perfect from the bondage of sin but His words were never challenged as false. He taught one message and that was what He heard from the Father. The chief priests and scribes could not catch Jesus in His words.

There is a great lesson for the followers of Jesus Christ to take away from the teaching of Jesus. Teaching the word of God requires a disciple to teach the word of God alone. The world needs to see in the lives of God’s people they say and teach rightly. There can be no personal favoritism in the teachings of the Bible. One of the greatest tools in the arsenal of the Christian is a life of truth. Pretenders of righteousness will attempt to entrap a man in his teaching but if he teaches the word of God in truth and sincerity, there is nothing to fear. Truth never suffers from examination. A life of truth is a wonderful testimony to the word of the Father living in the heart of His children. Jesus let the truth of His Father stand on its own merits without reservation. The Christian cannot be ashamed of what the Bible teaches. His word is truth. Let the word of truth live in your heart and share that truth with the world.

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)

First Century New Gospel

Truth is older than error but from the deception of Eve, the devil has always presented an alternative path of truth. The first words of Satan are, “Has God indeed said.” Noah’s world was destroyed because men followed a different path than the word of God. Israel was shattered from following after the gods of the nations around them with only a remnant returning from long captivity. Jesus came to establish the kingdom of His Father and the early church had great success in saving souls. It would not be long before the wiles of Satan would enter the church with lying, prejudice, abuse, and false doctrine. The church at Corinth faced many problems as an example of how easy it was for the church to be corrupted with carnality, immorality, division, disrespect, and a host of problems. It is suggested Paul wrote his letter to the churches of Galatia during his third preaching trip as they were dealing with a false gospel permeating the people of God. He begins his letter with the problem of the Christians following after a different gospel than what he had preached to them. It seemed to happen quickly.

Accepting a new gospel is to turn away from the grace of God. Paul and others had preached a single gospel with a unity of purpose, design, and content. What one man preached in Judea would be the same gospel preached in Asia Minor or Greece or Rome. The gospel had not changed but men corrupted the message to fit their needs and carnal desires. Failing to preach the original gospel perverted the cause of Jesus Christ to a doctrine that was not divine. It shocked Paul how easily the brethren were persuaded to follow in a different way. Preaching a different and new gospel is troubling as men deliberately twist the truth concerning Jesus Christ. This was done to please men and to persuade men with the carnal nature of human wisdom. Audiences would be more receptive to preaching that tickled their ears and fancied their minds with more appealing messages. A new gospel had begun early in the infant church.

There is one body of truth and that doctrine is the narrow truth of God’s word. Paul never accepted the teachings of men as acceptable because it would bring in more crowds or have less cause to offend others. The preaching of the apostle was plain, truthful, and according to the word of the Lord. It would cause many to become angry and in one city bring about a mob taking Paul out and stoning him almost to death. Eventually, Paul would be executed for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. It should come as no surprise of the stinging rebuke given by the Holy Spirit of those who would teach a new gospel. Twice in his beginning exhortation to the churches of Galatia, Paul says that if any man or angel from heaven preaches any new gospel or different message than what was preached; they are to be accursed. The Greek word is ANATHEMA and is the strongest use of the word to emphasize the serious nature of preaching another gospel. To do so would nullify the death of Jesus Christ.

A new gospel is not a new gospel but a corrupted perversion of the only way, the only truth, and the only life. The new gospel of modern religion has veiled the eyes of disciples who believe in a gospel that cannot be found in the word of God. To blindly follow the teachings of men who have changed the glory of God to please themselves is a curse. The Bible has been given to all people to read and understand and know the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. No man can stand before the Lord in judgment and claim ignorance but only a spirit of defiance to reject the one gospel. This gospel of Jesus Christ is two thousand years old and has remained unchanged. Do not let anyone turn your heart away to a gospel that you cannot find in the word of God. Many want to trouble you and pervert the gospel of Christ. You be the student and you follow the truth. Give me the old paths of first-century gospel truth.

My soul faints for Your salvation, but I hope in Your word. My eyes fail from searching Your word, saying, “When will You comfort me?” For I have become like a wineskin in smoke, yet I do not forget Your statutes. How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me? The proud have dug pits for me, which is not according to Your law. All Your commandments are faithful; they persecute me wrongfully; help me! They almost made an end of me on earth, but I did not forsake Your precepts. Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. (Psalm 119:81-88)

Like A Wineskin In Smoke

Life is filled with troubles and distress. There are times when the clouds of despondency overshadow everything in life and the heart is filled with despair. The spirit can often be worn to the point of collapse as persecutions surround the soul with the burdens of life that will bear hard upon the mind. A need for escape from dark days is paramount. The psalmist describes his life as a wineskin commonly found among the furnishings of a Bedouin tent.  Animal skins were used to carry water or wine and often found hanging inside the tents. As the smoke swirled around the interior the wineskins would become dark and stained with the soot of the fires. The skins would be dried out becoming wrinkled and worn. The psalmist depicts his life as a wineskin that has turned dark and dingy with distress and overwhelmed with the burdens of life. He felt empty and useless. The trials of life can have a remarkable impact on the faith of the people of God.

The salvation of the psalmist comes from the word of God. He felt worn out from the slanderous treatment of others but his hope was placed firmly in the word of God. Through the knowledge of the word, the promises of God were clearly defined and illustrated the Lord would never fail in keeping His word. It was clear that obedience to the will of the Father would not only deliver him from the wrath of God but also deliver him from the persecution of others. Those who sought to destroy the psalmist did not trust in the word. They hated the instructions of the Lord and tried to destroy the people of God. Faced with such distress, the psalmist trusted in the word of God relying upon His grace to deliver him. Through the knowledge of the word, salvation came to secure the soul of the faithful. What was key to the joy of the psalmist was his understanding of the law of God and how it would revive his spirit that had become like a dried-up wineskin.

Christians are not immune from trials, troubles, and dark days. It is a part of life and everyone who desires to live a godly life will suffer in one form or another persecution and despair. It is during these times the word of God becomes so important in the life of the child of God. A glaring difference between the hope of the psalmist and the hope of the Christian is there is so much more revealed in the word of God now than when the psalmist was seeking the word of God. For the child of God, Jesus Christ is the hope of redemption, restoration, and the rekindling of the spirit to overcome the trials of life. Faith comes from knowing the word of God. The more one spends in the word of God the more resolved they become in fighting off the sorrows of life. There will be times that a man will feel like a dried-out wineskin in smoke but God will revive the spirit through His word. Jesus said knowing the word of the Father and believing in the Christ will be like rivers of living water flowing out of the heart. Life will no longer be dried out but nourished in the word.

Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (Genesis 2:1-3)

Why Did God Rest?

Moses was the first man to have a front-row seat to the power of the creation. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the great prophet unfolded the scenes of creation day by day as the dark world unformed and turbulent took on the form of the eternal power of God’s creation. In six days, the world was filled with mountains, rivers, and seas filling with vegetation and animals. The heavens appeared with stars and planets in the expanse of the universe. On the final day of creation, God formed man from the dust and with a rib from Adam created Eve. It was an incredible world made in perfection and created for a perfect fellowship. Moses writes when God finished His creation that He rested on the seventh day and sanctified it. For what purpose would the Creator need to rest on the seventh day?

Isaiah declared that God never wearies. Without a proper view of why God rested on the seventh day the focus of God setting aside the Sabbath under the Law of Moses would be missed. The prohibitions against working on the seventh day did not come into being until the giving of the Law by God to Israel at Mt. Sinai. When the seventh day of creation came, there was no need for the Lord to rest because He was worn out from creating the world. In other words, it should not be assumed (mistakenly) that God rested because He was tired or exhausted from all the ‘work’ of creation. Jesus reminded the Jewish leaders the Sabbath was made for man, not the Lord. The purpose of God resting on the seventh day was a time of fellowship desired by God with man. He chose that day to commune with man and to enjoy a time of fellowship with man. It was a time when man would learn a hard lesson about trusting God.

When Moses gave the law to Israel forbidding work on the Sabbath, it was not the intent of the Lord to allow man a day off from work (as if he needed a day off). Under the law of the Sabbath, every seven years the land was to be laid fallow for one year before planting crops. The underlying purpose of the Sabbath was to teach man to trust in God. Not working on the Sabbath would take preparation and believing the Lord would care for them on that day. Allowing a piece of land to lie fallow for a year would take incredible courage and diligent faith that God would take care of them for that year. God rested on the seventh day to show man that fellowship with Him was the purpose of their existence. Man needed to learn to trust in his Creator and to worship the One who made him and formed him. The rejection of God has always been when men refused to accept the invitation of rest from the Father to join Him in a spiritual fellowship. Heaven is a place of rest – not from weariness or heavy toil – but a place of eternal joy to be in the presence of the Lord God. What was lost in the Garden of Eden is regained in the Revelation garden as a man walks before the Lord in full communion in the city of eternal redemption.