The Heaton File

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. (1 Corinthians 1:2)

Those In Christ In The Church

The church at Corinth faced many problems as evident by the first letter of the apostle Paul to this challenged church. They had internal strife, doctrinal missteps, rebellious spirits and a host of things that would have destroyed most groups. Through the writing of Paul and admonition of the Holy Spirit, the second letter to Corinth seems to show they corrected many of these problems. A remarkable part of the first letter is not the content of the letter but how Paul begins his letter. He knows what he must address to the church and all of the things the Lord was very displeased with what they were doing. His tenor was going to be harsh, pointed, and demanding changes be made. His beginning shows wisdom in dealing with a difficult situation and the real nature of the disciples in the church of Christ. First he refers to the brethren as a church of God which is exactly what they were. With all the problems they still were a people of God and Paul wanted to know that. The church is made up of sinners trying to find their way through life with a few regrets as possible. As the church is made up of people there will be struggles such as found in Corinth. Reading the first letter to the Corinthians one would wonder how anyone could worship at such a place. Jesus would later tell the saints at Sardis that while the Lord viewed the church as dead there were still some that would walk with Him in white. Corinth was a church that belonged to God and He loved them. They would respond to the teaching of Paul showing the grace of the Lord to give them time to correct the matters that were concerning. Corinth was a church of God.

When Paul spoke of the people who made up the church of God at Corinth he referred to them by three descriptions. First he referred to the members as those who were sanctified in Christ Jesus. The meaning of sanctification is to be set apart to holiness. This is a paradox considering what Paul was about to write about the problems at Corinth but the church of God remains a place for sanctified people. Those in Christ are to be set apart for holy living. Implied in the description is the need for the brethren to change their lives to emulate the character of Jesus. Secondly Paul calls the brethren saints or to show them they are what they are called to be. They were members together of a spiritual community given to higher ideals found in Jesus Christ. The modern religious world has destroyed the real meaning of a saint and taken away the Biblical use of a term endearing to the nature of God’s children. Paul wanted the brethren to know they had a nobler calling to live for than the carnality that plagued the church of God at Corinth. They were saints and should live as such. As sanctified people of God in Christ Jesus and part of the church of God at Corinth they should look at themselves as the saints of the Lord living with the character of holiness. Finally Paul calls the people of Corinth by the character that set them apart from the pagan world they lived in and those who opposed righteousness; he referred to them as those who called on the name of Jesus Christ. Children of God call upon the name of Jesus Christ as their Lord, Savior and King. Those who call upon the Lord worship Him, honor Him and pledge their devotion to Him. The members of the church of God at Corinth were sanctified, saints and people who called on the name of Jesus Christ.

Those in Christ Jesus are part of the church that belongs to God. What sets them apart from the world is their sanctification to the holy word of God and holy lives. The measure of their life is based upon a relationship with the Lord walking in the steps of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is a visible means of showing the world a higher walk of life. Professing to be a Christian and not living in the word is hypocritical and contrary to the purpose of being called out of the world. Those called from the world should leave the things of the world and live like saints who are called to form their lives by the grace of God. Saints are all the people of God who have dedicated themselves to growing in Christ, meditating on the word of God, walking according to truth and in the light and serving the will of the Father as their only guide. It is special to be called a saint but only because the blood of Christ that takes away the stain of sin. Holiness is the character of a saint because they are calling on the name of the Lord as their King and Lord. Allegiance is found in the name of Christ serving as a faithful servant. Calling on the name of the Lord is a manner of living. Everyone will hear the voice of God in the lives of those who spend their days calling on the His name. What they will hear is the glory of God in each part of the life of the saint. The church of God at Corinth was filled with those sanctified, saints and calling on the name of the Lord kinds of people that God loved. May we strive to be like Corinth. Sanctified. Saints. Calling on the name of the Lord.

I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also. (Romans 16:1-2)

The Sister At Cenchrea

Paul was a very busy man with many things to accomplish in the kingdom of God. He was an incredible force of teaching, planting, instructing, rebuking and establishing the word of God throughout the Roman world. His schedule was an intense regimen of going from city to city preaching the gospel to a sometimes hostile world. In some places he would be received with gladness while other times he was persecuted by his detractors who sought to kill him. There were many disciples involved with Paul in his work. Men like Barnabas, John Mark, Silas and Timothy worked side by side with the exhaustive preacher as he labored from field to field. Luke the historian and gospel writer accompanied Paul on his journeys transcribing the exploits of this messenger of grace. There is a great host of early disciples with who little is said and known. The group of disciples that helped the apostle included women like a saint called Phoebe who was a servant of the church in Cenchrea. Paul inscribes her name but once in his epistles but he commends the hearty spirit of a woman who had impacted his life in many ways.

Closing his letter to the Roman Christians, Paul begins his commendation with his sister in Christ and diligent worker, Phoebe. She was special to him as were the many others named in this final part of Romans. Her story is confined to the fifty-five words in his closing remarks. In the work of Paul there were many people that had helped him along his way on his busy work of missionary journeys but Phoebe stood out in his mind as one individual that needed to be remembered through the Holy Spirit. She was special because of her love for God and her willingness to serve the Lord with devotion. She was a servant of the church showing her passion for hard work and diligent effort for the cause of Christ. Phoebe was not satisfied to sit on the side lines and let everyone else do the work. Her heart was filled with a servant’s spirit to do what she could to help Paul and to further the work of God. It is assumed she was a widow and while this could be true her hands were busy in doing everything she could do for the work of the church. Later when Paul writes to Timothy he reminds the young preacher there are some things women were not permitted to do in the church of God like teach or usurp authority over the man. This would not have dissuaded Phoebe from her work. She may not have been able to preach and teach like the man but there was so much more she could and would do for the church. Her life was a servant’s spirit of serving others and doing whatever she could do to assist those in need. She was person of business. Paul told the Romans to receive her in the Lord and to assist her in whatever business she has need of them. Her life was filled with activity. One could wish Paul would  have enumerated what Phoebe was doing but the Romans knew and the early church like the saints in Cenchrea knew who this beloved woman of God was and what she was capable of doing.

The story of Phoebe is not whether she was a “deaconess” or held some office in the church as so often the focus of this saintly woman is directed. Paul commends a woman who did not let the grass grow under her feet. She was a busy woman who wanted to help the work of the church in whatever capacity her life could impact the furtherance of the gospel. Her life was about serving others as she served Jesus Christ. She helped many people including preachers like Paul. Whatever that assistance became is not the story of her life but that she was commended by the apostle because of her love for God. Her name is preserved for two thousand years as a beacon of light to shine for others to be busy in the work of the church. There is much to be done. Women like Phoebe are an important part of that work to show the glory of God in their lives and the example they give in being a servant in the work of bringing lost souls to Christ. She died and was buried in a place long forgotten and lost in the dust of time but her memorial remains as testimony to a faithful life dedicated to the church of Christ. Every generation needs women like Phoebe who expend themselves in the work of the church doing everything they can to show the grace of God in their lives and to help lead others to Christ. Paul inscribed her name in his book to the Romans. The Lord God inscribed her name in the Book of life where she now dwells among the blessed in the bosom of Abraham. A life well lived. Thank you Phoebe. See you soon.

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. (Hosea 14:9)

Faith Is Knowing The Lord Is Right

Wisdom and being able to discern the matters of life will separate those who find fulfillment in their lives and those who will find only misery and hopelessness. Society is divided by those who live according to their own laws and judgments and the few who believe the word of God to be truth. The Bible is the mind of God revealed to all men and from the beginning of time has sought to give man everything he needs to be happy, filled, complete and hopeful. When God created the world He filled it with the abundance of things man needed to find comfort, peace and happiness. It was not until sin entered the world that misery, pain and suffering afflicted man and has continued unabated since then. Returning to Eden reminds man of what life was like before the wiles of Satan destroyed the relationship of God and man. Adam and Eve were told not to eat of the forbidden fruit and the consequence of their actions confirmed that God was right. Satan lied – not God. Everything the devil says is an untruth compared to everything the Lord establishes is truth. The ways of the Lord are right. Nothing God has done has been the wrong decision or the wrong way. When He cast Adam and Eve out of the garden it was because it was the right thing to do. Man in his sinful state could eat of the tree of life and live forever. This would not be a good thing for humanity. When the Lord came and destroyed the entire world save Noah and his family, it was the right thing to do. Whether anyone can understand how evil the world was at the time does not matter in the mind of God because He knew the depravity of the hearts of men. His judgment required punishment for their rebellion and sin and the flood was His answer. Every time the Lord took a punitive action against a nation (Egypt), a people (nation of Israel) or individuals (Nadab and Abihu) it was the right thing to do. Conversely all the good things God has done were the right things to do. It was the right thing to save Adam and Eve when they disobeyed the clear command of God. Telling Noah and his family how to save themselves was the right thing to do. Forgiving David of his sin with Bathsheba established the righteous character of God. Ultimately sending His only begotten Son into the world to save all men was the right thing to do. What other sacrifice could God have given but His Son? The ways of the Lord are right.

Understanding that all of God’s plans are right is where faith begins to grow in the heart of the disciple. Wisdom and prudence or discernment is where the value of the word of God enters the heart of the believer. If a man desires to obtain the greatest wisdom available to humanity it will come from the word of God. Knowing the righteous judgment of the Lord will give man a discerning heart to know the truth about life. God created man in His own image implanting on his soul the atoms of belief that when cultivated will bring forth greater knowledge and understanding of his world. The Bible is not given to man simply as a book of information but volumes of knowledge to help man find his way in life before his Creator and his fellow-man. All the principles of divine truth answer the age old question of why man exists, what his purpose in life is for and what is beyond the vale of death. No other book can give those answers. Unequivocally the Bible is the one book revealing details about man that could not have come from the mind of frail men but a divine being who lives and abides above all men. The ways of the Lord are right and knowing what the will of the Lord is gives wisdom to man and the ability to discern what is right and wrong. Historically speaking all of the failures of men has come from ignoring the wisdom of God. Take any period of time and whenever nations fall and communities fail it is because the wisdom of the Lord has been rejected and men try to find truth in themselves.

There are two classes of people in the world: those who are righteous who live by the word of God and those who are transgressors who refuse to accept divine law as their guide. The wise and prudent accept the word of God as truth and all those who refuse to accept the word of God stumble and fall in their own folly. Hosea the prophet lived 700 years before Christ and 700 years after the Law of Moses. The truth of his word stands as a testimony to the eternal wisdom of God through the ages that declares to all generations that faith comes from hearing the word of God. Who is wise? The man who understands the will of the Lord. Who is discerning? Those who accept the word of God and seek to know the measure of His knowledge. Building faith can only come from believing that everything God does is right.

• Kent Heaton

“Therefore prepare yourself and arise, and speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, lest I dismay you before them. For behold, I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land – against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.” (Jeremiah 1:17-19)

Preach The Word With Courage

The prophet Jeremiah lived in a trying time for God’s people. It was not so much the difficulty for the people but the challenge for those who tried to live righteous in a world given over to unrighteousness. Making matters worse was the realization the wickedness of the nation was reflected in the lives of the people of God as they fell deeper into the immorality of the nations around them. It was difficult to tell the difference between a child of God and a child of the devil. Israel had corrupted itself to be as rebellious as the pagan idolaters she was told to cast out from her midst. The folly of idolatry had destroyed the northern ten tribes of Israel and would eventually send the final two tribes into a seventy year exile in a foreign land. Standing at the helm of the nation trying to bring the people back were men of great courage, faith, resilience and incredible fortitude as they prophesied the goodness and severity of God to sway the people to return to the old paths of truth and righteousness. Jeremiah was one such prophet who endured hardships from his own people because he preached the word of God with power and clarity. He did not sway from the message of the Lord to tell the people how sinful and rebellious they were. His charge was a powerful testimony to the instructions of the Lord for all who proclaimed the message of His word: Preach the word without reservation. There can be no variation in telling the people exactly what the Lord commanded. His word was truth and the prophets were expected to voice the law of God without challenging the will of the Lord against His own people. It would require great courage but the Lord assured them He would be with them.

Jeremiah was told to prepare himself to preach the word. He had a monumental task ahead of him that would not be easy and he would face much opposition. His work was to stand against the kings of Judah, its princes and priests and against the people of the land if they stood against the law of God. There was one code of law that guided the words of the prophet and that was the things commanded by the Lord. Jeremiah’s charge was simple: preach the word of the Lord and the word of the Lord alone. God reminds the prophet that he will be held accountable for how he handles the word of truth. If he fails to tell the people what the Lord said he would be held accountable himself. He could not soften the words of the Lord, change the will of God and he was required to speak the truth whether it made him popular or persecuted. Preaching the counsel of the Lord would not be easy in Judah because the people did not want to hear what the prophet had to say. They would fight against what he said. The nation of God had turned away from His love and sought after the harlot of the world for comfort. As a prophet of truth Jeremiah would preach the powerful word of God to a rebellious nation. He was told by God that while the people rejected him he must keep preaching the truth. The assurance of the Lord was founded in the word of God that He would not forsake the prophet and to deliver him from the persecution of his own people. Jeremiah remains one of the great prophets of Holy writ because of his faith in God and courage to preach without reservation the pure word of God.

There is a great need for men like Jeremiah to prepare themselves, and arise and preach the word of God. Times change little from generation to generation and the world in which we live is filled with the temptations for the people of God to be like the nations around them. Carnal worldliness creeps into the church of the Lord with every generation and the influences of the world often are reflected in the lives of God’s people. Men like Jeremiah must arise who are willing to teach, preach and instruct the people of God from the word of God without hesitation and reservation. The call remains the same for those who will prepare themselves to preach the word in season and out of season as Paul would tell Timothy. Teaching the word of God must be from a spirit of being secure as a fortified city and an iron pillar and bronze walls against the whole land. Let the word of God be the fortification. Allow the strength of God’s word be the framework of preaching. The word of God will be against those who exalt themselves above His truth and His righteousness but the Lord will fight with those who are willing to stand in the gap and proclaim the powerful message of Jesus Christ. Let no man stand in the way of the world when preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. The world will not prevail against the word of God when men stand with the Lord. Prepare yourself and arise and speak to the world the things commanded by the Lord God Almighty. Preach the word.

• Kent Heaton

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

(Psalm 100)

A Psalm Of Thanksgiving

When John unveils the revelation of the throne of God the stage is filled with heavenly creatures worshiping and praising the Lord giving honor to the one that sat upon the throne. There is an immediate response to all who come into the presence of the Almighty. The heart is filled with praise for the glory of the Almighty as they shout out hymns of gladness to stand before the grace of a loving God. This feeling of praise has longed filled the lips of those who come into the presence of the Lord to worship Him with thanksgiving. Psalms of old are filled with the immediacy of making joyful shouts to the Lord and the spirit of gladness flowing from hearts indebted to the wonderful mercies of a compassionate Creator. Knowing the favor of God elicits a response of joy that fills the lips with shouts of praise to the Lord because there is so much to be thankful for and to acknowledge. Serving the Lord is not a burdensome task but an experience of joyful praise for all the incredible things given by the hand of a benevolent Father. It is not a fearful thing to come before God but an eternal happiness that causes the lips to express a deep love for His grace. People of God are thankful for their many blessings and they shout to the Lord their words of thanksgiving. Singing is an integral part of worshiping the Lord and giving honor to His immense blessings of grace. There is a natural response to thanksgiving that is found in song and praise. Serving the Lord is best done when a spirit of song fills the heart.

Thanksgiving comes from the knowledge the Creator loves His creation. Nothing is greater and more sublime than the understanding that He who formed the creation cares for everything in the life of man. He is Lord and He is God. His authority is firmly established. The role of God as Lord can never be challenged because He is the one who has made us and not we ourselves. There are many things man has been able to accomplish in his brief history that are monumental and grand. These all pale in comparison to the One who can hold the universe in the palm of His hand. What can man do that is greater than that? Thanksgiving must come from a heart humbled by how small the boat of man is in the vast ocean of God’s creation, power, majesty and knowledge. It is He who made us and that must always be remembered to properly address the spirit of thanksgiving. Man is the animal most often referred to as sheep with the Lord as the shepherd. Sheep are timid creatures that cannot care for themselves and must rely upon the shepherd for protection, care and provisions. Like sheep man is dependent upon God as the great shepherd. Everything given to man in life comes from the hand of the Lord and thanksgiving is telling God how much the heart is thankful for all things. The Lord holds the breath of man in His hand. Each day begins by the grace of God and life is extended through the mercy of God. Provisions that help make life bearable come from the hand of the Lord. Thanksgiving is telling the Lord ‘thank you’ for life itself.

As aresponse to the knowledge of God’s providential care the worshiper desires tocome into the gates and court of the Lord with thanksgiving and praise. Joiningwith worshipers who lift up their voices of gladness to the Lord is a time ofgreat thanksgiving. Blessing the name of God is a time of reverent joy to thankthe Lord for all His infinite mercies. The Lord is good and there is no denyingit. His mercy is everlasting and all those who abide in the temple of God honorHim for His everlasting word. Thanksgiving springs from the word of the Lordthat shows righteousness and truth as the divine will of the Creator. All of thewords of God are patterned for the blessing of man. Living under the power ofHis word is where hearts of thankfulness spring because they fill man with theglory of the Creator. Worship is an expression of man to acknowledge theincredible power of God’s divine will to guide, shape and form the life of man.His law is perfect. The way of the Lord is truth. Man’s wisdom ends in folly;God word ends in praise. Thanksgiving fills the soul of man as he walks in thepath of truth. It is not difficult to make a joyful shout to the Lord and toserve Him with gladness because there is so much to be thankful for that comesfrom the hand of God. Happy Thanksgiving in God, His Son Jesus Christ and theHoly Spirit.

As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:30-32)

Abiding In Jesus Is Freedom

There is great joy in the soul of the man who finds release from the burden of sin. Nothing can be compared to the knowledge that a wrathful God has removed His power of judgment against the sinful wiles of fallen man redeeming him by the blood of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. Sin is a burden that no man can tame apart from the grace of God. There is nothing in the wisdom of carnal man that can devise, plan or execute the solution to his fallen state of degradation. Through the centuries men tried to make themselves gods to free them from the shackles of corruption but to no avail. Only through the gift of God in Christ can man find the freedom is so desperately needs. The joy of freedom does not come only by the salvation of the soul. Jesus taught those who believed in Him the words He spoke would give them salvation because what He shared with them was truth and that truth would set them free. And what freedom that becomes in the soul of the believer.

Abiding in the word of God is dwelling on the eternal truths from the divine will of the Creator. The teaching of Jesus is what gives the freedom for those who are faithful to His word and keep His word. Salvation is given to those who obey the Lord but greater faith comes from dwelling in the word of God. The knowledge of the word of God sets the spirit free from the oppressions of guilt, regret, sorrow and pain. Those who are set free live in the word of God, breathe the word of God and know the word of God. The greatest gift man has is the revelation of the mind of God written down for him to read and understand the immensity of divine grace. The Lord has not left Himself without witness. From the pages of the Bible man learns where he came from and why God created him. He is able to understand the need of grace when he sees the failings of men trying to save themselves. As the scriptures open up the struggles of the people of God grace is realized through the mighty hand of a loving God. Truth guides the soul to blameless living without the guilt of sin. The more time a man abides in the word of God the more freedom he realizes. There is great value in reading the Bible but the greatest gift is the freedom that gleams from its pages into the heart of those who believe and follow the pattern of discipleship in Christ.

Knowing the truth of God is wherefreedom comes from when it dwells continually in the mind of a saved man. This isnot a momentary effort of finding the answers to what a man must do to besaved. Knowing the truth and truth giving freedom should never be looked uponas a single moment in time when obedience is full in Christ. Understanding the truthof Jesus Christ and abiding daily in the word of God is where freedom comesfrom. It becomes a constant release through the life of those who continuallybelieve and act upon that belief in the daily living. Truth makes the heartfree to those who live by the word of God. This becomes a continual action asthe word fills the heart, mind and soul of the follower of Jesus Christmanifested in the life of those who serve the Lord in truth and sincerity.Freedom is a daily experience. There is great joy in the hearts of those whoknow the word of God, abide in the divine words of eternal truth and practicethe principles of righteousness in every part of their lives. Nothing can set aheart as free as the love of God dwelling in the soul of man. Know the truth ofGod. Understand the word of God and you will be set free.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:6-9)

The Outcome Of Your Faith

It is difficult to imagine living in a world where Nero was ruling as Caesar and as a Christian persecution was a common lot. The apostle Peter lived in a time of great trial to call Jesus Savior and King and serve the Lord instead of pagan dogmas. Many of God’s people would suffer death because they believed in one God and professed allegiance to the King Jesus. Persecution came from many quarters of the Roman world: the Roman government, Judaism, carnality, internal and individual conflicts among the brethren. Peter is writing to the pilgrims of the dispersion seeking to instill in their hearts a spirit of courage and faith. There was little room for comfort in a world attacking those who professed Christ. The humble apostle writes to bring hope to the weary souls of those who had faced many trials as Christians and had more trials to face. He wanted them to understand that all their trials would last for a little while but then be removed. Whether in the end of persecution or the reality of death, hope for the Christian came from the knowledge the faithful would inherit the kingdom of God. Faith needed to be genuine to survive the torrent of trials the early saints faced. Through the trials of their test of faith the early Christians would learn a resilience to carry them to salvation. Peter had seen the Lord and spent many hours with Him. Many of the Christians he writes to had never seen Jesus and yet believed strongly in the message of the man from Galilee. The saints loved Christ and this love was not based on having seen Jesus face to face but through the teaching of the word of God. Their joy was inexpressible and full of glory by faith in Christ. This is an amazing kind of faith when those who have never seen another love with such intensity. As a result of their faith they had in a figure received the salvation of their souls. Grace would be poured out in its greatest measure in eternity but the grace of God overwhelmed His children who received the end or outcome of their faith in this life by believing in Jesus.

Faith serves many parts of life. It is the substance of things hoped for because it sees the face of Jesus and trust in His word. Faith is the evidence of things not seen giving salvation to the soul knowing that God’s word is faithful and true. The outcome of faith is the blessing it brings to the heart to face whatever trial life brings. In the days of Peter it was fierce persecution. In many parts of the world today there are faithful children of God living under the pale of oppression because of their belief in one God, one Lord and one faith. The outcome of their faith gives them the reassurance of all God’s promises being true and they can enjoy salvation of their souls in the hope of eternal life yet to come. For those living in America it is a greater challenge to build upon their faith as it can easily become something taken for granted. Joy inexpressible is rooted in the feelings of dependence on the grace of God to carry the soul through the trials of life. It may be facing cancer, hearing the news of a loved one’s death, losing employment, struggling with the consequence of sin and a host of ways Satan seeks to destroy faith. Salvation is realized in this life when hope trust in the promises of God.

Genuine faith is more precious than gold that perishes. It becomes stronger when tested by fire. Salvation never comes free. It cost Jesus His place with the Father and His death on the cross. All those who seek to follow the Savior must humble themselves and carry a cross. The burden of faith is relieved in the joy of salvation’s message of hope realized in this life. No matter the challenges faced in life hope is awakened from the eternal strains of God’s love and grace. Faith is seeing the face of Jesus yet having never seen Him. The outcome of faith is found in praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. This knowledge soothes the weary soul to endure the trials of life and see the joy of heaven. Salvation of the soul is not something to look forward to but to enjoy now through the eye of faith.

And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him. (Psalm 89:5-7)

Fear In The Assembly Of The Saints

Ethan the Ezrahite was a man of great wisdom who lived during the reign of Solomon, son of David. When Solomon was compared in his wisdom it was said that he was wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite. The only writing we have of Ethan is the eighty-ninth psalm contemplating the mercies of God along with the covenant given to David. Contained in his power psalm is recognition of how powerful the time is for man to stand before the Lord God Almighty and offer worship. From the beginning of time man has known the Lord requires worship and like in the story of Cain and Abel recognizes true worship from vain. In his declaration of praise to the Lord, Ethan the Ezrahite directs his readers to focus on the assembly of the saints and the attitudes manifested by adherents to the law of God. Coming before the Lord must never be done with a cavalier attitude of disrespect for what man is permitted to do in the presence of his Maker. The world is a testimony to the awesome power and might of God. Man is the creation and must subject himself to the will of the Lord. Worship is a time of holiness and honor where men must fear standing in the presence of God. There is a sense in which men think they will stand before God and speak to the Almighty as if they are best friends on a fishing trip. Many view God as a buddy they can slap on the back, laugh and jaw with through eternity. Their perception of the Creator is one of vanity and casual association with little respect for the immensity of His being. Ethan the Ezrahite understood clearly that worship begins with a fear for the holy and reverence for the divine.

Worship has never changed in principle. The modes of worship have evolved as God unfolded His divine plan but the nature of worship will never change. All those who come into His presence to worship Him must come with great fear. This does not suggest a trembling fear of wrathful recompense but the respect and honor due to Creator by His creation. Man is not God and God is not man. True worship comes from a heart gracious for the privilege to stand before the great I AM and not be destroyed. There is no comparison to the immensity of the Lord God and the frailty of man. God can hold the entire universe in the palm of His hand. What can man do that bears any resemblance to such power? Only by His mercy and grace does He allow man to come before Him to worship Him. The first emotion that sweeps over the soul of the worshiper is that of thanksgiving for the honor to stand before his Maker. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints. John in the Revelation shows how the heavenly beings fall before the throne casting their crowns before the throne. No man can come before the One sitting on the throne without fear. The Lord God is to be revered for who He is, what He is and why He is. To revere the Lord in worship is to respect His name, honor His personality and approach Him with veneration.  All those around Him must reverence Him.

The church is the body of saints that worship according to the New Testament pattern. It is easy to follow the rote laws of proper worship and go through the motions of traditions established for generations. The great challenge is to remember that worship is not something to be taken lightly; however that is one of the greatest concerns in the Lord’s body. Often those who come to worship come to church instead. They come to a building to go through the motions of mechanical worship with little or no reverence for the occasion. Their clothing is fashioned after the world to elicit responses from others. Children are taught to ignore the meaning of worship as they play with a hosts of toys brought in to entertain, food by the bagful to placate their stomachs and electronic devices glowing in their faces. It is impossible to teach children to respect the Lord God in life when they are allowed to ignore the Lord God in worship. Adults scroll through social media during worship. Drinks are carried in from coffee shops, fast food drive through and mugs from home. Holidays like Easter, Halloween and Christmas invade the church services with carnal trappings of costumes festooned from the unholy world in a holy place of worship. Saints of God lose focus on the purpose for gathering together to worship the Lord, study His word and revere His name. Ethan the Ezrahite reminds all worshipers to come before the Lord with fear and reverence. The name of God will be glorified and His honor will be manifested by His majesty.

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (Ephesians 5:3-6)

Premarital Sex And The Christian

The societal norms of any generation have never determined what is right and wrong. Morality is not something governed by the whims of man because what may be considered morally unconscionable in one generation will be accepted by another generation. Character can never be formed by the establishment of society rules as these rules change from time to time as people change and accept what was once unacceptable. Right and wrong is determined by the one who has the right to establish the law of righteousness and unrighteousness. The word of God has always given man direction in the area of morality dictating what is acceptable and unacceptable. Through time eternal the law of God has remained unchanged in its principle nature of good and evil. One such norm is the increasing acceptance of pre-marital sex. What is concerning is the willing acceptance of fornication among the children of God. Those who profess to be Christian’s engage in sexual liaisons outside of marriage with little guilt or shame. In some cases congregations of the Lord’s kingdom ignore or treat with little concern those who live in such a manner. This would include those who engage in fornication on a frequent basis and sometimes just the casual occurrences through dating or pre-marital engagements where couples believe they have a right to sex before marriage. In either case – fornication is sin – and sin without repentance will destroy eternal life.

Premarital sex is one of the most common problems young and old face. It is exciting, fun and momentarily rewarding. However, the Lawgiver has said that sexual relations outside of marriage is wickedness and will bring about His wrath on those who trifle with His law. Saints of God should not be known for their promiscuity. Young women should be examples of purity in the manner of the dress (the clothes they wear), their speech (the words they use) and their attitudes (the manner of their heart). This is especially true of young men who must be men of God (the character of their heart) who act in a godly manner (the example they give) as they interact with young ladies. Parents must teach their children the need for purity with no suggestions of acceptability in the matter of premarital sex. When fathers and mothers condone their children’s actions as “being young” they prepare their children for an eternity in hell. Fornication should not be named among those who profess to be Christian’s. The law of God on fornication is not given because of health reasons, psychological reasons or societal pleasures for a happy marriage. Premarital sex is a sin because God said it was. There will be regrets when this law is ignored. It will impact lives for many years that sometimes can and never heal. Godliness is profitable for this life because it leads the heart toward purity and lessens the regrets of life.

One of the deceptions of fornication is the belief that if no one knows it happened it will be okay. Sometimes this becomes evident with a pregnancy but more often than not it goes undiscovered. The apostle warns against the smug feeling of hiding the sin of fornication by reminding disciples of Christ not to be deceived by empty words. The wrath of God will come upon all those who practice disobedience. Premarital sex may never be known by those on earth but the Father above is fully aware of time, place and whom. David tried to hide his sin but God knew everything. Young and old must be warned that fornication may happen in the dark but to the Lord God all things are done in the day. His wrath will come upon those who engage in premarital sex and fail to seek repentance and stop their ungodliness. There are many blessings in waiting for marriage. The conjugal blessings found in the marriage bed will bring great happiness, joy and fulfillment when the word of God is followed. As Creator, the Lord designed the home to be founded upon the purity of its relationships given by one man and one woman to each other. As people of God, fornication should never be named. Live pure. Live holy. Serve God.

Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

1. He who walks uprightly,
2. And works righteousness,
3. And speaks the truth in his heart;
4. He who does not backbite with his tongue,
5. Nor does evil to his neighbor,
6. Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;

In whose eyes a vile person is despised;

7. But he honors those who fear the Lord;
8. He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
9. He who does not put out his money at usury,
10. Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

 (Psalm 15; A Psalm of David)

David’s Ten Points Of Character

The essential question has always been to find how to dwell with God again. When the Lord placed man in the garden there was a harmony and a pleasant existence between the creation and the Creator. Sin destroyed this union and man has struggled to find his way back to the Lord. Character has been at the forefront of how man finds God and rekindles the spirit of true worship and holiness and learning to come before the great I AM. As a man after God’s own heart, David understood the meaning of having a purposeful character in approaching the throne of the Almighty. He outlines in ten simple yet ideal parts of character the answer to whom can abide in the presence of the Lord and dwell in the place of holiness. Immediately the reader is struck by the reality that coming before God is not to be done with a frivolous and carefree spirit. The Lord God is holy and demands a holy character to come before Him. Not everyone can abide in the dwelling of God and not everyone will be permitted to dwell in His presence. Men often mistake their carnal wisdom of friendship with acceptability of the Lord to their sins and hypocrisy. He is holy and so holy His character demands those who come before Him be holy. The Lord must be regarded as holy and reverenced for His holy name. As the character of God demands character in men the need for all men to come before the Lord is imperative to see the kind of person permitted in the presence of the Almighty. The Lord is a discerner of hearts. He sees the soul of man in its pure form. Those who come into His presence are laid bare in their hearts with no guile and no vain attempts to impress the Lord God. David knows full well the kind of character required to come before the Lord.

Three positives are given followed by three negatives. Abiding in the dwelling of God requires the heart of a man who is blameless and upright, working righteousness and speaking truth in his heart. Character comes from the manner of life. Those who seek the Lord must have a character that is found in living above reproach. Blameless living is acting in such a manner that the word of God is the rule for what is said, how one dresses, and demeanor of attitudes and view of life. Walking uprightly respects the law of God as the rule of life. Working righteousness is simply doing those things that are right as revealed by the word of God. Righteousness is not measured by societal norms but the contrast of what the Bible teaches about morality and character. Truth is on the lips of a man who wants to come before God. One of the most important evidences of character is what a man says. People of God must be known for truth in every part of life. His word must be his bond because his bond is the word of God.

There are three negatives that define the character of the godly. Speaking truth in his heart keeps a man from backbiting with his tongue. To backbite is to slander, gossip, speak evil of and disseminate character assassination against others. The holy person of God does not allow his tongue to define his character as unjust and unkind. Whether in word or deed the follower of God does not seek harm to his neighbor. Children of God are known by their fruits of kindness, patience and endurance to believe the good in people. Accepting the voice of gossip will keep a person from dwelling with the Lord. Backbiting, doing evil to a neighbor and allowing a reproach against a friend will keep a soul from being one with God. This shows the heart of a man willing to accept others as equals without partiality. The Lord is not partial and those who come before Him must exhibit the same character.

Four points of character close out the discussion of who may come before the Lord. The man of God honors those who fear the Lord. He honors the righteous as examples to immolate and model his life after. Learning character often comes from the faith of others as they imitate the Father. Worship is walking in the footsteps of those who seek a higher spiritual plane living blameless in a crooked and perverse generation. Secondly, the man of God is a man whose word is his bond regardless of circumstance. His speech is seasoned with the salt of God’s word and without reproach honors the word he makes because it is established upon the word of the Lord. In a world filled with men who lie and deceive the child of God stands on the holy hill of God as a person of integrity in speech, honesty in action and purity in heart. The third point David offers is the man of God is a person of fair dealings with all men. He does not allow greed to define his character as one who unjustly claims financial reward from others. This is also found in his fourth and final point of taking bribes against the innocent. In other words, a man of God will not take advantage or abuse his relationship with others to their hurt. Coming before the Lord on His holy hill requires a heart that is free from the carnal greed of men who seek to have power through dishonesty and wickedness. Holiness demands a heart of kindness and love. No man will ever stand in the tabernacle of the Lord who is dishonest or abusive to his neighbor.

David exhorts all those who seek to come before the Lord to follow these simple yet vital parts of character. Jesus is the example of all of these traits. He lived blameless before the law and showed in His life the character of one who can abide with the Father and dwell with God in purity. If we imitate Jesus we will follow the words of David and enjoy the blessing of being in the presence of the Almighty. Character is how we define ourselves before men and before God. Follow these words and you will never be moved.