The Heaton File

For there is no partiality with God. (Romans 2:11)

How God Judges All Men

Partiality is the inclination to favor one person over another with a bias toward others. This is a part of the human nature that cannot be denied. The level of partiality is different with everyone, with some men having a deep-seated prejudice towards others with evil motives. Every part of life has some partiality from likes and dislikes. Some enjoy coffee, while others can’t stand the taste. This has no serious consequences as it is only a matter of taste. Some enjoy living in a cold climate, while others prefer a warmer environment. Relationships can be partial. In a court of law, the judge or jury will express some partiality. Lawyers try to persuade the jury to lean in their direction with a partial view they believe is best for their clients.

The purity of truth can only be adjudicated when the judge has a perfect knowledge of the individual. No such person exists on the face of the earth. At best, the judgments of men can be fair, but to some degree, they will have a partial slant to the verdict. Since no one has perfect knowledge, the judgment is flawed at some level. The guilt or innocence of the heart is measured by the external evidence seen by the human eye and what the mind can understand. Because man is limited in his knowledge, his judgment is never perfect. One such judgment is to fail to understand the judgment of God is without partiality in its purest form.

God is not partial to any man. There is no partiality with God, an absolute statement of divine fact that will never change. The nature of God is the purity of His judgment upon all men. God knows everything about the heart of a man, with no exception. What makes man a partial creature is his lack of knowledge. God’s divine nature is that He knows everything and can make a judgment based on His righteousness. God is not swayed because of the stature of a man. Kings and peasants are judged on the same level. Whether a man is rich or poor matters not to the Lord in judgment. How a man handles wealth may determine his eternal destiny, but God is not moved to be partial because he has great wealth.

Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus, who died. The importance and wealth of the rich man did not change his destiny. Lazarus was judged to be righteous, although he lived a tormented and sad life. An angel of the Lord struck down Herod Agrippa because he did not give glory to God. Did it matter that he was a Roman king? Not in the eyes of the Lord. All men will stand before the judgment bar of the Lord God, and when a sentence is passed, it will not come from a partial bench of justice. God’s wrath will be meted out on all those who do not know God and that obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every soul that does the will of the Father, from the greatest to the least, will hear the words of eternal life. God is not partial. He will judge every man from the heart because He knows all men.

But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)

The Kingdom And The Name

Preaching the gospel in the First Century was a pure, undiluted, and simple message. Men like the historian Luke recorded the events of the early church as it grew from the souls added to the church on Pentecost to churches of the Lord spread throughout the Roman Empire. Men and women went everywhere sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Philip was an evangelist first called as one of the seven to care for the neglected widows in Jerusalem. When Saul of Tarsus persecuted the church, Philip left to spread the gospel in other parts. He went to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

There was much joy in the city of Samaria as many people turned to Christ. Luke records that Philip preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. When the multitudes heard Philip’s preaching, both men and women were baptized. The gospel contains many messages, but the basics are in Philip’s preaching. He did not come into the city to impress the people with his wisdom or abilities. He performed miracles by the Holy Spirit, casting out unclean spirits and healing the paralyzed and lame. The reason the people obeyed the gospel came from the preaching of the kingdom and the name of Christ. A miracle does not save; preaching saves.

Preaching the kingdom of God is telling the story of Jesus, who said He would build His church. The church and the kingdom are the same. On the day of Pentecost, the Lord added those who were saved to the church. Similarly, those saved were included in the kingdom of God as citizens subject to the king. Jesus taught about His kingdom coming which was fulfilled in Acts 2. The kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of Christ, and the kingdom of God are the same as the unified body of believers. Daniel prophesied that the kingdom of God would come in the days of the Roman Empire. Philip preached a message of fulfillment that all men must be part of the kingdom of God to be saved.

Jesus said He would build His church, and Peter would receive the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Philip preached the name of Jesus Christ as the head of the church and king reigning over the kingdom of God. The people of Samaria understood the importance of the kingdom. Philip preached only one kingdom because there was only one church. There is no name under heaven whereby a man can be saved. If a person is not in the kingdom of God, he cannot be saved. If the kingdom and the church are the same, a person cannot be saved unless they are added to the church in accordance with the will of God. Many believe the church is unimportant. Philip did not preach that message. He showed the people of Samaria the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus as necessary for salvation.

When the Samaritans heard Philip preach about the kingdom and the name of Jesus, they did what the Lord required. Both men and women were baptized. The greatest false teaching is to deny the necessity of baptism. Preaching the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ are eternally intertwined with the necessity of baptism. The Samaritans understood the teaching and obeyed the word of God. Those today who teach salvation by faith only and deny baptism as essential for salvation lie. Every example of conversion based on the kingdom of God and the name of Christ includes baptism. The only way to become a citizen of the kingdom is through the waters of baptism. To become a member of the church of Christ as found in the Bible, one must enter through the blood of Jesus Christ: baptism.

The kingdom and the name are the basis of preaching seldom heard today. Most churches preach anything but that. They are more content to tickle the ears of the audience with the health and wealth doctrine of prosperity and to put on a good show with lots of loud music and lights. Religious zealots leave feeling good, not realizing they are lost. Philip would preach the same message today. He would not be welcome in most churches. The kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ is the path to eternity. Without them, there is no hope.

The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad! (Psalm 97:1)

He Reigns

Three words summarize all that man needs to know: “The Lord reigns.” The world is held together by the word of God. It seems incredible to grasp, but the Lord knows how much water there is on the planet and the weight of dust contained within its sphere. If the Lord desired, He could tell how many mountains there are on land and in the sea and how much they weigh. No animal in all the earth stirs without the notice of the Lord. Man cannot plum the ocean’s depths because it is too deep. To God, the Mariana Trench is a puddle, and Mount Everest is a small bump. Every star in the universe has a name given to it by God. He knows where every constellation, galaxy, star, planet, meteor, and microscopic space dust is located. Man cannot fathom the expanse of the universe, but the Lord God holds it in His hand. He reigns, and the earth should rejoice.

The earth’s population is over eight billion souls, and God knows every name. He knows what each person is thinking, where they are in the world, when they were born, and everything done in the dark. No one is lost before the eyes of the Lord. The Tomb of the Unknown is known to God. People have disappeared without a trace, but God knows where each one is. His knowledge of humanity is unlimited. It increases every year with a new generation. The Lord can tell the life story of Adam to every detail of 930 years, and He can describe the life story of every human being since then. He reigns, and the earth should rejoice.

In the beginning, God created light and separated it from the darkness. Nothing is hidden from God because the darkness is light to His eyes. Men can hide things from other men, but man can conceal nothing from God. In the physical world, the eyes of the Lord know everything a person has done and where they have been. From a mental part of life, the Lord hears all the thoughts of the human heart from the time a child is born until the death of his death. He knows what is said, the intent of the heart, and the spirit of a man, whether good or evil. Nothing is hidden from the piercing examination of the Lord God. He reigns, and the earth should rejoice.

A man is born of a woman, lives a certain number of years, and dies. He is a mortal creature that begins a journey to death in birth. His limitations are clearly defined. There are places the human body cannot go and endure. In the early world, men lived for nearly a thousand years and still died. With all the advances of science, life cannot be extended beyond just over 100 years for a few. Man cannot stop death, and he cannot change the aging process. Man has a beginning and an end when it comes to the mortal flesh. God has no beginning and has no end. He created man, which gives man a beginning, and through this creation, makes man an eternal creature without end. The mortal flesh will die, but the inward man will never cease to exist. Men refuse to accept that they are immortal and there is life after death. God existed before man was created. He reigns, and the earth should rejoice.

Understanding God’s nature helps man’s heart see clearly who and what he is. Man is a creature created for the glory of God. There is no comparison between God and man. What man knows is not even a thimble of microscopic dust compared to the vast wisdom of an eternal God. To know that God reigns should bring great joy to the hearts of those who see the vastness of God’s power, authority, and glory and yet His delight to invite His creation to dwell with Him. Let all the earth rejoice in the knowledge that God reigns. His rule remained constant before the worlds were formed. The rule of God will remain after the world is destroyed. We serve an awesome God. He reigns, and all the earth should rejoice.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving. 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)

Learning To Be Thankful

There are many things to be thankful for. The trouble with the human heart is to know who to be thankful for and for what to be thankful. Thanksgiving must be more than a holiday in November. If a man sees nothing to acknowledge as necessary to be thankful for, he will believe he exists by his own wisdom and power. The failure of human wisdom is to deny a higher power. Philosophy would have a man believe he is his own Creator, and his destiny is completely within his power. Nothing is further from the truth because man exists only through the will of the Creator. Everything in the world is held together by the word of God. When a man comes to that recognition, he will immediately bow in worship and thanksgiving.

The reason for a man to rejoice is that he knows that the Lord, He is God. There is nothing more fundamental for the creation to acknowledge he has a Creator, Maker, Provider, and Protector. At best, man is like the sheep who depend upon the shepherd for everything. Sheep are creatures who cannot care for themselves and cannot defend themselves against danger. They completely and utterly depend upon the shepherd to care for and protect them. There is no allusion to why God always refers to mankind as sheep of a pasture. Man needs God in everything.

When the Sun rises in the east, it is by the will of God. The universe is in perfect union and design because God created it for His glory. Everything in the world is suited for life on earth and the blessings of humanity. God gave Adam and Eve dominion over the animals and the world to show His power and glory. When a man knows the Lord is God, he makes a joyful shout to the glory of God. His spirit is filled with gladness and thanksgiving. The heart of man wants to worship his Creator and give Him thanks as he ponders the depths of the oceans, the heights of the mountains, and the complexities of a marvelous world created by God.

The Lord is good. One of the most important realizations a man can have is the reality of the goodness of God. Reading the word of God, the heart realizes how great the mercy of God is toward an undeserving creature. This message of truth and mercy endures through every generation because truth is older than error, and the word of God endures to all generations. What man learns today about God is not new. The same message of hope has filled the hearts of the faithful in every generation. Knowing what God did in sending His only begotten Son heightens the spirit of thanksgiving for a man to know he could not save himself apart from the mercy of God. God is good and shows His goodness in Jesus Christ.

Make a joyful shout to the Lord for the eternal goodness of divine grace. The immediate response to knowing what God has done is worship, praise, honor, and glory. A desire to stand before the Lord with singing is a response of the heart filled with thanksgiving. People of God are people who live every day with a thankful heart. They know what God has done, are thankful to Him, and bless His name. The Lord is good. Be thankful.

Then Job answered and said: “I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all! Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer? I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you; but I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief. (Job 16:1-5)

The Sound Of Silence

There is no greater story of suffering than the man Job, who suffered loss at the highest level in less than 24 hours. The Sabeans raided his flocks and killed the servants. Fire from heaven fell upon the sheep and servants, killing them. The Chaldeans raided the camels, took them away, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword. And then the news came to Job and his wife their seven sons and three daughters were killed in a storm that destroyed the house they were in. Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground, and worshipped. He proclaimed in his loss that he had come into the world with nothing, and he would return with the same.

The life of Job would take another tragic turn when painful boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head consumed him. Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape his skin as he sat among a heap of ashes. It seemed Job’s misery would not end. He maintained his integrity and did not sin nor charge God with wrong. After the boils covered his body, his wife could not understand how he retained his integrity, begging him to curse God and die. Job kept his faith in God.

When Job’s four friends heard of his plight, they came to see how they could comfort him. They were astonished at what they saw. When they saw him from afar, they did not recognize him. Lifting their voices in lament and eyes filled with tears, they tore their clothes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. Then, they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. During those seven days, no one said a word to Job. When they looked at their friend, all they could see was the intensity of suffering was too great for words. They sat in silence to comfort their friend.

Breaking the silence after seven days, Job cursed the day of his birth. Eliphaz spoke first, accusing Job of sinning. He believed the suffering came as a result of a sin or sins Job committed and that God was chastening him. Job denied the charge. Bildad and Zophar told Job he should repent. Again, Job answers his critics and claims his innocence. Eliphaz accuses Job of foolishness. Job responds by telling his three friends who accused him they were miserable comforters. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were close friends of Job and wanted desperately to find a way to ease the suffering of Job. Instead, they only heightened it by saying the wrong things.

When Job’s friends initially came to see him, they did the best thing they could do. They sat in silence with their friend for seven days and nights. Sometimes, the best remedy for grief is silence. What makes this silence so loud is the comfort it gives to the one suffering. The mistake the three friends made with Job was trying to explain something they could not explain or understand. Helping those with loss can be done with words only if the right words are chosen; and so often they are not. It is the human nature to try and take the pain away or divert the conversation from the reality, but overcoming loss is a process that takes love and patience.

So often, people are scared to talk with those grieving, and that kind of silence hurts. Words are helpful in the midst of loss, but so is the sound of silence when holding hands, hugs, and sitting with someone as they go through their grief. Showing love to the bereaved comes in many forms. No one is perfect at finding the right words, but showing love by being there and helping in any way can make the burden lighter and fulfill the law of God. Don’t ignore or neglect those going through loss. Job told his friends if he was in their place, he would try to encourage them. He would try to take away their grief. Be an encouragement. Sometimes, be the silence.

Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” (John 21:20-22)

It’s None Of Your Business

Where did Cain find a wife? An old preacher told an inquisitive student seeking answers that he should not be so interested in another man’s wife. Why did people live so long in the early days of the earth? What happened to the ark built by Noah? Where is the Ark of the Covenant? What happened to the cross Jesus was crucified on? There are many questions asked over the centuries that remain unanswered. The Bible tells us that Cain had a wife and bore many children, but it does not tell the story of where his wife came from. Nothing is known of so many things in the Bible that have puzzled the hearts of men.

The Bible is an answer book to the need of humanity to find salvation. It is not a book of encyclopedic knowledge to answer all the questions of the universe. There are many things not written in the book that remain unanswered. God never intended to give the world a book to open all the mysteries of life to fulfill men’s curiosity. What is contained in the sixty-six books of the Bible is all the world needs. God did not include sixty-five or sixty-seven books but the complete set of divine wisdom needed to guide the souls of men to eternal life.

There are four gospels about the life of Jesus. Anything less would not tell the whole story, and there was no need to include more. The perfect symmetry of the four gospels is the message of Jesus to Jews and Gentiles, showing Jesus to be man and God. After the story of Jesus’ birth, the only other reference to the life of Jesus is when He is twelve. Nothing is known of His life until He turns thirty. Why did the Father not add more information about the life of Jesus? It was not necessary for salvation.

After the resurrection, Jesus spent time with the eleven when He challenged Peter with questions of devotion. He asked the apostle if he loved Him, and Peter responded each time. Jesus tells Peter he will be carried away to his death when he is old. Afterwards, the Lord tells Peter to follow Him. Seeing John, Peter wants to know what will happen to John. Jesus gently chides Peter by telling him that what happens to John is none of his business. What Peter needed to focus on was following Jesus.

Keeping the main thing the main thing is sometimes challenging because all the answers are not found. Men spend lifetimes trying to answer questions that have no answers because God has not told them. False doctrines are often created from false stories that have no basis in truth. No one knows how many wise men came to see Jesus; their names are hidden from history. Yet, many teach there were three and give their names. Jesus reminds Peter there are more important matters to consider. Whether John lived or died is not any concern for Peter. What Peter’s concern is to follow Jesus.

The Bible was not written to answer all the questions of life, but it does answer the questions of eternal life. Everything a man needs to know to be saved is contained in the sixty-six books of the Bible – no more and no less. The Bible is a perfect composition of the will of God with exacting information that will lead to salvation. Read it to be wise unto salvation. Don’t worry about the things that are not revealed. It’s none of our business.

O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

It Is Possible To Stray From The Faith

Truth is older than error, but the effects of error have lasting results. God has always given man a law that is not hard to understand. The Lord has never asked man to do anything he could not do. Error comes when the human heart decides to overrule the will of God for the passions of the heart to do what human wisdom believes to be the truth. There is truth, and there is error because God established one line of authority, and that authority is settled in heaven. When a man denies the world is round, it does not change the truth that the world is a circle; instead, it exposes his error. Sadly, most of humanity does not believe in God because they reject truth.

There have always been godless doctrines of men that come from foolish wisdom with those who profess a so-called knowledge. This is where false doctrines come and how men turn away from truth. Many who once believed in God turn away from truth to follow their own path. The possibility of individual apostasy has always plagued the hearts of men. Paul warned Timothy about the profane and idle babblings that lead to the heart turning away from God. Those who seek after human wisdom will turn away from the faith. At one time, they believed in the faith given through Jesus Christ, but through the wisdom of the carnal mind, walk away from the word of God.

The possibility of a child of God losing his faith is real and dangerous. Paul warned the first-century Christians of those who shipwrecked their faith. These were legitimate people of God who were enlightened by the gospel of Christ, tasted the heavenly gift of grace, and partook of the gift of the Holy Spirit – and they walked away from their faith. The most tragic thing that happens to the heart of man is to walk away from God. Nothing is more damaging to the heart than error. Satan is very cunning in how he changes the hearts of God’s people to follow his pernicious ways. Ironically, one of the most powerful means of destroying the souls of the saints is to make them believe in the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.” Many hearts are being led down the path of error to their own destruction because of this doctrine.

Paul said that some have strayed concerning the faith. Those who were in the fellowship of grace fully possessed this type of faith. Human knowledge changes the heart to turn away from God. Paul’s warning was for Timothy to preach the word in every season to secure the hearts of the saints to remain faithful. The danger of a saint losing their soul is real. Satan does not give up on those who leave his fold. He works hard to regain their souls and has succeeded many times. The warning is real because the danger is real. Guard what is committed to your trust!

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; 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)

Be Quiet

Life’s aspirations can be as varied as the individual who makes them. Some men want to be remembered as society’s powerbrokers in politics, finance, sports, or education. Olympians train their whole lives to pursue medals and accolades of world fame. Riches draw many people to get as much wealth as possible in a lifetime. For many, life’s aspirations involve every physical pleasure to the enjoyment of the flesh. The irony is that those who seek fame and fortune to be remembered soon lose their fame and fortune and are forgotten within a generation.

From the beginning of man’s history, God has had a simple plan for His people. Aspire to lead quiet lives, let the world see their example of faith, and be diligent in the industry of produce. Moses is one of the most visible pictures of history, yet the Lord said he was the humblest man among men. Abraham is remembered as a friend of God. David was a man after God’s own heart. Many names have been passed down through the ages who grace the pages of God’s holy book, sharing one characteristic: they were humble servants of God living their lives as quiet people of the Most High God.

The Bible is filled with many warnings of keeping the law and obeying the word of the Lord. There are many parts of scripture where the doctrines of God are emphasized for their eternal consequences, demanding faithfulness on the part of God’s people. One part of scripture often overlooked is telling His people to live quiet lives as good examples to the world. Paul reminds the saints in Thessalonica to love one another and to lead quiet lives. The Christian does not show the world a loud character of rebellion, chaos, or civil unrest. God expects His people to submit to government with reverence and fear. The example of the saint is one of quietness and holiness. There is a part of the Christian’s life where they work diligently with their hands to provide for those in need and to mind their own business as examples of truth and righteousness.

Living quiet lives is one of the most powerful testimonies of the grace of God. The principle of Christian graces is founded on the need to be peaceful with all men, seek peace with everyone, and show the world an attitude of honest labor. These principles are core to the development of the child of God. Jesus told His disciples to be salt and light. Salt is a quiet seasoning that finds its strength in its contact with other things. Light is a soft effect that illuminates its surroundings without the thunder of pride and arrogance. Jesus wants His disciples to lead quiet lives as examples of the grace of God.

Paul tells Timothy to remind the brethren to respect kings and all who are in authority and to lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and reverence. This is what is good and acceptable in the sight of God. The result can be found in the souls who see the quiet examples of Christians serving God in holiness and leading them to be saved. When the world tries to ridicule the life of a Christian, they will have to argue against their quiet nature. Let the spirit of quietness dwell in the hearts of God’s people as proper examples of truth. Live peaceably with all men as much as possible. Let Christ shine from those who light up their world with the grace of God.

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?'” (Malachi 1:2a)

Ingratitude And God’s Love

Ingratitude is the highest insult man can give the Lord. Pride is the sin of man believing that he is greater than his Creator and does not need the Divine. After the Jews returned from seventy years of captivity in the land of Babylon, the people struggled to trust the Lord and seek His blessings. Their hearts were cold and hard against the grace of God. Worship became a drab and unfeeling movement of apathy as they sacrificed polluted offerings and wearied to show love for the Lord. The prophet Malachi was burdened with the message of God’s displeasure to the rebellious and unthankful people.

From the beginning of God’s promise to Abraham to make him a great nation, the mercy and grace of God had been extended to Israel time without number. The journey of the Hebrews to a nation of God’s special people was arduous and difficult. After saving His people from the bondage of Egypt, the people complained and murmured for forty years. Because of their lack of faith in God, the nation wandered close to the promised land as everyone above the age of twenty died in the wilderness. Only Joshua and Caleb would live to walk on the soil of the promised land.

During the period of the Judges, God delivered the people from their tormentors. The Lord gave the people a king to lead them, but they were unsatisfied. After the death of Solomon, the nation fell into civil war and divided with Israel in the north and Judah in the south. The Assyrians destroyed the northern tribes, and God’s grace spared Judah the same fate. God allowed Babylon to carry His people into captivity for seventy years. The decree of Cyrus sent the Jews home, but it was the handwriting of God that made it possible. Throughout all the many years of Israel’s existence, God was always present to care for and protect His people. And now the Jews murmur against God that He does not love them.

The ingratitude of humanity against the will of God is characteristic of how the world watches the sunrise every day, and life is filled with the grandeur and wonder of creation, and they hate God. Life is given through the hand of the Divine, and man despises the name of the Lord. Everything that man is and has comes from the hand of God. The breath of life begins with the Almighty. Rains fill the parched ground, crops abound with the commerce of plenty, joy and happiness come from the portals of heaven, and man complains that God has no love for them. One of the greatest sins against the Almighty is the heart of ingratitude.

God tells man He loves them, and He sends His only begotten Son to die for the sins of the world. The world replies, “In what way have You loved us?” The hatred of man against God is seen in how the world rejects God’s mercy and grace. Man has no time for the Lord. The Bible is dismissed as a book of fairy tales. Worship is ridiculed. Righteousness is reviled. Hedonism is the God of humanity denying all the good things God has done. Jesus said His Father allows the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. God shows his love, and humankind shows his hatred.

Malachi’s message remains the same. God has done everything to bless man with the physical needs of life and give him hope of life after death. There is never a doubt about the love of God. In return, a man complains that God does not love him. The heart is filled with ingratitude for all the blessings of God. What man fails to see is the hand of the Lord in everything. Gratitude turns the heart toward the great Provider and Sustainer of life. Be thankful to God and turn your heart toward His blessings. See the hand of God in all things pertaining to life and happiness. Show your love to God by thanking God for His love. That can only be found in Jesus Christ.

I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:13-16)

The Only Potentate

A sovereign is someone who exercises absolute authority as supreme ruler. The authority of a king in a monarchy is complete, absolute, and without question. Democracy is not one of the traits of a monarchy. When a sovereign rules over an empire, there is no higher authority. The ruler establishes laws as solely his power to execute and enforce his will upon the people. There have been many benevolent rulers in history and many more tyrants who rule with an oppressive iron will.

The apostle Paul lived in the days of the Roman Empire with supreme rulers like Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus, and Imperator Nero Claudius Caesar. These rulers exercised great authority over their subjects. As great as their power, they were ruled by a higher authority in God’s divine will. History is filled with men who, through power, dominated their world with cruelty and oppression, but only for a short time. After the men died, their influence was lost and forgotten. Many great nations have filled the globe with their conquest, as the Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans attest. While their reign was fierce and, in some cases, spanning many generations, they have all faded into the dust of history.

Jesus Christ is a King and is Lord. His sovereignty is different from that of men. Paul declares that Jesus is the only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords. As Potentate, Jesus is the only authority. When God raised Jesus from the dead, He gave His Son all authority. The covenant of blood was established through Jesus’s death, making Him the only Potentate. He is the supreme ruler and commander of the army of God. His word must not be ignored. The will of Jesus is in perfect union with the word of the Father. Jesus told His disciples what He taught was not His own word but what His Father commanded Him to preach.

The Christian world does not understand that Jesus is the only Potentate. This becomes evident when the teachings of the religious disciples do not come from the word of God. There are abundant things people believe and hold as truth that cannot be found in the word of God. The Bible is the law book of the King of Kings. As Lord above all lords, Jesus Christ is the final word. Serving as the kingdom’s only Potentate or Sovereign ruler, Jesus is the first and final word. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Nothing can be taken away from His word, and nothing can be added.

Jesus is Potentate. Salvation depends on whether a man is willing to submit to the complete will of the word of Jesus Christ. Any deviation from the word will bring harsh judgment from the King of kings. No ruler in the world has higher authority than Jesus Christ. No Supreme Court, Parliament, political group, kingship, or dictatorship exercises more authority than Jesus Christ. All men serve the King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus is the only Potentate. Peter challenged a group of powerful Jewish leaders, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.” The conclusion is that you must obey the will of the only Potentate.