The Heaton File

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

And Such Were Some Of You

Jesus Christ came to earth to bring a peace that passes understanding. It is beyond the comprehension of human wisdom to consider the magnitude of God’s mercy against the sinful nature of men. All men face the wrath of God because of rebellion against the nature of the Divine and the acceptance of wickedness. All sin is the transgression of the law of God, leading to punishment for breaking God’s commandments. The carnal mind leans toward the desires of the flesh to appease and satisfy the lusts of the eyes and flesh and encourage the human will to exalt itself with pride. Everything about the spirit of sin lures the heart’s desire to reject God, seeking the satisfaction of the flesh.

The natural desires of the flesh seek satisfaction with sexuality, worshipping idols, committing adultery, practicing homosexuality, stealing, coveting, and getting drunk, just to name a few. Paul describes the world of his day as not unlike any period of history from Adam to the present day. Satan has filled the world with the desires of the flesh. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and to free men from the bondage of sin. Those who practice unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. There will be no peace in death. Jesus preached often about the lake of fire and brimstone, the second death. There is a place of punishment for all who fill their lives with unrighteousness. God did not leave man in his destruction. Jesus came to bring freedom to anyone who would follow His call.

Corinth was a Roman city that was filled with immorality. If a person were an evil man, his life would be characterized as “living like a Corinthian.” In this backdrop of gross immorality, saints of God appeared who had lived in the sinful desires of sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners. Through the grace of God, these saints had turned away from the unrighteousness of the world and obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul says they were baptized into Christ, set apart for the works of the Holy Spirit, and found justified before God. What can compare to the grace of God to save such people? Only in Jesus Christ.

The joy of Paul’s message to Corinth was what is possible when God is believed and obeyed. Some of the Corinthian Christians were, at one time, part of the wicked world, as illustrated by Paul. Through the mercy of God, they became children of God, leaving that world behind and seeking the eternal weight of glory. Becoming a Christian may have been difficult for some of these saints. Their lives were dramatically changed by the gospel of Christ. This illustrates what Paul told the Roman Christians when he said the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. When the gospel comes to an honest heart, no matter what the person has done, God will forgive those who come to Him in obedience.

A final lesson about the Corinthian saints is the view that evangelistic hearts must take toward those who find themselves in the slavery of sin. Everyone needs the gospel, and some need the gospel more than others. In other words, they have much to give up and change, but through the love of God, anyone can find eternal life. If God will forgive them, we must forgive them. The soul is not to be judged by the actions of the previous life but by the cleansing power of how the grace of God can wipe away all sins. The Corinthians prove that sin can be overcome. We must demonstrate the love of God by embracing these saints into the fold of God. And such were some of you. Praise God.

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the Earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the Sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat. (Psalm 19:1-6; To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.)

See God In The Eclipse

A total solar eclipse will happen today, spanning across the Pacific Ocean, Mexico, the United States, Canada, and the Atlantic Ocean. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, completely obscuring the Sun. Through the knowledge of where the Moon and Sun are situated in the sky at any given moment, astronomers can predict to the second when and where the eclipse will take place. According to Popular Science, it is possible to predict and map eclipses farther into the future, even centuries from now. By understanding the precise positions of the Moon and the Sun and how they shift over time, scientists can project the Moon’s shadow onto Earth’s globe. And with cutting-edge computers, it’s possible to chart eclipse paths down to a range of a few feet.

There is excitement in witnessing a total solar eclipse, with people traveling from around the world to be part of the unusual phenomenon. On average, there are only two total solar eclipses a year (in different locations), with a rarity of five taking place within a year (the last was 1935; the next will be the year 2206). Scientists calculate precisely the conditions needed to replicate the event where the Moon aligns perfectly with the Sun to block it totally. Is this a result of spontaneous generation or chance mathematical occurrences, or does this show the glory of God as the divine Creator? The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the skies display his craftsmanship. God is the Master Creator.

The universe is the divine canvas of the brush strokes of an awesome God who created a world that screams His name in every corner. Total solar eclipses are a phenomenon that has struck fear and awe in the hearts of men for centuries. Through science, understanding the how and why of the eclipse has taken the mystery away but has also cast into the shadows of a spiritual eclipse the knowledge this does not happen by chance. The reason scientists can predict to the second when and where the eclipse will take place is because of the precise nature of God’s creation. On the fourth day of creation, the Creator commanded lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night. They would be for signs and seasons and for days and years. God made two great lights, and they remain in orbit just as He ordained thousands of years ago.

Looking at the eclipse as a testimony of the glory of God is why the Lord placed these objects in space. The Sun gives light and warmth to the Earth, and the Moon serves as a barometer for the Earth’s movements. These have remained unchanged since the beginning. Adam and Eve looked upon the Sun and Moon, which are found in the heavens today. Considering that Adam lived 930 years, he probably experienced a total solar eclipse more than one time. What did he see? The glory of God.

Care must be taken today so as not to damage the eyes. Let today be a teaching moment for our children to show them the glory of God’s incredible universe that is ordered by a Divine Creator. Explain the reason the eclipse is happening and how the Lord placed the heavenly bodies in the sky to show His power and glory. Read the creation account in Genesis. Ponder the message of David’s psalm declaring the glory of the heavens. When you walk away today, having lived at a special time in our country to witness a most remarkable event, praise God. Give Him the glory He deserves for showing through the acts of nature His thumbprint of glory. Praise God for His wonderful display of glory.

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. (Psalm 143:10)

Learning To Do God’s Will

From the beginning, God has desired men to listen to His word and do as He commands. The first thing Satan challenged Eve with is whether God really meant what He said. Sin is a transgression of the law of God when the heart refuses to obey the commands of the Lord. God has shown His grace, mercy, love, and compassion and generously shares that with those who come to Him but demands those who approach Him to do so with reverence and fear. Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron and priests of God, were killed by the wrath of God for not regarding God as holy. How did they disregard the holiness of God? They did not do His will.

Israel was given a written law to follow with instructions to obey the law of the Lord, the testimonies of the Lord, the statutes of the Lord, and the commandments of the Lord. When they failed to do His will, God punished them. Jesus came into the world to offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of all men. The Hebrew writer quotes the psalms of David to show that Christ came in the volume of the book as it was written of the Messiah to do the will of God. Jesus was the Son of God, yet He obeyed the commands of the Father. If the divine Son of God comes to do the will of the Father, how can anyone refuse to obey?

Obedience does not remove grace; it enhances it. The religious dogmas of men denounce salvation by works accepting the false notion of salvation by faith or grace alone. What it missed is that salvation is never by works alone, but faith without works is dead. David desired to do the will of God and knew he needed to learn how to obey. He wants the Lord to teach him how to do His will. Obedience begins with learning. A child does not learn to obey by osmosis. It requires training and instruction. If a man believes he can be saved by faith alone with obedience, he becomes an empty shell of a man with faith without knowledge. True faith comes by hearing the word of God, which establishes obedience.

God has given commandments in His word and expects men to obey Him. Jesus pondered why men would call Him “Lord, Lord” and refuse to do what He said. If a man loves the Lord, he will keep His commandments. When a man refuses to follow the word of the Lord, he does not love the Son of God. He will not find joy in judgment when Jesus declares that He does not know the man. The religious world frowns on teaching obedience to the will of God. Sadly, many believers in Jesus Christ will never see eternal life because they refuse to do the will of the Father.

The spirit of the faithful seeks ways to learn the will of God. David desired to be taught the will of God, which required time and effort. His desire was based on what he had at the time and his limited knowledge of God’s plan. Now, two thousand years removed from the coming of Christ, the world has God’s complete revelation, with the mystery revealed through the Son of God. Bibles are readily available on multiple platforms and in every language known to man. Opportunities for most people of the world (many live in oppressive societies) to know the will of the Father abound, and yet the majority of ‘believers’ know little or nothing of the will of God. Pray the prayer of David. Teach me to do Your will. And then go and do His will.

And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. (Acts 13:28)

Jesus Was Innocent

The cross of Jesus is the greatest example of divine sacrifice and the greatest failure of human wisdom. Jesus had shown Himself as the Son of God by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did through Him in the presence of all men. Nothing was hidden. No miracle was disavowed. The power of Jesus was never challenged, and the Jewish leaders could not deny the miracles. Trying to trap Jesus in His teaching was the only way the Pharisees and rulers sought to incriminate the Lord and failed every time. There was nothing they could say or do to stop Jesus until they decided to have Him killed. They had no cause for death in Him, but they asked Pilate to crucify Him.

It would seem in an established legal system as the Romans had, it would be difficult to kill a guiltless man whom even Pilate believed to be innocent. Pilate tried to appease the people and, at the same time, save the life of the man he believed to be delivered up through envy, but his heart was filled with cowardice and malice. A man’s life was nothing to him. He thought he had the power to execute any man he wanted, never realizing the One standing before him would be his judge in eternity very soon. There was no cause for death in Jesus, and Pilate sealed His fate by ordering the Lord to be scourged and crucified.

When God cast Adam and Eve from the garden, they were guilty of disobeying the word of the Lord. In Noah’s days, every human being was destroyed in the flood because they were guilty of complete depravity. Only Noah and his family were saved through the grace of God. God promised Abraham the land of Canaan, but not until the iniquity of the inhabitants had become fully deserving of death. Joshua carried out that mission many years later when the nation of Israel marched into Canaan and began destroying the people. The land’s inhabitants were not innocent and deserved the judgment of God.

Israel turned their hearts away from God, and they received a just recompense. First, the northern ten tribes rebelled. Two hundred years later, the Assyrians annihilated the ten tribes because they were guilty of wickedness, judged, and punished. God did not destroy them because they were innocent. One hundred thirty-six years after the fall of Israel, Judah was taken to captivity. Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Temple was leveled. The remnant was spared to secure the seed of Christ, but the people were not innocent.

Divine wisdom ordained the world’s punishment by grace, mercy, and truth. Human knowledge is ordained by sinful men incapable of knowing their right from their left. There have been many times when innocent men have been judged guilty when they are innocent. Jesus Christ was not only innocent, but He had also never sinned. The people found no legal reason to execute Jesus, but they asked Pilate to have Him killed anyway. Jesus allowed the world to kill Him because that was the will of the Father. The injustice of the world was the justice of the divine.

Lest we forget that while we were not there when they demanded the death of Jesus, our human wisdom fails us because we pronounce judgment on Jesus every time we sin. We condemn Jesus to death, and only through the grace of a loving Father is redemption found in the blood of the Son of God to redeem our sins. God be praised for His love to allow us to stand justified before Him, washed of our sins. Jesus is the innocent lamb slain from the foundation of the world. They called Him guilty. He was innocent.

Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons. (Acts 7:29)

The Sons Of Moses

Stephen’s historical account of the nation of Israel includes the reminder that Moses had two sons. The Hebrews had fallen under the tyranny of an Egyptian ruler who did not know what Joseph had done for the people and worried about how the Hebrews were multiplying. Pharaoh passed a law that all Hebrew babies would be killed in an effort to stem the tide of the increasing population. The parents of Moses did not fear the king’s order and hid Moses for three months. Unable to hide the infant any longer, his mother, Jochebed, placed Moses in a small ark near the river where the daughter of Pharaoh bathed. When Pharaoh’s daughter saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maids to retrieve it. Miriam, the sister of the infant Moses, told Pharaoh’s daughter that she would get a woman from among the Hebrews to nurse the child. Jochebed nursed Moses until such a time as she took her son to live in the Egyptian palace. Moses would be raised as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

At the age of forty, Moses killed an Egyptian for beating a fellow Hebrew. The next day, knowing his act of murder was known, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he would remain for forty years. Moses married one of the seven daughters of the priest of Midian and had two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. After God called Moses to return to Egypt, Jochebed, and the two boys joined Moses on his journey back to Egypt. On the way, the Lord met Moses, intending to kill him. The context lends itself to the belief that Moses had not circumcised Eliezer. The covenant of circumcision was first given to Abraham as a sign of the covenant. Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, and the Lord relented.

Sometime after arriving in Egypt and before the exodus of the people, Moses sent Zipporah back to Midian, where she stayed with her father. When the people were at Sinai, Jethro brought his daughter and two grandsons to Moses. After Moses recounted the story of the people’s deliverance, Jethro made a burnt offering and made other sacrifices to offer to God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came and ate bread with Moses and Jethro. The next day, when Moses was judging the people, Jethro suggested that Moses was overtaxing himself by taking on all the leadership. He suggested Moses establish rulers in various numbers to care for the judging of the people. Moses agreed and did all that he said.

The Holy Spirit records no further details of Zipporah. Moses marries an Ethiopian later, which causes problems with Miriam and Aaron, arousing the anger of the Lord against Moses’ brother and sister. Gershom and Eliezer pass from the records, with only a mention of their sons in David’s records many years later. From the family of Amram, Shebuel was a descendant of Gershom and was called the chief officer of the treasuries. Other descendants of Moses through Eliezer were Rehabiah, Jeshaiah, Joram, Zicri, and Shelomoth. The records fall silent to the story of the family of Moses.

It is remarkable to consider how central to Old Testament history Moses is, yet very little is known about his family. He died at the age of one-hundred-twenty with his strength undiminished and his eyesight clear. Were his sons there? It is unknown. Moses was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knew where God buried him. His resting place remains in the shadows of history unknown. His sons’ legacy may live today in the lives of unknown people; they will never know it. Moses had a single purpose in life and became the great lawgiver for the Lord. And he had two sons.

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. (Hebrews 2:1)

The Danger Of Drifting

There is a danger of drifting away from the truth learned in Jesus Christ. The book of Hebrews is written to Jewish saints who were in danger of drawing back into the Law of Moses and perdition. Jesus Christ is the better High Priest who shed His blood to establish a better covenant. The early Jews had suffered under persecution, with many giving up their faith to return to the old law. It was a real danger faced by many early Christians who had been enlightened with the gospel of God. They had tasted the heavenly gift of grace in its fullest measure. Obedience to the gospel of Christ had given them the gift of the Holy Spirit. The word of God had tasted good, but now they were having doubts. They were drifting away from God.

Truth is not gained without effort and will not be retained without the caution against losing what was once precious and dear. It is tragic to know of so many who never obey the gospel of Jesus Christ and lose their souls. Greater still are those who once served the Lord with faithfulness and devotion, who turn their backs on the only means of salvation they have. Drifting away from the truth has taken their hearts back to the world, the false religions of human wisdom, and a certain appointment with judgment. The danger of drifting is real, and the consequences are eternal.

Drifting begins in a very gradual manner. On the water, a boat can slowly move away from its secure mooring without notice. Before long, the boat was in jeopardy, and there was danger. An airplane can start to change course very slightly, drifting away from its appointed path. In time, without notice, the airplane was lost and far off course. Drifting is easy, and it is dangerous. Satan knows the tactics of drifting and is very crafting in alluring the heart to slowly move away from the truth of the gospel. Without taking notice, the soul can find itself outside the covenant of God.

The solution to the danger of drifting is to take earnest heed to the conditions that can lead to destruction. Satan desires for those who have tasted the gospel to turn away from God gradually. Without taking heed to his pernicious ways, the heart can easily be led astray by the allurements of Satan’s devices. Truth must be established and given the stricter attention of heeding the instructions of the Lord. Faith comes from hearing the word of God and applying it to the heart. The answer to drifting away is to stand firm with a knowledge of the word of God. Each day is an affirmation of establishing truth. Daily meditation of the word will keep the heart from drifting from the shores of God’s grace.

Paul described the faith of Hymenaeus and Alexander, who, concerning the faith, suffered shipwreck. They had lost their way. They began drifting away from the truth, destroying their faith. Examples such as these early saints stand as warnings of the danger of not taking the more earnest and holding fast to the pattern of sound words. Taking heed is necessary to maintain the faith in Jesus Christ. Prayer, daily Bible study, collective worship, evangelism, and fellowship in the Lord’s work are tools to keep one’s heart from drifting. Secure your life with an anchor that is steadfast and sure. Remain with Jesus, and you will not drift.

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, “I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.” So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people. (Exodus 32:13-14)

Changing God’s Mind

It did not take the Hebrews long to turn back to the influence of Egypt and make a golden idol to worship. The children of Abraham lived in the land of the Egyptians for four hundred years, and while they retained a belief in the one true God, the influence of pagan worship filled their minds. Moses had led the people out following the terrible plagues against Egypt. God had delivered nearly two million souls when the Red Sea parted, and the people walked across on dry land. The Lord had won a great victory against the Amalekites. Since leaving Egypt, God provided water and bread from heaven. Three months after leaving the land of Egypt, they came to Mt. Sinai.

Moses had gone to the mountain to receive the law. The Ten Commandments were inscribed on tablets of stone. When the people saw that Moses did not return quickly from the mountain, they became restless. They supposed something had happened to their leader, and they had been abandoned. Aaron, the brother of Moses, agreed with the people, instructing them to bring their gold to him, where he fashioned a golden calf. Remarkably, Aaron believed his brother had died on the mountain or had gotten lost. He proclaimed the next day as a feast to the Lord.

The people rose early in the morning, offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, and then began the feast of idol worship by feasting and drinking and indulging in pagan revelry. There was no restraint among the people. All the miracles they had seen by the hand of God were forgotten. They had become like the nations around them and the Egyptians they had despised. The Hebrews were acting like licentious, immoral, and ungodly people who did not believe in the one true God.

As Moses communed with the Lord on the mountain, the anger of the Lord grew hot against the Hebrews. God was angry with the people. In His anger, the Lord God promised to rain down His wrath upon the people He had delivered from bondage. He promised Moses He would make a great nation from him. There was nothing to stop the anger of the Lord from destroying the people. Then Moses did what few men would embolden themselves to consider and to be successful. Moses pleaded with the Lord.

Moses’ plea was for the Lord to remember the covenant made with Abraham. Moses reminded God of the great power of delivering the Hebrews, showing how great the God of Israel was compared to the gods of Pharaoh. If God killed the people now, what would the Egyptians say about the benevolent God who delivered them? Moses interceded for the people, and the wrath of God abated. The Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to the people. Moses changed the mind of God.

Prayer is pleading the promises of God. The Bible is filled with stories of the power of prayer. What seemed impossible was made possible because of prayer. All things in this world will be for the glory of God, but it should never be thought impossible to change God’s mind. Jesus taught that faith and prayer can move mountains. We laugh and say it is impossible; we are right because we do not believe in that kind of prayer. Moses pleading with God was seeking the mountain moving prayer – and God listened. How often have we not believed in the power of prayer because the answer did not suit our needs, and yet God is saying, “Just ask.” Moses did not know if God would relent, but he asked. Because of Moses’ prayer, Israel was saved that day.

Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” (2 Samuel 11:2-3)

Uriah The Hittite

The sin of David and Bathsheba is a familiar story from the Old Testament. David engaged in adultery with another man’s wife when he took Bathsheba and lay with her. He had seven wives before his adultery with Bathsheba and would have more wives and concubines. Nathan, the prophet, comes to David after it is discovered Bathsheba is pregnant with his child and tells him the Lord has put aside the penalty of death prescribed under the Law of Moses.

David’s sin led him to more transgressions when he brought the husband of Bathsheba home from the war and got him drunk to cover his adultery with Bathsheba. Unable to use her husband to cover his sin, David sends a message to Joab to have the husband killed in battle. As the battle rages near Rabbah, Joab places Bathsheba’s husband in the fiercest fighting and withdraws, leaving him to die at the hands of the enemy. Joab sends notice to David that the command was carried out. The husband of Bathsheba is dead.

The husband of Bathsheba was Uriah. Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam (Ammiel), one of David’s officers. She was also the granddaughter of Ahithophel, a close advisor of David, who would align himself with the rebellion of Absalom. Uriah was one of the elite soldiers for the army of David, numbered among the “Thirty” (there were thirty-seven in all). These soldiers demonstrated great bravery and allegiance to the king of Israel. Uriah was an unusual part of the Israelite army because he was a Hittite.

When Abraham came to Canaan, the Hittites had long been resident there. They were a warlike group of local tribes descended from Canaan (son of Ham, grandson of Noah). Abraham bought his burial plot in the field of Ephron the Hittite. When Esau was forty years old, he married two Hittite women, to the disappointment of Isaac and Rebekah. God told Moses He would drive the Hivites, Canaanites, and the Hittites out of the land of Canaan like hornets. The Angel of the Lord would drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. God wanted the Hittites to be utterly destroyed.

Israel conquered the land of Canaan, but they never destroyed the people of the land (like the Hittites). God did not want Israel to make a covenant with them, nor with their gods. The Hittites were not to dwell in the land because of the influence they would have upon God’s people. God wanted the race of the Hittites to be removed entirely from the land so Israel would not serve their gods and follow their ungodly ways. Uriah the Hittite is a testimony of the failure of Israel.

Ironically, in the story of David and Bathsheba, Uriah is the man of character. David called him back to cover his sin, but Uriah would not sleep in his house while his men fought at Rabbah. Even getting Uriah drunk would not get him to go home. Uriah carried his death sentence to Joab, never knowing what was to happen. During the final battle, Uriah must have wondered why his commander withdrew the forces from the wall, leaving him and others to die. Uriah would die bravely in battle, fighting for the king who had treacherously condemned him to death because of his adultery with the man’s wife.

Uriah was a Hittite, but he was a man of character. David was a child of Abraham, and he lost his dignity and respect in the affair with Bathsheba. Nathan’s parable shows the depths of David’s sin. The adultery was a sinful act that turned into the murder of a mighty man. Uriah also stands testimony to those who refuse to obey the command of God. If Israel had carried out the word of the Lord, Bathsheba would not have been married to a Hittite. Ultimately, the influence of the people of the land (Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) would destroy Israel when the people of God became like the nations around them. One of God’s heroes was a Hittite.

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:3-6)

Saul Did Not Argue

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus was a remarkable example of grace. In the early days of the church, Saul was the antagonist of all those who followed after the Way. He was unabashedly seeking every man and woman who professed to follow Jesus of Nazareth to destroy their lives and, in some cases, take their lives. In Saul’s mind, Jesus was a blasphemer of the law of God, and all those who called themselves after His teachings needed to rot in jail or die. Saul’s work was designed to devastate the movement. He left no stone unturned. Disciples of Jesus were not safe anywhere, including in foreign cities.

Through his contacts in the city of Damascus, Saul had learned of disciples there. He went to the High Priest in Jerusalem, seeking authority to go to the foreign city to root out the troublemakers. It would be a long journey of nearly two hundred miles, but Saul was not to be kept from his mission of destruction. Leaving Jerusalem, he and his company traveled many miles to within sight of Damascus. Saul’s plan was coming together. He anticipated many disciples to be arrested and carried to Jerusalem.

As Saul came near Damascus, a piercing light shone around Him from heaven. Jesus appeared to Saul to show Him His glory and told Saul to go into Damascus and be told what to do. Saul arose from the ground to discover he was blind. His companions led him into the city to the house of Judas, where he remained for three days. At the end of three days, Ananias came to Saul and told him God had chosen him to be a chosen vessel. Receiving his sight, Ananias baptized Saul, washing away his sins. Immediately, he preached Christ in the synagogues of Damascus, saying that He was the Son of God.

One of the salient points of Saul’s story is the acceptance of obedience without question. There was little or no hesitation for Saul to obey the voice of the Lord. The brilliant light on the road to Damascus would be convincing but would not require Saul to obey. His passion to destroy Christ was fully zealous to persecute the church beyond measure. He did not have to go into the city. His passion could have rejected the word of Jesus and allowed him to continue his crusade against the disciples. He obeyed without question.

The three days without sight and refusing food and water were not why he obeyed Ananias’ voice. It is not hard to imagine all the emotions that were going through the mind of Saul as he sat in darkness in the home of the ones he came to arrest and possibly cast a vote of death against. He had served God with the greatest purpose and consciousness, believing he was doing the work of the Lord as a faithful Jew. His life had been dedicated to the service of Jehovah God. It was only now he realized he was wrong.

How does a man admit failure in a life so full as Saul’s? He heard and saw Jesus and knew he was talking to the Son of God, but what of his life as a Hebrew of Hebrews? Can he give all that up to serve the man from Nazareth? What about his family? How would this impact his position in the Jewish community? What would happen to Saul? Ananias comes into the room and, with great compassion, shows the love of God to a man feared by all the saints. When Saul was told to arise and wash away his sins in baptism, he did not argue about works, outward signs, or whether baptism was necessary. He arose immediately and obeyed the voice of God.

The faith of Saul led him to be the apostle Paul. Saul had faith in God and trusted in his word. Like Apollos, Saul needed to learn the more perfect way, and when he did, there was no arguing with the word. He obeyed. Saul would be amazed at how people today argue about everything. A man seeking what to do to be saved will read in the Bible he needs to repent and be baptized – and walk away denying the importance of baptism. Many people have accepted the lie of salvation by faith alone or grace alone, refusing to do what Jesus said. Saul did not argue when he knew what the word said. What value is there in arguing with what is plainly written in scripture? Read it. Believe it. Obey it. Act in faith. Stop arguing about truth that will not change no matter how long you deny it.

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. (1 John 4:12)

Long Distance Love

During World War 2, many newlyweds had to spend their first few years of marriage apart from one another. The war lasted nearly six years, which could take a toll on relationships. Unknown to many today, a communication apparatus called “letter writing” was the only lifeline between a loved one at home and the soldier. It took long periods of time for letters to find their way to the right person. Some wrote letters every day. Over time, these letters became the foundation of the relationship of a strong marriage after the war, which goes against the psychology of how many believe love develops between a man and woman.

Is it possible to establish a deep and abiding love for two people who have never met? Stories have proven that through the avenue of the written word, love can become a striking response to a relationship based only on words. A man falls in love with a girl and is immediately rushed to war. The crucial time of marriage is found in those first few years. With a constant flow of letters between the couple, they develop a strong and vibrant feeling without seeing or touching one another. It is done only by words.

The greatest love story is found when a man falls in love with the heavenly Father. There are some considerations that must be realized when a man becomes a Christian. He is serving a God he has not seen and will not see until death. The world is filled with the evidence of the Father, but actually saying that he has seen the Father is impossible. What the Father has done is leave His testimony in the written word that describes His divine nature. The Bible talks about the goodness and severity of God. There are stories filled with grace, mercy, and love. Many stories describe the wrath of God, where He destroys thousands of souls. The nature of God is conveyed through words.

No man can see God, and the scriptures reveal that no one has ever seen God. Moses was allowed to see the passing glory of God, which is as close as any human has been to looking into the visage of God. The value and importance of seeking God’s word is knowing more about the Father. Through that knowledge, love begins to grow. Faith comes from hearing the word of God, and that is where love comes from. There is no way to love God without knowing His word. Through the divine “letters” of the hand of God, written to all men to read and understand, a man can fall in love with the Father.

The love of God abides in the heart of the faithful because they have spent endless hours talking to the One whom they have never seen and cannot see. God abides in the heart through the correspondence of His word. It is impossible to love God and not spend time in the word – the Bible. Love can never be perfected in man’s heart until he spends time communicating with the Father. God’s letters are found in the Bible. Man’s return letters come from his prayers, songs, worship, and obedience.

Take time to read the words of the divine revelation to grow a deeper love for God than ever before. If you lack faith, read the word, pray to the Father, and fall in love with the grace of God. The greatest long-distance love relationship is found in how we seek to know all about our Father – whom we have not seen! That will become the most powerful love you can ever experience. Fall in love with God. Read His letters.