The Heaton File

But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; in fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. (Psalm 5:7)

David’s Temple

Solomon became King of Israel around 970 B.C. following the death of his father, David. The first major task of Solomon was to build the promised Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. David desired to build a house for God, but the Lord told him he could not because he was a man of war and had shed blood. Before David died, he prepared everything needed for Solomon to build the house of God’s glory. Four years after Solomon became king, work on the Temple began. It would take nearly 7 ½ years to complete the Temple (not including the royal buildings).

David did not live to see the Temple of Jerusalem completed. His heart desired to build a house for the Lord, but he was not permitted. However, in his writings, David refers to the Tabernacle as the “holy temple.” The Tabernacle was first constructed by the Hebrews at Mt. Sinai more than 400 years earlier. For nearly five centuries, the Tabernacle had endured forty years of wilderness wanderings, the conquest of Canaan, Israel ruled by judges, and then looked after by Saul and David. It was set up in Shiloh during the period of conquest and then moved to Nob (four miles north of Jerusalem) and Gibeon (six miles from Jerusalem).

Jerusalem was first captured by David, who set up a tent to house the ark of the covenant. It is to this Tabernacle that David lends his voice of praise for the temple of the Lord. Eight of the psalms of David refer to the Tabernacle as the temple of the Lord. While he was unable to build the actual temple of the Lord as Solomon did, David viewed the place of worship as a sacred, holy place where he communed with the Lord. It was prophetic that David established his tent in the city of Jerusalem and placed the Ark of the Covenant there, foreshadowing the establishment of the House of the Lord in Jerusalem. For David, the tent of meeting was a place of honor and glory to the will of the Father.

Worship must come from a heart that understands the sacredness of being in the presence of the Lord God Almighty. A church building is nothing more than brick and mortar, but it is a place where saints gather to worship God. The Temple of Solomon was a grand edifice that outshone the rags of the tent where David housed the ark of the covenant, but it was the place itself that mattered to David. He worshiped the glory of God for the glory of God. To David, the tent housing the Ark of the Covenant was a temple because it was where he communed with God. He recognized the respect and honor that must be given to worship.

Jesus told the woman at the well that true worship comes from truth and spirit. David looked beyond the fabric of a worn tent to the glory of the throne of God. Sitting in a church building can be inspiring, but if the heart is not centered on the glory of God, worship is vain. Worship should always be considered worship toward the holy temple of God.

And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him. Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth. So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. (Genesis 7:5-7)

Family Left Behind

The story of the flood is filled with the great tragedy of sin. Wickedness had become so pervasive throughout the world that it grieved God that He had created man. The destruction of the flood was total. Everything that had the breath of life died. All of humanity perished. Every beast, cattle, and bird was destroyed. Nothing was left. God destroyed all living things that were on the face of the ground. Only Noah and his family remained alive. They were saved by being in the ark designed and purposed by God. When the floods receded, only eight people remained on the earth.

One of the tragic stories of the flood is the fate of those left behind. Noah’s father was Lamech, son of Methuselah. Lamech was born when Methuselah was 187 years old. Methuselah was 369 years old when Noah was born. Lamech died about five years before the flood, and Methuselah died the year of the flood. God came to Noah when he was 500 years old, when the world was corrupt and filled with violence. All flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. If the genealogies of Methuselah and Lamech are close to the time, they were part of the vile wickedness of the world.

Moses also says that Methuselah had sons and daughters after Lamech was born. After Noah was born, Lamech had more sons and daughters. All of the dates would have most likely put the family of Noah directly in the path of the flood. He had brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family that perished in the flood. In the family of Noah, he was the only one who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Nothing is known about Noah’s wife, but the conclusion must be made that she lost family in the flood. Did her parents perish in the flood? What about her brothers and sisters and other family members? And then the wives of Ham, Shem, and Japheth must be considered. They all had their own families that perished in the flood.

The population of the world would have been extensive, and in the community of Noah, friends and associates he had known all his life would have been part of the wickedness and evil of the world. Noah preached righteousness to a lost and dying world, and that world was filled with family members and friends. He tried to persuade his family to heed the word of the Lord, but they refused. His friends heard him preach, and they refused to listen. The families of the wives of Ham, Shem, and Japheth did not listen. Everyone perished in the flood.

Jesus observed that a prophet is without honor in his own country. Sometimes, the hardest people to share the gospel with are family and friends. It is heartbreaking to know of family members who refuse to accept the gospel of Christ. Friends are shown the only way to the truth, but to no avail. Noah and his family must have been crushed with the knowledge of their family members and friends drowning and dying outside the ark. They had shown the way of truth, but they refused to listen. Now, they were dying, and there was nothing that could be done.

God is not a respecter of persons and judges all men individually. A son stands before God alone. His parents cannot answer for him or defend him. The principle is true for everyone. On the final day of judgment, all of humanity will be gathered at the judgment bar of God, and everyone will stand alone. The family and friends of Noah will be judged because they refused to hear the word of truth. Noah did all he could do. His family chose to deny the grace of God. They will be accountable. Many family members and friends who stand outside the covenant of God will be judged by their actions. Those who refuse to listen to the word of the Lord will find themselves outside when the rain starts. Sadly, then it will be too late.

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.” (Joshua 1:1-2)

Joshua’s New Year

Joshua was facing a daunting task. The great leader of Israel, Moses, had died. After forty years, the Hebrews rescued from the bondage of Egypt stood at the threshold of the promised land. Moses had given the people the Law, led them through the wilderness, endured their constant murmuring, and witnessed the death of a whole generation. Because of his transgression at Kadesh, Moses would not be permitted to enter the land of promise. The charge of leadership was given to eighty-year-old Joshua. There was trepidation in the heart of Joshua as he stood before the Lord to take charge of the nation of Israel.

After the death of Moses, the Lord comes to Joshua to reassure him and give him the confidence that, with the power of God, the task before him is formidable, but victory is assured. Joshua needed to understand the importance of his task. God had promised the land of Canaan to Abraham, and now that promise was being fulfilled. Joshua must acknowledge that Moses was dead, and leadership had fallen on his shoulders. It was not a time to look back at what could have been or what should have been. The day of action is now. God tells Joshua to go over the Jordan and do the work of the Lord. God promised the land that would be given by God to the people. “Go” was the word of the hour.

The Lord promises Joshua that he will not be left without divine assistance. No man will be able to stand against the people of God when they put their minds to doing His will. God proved His power through Moses and would accomplish the same through Joshua. The son of Nun needed to be strong and of good courage to do all according to the word of the Father. There was a need to remember the importance of obedience. God tells Joshua to keep the commandments of the Lord; not turning to the right or to the left. The Book of the Law must be a part of everything Joshua does. He must meditate on the word day and night to do according to all that is written in it.

Joshua heeded the word of the Lord. He led the people of Israel across the Jordan and captured the fortified city of Jericho by the power of God. A hard lesson came when the people attacked the city of Ai, and God allowed Israel to be defeated. There was sin in the camp, and God would not give the victory when sin remained deliberately in the midst of the people. When Achan and his family were discovered and dealt with, the city of Ai was defeated. Over the next seven years, Joshua led the people of God from victory unto victory until the land was conquered under the mighty hand of God. The Lord kept His promise, and Joshua remained faithful.

Joshua’s new year is not unlike the New Year every child of God has experienced since then. Every day is a new day with great opportunities and responsibilities. When the New Year comes about, the same words of the Lord resonate in the hearts of God’s people to be strong and of good courage. There is a formidable task ahead for the New Year. Souls need to be saved. Every effort must be made to pluck the lost souls from the camp of Satan to God’s grace. Millions die every day, lost and without hope. There is a war going on where victory is assured through the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Lord expects His people to keep His commandments and keep sin out of the camp. A resolved spirit of faith must fill the heart to be strong and of good courage to face what the new year will bring. Do not let the uncertainties of a new year dismay the heart. God is with His people wherever they go – always.

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20)

Son Of David

The birth of Jesus is central to the Bible’s theme. When Gabriel came to Mary and told her she would have a son, the angel of God declared that with God nothing was impossible. When Joseph discovered his wife was pregnant, he wanted to put her away quietly, not wanting to make her a public example. But while he thought about these things, God sent His angel to reassure Joseph that Mary would bear the Son of God into the world, fulfilling the words of Isaiah the prophet that a virgin would be with child and bear a Son. The child would be called Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.” When Mary gave birth to her son, they called him Jesus.

Names were very important and symbolized a relationship with God. Jesus was called the “Son of David, the Son of Abraham.” On numerous occasions, the people called Jesus the son of David, recognizing His lineage to King David. It was in the heart of David to build a house for the Lord, but he was forbidden because he was a man of war and had blood on his hands. What God established through David was the fulfillment of the promise made in the Garden of Eden to send a Seed to redeem the world. Jesus was known as the “Son of David” through the divine plan of redemption to be the sacrificial lamb of God.

There are over 17 references to Jesus as the “Son of David” in scripture, all of which apply to Him except for one. When the angel spoke with Joseph about the birth of Jesus, the angel called Joseph the “Son of David.” No other man was ever referenced in this manner in scripture. David had more than nine wives and more than 20 children, with 28 generations between David and Joseph. The angel called Joseph the “Son of David” as a reminder of those who share in the spiritual lineage of God’s promise made in Eden and the promises made to Abraham. God promised Abraham that in him the world would be blessed. Through the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Lord God unveiled His divine plan to bring Jesus into the world to redeem sinful man. The promise made to David pointed to the establishment of the spiritual family found in the New Testament church.

Every New Testament Christian is a child of Abraham and a son of David. Those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. The Jew and the Gentile find salvation through the promises of Abraham and David to be called the “Sons of David.” God promised David that He would establish His throne forever. This promise came about when Jesus said He would build His church. Jesus is seated on the throne of David, the throne of Jehovah, and the throne of Israel at the right hand of the throne of God. The sure mercies and blessings of David are found in Christ. All spiritual blessings are found in Christ because God’s people are sons of Abraham and David.

When Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus, He called the place of eternal rest the “bosom of Abraham.” Eternal life is realized through the spiritual lineage of Abraham and David, in which the saved are called the “Sons of David.” The angel called Joseph the Son of David because of his special place in bringing the Son of God into the world. In the New Testament church, the saved are called the “Sons of David” through the spiritual lineage of grace. Heritage means everything to the child of God. Praise God that we can be called the children of Abraham and sons of David.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22)

The Importance Of The Doers

God has given the world a written testimony of the divine plan of salvation. There has never been a time the Lord has not revealed Himself through special revelation. In the early days of the world, God spoke directly to man (Noah, Abraham, Moses). To the Jewish nation, God revealed the Law of Moses through the Holy Spirit, which was written in a book and read to the people. After Jesus came and fulfilled His ministry, the Holy Spirit inspired men to write accounts of the life of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), the history of the early church (Acts), and letters and epistles written by early disciples (Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John).

The divine plan of God was to give the world a completed revelation of the word of God, which was fulfilled when the final canon of holy scripture was finished in the sixty-six books of the Bible. Everything man needed to know and understand the will of God for salvation was found within the pages of the Bible. Stories of faith, lessons of truth, examples of the goodness and wrath of God, the failures of people and nations, victories of the faithful, the life of Jesus, and how the early church completed the plan of God all make up the final volume of divine truth. The Bible is the most published book in the history of the world. It is read by billions of people each year.

Ironically, the Bible is the most widely read book in the world and the least understood. The challenge has always been not the reading of the book, but the doing of the message it contains. While there is great importance given to reading and hearing the words of Christ fill the pages of the Bible, the Holy Spirit declares that hearing the word of God without doing the word of God is of little value. It is easy to hear the word and walk away without making application and putting forth the effort to allow the words to change the heart. Many people spend the year reading the Bible with little effort at application. That is hearing without doing.

A hallmark of spiritual growth is when the heart hears the word of God and commits to doing what it says. The importance of doing what the word says underscores the message’s purpose. God did not give the world the Bible just to read. The divine word of God was given to man to show him what he must do to be saved; with emphasis on the doing. Faith alone cannot save a single soul. James declares that faith requires works in the sense that hearing without doing is empty. The devil is not worried about those who hear the word of God if they never do anything about what they read. He is more concerned about those folks who decided to do what God says. Hearing and doing pleases God, but hearing and not doing pleases Satan.

Salvation is offered through Jesus Christ, who gave His life to redeem sinful man. He not only believed in the word of His Father, but He did the will of His Father. Jesus taught that many people will claim to be followers of God but will not be saved because they did not do the will of the Father. The importance of doing God’s will must be emphasized for the sake of salvation. Hearing brings one to the word of God and doing to the throne of salvation. James’ admonition is clear: hear the word of God but be doers of the word of God. Hearing only deceives the heart because faith without works is dead. A man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6)

They Were Destroyed

Knowledge has always been the defining factor in whether a man is justified before God. God has never left the world without knowing His will. From the words in the Garden of Eden, when God warned Adam and Eve about taking the forbidden fruit, to the final day of earth’s existence, the Lord God reveals His word to creation, so that it may know and understand what it must do to be saved. Eve rejected the word of the Lord for her own wisdom. Israel sought after other gods instead of trusting in the word of God. Jesus came as the Word to reveal the full gospel of salvation to the world. The early church preached the word to the world, showing how the grace of God was made available to all men. Everything was based upon the knowledge of God’s word.

The lifeline between man and God has always been the relationship of knowledge. When the heart of man accepted and followed the will of the Lord, God blessed him with many blessings. It was when man turned away from the knowledge of God that the judgment and wrath of the Lord were given. During the final days of Israel, the prophets pleaded with the people to return to the Lord. They had found themselves attracted to the idols of the world and the wisdom of the carnal spirit rather than the word of God. The more Israel filled itself with the knowledge of the world, the farther it turned away from the Lord. As ignorance increased, so did judgment. The captivity came because there was no more knowledge of the Lord in the land.

Hosea does not suggest Israel was hampered when they turned away from God. The prophet does not excuse Israel’s actions as a result of cultural exchanges between good and evil. What Hosea explains is the depravity and depredation of the nation of God’s people when they turned away from the word of God, resulting in total destruction. The people of God were destroyed because of their lack of knowledge. It was not a small matter to refuse knowledge. There was a clear and definitive causation for the people turning away from the will of the Father. Hosea said the people were destroyed. No matter which version of scripture records the Lord’s warning, all agree that the result is the destruction of the people.

Only the word of God can give life. Without the word of God, man has no life, hope, promise, or reward. As the world seeks to find joy and happiness in the lust of the flesh, pride of life, and lust of the eyes, the result is always destruction. Rejecting the word of God brings about destruction, annihilation, ruin, extinction, and obliteration. That is a law established when God created the world. His word is truth, and His word is life. When men seek to live apart from the word of God, they destroy themselves. History bears the scars of every nation that rejects God in the scattered whitened bones of despair from those who did not heed the word of God.

Knowledge is power, but lacking knowledge is destruction. God has given the world everything it needs to know Him, respect Him, honor Him, and worship Him. Rejecting the word of God is rejecting the only hope man can have. Israel was destroyed because of a lack of knowledge. Forgetting or ignoring the law of God will only bring the wrath of God. There is one truth, and that truth is found in Jesus Christ. Rejecting Jesus as Lord is destruction. There is only one way, truth, and life, and no one will be saved who does not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Belief demands obedience. Only those who do the will of the Father will be saved. Rejecting the knowledge of God is rejecting God. Forget Him, and He will forget you.

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (2 Peter 3:16)

Twisting Scriptures

The Bible contains 13 letters from the apostle Paul, which do not represent all that he wrote during his ministry. Paul mentions in his letter to Colosse that the brethren should read an epistle from the church in Laodicea. There is little doubt that Paul was a prolific writer, as he taught the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, both through personal ministry and through letters written to individuals and churches. The early church faced persecution from many fronts, including false teachers who took the writings of Paul and distorted what he wrote to their own gain.

Peter is the apostle who warns the saints of those who take the writings of Paul and twist his words to their own destruction. Paul, like Peter, was an inspired writer who received the message from the Holy Spirit and wrote it down for others to read. The writings of Paul can be a little tedious at times when discussing deeper matters of faith. What the untaught and unstable teachers would do is, through their ignorance, try to explain Paul’s writings. The result would end in confusion and false doctrine. When unlearned men try to explain the word of God through their own wisdom, truth seldom reigns free.

Pride exalts the heart to twist the words of God to suit an agenda or doctrine that is based on human wisdom. Twisting the scriptures is what Satan did with Jesus. It is remarkable to consider that Satan can quote scripture, but he effectively presents enough truth to make the lie more palatable. That is how he deceived Eve in the garden by twisting the words of God to suit his evil desire. Distorting the word of God has been the mantra of the devil from the beginning. He has convinced unlearned and unstable hearts to believe his lie to their own destruction. What is dangerous about the wiles of the devil is his ability to persuade people to believe in false teaching and accept it as truth.

It is difficult to convince some that there is error in the religious world. The explanation is given that everyone has a right to their interpretation of scripture. What that means in effect is that everyone is allowed to take the word of God and mold it to their own desires. The art of twisting scripture is as old as error, and it is the reason for religious division today. Why are there so many different kinds of churches? It cannot be the will of God that believers in Jesus Christ divide into different sects and religious faiths, and yet the religious world embraces the right to twist the word of God to fit their own dogmas. Truth is singular. There is one body of truth. Religious leaders tout the way men approach God as they see fit. This runs counter to what Jesus taught. He said there was only one way to the Father, and He was that way. Human wisdom has twisted that truth.

When a man twists the word of God, he does not change the word. He merely dresses it up in different garments. Peter is very clear on the consequences of changing the word of God. Every person who twists the scriptures to fit their needs finds destruction at the end of the road. The clarity of truth is that it breaks apart every effort to distort its character. Like an anvil that is impervious to the blows of many hammers, the word of God remains the same and unchanged. Attempting to modify, add to, or take away from the word, or present the gospel in any form other than the pure truth of the word, will face the wrath of God. Religious leaders must be very clear about the consequences of teaching doctrines not found in God’s word. The followers of religious movements will find eternal heartache if they follow the teachings of those who distort the word. There is one body of truth. Do not trifle with the power of the gospel lest there be a day of great destruction.

For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! (1 Corinthians 15:16-17)

Today Is Christmas

December 25 appears on the calendar every 365 days. The celebration of the birth of Christ spreads across the globe as the world enjoys a holiday of family, friends, religious events, and raucous parties late into the night. There is an irony to the celebration of Christmas, as a semblance of religious honor is given to the birth of Jesus Christ, with pictures of a baby lying in a manger with many people who have little or no knowledge of who Jesus Christ is. It is a time to spark an interest in the hearts of those who never think about the Lord and to urge them to seek after the real story of the birth of Jesus. Christmas can be an opportunity to lead lost souls to Christ.

The birth of Jesus is more than a holiday. Without the birth of Jesus, there could be no resurrection. The birth of Jesus was unlike any child that has ever been born. God showed His power and dominion by bringing Jesus into the world through a virgin birth. The conception of the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary, who had never known a man, is a miracle that has never been replicated. Isaac was born in the womb of a woman ninety years old, and John the Baptist came from a womb that had passed the age of childbearing. Both Isaac and John were conceived in the womb by a man. In the case of Jesus, Mary was a virgin who was blessed among women to bear the Son of God—the testimony of the virgin birth points to the singleness of Jesus’ resurrection.

There have been numerous accounts of people raised from the dead. Abraham offered Isaac as a burnt offering, believing that God would raise him from the dead. In the days of Elijah, a woman of Zarephath had a son who was sick and died. Elijah raised him from the dead. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, as well as the daughter of Jairus, and the widow of Nain’s son. After the resurrection of Jesus, many came out of the tombs and went into the city. All of those who rose from the dead died again. When Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended to the Father and lives and reigns at the right hand of God. The resurrection was not possible without the birth. God’s power is found in the birth and resurrection of Jesus. Today is Christmas. The story should tell the whole counsel of the birth and the resurrection of Jesus. One without the other is an empty story.

Another irony of Christmas is that the focus is on the birth of Jesus rather than His resurrection. In 100 days, the world will pause again to celebrate Easter. The focus will be on the resurrection of Jesus, but not on His birth. Once again, the world will celebrate a day to reflect on Jesus and enjoy a holiday of family, friends, religious events, and raucous parties late into the night. Everything will be about the risen Christ without telling the story of the miraculous birth of the Christ. The world is always so confused about something that is clear. Every holiday cherry-picks a portion of the story of Jesus and tells one without the other. The birth of Jesus cannot be told without His resurrection, and the resurrection cannot be told without His birth, and yet that is where the world finds itself.

Today is Christmas. Most stores are closed. The world almost comes to a stop. Presents are given. Celebrations abound. Families gather. In three days, the greatest day on earth will take place again. It happens every week. The first day of the week is when the children of God pause to tell the story of the birth of Jesus, His life, and His resurrection. This event repeats fifty-two times a year. The first Christians did this two thousand years ago when they met on the first day of the week. Celebrating the life of Jesus was something they did every day. They gathered as the people of God every first day of the week to worship the glory of the resurrection of Jesus. There was no special holiday because the first day of the week was set aside for devotion, praise, and honor to the King of kings and Lord of lords. When people ask if the saints remember the birth of Jesus, the answer is a resounding yes because without the birth, there could be no resurrection. The world did not find hope in the birth alone. If there had been no resurrection, the birth would have been meaningless. And if Christ is not risen, faith is pointless because the world remains in the grip of sin. Thank God for the birth of Jesus, but thank God for the resurrection.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. (2 Timothy 1:8-9)

Willing To Suffer

Paul’s letter to Timothy was filled with emotion as the faithful apostle knew his time of death was near. He had so many things to say to his brethren, and there was still much work to be done. Timothy was his son in the faith. Paul used his letter to encourage Timothy to keep on fighting the good fight of sharing the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. The early church faced a great persecution that would last for nearly two centuries. Paul was in prison because of his faith in Jesus Christ. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus marked a turning point for the early church, providing an example of someone who was shown the long-suffering of God and given the mercies of God’s love.

As valiant as Paul fought to spread the gospel, the world would have its way to kill him. The Jews sought diligently to have him killed, and the Roman government carried this out. Many of the saints were persecuted by the government, false religions, and the immoral character of the world, leading Paul to remind the early saints that living a godly life would bring persecution. Timothy needed to hear Paul remind him that the world of darkness does not easily accept the teachings of Jesus Christ. The evangelist must not be ashamed of Paul’s example of suffering for Christ because the testimony of the Lord is truth, and no man should be ashamed of the truth. Paul had suffered greatly in his ministry. It was very likely that Timothy and other Christians would also suffer as Paul did.

Jesus came to earth knowing He would suffer and be killed. He told the eleven that if the world hated Him, the world would hate them. Being a follower of Jesus Christ does not come without cost. If a man desires to follow Jesus, it requires bearing a cross. Serving God must come before father and mother, husband and wife, and son and daughter. Nothing comes before Christ. The testimony of the Lord will separate family and friends and make one an enemy of the world. Timothy must not be ashamed to support the prisoner named Paul. The apostle needed the encouragement of those who would stand faithfully with him for the gospel’s sake. To serve Christ may bring suffering.

There are many who want to serve the Lord but are unwilling to pay the price set forth by the King of kings. Living the Christian life is not suffering to show a self-imposed piety or false humility. The reality is that the teachings of righteousness always stand against the ways of the world filled with unrighteousness. Living a godly life will put one at odds with the way of the world. Each Christian has a holy calling according to the grace of God to live apart from the world. The heart of the Christian must be staunch enough to stand firmly against how the world thinks, how the world acts, and the lifestyles of a wicked world. This must be seen in the workplace, in the community, and as citizens of the nation. Every Christian stands as a beacon of righteous light in a dark world.

What Paul wants Timothy to remember is that suffering for Christ is living for Christ. Can anyone do any less in our world of religious division, immorality, and moral decadence? It takes courage to stand against the wiles of the devil, but stand we must. There can be no quarter given, and there is no surrender. Suffering for Christ will bring greater rewards than facing the wrath of God. Do not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Share in the sufferings of the word of God. Anyone who puts his hand to the plow and looks back cannot be a disciple of Christ. Living the Christian life requires faith and the willingness to stand against the world – and stand we must.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

He Became Poor For Me

It is difficult for the human mind to understand what it means to be God. As the creation, humanity struggles with its identity as a creature formed by the hand of God to be an eternal creature. The world is the sphere of human experience, and while there are challenges to consider, the vastness of the universe and man’s place in it make it impossible to pin down the idea of God’s dwelling and who Jesus was before coming to earth. Paul seeks to peek behind the curtain of the nature of Christ, saying that what the Son of God was before was nothing like what He became.

Is it possible to think of someone who possesses riches beyond the imagination, giving all of that up to be the lowest, poorest, most despised, and rejected person on earth? What makes the transition more remarkable is that the one who possessed all the riches created what He will become. Jesus was God. He was with the Father, dwelling in the radiance of the eternal glow of glory immeasurable. Before the world was created, the Son of God accepted the will of His Father to divest Himself of everything He possessed as God to become a creation of flesh. In the incarnation of flesh, Jesus would suffer all the frailties of the human experience. He would know warmth and cold, hunger and plenty, happiness and sorrow, and most of all, temptation.

God would live for more than thirty years in a fleshly body and feel the dread of the lust of the flesh. He would challenge the lust of pride. Jesus experienced the lust of the eyes that consumed so many in the world. For thirty years, He was the son of a carpenter whom few paid any attention to, and He was barely noticed. Jesus shared a home life with His half-brothers and sisters. He stood out among the young men who came to Jerusalem each year, but no one sought His counsel or witnessed His power through miracles. Jesus was a man from Nazareth, and that was all. No followers and no miracles. Deity had become flesh. It was not until Jesus was thirty years old that the world began to realize who stood in their midst.

Jesus was rich and became poor so that the world could rise from the despair of its filth to be cleansed in His blood. What Jesus did was not for Himself but for the sake of the world that walked in the darkness of sin. He became poor to bring light to a dark world. His poverty was taking on the flesh of humanity to offer to the world the greatest riches known to man – the salvation of the soul. The contrast is stark when the world realizes that the greatest riches are found in the blood of Jesus Christ. What the world wants are the riches of gold, silver, and pleasure. Those riches are counterfeit. The true riches are found in what Jesus came to offer through His poverty. To be rich is to be filled with the spirit of God, to long for the hope of eternal life. That is why Jesus came. He offered the riches that can never be taken away.

The only reason the world has been given the gift of grace is that Jesus became poor and, through His poverty, suffered the humiliation of the cross, rejection by the world, and being despised by His nation, giving His life to enrich the soul of man with love. Jesus gave a full sacrifice to the world, and the world did not deserve His sacrifice. Jesus was rich and became poor. The world was poor and can be rich through Jesus Christ, but that choice is left to the will of man. What makes the whole story of Jesus tragic is that He left the glory of Heaven to bring hope to a lost and dying world; and for the most part, the world does not care.