The 4 Jobs of Fathers (and the 2 that Get Forgotten)

The 4 Jobs of Fathers (and the 2 that Get Forgotten)

There is so much I do not know. Every time I open God’s Word I am humbled by the vast amount of information in a single book. I will spend my lifetime searching its depths, only to realize I have just skimmed the surface.

As a Father, can I do better?

As a Father, can I do better?

Most recently I have been studying more on getting my home in order. (With a son heading off to college I am spending more time investing in the lives of my children.) One of the things that continues to stand out to me as I study God’s Word is the continual admonition for fathers to teach children God’s commands. Our primary job is to teach the next generation a fidelity and love for Almighty God. We are to mentor and shape their hearts in such a fashion that they will be able to withstand all the attacks of Satan. We see this played out all throughout Biblical history and the consequences of generations who failed to do so. God’s Word is abundantly clear that this is the most important job a father will do for his children.

Yet, the reality is we aren’t. I say that with respect, love, and kindness in my heart—but the overwhelming evidence is we are producing worldly children who will one day either leave the church or try to change it into something more entertaining. English Anglican cleric George Whitefield, in his sermon, “The Great Duty of Family Religion,” wrote: “[E]very governor of a family ought to look upon himself as obliged to act in three capacities as a prophet, to instruct; as a priest, to pray for and with; as a king, to govern, direct, and provide for them.”

We have become providers and protectors at the expense of being prophets and kings. Yes, we are able to put a roof over their head and we are able to feed them. But we are not making true disciples for Christ who go on to produce more fruit for Him. Sure, some of them may get wet in the baptistery—but they are not putting on the new man (Colossians 3:8) and becoming fruit bearers for Him. They are worldly and church is just one more “to do” item on their very busy schedules.

[Insert here many men arguing against me that it is our JOB to provide for our families, using 1 Timothy 5:8 as their justification—which is actually talking about providing for widowed parents. I recognize it is our duty to provide for our families, but if that comes at the expense of their eternal souls then what good did those provisions really do?]

So, this is the point at which I look you in the eyes and tell you I don’t know everything. I don’t know how a man is to make a living and have the time (and energy) to fulfill God’s commands regarding his children. Our culture has deemed that it is normal, acceptable, and expected that a man should spend from about 7:00am – 4:00pm involved in a career that has nothing to do with the souls of his children. How do you nourish a marriage and train up your children when you only see them 2-3 hours per day? There is much I don’t’ know—but I do know what we’ve been doing is not working. That fact is crystal clear. (And sadly, not many men seem eager to change this cultural norm.)

Training up children is hard work. In fact, I would argue it is the toughest job out there. And as a result, it is often one that is neglected, overlooked, forgotten, or regulated to someone else.
We read articles or blogs on Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, and Ephesians 6:4 that twist the text in such a way as to relinquish responsibility for training up children. Instead, we expect Bible class teachers and youth ministers to perform this crucial role. We are comforted by sermons that allow us to continue putting in the hours at work without any guilt or any admonition to change. Even homeschool dads pass it off to their wives, expecting them to handle the role that God has given to fathers.

The bottom line is the Bible repeatedly instructs fathers to teach their children God’s commands and to instill a love and fidelity to Him. If something is interfering with that—even a career—we need to have the internal strength to consider what is truly important. We need to remember what has eternal consequences. We need to be talking as a church family about how we can fulfill this crucial role. Some will read this as an article “bashing” fathers. What it really is is a plea for fathers to reevaluate—to step up and fulfill the role God has entrusted us with.

How can you work 40-50 hours per week and still instruct your children properly? As I said to begin with—there is so much I don’t know. But I do know this: In the coming weeks, I will watch my Facebook feed light up with fathers who have time to follow their favorite college football team or play fantasy football. There will be millions tuned into the World Series. There will be millions invested into the stock market. There will be hours spent on social media. And there will be thousands of our own young people who leave home who are not thirsting for righteousness or possessing a deep love for God.

Providers and protectors? Absolutely. Prophets and priests? Not so much.

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Full Atonement Can It Be

Full Atonement Can It Be

Because we do not fully understand the significance of the word atonement, we fail to see several great truths of the Bible. There are many words we use in describing the salvation process—sanctification, justification, redemption and atonement. Each of them refer to the same process, but each emphasizes a different aspect of how God’s mercy is shown. Take a look at the word atonement.

Full atonement, can it be? Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Full atonement, can it be? Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Two Bible stories vividly show that atonement is always tied to stopping the anger of God because of sin. Numbers 25 gives the details when the Jewish men were having sex with the women of Moab. As they joined themselves in this pagan worship of Baal, “…the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.” The wrath of God was almost appeased when those men were hanged before the Lord. But, one Jewish man brought a woman before Israel to publically defile her. God’s wrath returned and Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, “…took a javelin in his hand and went after the man…and thrust both of them through.” The plague was stopped but not before 24,000 Jewish men died. God said of Phinehas, “He was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.” Atonement has to do with assuaging the wrath of God.

The second story is found in Numbers 16 in connection with the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. When Israel turned against God for slaying these men, God told Moses to step away from the Jews, and He would consume all of the nation instantly. The plague started and over 14,000 were slain. Moses told Aaron to take a censor quickly and “…make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord.” He did as he was instructed. “He stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped.” Atonement is the appeasing sacrifice that stops wrath from being shown.

Now apply this to the Day of Atonement described in Leviticus 16. One day each year God remembered all of the sins of Israel, and His very nature demanded atonement be made or His wrath would come. It was the most solemn day of the Jewish year. On that day, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place and offered the blood of a bull and a ram; first for His own sins and then for the sins of all the people. Atonement was made, and God’s wrath was appeased. However, exactly one year later, atonement had to be made again—year after year for 1,500 years!

The new covenant was promised in which God promised, “Their sin will I remember no more” (Jer.31:34). We need not fear because of our sins, because Christ has made full atonement! We sing, “Full atonement, can it be? Hallelujah, what a Savior!” (More next week.)

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Warned Over Your Iniquities

WARNING: CAUTION! BEWARE!

The following, heavily scripturally-referenced article, requires very serious reader discretion. The biblical truth it contains will be very disturbing and upsetting to the spiritually faint of heart or culturally compromising Christian. It will only make sense to the spiritually mature and faithful in heart who are ultimately willing to take God at His word, and do what He said, no matter what (Lk. 6:46)! Beware. You have been warned …

Hear and Obey.

Hear and Obey.

Question: What one, absolute biblical truth, do all of the following scripture references commonly convey in crystal clear fashion? (All highlighting mine – DED)

1. (1 Sam 8:4-18): Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day–with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods–so they are doing to you also. Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. And he said… “And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”

2. (2 Chronicles 7:12-22): Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are alled by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place… “But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them, then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them; and this house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and this house?’ Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this calamity on them.’ “

3. (Psalm 66:16-20): Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!

4. (Isaiah 1:11-20): “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies– I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

5. (Isaiah 59:1-4): Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies…

6. (Jeremiah 7:11-28): Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord. “But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel. And now, because you have done all these works,” says the Lord, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer, therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brethren–the whole posterity of Ephraim. “Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you. Do you not see what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. Do they provoke Me to anger?” says the Lord. “Do they not provoke themselves, to the shame of their own faces?” Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, My anger and My fury will be poured out on this place–on man and on beast, on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground. And it will burn and not be quenched.” Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat. For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. “Therefore you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you. “So you shall say to them, ‘This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the Lord their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth.

7. (Jeremiah 11:6-14): Then the Lord said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: ‘Hear the words of this covenant and do them. For I earnestly exhorted your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, until this day, rising early and exhorting, saying, “Obey My voice.” Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.’ ” And the Lord said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.” Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal. “So do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.

8. (Jeremiah 14:11-12): Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for this people, for their good.” When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.'” And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.

9. (Jeremiah 15:1): Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth.

10. (Ezekiel 8:17-18): And He said to me, “Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose. Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.“

11. (Micah 3:4): Then they will cry to the Lord, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds.

12. (Zechariah 7:8-13): Then the word of the L ord came to Zechariah, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother.’ “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts.

13. (John 9:31): Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.

14. (Acts 10:34-35): Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

15. (1 Timothy 2:8-14): I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

16. (1 Ptr. 3:12): For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

17. (1 Jn. 5:16-17): If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

After even the most cursory or peripheral reading of all of the above scriptures, and keeping in mind that neither God, His Son, or Their eternal instruction ever changes (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8; Psa. 119:89, 160), how can anyone who considers themselves to be any sort of an honest, sincere, and/or even remotely-open-to-the-truth-seeker, not come to the incredibly and unquestionably crystal clear conclusion, that if someone – anyone – continually, willfully, and defiantly chooses not to listen to and submit to God, then God will, in return, be left with no choice in His righteousness, but to not listen to them and their prayers? I know that this is not an easy topic, understanding, or conclusion to accept (but neither is it the first “hard teaching” of Jesus – See: Jn. 6:60-66); but think about it… for whether or not one’s prayers are truly heard by God is a pretty big deal… isn’t it?

This is an especially vital and necessary truth of God to cover and come to understand currently, seeing as how so many once-faithful congregations and their leadership have decided to bow the knee to Baal and culture, ‘bailing’ on God and His eternal truth by claiming some semblance of the sentiment that, “after two years of careful prayer and study” they have come to the conclusion that God is okay with female preachers, teachers, and leaders over men. This, when the fact of the matter is – at least according to all of the above cited verses from God – that their willful decision to wantonly, completely, and continually close their ears to, and cast God’s eternal edicts and commandments regarding women’s roles in His Son’s church behind their backs (1 Cor. 14:33-37; 1 Tim. 2:8-15), undeniably caused God to, in reality, stop listening to their prayers from that point on anyway!!!

And, taking it a step further… let’s say you are at a public function such as a business luncheon, funeral, graduation, or other event, and someone, such as perhaps any local “clergy” or denominational leader…

  • who utterly, abjectly, and resolutely rejects and chooses not to hear and obey God’s holy word regarding the process by, and point at which, a lost sinner is saved by grace (such as is seen in Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-41, 22:16, Ro. 6, Gal. 3:26-27, 1 Ptr. 3:21 and a whole host of other passages);
  • who utterly, abjectly and resolutely rejects and chooses not to hear and obey God’s holy word regarding the one, called-out, undivided and pre-denominational, first-century body or church of Christ (Matt. 16:18-19; John 17:20-21; 1 Cor. 1:10, 12:12-28; Eph. 1:22-23, 3:8-12, 4:4; Col. 1:18, 24; etc);
  • or, who utterly, abjectly and resolutely rejects and chooses not to hear and obey God’s holy word regarding the one faith, once delivered, for all the saints, prior to the end of the first century as seen evidenced and experienced throughout the entire New Testament from Acts 2 forward (Eph. 4:4-6; Jude 3);

…begins to lead the assembled in a public prayer … is such a person’s prayer heard, welcomed, and accepted by God, based on the word of God as relentlessly referenced above? (And if you think it is, then please go back and re-read all of the above, divinely-inspired scriptures straight from the heart of God – 2 Tim. 3:12-4:4; 2 Ptr. 1:16-2:3.) And if not, then how can any true and sincere, biblical Christian, who is always seeking – although at times badly failing but still humbly trying with all his/her heart – to learn, understand, repent, and to do God’s will on a constant and consistent basis, even consider allowing themselves to be led in prayer, by any such as would choose to make it a point to militantly reject, constantly rebel against, and ultimately cast God’s all-authoritative word behind their backs, while making up, establishing, and defending their own man-made churches, anti-biblical doctrines, and/or self-chosen will-worship practices as they go (Mk. 7:1-13; Rom. 10:1-3; Gal. 1:6-10; Col. 2:23-3:2)?

So, what should we do? The answer is actually quite simple. While we dare not allow ourselves to be led in prayer by those who refuse to listen to God – and are therefore not listened to by God, according to God – our responsibility to them as lost and erring, scripturally-lacking souls is certainly not over.

The first thing we must try to honestly and objectively ascertain (Jn. 7:24), is whether or not they are humble, sincere, and honestly-seeking souls who have simply been misled over the years by man-made false doctrines (Matt. 15:7-9)… or, if they are those who both know and have been well-exposed to and taught the truth, but who just militantly and continually choose to outright reject it (2 Ptr. 2). If they are the latter, then not only does it appear pointless to pray with them, but based on several of the above-referenced scripture verses – and particularly those from the books of Jeremiah and 1st John – it would probably also be pointless to even pray for them. However, if there is even the slightest indication that they might be of the former persuasion (that is to say, honestly God-seeking souls who have simply been misled and taken captive by the persuasive philosophies, deceits, and doctrines and traditions of men – Col. 2:4-8), then we need to do everything in our power, to reach out to them with His power, the gospel (Ro. 1:16)! Speaking of prayers, we must first and foremost pray for them and our efforts to reach them. Secondly, we must seek to set aside the time and effort to share the full, biblical, grace-laden and God-given gospel with them (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:6-10). We must not fear (Matt. 28:18-20). We cannot be thwarted if we stand only, always, and steadfastly on the exclusive and invincible truth of almighty God Himself (2 Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 6:10-20).

And then comes the line of delineation (Matt. 7:13-27)… If they are sincere seekers who had simply not previously heard or been exposed to the full and God given gospel of salvation straight from the heart and word of God like Cornelius was (Acts 10:1-48), then when they see/hear the truth of God concerning: how and when He said one is saved (John 3:3-5, 16, 36; Acts 2:37-41, 8:26-39, 22:16; 1 Ptr. 3:21); the one, saved, undivided and undenominated church or body of Christ which God adds one to upon their faithful repentance and obedience to the one, first-century faith/gospel (Matt. 16:18-19; Acts 2:37-47; Rom. 1:5, 16:16-26; 1 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 3); as well as what is – and is not – involved in spirit and truth worship according to God (Jn. 4:23-24); then they will be eager to repent, to obey the gospel, and to be converted to Christ according to the God-given pattern repeated throughout the New Testament book of Acts. We can – and should – be eager to pray with our new brethren in Christ according to God at that point (Acts 2:42). However, if they, at that point, choose to willfully and ongoingly rebel, refuse to listen, and reject humble submission and obedience to His New Testament truth, will, gospel and pattern, then hasn’t God made it quite clear that He will not hear them… or those who would pray with and/or for them…?

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SALID DE EN MEDIO DE ELLOS

SALID DE EN MEDIO DE ELLOS

La frase que reúne nuestra atención en esta ocasión es encontrada en 2 Co 6:17-18, donde la Biblia dice: “Por lo cual, Salid de en medio de ellos, y apartaos, dice el Señor, Y no toquéis lo inmundo; Y yo os recibiré. Y seré para vosotros por Padre, Y vosotros me seréis hijos e hijas, dice el Señor Todopoderoso.” En estos versículos se combinan varios textos del A.T. El v17 cita a Is. 52:11 y se refiere a la futura santidad de Israel cuando fuera restaurada por el favor del Señor. El v18 aparece por primera vez en 2 S.7:14 en la promesa del pacto de Dios a David pero se reitera en Is. 43:6; 49:22; 60:4 y Os.1:10. En estos pasajes el Señor prometió que El y su pueblo serían como una familia y la aplicación era inmediata para ellos si se arrepentían de su camino pero también Dios tenía en mente la relación de Cristo y su esposa la Iglesia (Ef. 5:23). Israel fue rebelde y nunca quizo volverse al Señor de corazón  de una vez y para siempre. En la dispensación Mosaica cualquier persona que tocaba alguna cosa inmunda de las que Dios ya había designado como inmunda no se le permitía a tal persona, ni siquiera entrar a la congregación de los hijos de Israel hasta que se purificara así mismo.

“Por lo cual, Salid de en medio de ellos, y apartaos"

“Por lo cual, Salid de en medio de ellos, y apartaos”

Al parecer el apóstol Pablo estaba citando a propósito estos pasajes para dos cosas en particular: 1) Recordarles el rechazo de Dios para con Israel por no salir de en medio de ellos, sino más bien hasta de contraer matrimonios con paganos y adorar a sus dioses. 2) Recordarles que Dios al rechazar a Israel estaba pensando en algo mejor aún antes de la fundación del mundo; y era la gloriosa Iglesia de Cristo, con un llamado a salir fuera de en medio de ellos de una manera muy superior a Israel y con mucho más gloria ya que era el pacto final con el hombre. La necesidad de mencionar estos pasajes era apremiante según podemos observar en ambas cartas. La Iglesia de Cristo que se encontraba en la ciudad de Corinto seguramente tenía una tremenda lucha día con día. La cuidad en sí misma era muy reconocida en el siglo primero por ser un puerto estratégico para el comercio y por ser “la ciudad del placer sexual”. Habían muchos templos de dioses paganos pero lo principal era la adoración a Afrodita, este templo estaba en la Acrópolis y en  donde más de mil prostitutas ejercían libremente su oficio. Ser un Corinto prácticamente equivalía a tener aventuras con muchas mujeres y emborracharse todo el tiempo, de ahí el hecho que Pablo escribiera en detalle acerca de asuntos matrimoniales tan solo un capítulo después del 6. Es muy fácil identificar los errores de la Iglesia en Corinto y acusarlos de volverse atrás del santo mandamiento y no ser fiel a cabalidad tal como Israel. Pero sabe una cosa estimado lector, pasa lo mismo en nuestros días la maldad y la inmoralidad es igual a la de  los días de Corinto, nada a cambiado y lamentablemente estamos viendo un avance cada vez mayor dentro de la Iglesia. La inmodestia a la ora de vestir de tantas hermanas y el poco interés de vestirse bien de tantos hermanos varones es trágico.  El hecho de que el versículo diga “salid de en medio de ellos”, No significa una acción de una sola vez, como: “Ya  yo salí y ya, es todo”…¡NO!. Más bien se refiere la frase al hecho de estar separados de ellos, de no compartir su naturaleza, no es solamente un asunto de compañías. Desde el versículo 14 usted puede ver el contraste claro que se hace entre ambas partes para mostrar que la naturaleza de Dios es diferente muy diferente, Habacuc observó mucho tiempo atrás: “ Muy limpios son tus ojos para mirar el mal” (Hab. 1:13 LBLA), por eso no puede mezclarse con la naturaleza del diablo. Para que Dios sea mi Padre y su Padre tenemos que tener por así decirlo su misma “sangre” su mismo ADN su misma naturaleza.  Hay una tremenda necesidad de que aprendamos a no mezclar las cosas y creo que eso es lo más difícil de hacer en este tema. En los tiempos de Noé o estabas dentro del arca o estabas fuera, en los tiempos de  Moises o estabas dentro de las casas que tenían el dintel pintado cuando el ángel de la muerte pasara matando a los primogénitos, o estabas fuera en las casas de los Egipcios donde había  muerte, en los tiempos de Rahab la ramera  o estabas en la casa de Rahab para ser salvo o estabas fuera y eras destruido cuando vinieron los Israelitas. “Salid de en medio de ellos” tiene por implicación un: ¡Entiende que no tienes la misma naturaleza que ellos!.  Pero el salir de un lugar también implica el llegar a otro, y la esperanza de todo fien cristiano es salir del mundo y arribar al lugar donde mora el Padre y donde el Espíritu Santo y Jesús han coexistido por la eternidad; el cielo (Filp.3:20). Lo más bello del v18 es como concluye este capítulo: “Dice el Señor todopoderoso”. Judas 24 menciona que Dios es poderoso para guardarnos sin caída aún si vivimos en el centro de la ciudad de Corinto (énfasis mío H.L.M), Pablo también mencionó el poder de Dios para guardar su depósito (1 Tim. 1:12). La frase “el Señor Todopoderoso” nos recuerda a los milagros imposibles para el hombre que hizo para con Israel pero nos ayuda a no olvidar también los castigos que trajo en su sola soberanía al mismo pueblo desobediente y terco. El todopoderoso para nosotros en Apc 1:18 identificándose el Señor Jesús de esta manera, debería recordarnos perfectamente bien que a El al Todopoderoso Señor Jesucristo es a quien iremos a dar cuentas el día del juicio final como El juez supremo de los vivos y los muertos  ( 2Tim 4:1). Salir de en medio de ellos es algo de todos los días, si usted es cristiano y tiene que ver con la naturaleza de nuestro espíritu. La Iglesia de Cristo es de carácter divino es la ekklesia (Los llamados fuera), para ser diferentes y para vivir diferentes. Si no es cristiano el Señor también le está llamando a travez de su evangelio (2Tes 2:14) a salir de en medio de ellos a ser diferente a vivir por El.  No existe nada más importante  y más bello en este mundo y en el universo entero, que el hecho de saber que mi Papá, mi familia, mi Padre, es el Gran YO SOY ¡Espero que el suyo también.!

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Judged? Condemned? Admonished?

Judged? Condemned? Admonished?

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

John 3:18

Picture this.  You’re in the passenger seat of a car that is speeding down the Interstate at 100 mph, and your spouse/significant other/friend is behind the wheel.  As you pass the posted sign that advertises the speed limit at 70 mph, you say to the driver, “Hey, you need to slow down!  You’re speeding!”  Haven’t we all done something like that?

Feel Condemned? Should you?

Feel condemned? Should you?

Now, imagine that your spouse/significant other/friend turns to you and retorts, “Who are you to say that to me?  You’re not the judge!  You can’t judge me!  You can’t condemn me!  You’re judging me right into a speeding ticket!  You’re judging me right into a fine!  You’re judging me right into jail time!  How dare you?!?!”

It’s hard to imagine someone saying something like that to you in such a situation, isn’t it?  I mean, come on!  It’s a pretty ridiculous thing to say, considering the circumstances.    After all…

  1. You just saw the 70 mph speed limit sign, and therefore you saw the speed that the law of the land was allowing in that area.
  2. You then saw that the speedometer of the car your spouse/significant other/friend was currently driving was at 100 mph, 30 miles over the speed limit advertised by the law of the land.
  3. Therefore, you recognize that your spouse/significant other/friend is guilty of violating the law of the land, and in fact is ALREADY guilty of it even though so far he has not been stopped by a police officer, given a ticket, pronounced guilty by a judge, and given a punishment of a fine and/or jail time.
  4. So even though you are not a police officer or legal magistrate and did not in fact write the law of the land concerning the speed limit in that area, you know what the law of the land is and therefore have no problem telling your spouse/significant other/friend that they’re breaking that law because you are concerned about them (and yourself also.)
  5. And you recognize that you’re not in fact “judging” them into anything.  If any negative consequence – any condemnation from a cop or a magistrate – comes upon them, it is their own fault, not yours.  They are the ones breaking the law, not you.

Which is why I’m sure that, if your spouse/significant other/friend was ludicrous enough to say something like that to you, you would retort that such a statement was extremely foolish, to say the least.

Any idea where I’m going with this?

How many times have you tried to tell someone that they are in sin, and yet no matter how kindly and gently you tell them (Eph. 4:15; Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:24-26) they come back with a similar statement of “How dare you judge me?!  You’re not the judge, God is!  You’re judging me right into hell!  Who gave you that right?!”

Granted, I’ve seen in the church more times than not people admonish others over a perceived violation of nothing more than 2 Opinions 3:16 rather than any actual scriptural command or principle that’s actually found in the Bible, and in such cases the retort that God is your judge rather than them is correct (Rom. 14:1-4, 10-12).

However, that is not what I’m talking about here.  I’m talking about a situation in which you encounter someone who violates an actual command or principle that is revealed in the Word of God.  In such a situation, are you really “judging them into hell” by simply telling them that they are wrong and in sin, especially if you do so the way in which God commanded?  Are you REALLY condemning them, or are they in fact already condemned?  Think about it…

  1. You have read in your Bible the actual commands that they are disobeying, and you have taken into complete and honest account EVERYTHING that God’s Word says about that particular matter (Ps. 119:160).  (Very important, because a lot of times we don’t do this, you know…)
  2. You have seen with your own eyes them disobeying that verse, and you have already talked with them about it to make sure of it.  (Also important, because a lot of times we either listen to gossip or we jump to conclusions, something God doesn’t want us to do – John 7:24)
  3. Therefore, you recognize that their belief in God is in fact weak in this particular area due to their disobedience (cf. James 2:14-26) and they are guilty of breaking the laws of God, and in fact are ALREADY guilty of doing so in the sight of God.
  4. So even though you are not God and his Word did not originate with you, you know what his Word says about this matter, you also recognize that his Word has commanded you to not keep quiet about the matter, and so you have no problem “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15; Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:24-26) to this person because you are in fact concerned both about their soul and yours.
  5. And you recognize that you’re not “judging” them into hell at all.  If any condemnation comes upon them, it will come from God, not you, and in fact has ALREADY come upon them barring their repentance…because they’re the ones sinning, not you.

Don’t let the “you can’t judge me” people intimidate you, folks.  While we are not to judge hypocritically or with unrighteous standards or according to appearance (Matt. 7:1-6; John 7:24a), we are in fact commanded to judge righteously (John 7:24b).  In other words, judge with the Righteous Standards that have already been put in place which will be used on that last day (John 12:48; Rev. 20:11-15).

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