Fools and Their Consequences

Are You a Fool?  (Part 5)

Isaac Newton is known as a great mind of science who has influenced the minds of men in many disciplines. What many do not realize is he was also a great influence in the realm of theology. Mr. Newton while not flawless in the religious realm has created some excellent commentary upon God’s truth from the Bible. Mr. Newton is well noted for his observation and recording of three laws of motion. It is the third of these from which application to this final article regarding fools will be drawn.

consequences

There are Consequences for our Actions.

Newton’s Third Law of Motion: To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction: or the forces of two bodies on each other are always equal and are directed in opposite directions.

Newton’s law has to do with the physical. However, it can be observed in regard to the fool, that his actions of disobedience, unbridled speech, anger, and knowledge without wisdom will result in opposite and equal consequences. Before expanding and explaining this statement, the Bible presents some passages regarding the consequences of fools that must be observed:

Psalms107:17 – Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

Proverbs 10:8 – The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

Proverbs 10:14 – Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

Proverbs 1:32 – For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

Proverbs 13:20 – He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Yes, the Bible establishes there will be affliction, falling, and destruction for the fool; however, these consequences are quite generic. What more specific consequences does the Bible mention in regard to a fool’s actions? Most individuals would not appreciate their obituary to read: “Joe Smith, a man whose life was characterized by punishment, regret, a lack of honor, stressed family, ego, distrust, folly, evil, and loss of life before its time.” However, these more specific consequence are found in Psalms 38:5, Proverbs, 14:8, 19:29, 26:1,3,5,6; and Ecclesiastes 5:1, 7:17. The Bible is full of examples of people engaging in actions which are foolish and the negative physical consequences which follow. These are only partial consequences though. Physical consequences do not fully equal the opposite force of foolishness. Nor are they always consistent. Not every foolish action is going to have physical consequences. There are spiritual considerations which must be taken into account to balance out the equation.

1 Corinthians 1:18 – For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Proverbs 18:7 – A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

Proverbs 3:35 – The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Psalms 5:5 – The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

These four verses identify the spiritual plight of the foolish. Because of their choices, fools neglect the wisdom which is eternal salvation, ensnaring themselves in a world of sin. The end result of such behavior is shameful absence from the presence of God for eternity. The spiritual consequences complete the application of the Newtonian equation. The spiritual and physical consequences in total equate to the sum of the fools actions. To have this equation be negative rather than positive would be a man’s greatest failing.

A great number of families worry over their children. They do not desire them to be known as fools. They do not want them to suffer the consequences which will result from foolish behavior. What are they to do? The Bible has a prescription:

Proverbs 22:15 – Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Often youths are not consistently and properly corrected for their foolishness and they develop into foolish adults. There are some even with proper consequences who still refuse to accept the instruction and wisdom of the correction. They choose to rebel as children and as adults. They return to the same behaviors over and over. They do not heed the warnings given them.

Proverbs 17:10 – A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.

Proverbs 26:11 – As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

The issue is not a fault in the consequences; it is a fault in the choice of the individual. Fools choose to value that which has no value. They choose to accept corrupt knowledge instead of that which leads to wisdom. Consequently, when wise decisions need to be made, they fail. Meanwhile, the wise man puts at his disposal components which will lead to positive consequences. In terms of being pleasing to God, the wise man grounds himself in the path God directs by knowing and following God’s written word, the Bible. He prepares himself so he will be strong and have control over his actions by a foundation of truth (Ecclesiastes 10:2). A fool does not keep his heart sound in this fashion. He trusts in emotions, feelings, and opinions of man. These are subject to change and lend to instability and weakness. Sand has been chosen over Rock and equal opposing consequence will result whether negative or positive.

God has determined fools, based on their disobedience, speech, anger, and knowledge will be rewarded with consequences equal to their actions. Simultaneously, the spiritual application of Newton’s third law of motion can also be seen in the lives of those considered wise in the eyes of God. The value God puts on man’s reverence and obedience to Him (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14) is equivalent to the positive consequence of eternal life in heaven with Him. The fool and the wise are both rewarded by God in direct value to the deeds they have done in life. The equations of a man’s life can be changed from negative to positive and from positive to negative. An individual can choose to be foolish or wise or back to fool again. Great are the consequences of all selected choices. Are choosing to be wise or a fool?

Proverbs 26:10 – The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.

Galatians 6:7 – Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

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Promised Land

Entering God’s Promised Land

Our oft-stated goal is that each member of the congregation goes to heaven and takes as many souls with us that we can. When we compare our journey toward the Promised Land of heaven and the Israelite journey to Canaan we learn some valuable lessons.

Promised Land

Are You Heading Toward the Promised Land?

Faith – We need to remember that faith is not just a mental assent of some truth; it is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The Israelites who left Egypt were provided with ample substance and evidence from God, but their lack of faith caused all those who left Egypt from 20 years old and older (besides Joshua and Caleb) to loose out on the promise (Numbers 32:11). We too must live by faith if we hope to enter into our Promised Land.

Forgetfulness – The Israelites lack of faith was brought on by their failure to remember what God had done for them. Time and again God demonstrated to His chosen people His love and power. While Paul said that there were some things we need to forget (Philippians 3:13) it is equally as imperative that we remember what God has done for us so that we do not lapse in our faith.

Following – One of the epic failures of the Israelites who were brought up out of Egypt was their inability to follow, or frequently challenge, the leadership that God had put in place. Their pride and arrogance stood as insurmountable barriers to the Promised Land. We understand the danger of pride (Proverbs 16:18) but struggle with the application. We need to remember to follow those who have been placed in authority and we also need to learn to be content with the position that God has put us in.

Contentment – The Israelites who left Egypt may be considered the most discontented people to have ever lived. Their incessant grumbling and complaining was a direct contributing factor to their failure to enter the Promised Land. The same danger exists for you and me as we press on toward heaven. We lack patience, we complain, we grumble, and generally live joyless lives. Paul gives us a great example to follow when he said, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11–13).

Courage – As the second generation of Israelites grew to maturity and prepared to enter into the Promised Land God reminded Joshua and the people to “Be strong and of good courage” (Joshua 1:6, 9, 18; 10:25). We too need to be “strong and of good courage.” The Christian walk will be a difficult one at times. We will be faced with temptation, persecution, resistance, and direct attack from Satan and his minions. “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).

Capture – The final step for the Israelites was to go in and lay hold of the Promised Land. Their ancestors had failed to accomplish this when they refused to listen to Joshua and Caleb and instead followed the evil report of the other ten spies. We too need to follow through to the end. We must lay hold of the hope set before us and the eternal life that God has prepared for us (Hebrews 6:18; Philippians 3:12; 1 Timothy 6:12, 19).

Jesus made a promise to the disciples before returning to the Promised Land of heaven. “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know” (John 14:1–4). Are you ready to enter in? Have you begun the journey? Hear, learn, and obey the will of the Lord.

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Narrow Minded or Christ Minded?

Narrow Minded?

I recently heard a story about a denominational preacher who was questioned about some of his unscriptural worship practices.  Lacking any Scriptural proof, he simply attempted to justify himself by saying something to the effect that those who opposed his views were “ narrow minded. ”

Narrow Minded

Narrow minded?

 

The term “ narrow minded ” is defined as “lacking tolerance, breadth of view, or sympathy; petty.”  I find it interesting that people who want to do things their way (instead of doing it God’s way) always try to justify themselves by throwing the blame on those who demand a Scriptural answer.  Such people do not respect the authority of God’s word – which tells us that we must do all things according to the Scriptural pattern (cf. Heb. 8:5) by the authority of Christ (Col. 3:17).  John 4:24 tells us that we must worship God both sincerely and according to His truth – “for the Father is seeking such to worship Him“ (v. 23).  This assures us that God does not accept just any worship, no matter how sincere people are.  Jesus said, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Lk. 6:46; cf. Matt. 7:21-27).

You see, friends, those who respect the authority of God’s word are only as narrow minded as Christ is (Matt. 15:7-9,13; 7:13-14; Lk. 13:24).  So let this mind be in you (cf. Phil. 2:5).

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Preaching the Truth or Not

He preaches the truth, or does he?

I was recently talking to a member of the church in another city who was considering leaving the present congregation to attend a larger congregation that recently had hired a new preacher. This person had visited the larger congregation and was impressed by much of what she saw. The comment made to me was, “I have been there a few times, and I have never heard him preach anything wrong.”

Preaching

Preaching the Truth? Or Not.

There were some things which were different and at first this person felt uncomfortable, but the fact she “had never heard him preach anything wrong” negated the feelings of uneasiness. While not all change is wrong, wisdom says that we should consider the motive behind the change.

There is a difference between preaching truth and preaching all the truth. It may not be the “I have never heard him preach anything wrong” that should be the concern and measure of the new preacher. It is not what is being preached, but what is not being preached that is the problem. Paul said, “I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26).  The sermons preached in some congregations could easily be preached in denominations. They are “cute” and one leaves having had a wonderful experience. Such sermons are Biblically based, but often never distinctive. They are rarely confrontational and end with an admonition of “let us all try harder.” The preaching in the first century ended with a call to acknowledging sin and repentance.

There is a difference between preaching against sin and preaching against sins. As I listened to the person’s “have not heard anything wrong” concept, I thought of how easy it is to preach against sin, but how difficult it is to preach against specific sins. Everyone preaches against sin, but it is far harder to preach against unscriptural divorces and remarriages. My guess is that this is the reason many preachers will not preach about this or about dancing, immodest (lascivious) dress, drinking, church discipline and a host of other specific sins.

There is a difference between “positive” preaching and balanced preaching. The popularity of the community church has caused many to think that if we copy their preaching we can compete with them. Thus, many go to popular churches because they want to leave with a warm, positive feeling. The positive approach that leads one to the “I have never heard him preach anything wrong” may simply be some seek to always be positive. Biblical preaching involves more than exhortation. It involves reproving and rebuking (2 Tim. 4:2) and includes the whole counsel of God. The popularity we should seek is the favor which comes from above all of us!

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The Truth About Persecution

How Do You Define Christianity?

The name Samer Kamil Yacub probably does not mean much to 99.9% of Americans. But it should. He is believed to be the last Christian who left the Iraqi city of Mosul this week, after 2,000 years of Christianity in that town. Let that soak in for a moment. A place that has had Christians for 2,000 years now has none.

Persecution

Could You Handle Real Persecution?

Christians in Mosul have been forced to flee—while being beaten, robbed, and in many cases killed by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). This so-called “peaceful religion” has been telling Christians for several weeks now: “Convert or die.” In America we rarely hear about the hundreds of Christians who are being killed by Muslims. After all, it would not be politically correct to shine a negative light on that religion. As the bumper stickers say, we should all just “co-exist.” So, while our country argues over whether or not an NFL team can retain the name “Washington Redskins,” Christians in Iraq have been going through persecution that most of us cannot even fathom.

Imagine for a moment watching your church family torn apart—with members being killed for their beliefs. Imagine watching as some of your immediate family is sent away—and you aren’t quite sure where they have gone. At militant checkpoints in Mosul they order fleeing Christian women into trailers where Muslims take away their jewelry and add it to an ever-growing pile. They take their money and anything else of value they are carrying. It does not matter to them if you are crippled, sick, or have no place to go. The message is still the same: Convert or die. And so, rather than renouncing their faith, thousands of Christians have left Mosul and become refugees.

On July 27th, 2014 Jonathan Krohn observed

…the al Qaeda-inspired fighters who overran the city last month gave Christians an ultimatum. They could stay and pay a tax or convert to Islam—or be killed. Yacub, 70, was one of the few Christians remaining beyond last Saturday’s noon deadline. He may have even been the last to leave alive.

“[A] fighter said, ‘I have orders to kill you now’,” Yacub said just hours after the Sunni extremists tried to force their way into his home at 11 a.m. on Monday. “All of the people in my neighborhood were Muslim. They came to help me —about 20 people — at the door in front of my house. They tried to convince ISIS not to kill me.”1

As I read those words I asked myself what would happen in America if we were forced to “convert or die.” How strong is our faith? Sadly, I believe many weak Christians would convert rather than be put through major persecution. After all, not many people are willing to give up their $5 cup of coffee or sports/entertainment.

In Iraq the choice of being a Christian means you will probably lose your house and all your belongings—and may, in fact, lose your life. In America we define a Christian as someone who attends a church for an hour, maybe wears a “Christian t-shirt,” and doesn’t go watch the really bad movies. To Americans, persecution means that some politician didn’t vote the way we wanted him/her to—or a restaurant chain is singled out for their stand on traditional marriage.

So what happens then when the real persecution comes? And it will. How many people will be willing to give up their affluence in order to retain their faith? I suspect on that day there will be a separation—wheat and chaff—with many current Christians deciding “its not worth it.” To those I would ask, “Was it worth it to Christ to die for your sins?”

Persecution of Christians in America is growing. Are we rearing our children to be strong enough to stand? Will they renounce their religion and convert when they are truly tested or will they “fight the good fight?” It’s time American Christians wake up and look around the world and see what is really going on. It’s time to be informed. Parents must realize that simply raising Christians is not enough. The next generation in America must be warriors. After all, it’s quite possible that during your child’s lifetime America will see a dramatic rise of Islam. Will your child be like Samer Kamil Yacub—and be the last Christian to walk out of your city or will they simply convert?

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