Can’t Have One Without the Other

“Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”  I John 2:22-23

The believers of John’s day, as well as all true believers, possessed/possesses an unction, that is, a fervent and earnest anointing from God, the Holy One, which enabled/enables believers to have spiritual insight into the truth of God’s word.  The world doesn’t have this spiritual insight, and, thus, to them everything that happens is measured or analyzed in a secular way.  Believers see things though the spiritual lens of God’s purposes and plans and even though they may not understand the purposes, they know that God works out all things to suit His plans.  We don’t have to know everything; we just have to have faith.  Unbelievers look at circumstances as coincidences, luck, happenstance, or karma, that is, fate, but believers know that there is a purpose in everything that happens.

Nothing takes God by surprise.  He doesn’t orchestrate sin, but he uses sin that people commit in order to benefit His plans.  Judas is an example.  He betrayed Christ into the hands of those that crucified Him, but His death brought salvation to multitudes of people.  God didn’t cause Judas to sin in betraying Christ; He just used a sinful man to fulfill His purposes.  Judas had a choice.  He could have refused to do what he did, or he could have repented to God afterward, but his heart was evil.  For over three years, Judas walked with Christ, saw the miracles that He did, and heard His words of love and words of warning, but allowed Satan to rule his heart leaving no room for God.  While God desires for all people to be saved, multitudes, like Judas, who have spurned God from their hearts, will not be saved.

One of the greatest lies that is spread even by people who claim to be Christians is that Jesus is not Christ.  Not only are these people liars of the worse kind, but they also call God a liar when they deny that Jesus is His Son, His only Son, whom He sent to earth to suffer and die for the sins of all mankind.  He even paid the penalty of sin for those who deny Him, but in their denial, they are also denying God, the Father.  Of those who believe that Jesus is anything less than the Son of God, the Lord, and the Savior of men and women, John calls “antichrists”.  “Christian Scientists” believe that Jesus was not God as do Jehovah’s Witnesses.  The latter believes that Jesus is a god created by God, but not God’s Son.  They have even changed scripture in John 1:1 to say that the Word was a god instead of “the Word was God”.  Mormons believe that salvation is based on following their book of Mormon rather than on repentance and trust in Christ.  Other religions believe Jesus was a teacher or prophet, but not Lord and Savior.  Even the majority of Jews in John’s day and right up to our present day don’t believe that Jesus is God’s Son.  Many, but not all, of them are still looking for God’s Messiah to come whom they believe will not be God’s Son, but “a human sent by God to deliver Israel from oppression, not a divine being to save individuals from personal sin” (from the article, “A Comparison of Christianity with Major Religions and Cults”).  That’s what they believed thousands of years ago when they expected Jesus to set up His earthly kingdom and rid Israel of the Romans.  God tells us, though, that their eyes will be opened one day, and they will acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah (Isaiah 35).

John made it crystal clear that whoever denies Christ, the Son of God, has no relationship with God the Father.  He also made that clear in John 14:6 when John quoted Jesus who unequivocally stated that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.  Thus, all of these antichrists have to ignore nearly all of God’s word to trust in the lies that they believe and teach.  However, those who acknowledge Jesus as God’s Son, and as John stated in II John 9, those who abide in the teaching of Christ (which would include repentance of sin and trust in Him for salvation and eternal life) will also have a relationship with God the Father and with Jesus.  God rejects those who reject His Son for the death and resurrection of Jesus is the only way God made it possible to be reconciled with Him.  Look at it this way:  all people have a terminal disease called sin.  Christ is the only Cure without which no one can be healed.  Sin is worse than cancer.  Cancer can destroy the physical body, but sin can destroy both the body and the soul (Matthew 10:28).  Cancer stops when the body dies, but sin ravages the soul of those who reject Christ for all eternity.  The one who trusts in Christ may have to deal with debilitating disease in his or her lifetime but will awaken in eternity with perfect health and happiness.

When we think of antichrist, we think of the evil one who will come on the scene at the beginning of the seven-year period of tribulation, who will seem like a world savior but will show his true colors as a tyrant.  He will not only be against Christ but try to take His place as Lord of heaven and earth.  Those, as John called them, antichrists were/are all who reject Christ.  I suppose we could say that they attempt to take His place by assuming to be their own gods.  I guess it is because I have been a student of the Bible for many, many years, that I can’t understand why people, intelligent people, can’t see the truth of God’s word.  I suppose it is mostly because they have never been taught from God’s word.  Many of them say that they believe in God, but don’t mention Jesus around them.  They need to understand that one can’t have God without having Jesus.  What is so difficult about that?

Is Worldly Living Worth It?

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”  I John 2:15-17

John began Chapter 2:12 by addressing believers according to their level of maturity in the faith.  The first stage after coming to Christ are those who we could call “beginners” because the Christian life is new to them, they are just starting out in their walk with Christ, and they have much to learn.  The most important thing for them to know in the beginning is that their sins are forgiven, and their lives will be somewhat or very different from now on depending on their previous lifestyle.  Had they been reared in a Christian home and already knew a good bit about how to live as a Christian, they have a head start in comparison to those who haven’t a clue about living for Christ.

John also addressed the fathers, not necessarily the fathers of new Christians, but rather the older believers, those who were much more mature in the faith.  Even so, no matter how long one has been a Christian, he or she still has much to learn.  It is astonishing how one can read a particular passage in scripture many times, and then, one day, it is like a light bulb goes off in one’s head to discover something in that passage that he or she had never seen before.  Studying God’s word is a real adventure because one never knows what truth will be revealed to him or her, and God will reveal His truths if we are searching for them.

John then addressed the young men who were not novices in the faith, but not yet mature.  They succeeded past the point of uncertainty, doubt, and ignorance as those who are new to faith in Christ naturally are and had accumulated a good amount of knowledge of Christ and how believers must strive toward excellency in their walk with Him.  They had learned much about how Satan tried to deceive those who follow Christ and were not easily swayed by his lies.  They had learned to resist the devil in order to make him flee (James 4:7).  Why would Satan waste his time in continually harassing a committed Christian when he saw that it was getting him nowhere?  I think that he had rather go after the new or immature Christian, but he still hassles those who have been saved for a long time.  Those who are lazy, indifferent, or not committed wholeheartedly to Christ are much more vulnerable to his schemes.

John then gave his readers one of the most valuable admonitions that applies to all believers in Christ:  don’t love the world nor any of the things in the world.  Those who love the world do not love God for they put worldly desires ahead of God.  They make worldly things their god, and God made it clear that no one was to have any gods before Him (Exodus 20:3).  He didn’t just mean that commandment for His people but for every person that has ever been born.  An idol is not just a wooden, stone, or metal image as was worshiped in ancient times, but anything that one places more value and attention on than the LORD God, and that includes people, animals, wealth, prestige, position, or self.  Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 that it is impossible to serve God and anything else that is considered a god.  It’s either One or the other.  God warned the Israelites in Exodus 23:33 that to serve other gods besides or instead of Him would be a trap to them.  Millions, perhaps billions of people today, both Jew and Gentile, are caught in that trap.

John then became specific about what constitutes the “world”.  He is not speaking of the creation that God made to give men and women an abode, a place to live, work, raise families, and enjoy the beauties of nature.  He is speaking about how man has polluted and perverted what God made for man’s benefit.  Romans 1:25 tells us that people who do not know God nor recognize Him as the sovereign and Holy God over His creation, worship His creation instead of Him.  People do not love; they lust out of their pride.  They want to satisfy their flesh through immorality with their bodies seeking to please their craving of sex in ways totally against God’s intended purpose for sex–one man, one woman united in holy matrimony for life.  The world also lusts for what they see–wealth, prestige, power, control, and whatever they believe will make them happy.  They are so full of pride that they think they don’t need God.  Any success they have, they think they did it on their own, but Jesus said in John 15:5 that without Him, people can do nothing.

Thus, it is futile to believe that one can make it on his own without God.  The world and everything in it will one day be gone, but those who do God’s will, repenting, receiving Christ, and living for Him, will live forever with Him.  Those who reject Him will live forever in hell.  Is worldly and selfish living worth it?

Love vs. Hate

“He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”  I John 2:10-11

When God gave His Ten Commandments and all of His laws to Moses on Mt. Sinai, it was for the purpose to show man his need for a Savior because, as man quickly discovered, it was impossible to keep every single law.  To break one commandment was equivalent to breaking them all (James 2:10).  God knew that man could not keep all of His laws, but He required man to be obedient and gave man the ability to sacrifice animals as a temporary means to be at peace with Him.  The law was designed to show man that he was a sinful creature who could do nothing to save himself from God’s wrath which will be poured out on sinners who reject Christ, the only means of redemption.  Obedience to God and giving the required sacrifices were the way of life for the Old Testament Jews.  However, God promised to send a Savior whereby men and women would no longer be under the law of sin and death, but rather under the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2), the new commandment about which John was writing (I John 2:8).

When true love rules in the hearts of believers, the darkness is overcome by the true light of Christ which now shines in the hearts and lives of all those who are dedicated to following Christ.  Possessing true love in one’s heart means that there is no room for hate.  To claim that one is living in the light of Christ, yet harbors hate in his or her heart for a fellow believer indicates that the one who hates is actually living in darkness.  In the book of James (3:8-18), the writer shows that believers can’t both curse and bless others by their words.  We can apply this to one’s attitude toward others, both fellow believers and folks who are unbelievers.  James asked how a water fountain could produce both sweet and bitter water at the same time.  It can’t.  It could produce one of the other, but not at the same time.  If that was possible, the bitter would flavor the sweet.  Salt water and sweet mixed would make the sweet somewhat salty.  Hate affects everything it touches, but much more does it affect the one who hates.  It colors his or her world with darkness, envy, greed, cynicism, and a judgmental attitude, a critical spirit.  How can one claim to love God yet hate one whom God created in His image, and whom He loves?

On the other hand, one who loves others is abiding in the light of Christ.  This kind of love is a sacrificial kind of love, one that puts others first and one that desires the best for others, even if it means denying oneself of his or her own desires.  The one who loves won’t have to worry about stumbling around in the dark for the light of Christ shines on his or her footsteps allowing him or her to see the righteous path that Jesus has laid for His followers.  If we truly love Christ, we will see all others as either our brothers or sisters in Christ or see those who don’t know Christ as souls worth saving.

To emphasize the necessity of walking in the light of Christ, John repeated that those who hate are walking in darkness, not knowing where they are going because hate has caused them to be spiritually blind.  Just before Jesus’ crucifixion, He sent some of His disciples to a village of Samaritans in order to prepare a place for Jesus and His disciples to spend the night.  The Samaritans, who hated the Jews, refused entry to their village.  John and his brother, James, became angry and asked Jesus if He was going to call down fire from heaven and destroy them like Elijah called down fire on the king’s messengers (II Kings 1:16).  Jesus rebuked John and James for their vengeful spirit.  He said that He had come to save men, not destroy them (Luke 9:51-56).  When Jesus cast out the moneychangers from the temple, He didn’t hurt them, but made it clear that they were not to desecrate His Father’s house (Luke 19:45-46).  Evil does blind the eyes of those who do evil.

Speaking of evil and hatred, I, like most of you all, have never witnessed such an outpouring of hatred as I have seen over the last couple of weeks on television and online.  We know that outside groups of people who are well organized to stir up trouble and are being paid by men who hate America and Israel are instigating these hateful protests against Israel.  The young college students are easily swayed to get involved in these protests, but few have any idea of what is behind all of these protests.  It appears that most of them have had no spiritual training, and they have no idea of the history of Israel.  I think part of the reason that they are joining in these protests is because they are being told over and over again that they will never own a home nor have a family nor a lucrative career because of the economy and the polices of the current administration, and this is their way of rebelling against what they feel is unfair, blaming the country rather than taking responsibility for themselves.  This younger generation has been brought up to find offense at every little thing.  They don’t know how to handle adversity, and thus, they act out in hostility and anger.  The really frightening part is that these are the so-called leaders of tomorrow.  By the time they make it into the halls of congress and the White House, I will be in heaven, but I worry for my daughter, grandchildren, and all folks who are trying to live righteously and honor the Lord.  I think that our country has gone so far into the darkness, as John wrote, that the only hope we have is the return of Christ.  Even so, come Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).

Keeping God’s Commandments

“And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”  I John 2:3

One of the purposes for John writing I John was to admonish believers to shun sin.  That’s how he began his letter as a caution against taking sin lightly for the remedy for sin came at a very great cost to God.  The ideal lifestyle of a Christ follower is to avoid sin at all costs, but, as people who still have that sin nature with which we were born, sinlessness is impossible for humans.  The good news is, though, as John encouraged believers, that WHEN we sin, notice that he didn’t say IF we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, that is, one who pleads our case, our Defense Attorney, in the person of Jesus Christ, who just happens to be the Son of the Judge.  How gracious and merciful is that?  Imagine standing before a human judge and your attorney is his or her offspring.  Of course, that wouldn’t happen because that would entail a conflict of interest.  To our advantage, Jesus, the righteous and holy One, is the only One who can defend believers before His Father because when Christ stands in our stead before God, God can see no further than the blood of Christ which covers our sins completely.  God sees the nail scarred hands, feet, and side and grants us forgiveness, not for our sakes, but for Christ’s sake.  Jesus receives all the glory and honor, not us.

John wrote that Christ is the “propitiation” for our sins.  Some folks define “propitiation” as Christ being the “substitute” payer of the penalty for our sins, which is true, but propitiation is what Christ did to regain the good will of, that is, reconcile sinners to God.  His sacrifice brought atonement, the covering over of sin and caused God to become “propitious”, that is, to be favorably inclined to forgive us of all sin and wash us clean before His eyes.  Jesus endured His suffering and death not just for those who would receive Him as Lord and Savior or just for the Jews, but for the sins of the entire world.  Jesus died for everyone’s sins, but only those who repent and believe on Him, committing their lives to Him for all eternity, receive the covering over of their sins by His blood.

The evidence, as John points out, that shows us that we are truly in Christ is rather simple–we keep God’s commandments.  Jesus has basically two commandments–love God and love people, because love is the root of all that is good and godly (Matthew 22:37-40).  When we have this godly love, we have fulfilled the law, that is, Christ’s commandment (Romans 13:8).  On the flipside, there is also evidence that shows one is not in Christ–claiming to know Jesus but not obeying His commandments.  Is not the One to whom we owe complete allegiance, honor, and worship deserving of our obedience?  I am reminded of the two sons whom their father sent out to work in the vineyard.  The first refused to go but later repented and went.  The second son said he would go but did not go.  Jesus then asked the religious leaders who did the will of his father.  They answered that it was the first son (Matthew 21:28-32).  Counterfeit Christians are like the second son.  They may talk the talk, but they don’t walk the walk.  They don’t strive for excellence in their lives in order to be faithful children of God and faithful brothers and sisters of Christ.

Commitment to Christ is necessary to be His true disciple.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-22 that doing religious works without obeying God will not get anyone into heaven.  Being a truly born-again Christian is an “either/all” undertaking.  Either one is “all in” in his or her commitment to Christ for life or he or she is not in at all.  There are no “part-time” or “temporary” members of Christ’s body.  No one would desire a physical heart that only worked part-time.  John called those who were professing Christ but not possessing Him by their disobedience to Him liars.  One will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:20).  John also wrote that those who keep God’s word, the love of God is “perfected” in them.  What does “perfected” mean?  Obeying God and living for Him shows that we have fulfilled or accomplished God’s intended purpose for His children.  Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love Me, keep My commandments”.  The desire to obey the Lord and keep His commandments is how we can know that we are in Christ.  If one is very careless or indifferent about living righteously before the Lord, then it’s a pretty good indication that he or she doesn’t know the Lord.  To know Him is to love, love, love Him and keep His word.

If we say that we abide in Christ, then we should stive to be like Him as much as humanly possible.  When Jesus walked on this earth in His human/God body, He showed us how to live each day with hope and joy as we emulate His ways, compassion, love, mercy, and purity in all manner of life with the intention to be the best Christian that we can.  In every situation, we need to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus have me to do?”  We will find those answers in His word and by listening to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, which indwells every believer.  God doesn’t expect us to fight our daily battles alone but gives us the strength and help to be victorious over the enemy.  While it is not possible for us to be sinless, we can live a life pleasing to the Lord with His help.  Living righteously for Him should always be our desire.

God is Faithful and Just

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”  I John 1:9-10

Most folks prefer light over darkness.  A beautiful sunny day is welcomed over a dark, stormy night.  It seems like more bad things happen at night.  Criminals do most of their work under cover of darkness where they can’t easily be seen, whereas light exposes their evil deeds.  Except, in these days of lawlessness, people who break the law do not seem to care whether anyone sees them or not because they have been shown that no one holds them accountable, except God, but since they have no fear of Him, they do their dirty deeds with glee oblivious to God’s eventual judgment of them.  In God, there is no darkness at all.  There is nothing in Him that is imperfect, defective, unjust, immoral, or deceptive.  He doesn’t associate Himself with evil, thus, if we say that we know God, pray to Him, and believe in Him, but walk in darkness, that is, spend our lives living in such a way that is contrary to His standards, sinning without repentance, and having no real fear and reverence for Him, then, as John declared, we are liars and don’t really know the truth of God’s word.  And that’s where we are today in this old sin-soaked world.  As each day passes, God’s word is shown to be a very accurate foretelling of the future.

But there is good news.  The one who walks in the light of Christ is aware of his or her duty to live as Christ would have them to live.  Real Christians desire to please God and desire to shun sin and be faithful representatives of Christ.  When we live as true believers in Christ, we can have fellowship with the Lord and with other believers.  When we sin, because we still have a sin nature and are prone to fall back on it from time to time, we know that Christ’s blood covers our sins.  His sacrifice on the cross paid the penalty for all of our sins, past, present, and future.  I know that sounds too good to be true, but it is true because God accepted Jesus’ death as payment for all of our sins.  God wouldn’t allow His Son to die for a partial forgiveness.  That would make no sense.  Those who believe in Jesus but also believe that they will have to suffer for a time after death for their sins do not understand the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice.  Those who repent and believe in Christ are completely free from the guilt of sin, but those who reject Christ are held guilty for every sin they have ever committed.

Every person who has ever been born can’t help but sin.  We are born with a sin nature.  We are not sinners because we sin, but rather we sin because we are sinners, born physically, separated from God, our Creator, because of our sin.  As long as we are alive on this earth, we will sin.  Thus, in attempting to claim that we do not sin, we are very deceived because we ignore the truth.  God put a conscience in every person to know right from wrong, but, under the influence of Satan, we can suppress that conscience.  Paul made it clear in Romans 1:18-28 that those who refuse to glorify and honor God become people of empty souls and have hearts of darkness.  Thank God, though, that there is a cure for this darkness.  Because God made us and gave us free will, the ability to make choices, and, because God is omniscient, knowing everything, past, present, and future, He knew that giving man free will would allow him to sin, and He knew that man would cross the line into sin.

Even before God created man, He had a remedy for man’s sin.  We must confess and acknowledge our sin.  That doesn’t just mean being sorry for our sins but turning from them.  J. Oswald Sanders wrote in his book, “Enjoying Intimacy with God”, “When we confess any sin, it means that we are agreeing with what God says about it, and taking the attitude toward it that He does”.  When we confess, we are agreeing with God that we have disobeyed His word.  Repentance is required, along with trust in Jesus Christ to be born again spiritually, and once we are saved, repentance is still required because we will not be sinless.  Roman’s 6:2 tells us that when we receive Christ as Lord and Savior, we die to sin, but sin doesn’t die.  It’s still alive and well to tempt us.  Freed from the guilt of sin as a believer in Christ, we are not freed from the ability to sin as long as we live.  However, in having the Holy Spirit as a constant companion, He convicts us when we sin, and when we confess, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Because God knows our heart, He knows whether our repentance is sincere or not.  A truly born-again believer will not experience the joy of the Lord if he or she harbors unrepentant sin in his or her heart, thus only true confession and turning from sin can restore intimate fellowship with the Lord.  Think about how you feel when you have a falling out with a loved one.  It hangs over your head like a dark cloud until the two of you reconcile.

If we are so brazen and, if I may say, ignorant, to say we have not sinned, we make God out to be a liar for we have refused to believe His word.  When Adam and Eve sinned, they brought the penalty of sin, death, upon all mankind (Romans 5:12).  No one, other that Christ, is sinless, thus, for the believer, repentance is an on-going, daily process for it is impossible to get through one 24-hour period with judging others, having an impure thought, gossiping, envy, making a bad decision, or hundreds of other sins that we might commit.  These may not seem like big deals, but sin is sin to God regardless of how we quantify or qualify them.  Even the great and devoted-to-Christ apostle Paul had trouble with sin.  He admitted that he did things that he didn’t want to do and didn’t do what he wanted to do, but he recognized that it was the sin within him that caused him so much trouble.  However, he knew that Christ forgave him.  They, whoever “they” are, say that confession is good for the soul”.  They just don’t know how right they are.

Joy That Fills the Heart

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”  I John 1:3-4

I John, along with II John, III John, and the book of Revelation was written by John, one of the twelve original disciples of Jesus.  He was the brother of James, another disciple, and son of Zebedee and Salome, a follower of Christ.  John lived in the town of Bethsaida in Galilee on the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee.  He was acquainted with Caiaphas, the high priest, indicating his family was probably one of influence and perhaps wealthy, at least, likely not poor.  His call by Jesus came one day when Peter and others were fishing.  They had caught nothing, but obeyed Jesus to go out a little further in the water.  When they let down their nets, they caught so many fish that they called for help from fishermen in another boat to come and help them.  They were so astonished, and they realized Jesus was no ordinary man.  John, James, and Peter immediately left their boats and their livelihoods and became disciples of Jesus.

The theme of I John is fellowship in God’s family and was written to refute false teaching regarding Christian fellowship, morality, and love.  Before the world and mankind were created, Jesus was with His Father in heaven.  When Jesus came to earth, He was born sinless, all God and all human so that He could be the only One capable of paying the penalty for man’s sin.  He was born on earth to be crucified, the one and only sacrifice that God would accept in exchange for providing forgiveness and salvation to all who would repent and place faith in Christ and His work on the cross.  His sacrifice was planned from the beginning.  There is an old gospel song that says, “They searched through heaven and found a Savior”–no, there was no search made.  Jesus had already been chosen by God to be the Savior of men and women before man and woman were created.

How did John know that Jesus was God’s Son, the One who suffered and died but was resurrected on the third day to conquer death and the devil?  John was there as an eyewitness along with Jesus’ other disciples to the miracles, teaching, love, compassion, and mercy of which Jesus displayed during His three plus years on earth.  John heard Jesus’ words.  He saw Him every day, traveling the dusty roads with Him, witnessing His compassion for all those lost without a shepherd, healing, and preaching words of hope to the multitudes enslaved by their sins.   Jesus was/is God and was also human making Him flesh, blood and bones, able to be physically touched by human hands.

In I John, John called Jesus the “Word of life”.  In the book of John, he referred to Jesus as the Word.  Jesus is “THE Word”, not “a Word”, as some have changed scripture to read.  To call Christ “a Word” takes away His designation as fully God and fully man, God’s only Son, and reduces Him to nothing more than a teacher or prophet in the minds of those who purport this falsehood.  It is a very risky endeavor to change what has been written in scripture by men who were inspired by the Spirit of God.  Unless Jesus was truly all God, His sacrifice would have not been able to provide forgiveness and salvation to those who repent and believe in Him.  God required a sinless sacrifice to sufficiently pay sin’s penalty, and Jesus was and is the only sinless One to meet that requirement.  Being God is what made Jesus sinless.

There was no doubt in John’s mind and heart that Jesus had come from God to do His will.  Even one of the Pharisees, Nicodemus, who came by night to speak with Jesus, told Jesus plainly that no man could do the miracles that He did unless God was with Him (John 3:2).  Thus, it wasn’t just the disciples, Jesus’ mother Mary, and the few who followed Him who truly believed He was God’s Son.  The evidence was clear, but many chose to not believe the evidence.  If folks decide to not believe something, then sometimes it doesn’t matter how much evidence is produced that shows the guilt or innocence of someone.  People make up their minds before the facts are known and end up letting a guilty man go free or, even worse, sending an innocent man to prison.  In Jesus’ case, even after all the evidence that He produced to show that God had sent Him, envy and fear caused people to arrest, charge as guilty, and crucify the Son of God.

But not everyone was deceived.  The good news of Christ’s sacrifice and His resurrection was declared by John so that all might have the privilege of knowing Christ in freedom from the guilt of sin and the obtaining of eternal life with God the Father and Jesus Christ in a perfect home.  All who repent of sin and trust Christ become fellow heirs of salvation.  They all have a common, no, rather a sacred denominator which binds them together in Christian love and fellowship, likeminded people who share not only hope of eternal life but also the joy of knowing their sins are forgiven, and that they are never really alone for the Holy Spirit is a constant companion to help, comfort, and direct the lives of believers.  This privilege is only for those who have saving faith and turn from sin because they understand what an insult and offense sin is to God and who believe that Jesus Christ is the only way, truth, and life to become acceptable to God the Father.

To know Christ has forgiven us, has given us His Holy Spirit as a guide, comforter, and One to warn us when we step over the line into the enemy’s territory of sin, indifference, and selfishness, and has given us eternal life brings joy to all who trust in Christ.  This was the point of John’s letter to the Christians of not only his day, but all Christians into the future, a joy that fills the heart of each believer.

Obedience is Rewarded

“Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse…..Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.”  Esther 8:8,11

Haman was no longer a threat to Esther, Mordecai, or the Jewish people.  King Ahasuerus gave Haman’s property to Esther, and she told the king that Mordecai was her cousin.  The king took off his ring that he had previously given to Haman and gave it to Mordecai.  Esther then gave Haman’s property to Mordecai.  However, there was still the problem with the original decree to destroy all Jews.  Once the king issued a decree, sealed it with his signet ring, and put his name to it, it could not be rescinded.  That seems rather harsh, but, I suppose, for the king to issue an order and then completely reverse it would make him look weak and/or like he couldn’t stand behind his own laws.  In the wisdom of our founding fathers, our own Declaration of Independence states that when any form of government becomes destructive and removed from the people, then the people have the right to abolish it and create a new government that will govern the people and protect their safety and rights.  Judging by the direction our nation is going, it seems like this might not be such a bad idea.  However, I don’t see that happening.  We are on a downward spiral, and only a miracle from God can help us.

Since the original couldn’t be rescinded or reversed, the king could write a new declaration for which he called in his scribes at the direction of Mordecai to write a new document.  He couldn’t stop the enemies of the Jews from attacking them, but he gave permission for the Jews to do whatever necessary to defend themselves even if it meant killing those who attacked them.  He also gave permission for the Jews to confiscate any valuables left behind by those whom they killed.  Thus, the Jews could form militias, gather weapons, and be prepared to defend themselves.  This new decree was delivered by what we might call, “pony express”, which was used in the early days of America to deliver mail.  However, these ancient riders did not ride horses, but rather mules and camels.  The Persian Empire was a vast territory, and it likely took some time for this new order to reach the most remote locations, but there were still several months before the enemy was allowed to attack the Jews.

Mordecai, now in a very prestigious position in the palace, donned royal apparel and a crown of gold and went out among the people of Shushan who cheered and rejoiced.  Imagine today how people would react if the leader of Iran, which is modern-day Persia, gave the leader of Israel royal apparel and a crown to wear.  Like that would ever happen!  The people of Iran wouldn’t rejoice; they would protest.  There is so much hatred toward the Jews by not only Muslims, but people in our country, particularly college students, who have no clue as to the danger they are putting themselves in by cursing and threatening the Jewish people.  It is sickening to watch their protests on television.  It makes me think of when Jesus, hanging on the cross, looking down at the people who were cheering His crucifixion, and saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

One other positive outcome of God’s rescue of His people was that many Gentiles became Jews because they saw how God prospered and cared for His people.  They also saw what happens to those who fight against God and His chosen people.  Zechariah 8:23 tells us that there would be others who would join with the Jews because they heard that God was with them.  The Living Bible has a different take on this.  It says that many pretended to be Jews because they feared being killed.  I suppose both interpretations are correct.  There would have been genuine Gentile believers in God, and there would have been those who pretended out of fear.

It is strange that both the Jews and their enemies had backing of the king.  Both could show an official document that gave them the right to attack or the right to defend themselves and confiscate possessions.  It was now Adar the 13th, the day when the enemies could attack the Jews.  I suppose that they likely assumed it would be a “piece of cake”, but when they saw such a formidable group of people who were not afraid, the attackers were so threatened by the Jews that they lost the will to fight.  Even the military officers and leaders joined on the side of the Jews.  They actually feared Mordecai because they knew that he had risen to great power and authority.  They also must have known that Haman had planned to kill Mordecai, but the tables were turned, and Haman was the one who was hanged.  Better to submit to Mordecai than die!

Esther requested that Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows even thought they had already been slain.  She desired to send a message out to all of Israel’s enemies that attacks against her people would not be tolerated.  Many of the enemies were killed on the 13th and the 14th of Adar, but the Jews did not take any of the possessions of the ones that they killed.  Mordecai set up the 14th and 15th of Adar as a time of celebration named Purim, and Esther seconded his decree by writing her own letter confirming the days for Purim.

In the account of Esther, Mordecai, Ahasuerus, and Haman we have seen how God protected and preserved His people from utter destruction by evil men who hated Israel and the Jews and desired to annihilate them from off the face of the earth.  In the present situation with Israel and Hamas, we can’t help but wonder:  what will God do to preserve His chosen nation in this day of evil?  While those leading America at this time seem to be wavering in support of Israel, if this wavering continues and our nation’s support of Israel diminishes, we will likely see God’s judgment continue perhaps growing greater and more consequential as each day passes.  God was serious when He said that those who bless His people will be blessed, and those who curse His people will be cursed.  God also said that we reap what we sow.  Maybe sooner than later.

Haman’s Surprise

“Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish.  But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.”  Esther 7:3-4

The gallows that Haman ordered to be built on which to hang Mordecai we assume was constructed right away.  That following night, the king could not sleep and asked for the book of records to be read before him.  He discovered that it had been Mordecai who had reported the two chamberlains who were plotting to kill the king.  One would think the king would have enquired about that when the two were caught.  He wanted to know what had been done for Mordecai to reward him for this great deed and was told that nothing had been done for this hero.  Later, Haman came to speak to Ahasuerus to get permission to hang Mordecai on the gallows.  The king asked him what should be done for the man whom the king delighted to honor.  Well, of course, Haman assumed that it was himself of whom the king was referring.  Haman said that he should be given royal attire and a crown to wear and a horse to ride upon throughout Shushan.  The king agreed and told Haman to arrange it, and then Ahasuerus shocked Haman by telling him to prepare all of this royalty for Mordecai.

Can you imagine what was going through the mind of Haman about now?  He was going to have to participate in honoring his archenemy.  Mordecai was supposed to die this day, not ride on a beautiful horse wearing royal apparel with a crown upon his head.  This was supposed to be for Haman.  This is where assuming gets us into trouble.  However, Haman complied with the king’s command, very grudgingly.  We wonder about how Mordecai felt about all of this attention.  He was just a humble Jew and likely didn’t want this kind of attention, but he, too, couldn’t refuse the king’s orders.  I doubt that Mordecai took any pleasure in this humiliation of Haman.  Jesus said in Matthew 23:12 that whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled, but Haman didn’t appear to learn this lesson.  After the parade, Haman returned home disgusted and sickened by how he had to serve Mordecai.  He told his wife and friends about the entire event.  However, his wife and friends gave him some advice that they should have given him to begin with:  if Mordecai is truly a Jew, then you will not prevail against him, but you will be the one to fall before him.  In a short while, chamberlains came to escort Haman to Esther’s second banquet.

Again, Ahasuerus asked Esther what it was that she desired.  She finally gave him the reason why she had been arranging these two banquets.  She was very respectful of the king and informed him that she and her people were to be slain.  She continued by saying that if instead they were to be sold into slavery, she would have kept quiet.  After all, slavery and bondage were nothing new to the Jewish people.  The king became very upset and asked her who and where was this person who dared to do such a thing.  By his response, Ahasuerus must have been very far removed from the daily administration of his kingdom.  Did he not remember the decree for which Haman asked? (3:7-11)   He had given his signet ring to make the decree official.  How could this king not remember that his right-hand man, Haman, had received his permission to do whatever he desired to an entire nation of people?  Also, this is apparently the first time that Ahasuerus discovered that Esther was Jewish, but it didn’t seem to concern him that she had kept that secret.

Esther identified the adversary and enemy as “this wicked Haman”.  Can you imagine the fear that came over Haman?  Did his mind go back to what his wife and friends had said to him earlier that day that he would be the one to reap what he had sown?  The king was apparently so furious that he went out into the garden to cool off.  It seems to me that Ahasuerus bore some of the guilt for he signed off on this plan to annihilate an entire population of people in his kingdom without even questioning as to who these people were, and why was Haman so intent upon punishing them.  Surely, he was now questioning how he could have been so reckless and trusting of a man who was so evil.

When the king returned into the palace, Haman had fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was reclining.  It was not unusual to recline at banquets in ancient times.  It could be that Haman, in approaching the queen to beg for his life, tripped and fell upon the bed.  I can’t imagine him thinking that she would be more favorable to him if he was on her bed.  When the king saw Haman on Esther’s bed, he assumed that Haman was going to sexually attack her.  He asked Haman, “Will you force the queen also before me in the house?”  By this time, servants had apparently been called, had come, and placed a veil over Haman’s head and took him away.  One of the king’s chamberlains told the king that Haman had built a 75-foot-tall gallows on which he planned to hang Mordecai.  Ahasuerus ordered Haman to be hanged instead.  Those who are filled with hate will be destroyed by it.  Haman discovered that the hard way.

Next time:  God has rescued His people once again.

Esther’s Plan

“And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand.  So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.”  Esther 5:2

When the fasting ended on the third day, Esther put on her royal attire and made her way to the inner court which was just before the throne room of king Ahasuerus.  She must have been extremely anxious not knowing how the king would react to her uninvited presence, but she was determined to take a stand for her people even if it meant death for her.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  She knew that God would be with her, and whatever happened would be His will.  Perhaps, as a hope for success, she thought back a few years to how Ahasuerus chose her over countless other women and favored her above them all.  Perhaps this would give her an advantage over anyone else who appeared before the king without being called by him.  On the other hand, this could be her last few moments on earth.

From his throne, Ahasuerus could see Esther standing in the inner court.  Her beauty and grace were two attributes that attracted him to her, and that had not likely diminished.  He hadn’t seen her in a month, and maybe he had missed her and was glad to see her.  We wonder, since he had been so infatuated with her, why had he not called her before now, but him being an idolater and not one who possessed godly love for others, was apparently not a doting husband.  He held out his scepter to Esther, and she touched the tip of it, a sign that she humbly thanked him for this privilege.  Ahasuerus asked Esther the reason for her visit and promised to give her half of the kingdom if that’s what she wanted.  (I doubt he was serious.  That may have been a common phrase folks used in ancient times to indicate a willingness to grant requests).

Esther had been working on a plan to expose Haman so that his plan to kill all the Jews could be stopped.  Considering how fond that the king was of Haman, she obviously couldn’t blurt out an accusation of evil against the king’s right-hand man.  Her plan began with a banquet to which both the king and Haman were invited.  Haman probably thought that he was in the “catbird seat”, being invited to join the king and the queen in a private banquet.  It was held, and the king again asked Esther what it was that she desired.  She answered by inviting the two of them to another banquet the next day.  She likely did not take the occasion of this first banquet to accuse Haman, even though she had the king’s decree in writing that he had agreed to, but in all likelihood, the king really didn’t know the extent of Haman’s plan.  In my opinion, Ahasuerus was a man who relished his position of king over a very large kingdom, being more of a figurehead, but was not really aware of everything that happened from day to day.  He probably depended on his staff to keep everything in order.

In delaying Esther’s accusation of Haman, the LORD had apparently cautioned her spirit to wait for He knew that some things were going to happen on the following day which would help to convince the king that Haman was indeed a very evil man.  Esther promised to give the king her request at the next banquet.  Perhaps the king thought, “What’s up with all of these banquets?”  It seemed a little mysterious to Ahasuerus, but to Haman, it was a sign that he must have been the most important man in the kingdom besides the king.  He was becoming overconfident of himself and his ability to have influence over the king and the queen.  And you know what happens when folks become overconfident of themselves, their abilities, and their importance–the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

After the first banquet, Haman went home and, on the way, saw Mordecai, who did not bow to him, making Haman furious, but he calmed himself down and continued home.  When he arrived, he called for his friends to gather and bragged to them and his wife about how important he was to the king and queen.  He told them that he was invited to another banquet the next day.  However, seeing Mordecai on the way home took the wind out of his sails.  He couldn’t be happy because of his hatred of Mordecai.  His wife and friends told him that he should have gallows built and hang Mordecai thereon.  Hatred eats away at people.  Those who hate usually overreact.  They have that “don’t get mad, get even” attitude.  These gallows were to be 75 feet tall enabling everyone in Shushan to watch Mordecai hanged by the neck until dead.

Haman was pleased with their suggestion and ordered the gallows built that same day.  Apparently, the first banquet had been held in the daytime, perhaps noon in order for there to be time to build the gallows and have it ready by the next day.  Once Mordecai was dead, Haman could go to the second banquet a happy man, at least that is what he planned, but plans don’t always work out as he will soon discover.

Next time:  Haman’s Surprise