An Unlawful Law

“But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.” (1 Tim.1:8)

         The law is good—holy, as a matter of fact. Paul says so in Romans 7:12. But in his first letter to the young preacher, Timothy, he places a qualifier on this premise, the ever limiting “if.” This is a sobering thought. By adding it, he is saying, if the law is used lawfully, it’s good; if not, it’s not. Whether we choose to limit this verse to the Law, as given to Moses, or the entire canon of Scripture, as given to us by God through the “holy men of old,” the principle remains the same. Men and women are capable of doing bad things with good implements. It is possible to handle the Word of God “deceitfully” (2 Cor. 4:2) and “wrest” (twist) the Scriptures to the “destruction” of ourselves or others (2 Pet. 3:16).

         For instance, when adherence to the Mosaic Law or the Word of God in general is offered as a means of justification before God, the Scriptures have been twisted in the most perverse way and will lead to eternal destruction. Paul’s dogmatic statement that “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified”(Rom. 3:20) and his entire letter to the Galatian church make this plain. And though it may not lead to eternal destruction, nothing can be more crippling to a joyful, victorious Christian life than the deceitful addition of man-made laws and prohibitions to God’s Holy laws.

         For a concise overview of the “lawful” use God’s Word, a good place to look is Psalm nineteen where David talks about the Law and some of its many uses. For instance, it is capable of making the most ill-informed wise unto salvation (v. 7); it can give us joyful hearts and spiritually enlightened eyes (v. 8); it’s altogether true and therefore an infallible final authority for all matters of life and death (v. 9); in short, it provides warning when needed, with promised reward, if heeded (v. 11). We may safely say that using the Bible to these ends is to use it lawfully. And as a matter of fact, one of the best ways to know if we’re using it lawfully is whether we’re using it more on ourselves more than others.  

The law of the Lord is perfect, says Psalm19: 7; but we’re not. The more we try to make it “relevant” (one of my least favorite words), the more we’re in danger of using it unlawfully. It is up the Spirit of God to personalize it. Only the inattentive, unaware, or unenlightened fail to grasp its significance. We need to use it, and use it lawfully, mostly one ourselves. It’s living, breathing organism meant to change us, not our circumstances. And it will.

Take the Word of God as it is, and it will meet you where you are.

Beware of the Snares

“In meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” – 2 Timothy 2:25-26

         The word “snare” conjures up images of something used to catch an unsuspecting victim, whether animal, fowl, or human. In the case of the first two, it’s usually a wire contraption that often utilizes a noose, which might not go too far afield in the case of the last category, as well. The word is found many times in the Bible and in most (if not all) of the places, it is used allegorically. For instance, it’s used to describe gods (Judg. 2:3); wives (1 Sam. 18:21); fearing a man instead of God (Prov. 29:25); the actions of an enemy (Psl. 140:5); lips (Prov. 18:7); and the temptation of riches (1 Tim. 6:9) to name just a few. But we can safely say, the motivating Person behind all life’s destructive snares is Satan.

         Verse twenty-five of Second Timothy, chapter two gives us two indications of someone struggling within the clutches of the devil’s snare. First, this individual will make self-destructive decisions over and over. They take one step forward and two steps back. They’re like the man Solomon speaks of in Proverbs 19:19, who once delivered must be delivered again. And people say of them, “What is he or she thinking?” That’s just it; they’re not. Someone else is doing the thinking.

         Second, these people may, and often do, know the truth, yet they refuse to “acknowledge” it. They consider the truth to be optional, not actionable. As we often say, you can talk till you’re blue in the face, but to no apparent avail. Which brings us to verse twenty-six.

         As Paul told Timothy, they must “recover themselves.” And as daunting as this seems, it does hold out hope for these individuals and those who love them. This trap—the devil’s snare—can be sprung. But he or she must do it. It is the will that sets faith in motion, remembering that behind it all is God who brings us to repentance (v. 25). Until this point has been reached, little anyone else says will make much difference, no matter how true or well meaning.

         Finally, lest you or I take this lightly, Paul points out that there is another will in play here—Satan’s. His will for all our lives will be to ensnare us within his evil noose. As I read the last nine words of the chapter, I shudder to think that there are those who find themselves slaves to that will. And I’m not a big enough to fool to think I’m incapable of being tricked into his snare. No one knows me like God knows me, but after Him, Satan knows me best. As the old Puritan, Thomas Brooks said, “Satan, like a fisher, baits his hook according to the appetite of the fish.” That’s why God says our relationship to him should be characterized by one word: resistance.

I say to us, one and all, “Beware of the snares!”

The Virtue of Dissatisfaction

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect…I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” –         Philippians 3: 12a & 14

                                                                               

         Unlike you and me, Paul never felt as though he had “arrived.” We all know that dissatisfaction can be a vice, but when it’s “sanctified by the word of God and prayer (1 Tim. 4:5), it is transformed into a first class virtue. As a vice, it’s a curse; as a virtue, a blessing. Those in the first category are prone to be dissatisfied with the things of lesser importance, while at the same time being perfectly content with those areas of their lives in greatest need of improvement.

         When people talk about bettering themselves, they generally mean financially, either directly or indirectly. Don’t misunderstand; there’s nothing wrong with making money, but it should only be the natural by-product of doing work God has provided for and gifted us to do. If our aim is simply to make money, we’ll soon find less than ethical ways of doing it. Not only that, bettering yourself should not simply involve looking or feeling your best. Neither one is a reliable indication of God’s blessing and pleasure. For example, the rich man in Luke sixteen looked a whole lot better than the beggar, Lazarus; and we all know how that story ended. And one would have to say Samson was a far better specimen of health than Job, but which one of those two did God boast of to the devil?

         On the other hand, sad to say, most of us are far more content with our spiritual lives than we should be, especially since we too often suffer from Biblical malnutrition and Spiritual poverty. The former, because we only nibble at the Word of God from time to time; and the latter, because we nurture our relationships with people far more than our relationship with God. Personally, I can tell you far more about what I like than what He likes; and, in most cases, it appears, I’d rather. (I suspect I am not alone in this.)

         Here’s what I am trying to say: This year I will reach my “threescore years and ten” (Psl. 90:10), and I am often exercised in heart and mind that I am becoming too satisfied with myself. I may be in the Promised Land, but there are more mountains to climb; and like Caleb, I want to petition my Heavenly Joshua to give me every mountain in my path (Josh.14). I want to saturate my mind with the Bible, squander my heart’s affection on Jesus Christ, and drench my soul in the goodness of God. I want to walk in the Spirit just as straight as I can, not meander through my final years as though I had no place to go. I want to be like the horse that catches sight of the barn and sprints ahead with eagerness.

I want to die all out of breath…from climbing!

More Than Forgiveness

“To the praise and glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” Eph. 1:6

         Forgiveness and acceptance are not the same things. Paul speaks in verse seven of the “forgiveness of sins” we have because of the shed Blood of Jesus Christ, but in verse six makes sure we understand, acceptance is part of the salvation package, as well. It is possible to forgive someone who has wronged me, yet shun his or her company ever afterward. Here are two examples of what I mean.

         David was persuaded to forgive his rebellious son, Absalom; yet for two whole years he refused to speak to him. This is an example of forgiveness without acceptance. For one of forgiveness with acceptance, I would point to the Prodigal Son and his father. When the boy came home, he must have had some prospect of his father’s forgiveness, but it’s obvious from what he said that he did not expect to be accepted back into the same father/son relationship: “[I] am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants” Luke 15:19. The father’s kiss showed his forgiveness; the ring, the robe, and the feast showed his acceptance. They were not necessary to enact forgiveness, but they were the assurance of reconstituted fellowship, which is what acceptance means.

         Both forgiveness and acceptance from God are only privileges of those “in the beloved,” in other words, those who are “in Christ” (1:1, 3; 2:6, 13; 3:6). It’s our relationship to the Son of God that makes us accepted by God, the Father. A young, giddy, immature girl may not be a natural choice for a houseguest, but when that girl becomes the bride of a beloved son, she is accepted, with all her faults, and given a warm welcome in that home. And my Heavenly Father sees and knows all my weaknesses and failures, yet He forgives me because of sake of His beloved Son. As Charles Spurgeon said, “God is so boundlessly pleased with Jesus that in him he is altogether well pleased with us.” But even more than forgiveness, He accepts—even solicits—daily intimate fellowship with me, and one day He will accept me into His heavenly home.

         I used to sing a wonderful old gospel song written by Wendell P. Lovelace, entitled Accepted in the Beloved. The chorus said this:

“In the Beloved,” God’s marvelous grace

Calls me to dwell in this wonderful place;

God sees my Savior, and then He sees me,

“In the Beloved,” accepted and free.

It’s a terrible thing to experience rejection. It’s wonderful to know you’ve been accepted!