THE HEALING OF THE LAND

“If my people who are called by my name 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.”  

2 Chronicles 7:14

A nation can sicken because of moral decay within. Since the moral decay is found in the individual citizens, the only remedy will be the repentance of enough people to change the national character. Let us consider the remedy that the Bible offers for the healing of a nation for a moment.

The words from 2 Chronicles 7:14 are some of the most important words in the book of Chronicles, for they express and lay down God’s conditions for a nation to be blessed by Him, whether it be the nation under Solomon, Ezra’s or our own nation.  When Solomon finished building the Temple of God, he called Israel's leaders to Jerusalem to formally bring the Ark of the Covenant (2 Chronicles 5:1-3).  When the Ark was finally placed in the Most Holy Place, God’s glory filled the Temple.  Solomon then spoke to the assembly, proclaiming God’s faithfulness for keeping the promises He had made to Israel (2 Chronicles 5:4-6:11).  Solomon called on God in prayer in the presence of all the people (2 Chronicles 6:40-42), then fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices.  God accepted Solomon’s prayer and the sacrifices of His people.  God was not through showing His approval, for He understood the weaknesses of His people. Even though they had made a great sacrifice to Him that day, God knew that they would fall into sin. He tried to make them aware of their wicked ways by stopping the rain, sending insects to devour the land, and sending pestilence (2 Chron. 7:13).  

God did this because He loved them and wanted them to turn back to Him to restore their relationship or fellowship with Him. They could do that only by humbling themselves, praying, seeking His face, and repenting of their wicked ways.  By doing this, they could rest assured that God would hear them, forgive them, and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).  To be God’s chosen people, they must first cease from the practice of sin, turn from their lives of proud self-centeredness, pray to Him, and yield to Him alone and His will.  It is in doing this that God will grant heaven-sent newness of life.  No people in this world will experience newness of life by the leadership of a civil government. Only God’s divine intervention will bring a people back to the fear of God.  Apart from Jesus and His principles of righteousness, men can do nothing (John 15:5).

Take, for instance, our beloved nation.  We are descending into a hopeless mess, desperately needing God’s righteous guidance.  Although our nation is still great and offers us great freedom and protection (and I am grateful to be part of it), it is sad to see how immoral it has become.  It is becoming more like Sodom and Gomorrah, where our faith is continually mocked.  Our people support every kind of abomination known to man:  abortion, alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling, adultery, divorce, child abuse, violent crime, pornography, even child pornography.  Worse yet, through our lawless entertainment culture, sleazy movies, and TV programs, we have become morally polluted.  In a few words, very lawless.  

Our schools, with their humanistic agenda, have abolished anything moral and godly.  Our teachers have been terrorized into believing that they will lose their jobs if they dare to mention God to their students.  Even worse, they mandate the teaching of the religion called “Evolution” as science, prohibiting at all cost the Bible teaching of divine creation.  Many schools encourage sodomy and are shamefully handing out contraceptives to our youth, supporting sexual immorality.  Our people shamelessly support profanity and obscenity.  Our political arena is in rebellion against God.  Our bureaucracy is godless and proud of it.  Our educational system has banned God.  It is a terrible repudiation of God and corruption.  Our people refuse to acknowledge that God has punished nations in the past for their immorality and lawlessness.  Are we not aware that God punished nations, even Israel, for their lawlessness in the Old Testament? 

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, we read of the promise of healing for the people of God,

 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."  

Indeed, this is the kind of prayer that we must pray for the healing of any nation.  God came to Solomon in the night and said, I have heard your prayer.  We must keep on praying until God hears.  However, God does not hear a sinner’s prayer, for He cannot hear the pleas of a rebellious people.  He can only hear those who are honestly seeking Him, for He loves those who come to Him in humility, sincerity of heart, and brokenness of heart.  The healing of a people requires brokenness of heart. This promise contains four conditions for the people of God to fulfill and three responses from the Lord.  Consider what God does to grant healing to His people.


I.   IF MY PEOPLE SHALL HUMBLE THEMSELVES:

The very first thing that God wants before He can grant healing is humility, for He cannot heal anyone full of himself.  One great example of personal healing in the Old Testament is King Manasseh.  Few kings were more evil than Manasseh.  God brought judgment on him just as He had promised.  The captains of the army of Assyria came and put a hook in his nose and dragged him off to Babylon.  In his distress, he sought the favor of God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.  When he prayed, God was moved by his prayer and listened to him.  When God brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom, Manasseh acknowledged that God was his LORD.  You see, God has promised to hear and answer when we humble ourselves, and He never breaks His promises.  I always marvel when I read in the Bible about men like Manasseh who humbled themselves before God, that God heard their pleas and restored them.  God commands us to be humble with all of our hearts.  God wants us to humble ourselves and seek His ways.  

Like so many other nations, our nation needs to seek God for healing and forgiveness to stop the wrath of a righteous God.  So often, God will save a nation only because of those few who are righteous and who pour out their hearts to Him.  In Isaiah 59, Israel was very far from God, and He was displeased that no one “took a stand in the gap,” for no one was praying, pleading, and feeling the heavy burden of so much lawlessness.  We must mourn for the sins of others and for ours as well.  God expects His godly minority to be the Light amid so much sinful darkness.  We Christians must be the salt of the earth, for we must preserve our godly influence among those who are unrighteous. "If My People.”  Who are His people?  His covenant people, those called by His name.  Notice that healing is dependent upon the people of God, those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, not the world.  Our duty as Christians is to revive the dead because of sin into newness of life.  Bring them back from death to being alive in Christ.  So what are we called to do?  To humble ourselves and stop being so full of ourselves.  

God can only visit His people when they humble themselves, are broken and hopeless, and know that only God can save them.  But mankind must surrender their pride, getting down on their knees, admitting that they need repentance and salvation. By doing this, God will come to them and give them life.  When men humble themselves, they lower themselves and exalt God, their Creator. The same God that heals the brokenness of the humble in spirit is the God that removes the proud in heart.
Humility is vital because brokenness and humility are inseparable.  

In James 4:6 and I Peter 5:5, we read that God resists and opposes the proud.  Satan is cunning and wily.  He knows the damage that pride can cause in one's life.  That is why it is so important to understand that through brokenness and humility, we will find freedom from the destructiveness of our sins.  Pride destroys our souls.  God can dwell with people only if they are lowly and humble, and only if they are contrite, broken in heart (Isaiah 57:15).  Pride is repulsive to a Holy God who walked the earth as the meek and lowly Jesus.  It is pride that stops men from repenting and surrendering their lives to Jesus in complete obedience.  Our Lord Jesus will not come in mercy to the arrogant.  Pride and self-will damn the unsaved to hell and renders Christians ineffective when it comes to God's purposes.  Only the broken and the humble will know the Lord; they will diligently seek Him and know His healing power.  When we finally grasp and understand the depth of our neediness, we will petition our God to pour out His mercy upon us.


II.   PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE:

God is very clear about what He demands before He will return to His people, for He will not return until His people ask Him.  God will not heal any land unless its people pray and seek His face. It is they who first left Him. God will abandon us when we forsake Him and His righteousness. We cannot ask Him to return to us until we return to Him.  The Word of God urges us to pray without ceasing, for He does not want us to give up. He wants us to keep trying.  God is waiting for all men to get down on their knees, humble themselves, seek His face, and come to Him for healing.  So, how do we seek His Face?  To seek His face is to desire communion with Him.  Seeking His face comes out of a heart that is burning with a desire to know the Lord and His intimate fellowship with us.  The heart is intensely hungering after the Lord and not just His blessings.  David wrote, 

"My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God" (Psalm 84:2).  

Prayer is vital for survival and becoming more like Him.  Those who diligently seek God's face, love our Lord and Savior more than they love themselves, their family, friends, or material riches.  Their desire is to know Christ and imitate Him.  They have tasted His glory and refuse to return to the mediocrity of nominal Christianity or the vanity of worldly pursuits.  They have determined to crucify themselves every day of their lives and let Christ live in them. They are dead to sin but alive to Christ. Pride can never be found in true repentance. Humility should clothe the repentant man.  Those who are redeemed understand the concept of speaking face to face with Jesus.  They know that seeking God's face is an everlasting journey.  This is what we were created for, to glorify God.  

How do we turn to God?  By turning from our wicked ways, that is repentance.  No man will turn from his sin unless he has first humbled himself before the throne of God.  A man will not humble himself before God unless he is broken and rejects his selfish life.  One of the major problems that the scribes and Pharisees had was that they would not turn from their wicked ways because they would not surrender and humble themselves before God.  They focused more on being righteous in the eyes of men than repenting before God.  They would not repent, so they failed to take advantage of the reconciliation and fellowship that God offered them in Jesus.

The prayer of a broken man shows his desperate need for God to heal and forgive him.  In Exodus 33, when the people understood that God had left them, they began to mourn, for they were broken.  Likewise, in Nehemiah 9:1-2, the people of Israel confessed their sins because they were broken.  God can dwell with men only when their hearts are broken.  There can be no healing unless we humble ourselves and ask God for healing.  Do you remember the two men that Jesus spoke of who went to the Temple to pray?  One said, “God, I am glad I’m not like most people.”  He was a proud man who thought he was more righteous than others.  He listed all the good things he had done.  The second man said with a humble voice that he was not worthy of God, for he was a sinner in need of God’s mercy.  So whom did you suppose God heard?  You see, healing is not for those who are unwilling to mourn because of sin.  

Prayers that bring healing come from those who are mourning their sins and are pleading with God to intervene in their lives.  God wants to hear these prayers.  They are urgent prayers.  Do you remember the king of Nineveh who said, “I want you to put on sackcloth, and I want you to call urgently on God?”  Urgent prayers express the emergency of the petition. They are intense.  Those who pray urgently pray long, hard, fervent, and unyielding prayers from the depths of their heart.  God is looking for those who are seeking Him with all their hearts.  Those who want healing from God are desperate, wholehearted, never-ending petitioners.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul urges us to pray without ceasing because our needs never end.  Jesus wants us not to give up, but keep on praying!  We need this kind of commitment to prayer!   

Acceptable prayer is also characterized by holiness.  The king of Nineveh urged his people saying, 

“I want you to put on sackcloth, and I want you to pray urgently to God, and I want you to give up your evil way.”  

Again, what did God urge His people to do in 2 Chronicles 7:14?  To humble themselves and pray and seek His face. That is urgency. To turn from evil, wicked ways is holiness.  In Isaiah 55:6-7, the prophet cries out, 

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” 

God will not respond to the prayers of those who cherish sin (Psalm 66:18).  God has promised to hear the prayers of the righteous.  The prayers of the righteous are effective and powerful (1 Tim. 2:8).  God forgives, hears, and heals when His holy and righteous children pray to Him.  God will turn and hear our prayers when we turn to Him and obey Him.  So the righteous and faithful must pray for the healing of our people so that they might return to God and be forgiven.  So we must pray, pray, and pray!  They may come to worship on Sundays, but many still have not repented of sins in their lives.  Sins such as anger, jealousy, envy, malice, lust, covetousness, and many others such as these.  God will not hear our prayers until we repent and pray in holiness.  God can only have compassion on those who turn from their wicked ways.  We must pray for healing and courage.   Prayer is vital to the revival of our souls.   Without it, there can be no awakening to flow out of our brokenness.  Hearts that burn for their SAVIOR do not recite cold and formal prayers.  

We cannot live in the flesh and pray to God fervently in spirit.  Pride has no place in genuine prayers to God because God resists the prayers of the proud.  Let us take this seriously!  When we finally grasp and understand the depth of our neediness and of those around us, we will passionately petition our God to pour out His mercy upon us.  It is only then that we will understand the Truth that the world, because of its darkness, is at war with our Creator.  Christians (broken saints) will know they are not helpless because they have an Almighty God who will transform their lives through His eternal Word.  There is power in the Word to accomplish wonders in the hearts of men!  Broken saints know that great transformation is possible through devotion to prayer and the guidance of God’s Word. 

Prayer is vital for a Christian's survival and maturity.  But seeking God's face is the ultimate prize! Christians who have been broken of their selfish and self-centered lives become Christians who passionately desire to pursue this greatest of treasures.  They are driven to know their Savior.  This is far better than seeking to gain greater Bible knowledge, for it is a quest for God Himself and no one else: a quest that causes us to become more like Him.


III.   TURN FROM WICKED WAYS:

A nation or individual who refuses to repent and turn back from their wicked ways to God for healing, refreshing, and forgiveness cannot survive and flourish.  We can spend a lot of time complaining about our governing leaders and our moral decline, but it will not amount to anything! It will solve nothing unless we pray and ask God for His remedy to solve man’s problems.  The Gospel is the power of God to save men that they may turn away from their evil ways to God for guidance.  Our people have lost all spiritual equilibrium and have inverted our morals and principles.  They have ridiculed the absolute Truth of God’s Word and have called it moral pluralism.

1. Our society has chosen to worship other gods, calling it multiculturalism.  
2. They have embraced all lawlessness and immorality, calling it an alternative lifestyle.  
3. They have exploited the poor calling poverty the result of life’s lottery.  
4. They have neglected the needy, calling it self-preservation.  
5. They have rewarded laziness calling it welfare.  
6. They have killed their unborn children calling it choice.  
7. They have neglected to discipline their children calling it building esteem.  
8. They have abused power calling it savvy, smart.  
9. They have coveted their neighbor’s possessions calling it ambition.  
10. They have polluted the air with profanity and pornography, calling it freedom of expression.
11. They have ridiculed our morals and principles, calling it enlightenment.  

May God grant our people wisdom to rule and make righteous decisions that will direct us to God’s will and ways.

You see, people don’t get healed because they refuse to follow the doctor’s orders.  Many nations are not healed for the same reason.  They ignore that Jesus is the Great Physician among those who are sick because of sin.  The issue at stake is not whether God can heal a land. The real issue is whether our people will follow the order prescribed by the Great Healer, Jesus Christ.  The hardest part is that to be healed, one must turn from his wicked ways so that God can hear and commune with us.  And until our people come to grips with sin and its terrible consequences, there won’t be any healing.  God cannot turn back until we turn around!  In Malachi 3:7, God said, 

“Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?”’  

We cannot reverse that order.  The word “return” in our context implies repentance from dead works that lead to death (Hebrews 6:1-2).  The heart is the problem, and it needs to be cleansed (Hebrews 9:13-14).  God will tune in when we turn around.  Pride is what keeps men from turning to God.  Healing can come only when men humble themselves before God to be forgiven for their sins.  And though God wants to heal men, they must come to Him on His terms. His terms require complete and unconditional surrender.  Refreshing and healing can only come when we throw ourselves at His feet in complete surrender with complete repentance.  God is calling all people to turn away from their wicked ways!  God demands that we walk away from sin so that He can come back to us.

In the book of Judges, God sent seventeen Judges in answer to Israel’s great need for deliverance, one after another, because they returned to their sins every time God saved them. In their sins, God turned His back, and their enemies afflicted them until they cried out in repentance. The judges helped them by judging their behavior first. When that was corrected, God restored them (Judges 17:6, 21:25).  Here we see selfishness in its ugliest state.  You see, when we rebel against God out of selfish desires, we are shaking our fist at God’s face and forfeiting the promises He has given to those who follow Him.  We are telling Him that salvation means nothing to us!  Healing and restoration is not going to a fast food place where we get to order things our way.  

Reconciliation with God demands that we abandon our selfish ways, the overflowing wickedness, and Satan’s seductions and traps.  When we give in and remain under Satan’s influence, we remain in the wicked ways.  Ultimately it will cost our souls for eternity!  Thus all men are commanded to turn from their wicked ways and be transformed, for God will only heal and restore when we turn from our wicked ways, admit our own sinfulness, admit how broken we are, and abandon the works of Satan in our lives.  We must choose to be pure in heart and turn from our wicked ways, for God is looking for those who want to be pure from the filthiness or defilement of sin. He seeks those who abandon all sinfulness in their life, seeking His face and pleading for His forgiveness and blessing.


IV.   GOD WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN:

God is anxious to remove our sins and hear our prayers (1 Peter 3:12).  When we refuse to carry out His plan and His will, we reject Him and follow our wicked ways.  Wickedness is doing the opposite of what God demands that we do.  If we, Christians, refuse to follow God’s ways, we cannot expect the lost to obey God.  We need God’s help to get things going in the right direction.  We need God to hear us, for if He does not hear our pleas, we are in deep trouble.  God has promised that He will hear us if we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways.  Our rebellious and disobedient hearts block God’s blessings in our life.  

Thus we need God to hear and forgive us, for forgiveness is vital to receiving God’s blessings.  God does not hear a sinner’s prayer, for He does not hear the pleas of rebellious people.  God can only hear those who earnestly seek Him and are aware of their sins and consequences.  Only when we come to Him in humility, earnestness, and a penitent heart can He hear us, heed and act upon our plea (Isaiah 59:2; Micah 3:4; Psalm 10:17; Jeremiah 102:17; Zechariah 13:9).


VI.   GOD WILL FORGIVE OUR SINS:

We need God to forgive us.  When we Christians sin against God, we are telling Him that His Son’s sacrifice was not enough.  Forgiveness is essential to receiving God’s blessings.  Both the unrighteous and the righteous need God to forgive them when they sin.  The greatest barrier to repentance and forgiveness is pride, for it keeps us from wanting to admit our sins and change our behavior.  There can be no restoration without a humble heart that wants to repent and turn to God.  In Acts 3:19, we read that we must repent and turn to God so that our sins may be washed away and that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.  Refreshing can only come after repentance.  Godly sorrow produces repentance.  Sadly many people are sorry when they get caught in sin, but  refuse to repent.  Their sins will find them out.


VII.  GOD WILL HEAL THE LAND:

We need God to heal our land.  What is broken can be fixed, for God can make all things new!  He is anxious to heal our land. He has promised that He will heal the land.  But men must be willing to know Him (Matt. 7:21), to know His Word that reconciles men to Him (Romans 5:10).  So we must pray for revival and courage!  The early church prayed, and things happened (Acts 2, 5). Life happened, and the church grew.  God saves a land by the preaching of the Gospel of salvation to all men.  This is how God saves men.  It is the only WAY that Jesus will heal the sin-sick soul that is dying.  It sets the heart ablaze with a new love:  love for Him and His kingdom of righteousness.  He heals broken men by transforming them.  He heals nations through the power of His Gospel.  

The Gospel is the power of God to change men's hearts so that they can return to Him. The Gospel is given into our hands to teach all men that they might be saved from their sins.  Every day people are dying unprepared for eternity!  By the preaching of the Gospel, we are going to prepare these people and win souls for God.  God has already provided all the means and the Message to save the souls of men, and we must bring the two together (John 3:16; Romans 1:16).  

Can we expect to find favor before God with the blood of innocent men on our hands (Acts 20:26-27)?  Is there any other way of hope for a dying world?  What is the condition of the lost without Christ?  Is there any other place where the lost can turn to?  For that reason, we must carry God’s precious Message and guide the erring back to Him.  Let us fill this world with His Gospel!  Let this sink deeply into our hearts!

A land that has broken faith with God cannot be healed.  We cannot change the world unless we use the power that there is in the Gospel, the Truth, the Word of God.  Remember that Jesus is standing outside, knocking at our door, calling all men to return to Him wholeheartedly,

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me."  (Rev. 3:20)

We must meet the conditions of refreshingl or healing, which are found in the plan of salvation for God to dwell in us and we in Him.  The prize that we are yearning to win is our Lord Jesus and the revelation of His glory among all men.  Nothing on earth can compare to the boundless riches of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ!  (Acts 3:19).  He cannot resist those who humbly and honestly seek Him and admit to desperately needing Him—seasons of refreshing flow from broken and surrendered lives. Repentance is an act of submission. Holiness is the result of Christians yielding to the sanctifying Word of God.  Only those surrendered saints will rescue a lost and perishing world.  May we all bring our broken lives to God that He may lift us up and save us.


CONCLUSION:

God is the only one who can heal our nation, bringing spiritual renewal, but He is clear about what He expects us to do before He will walk with our people.  Healing or restoration is only possible when men are seeking God.  Praying and seeking God’s face is vital to hearing, being forgiven, and healing.  God can only come to us when we call on Him.  God earnestly wants all humanity to seek His face.  He wants us to seek Him and thirst for Him and His kingdom of righteousness. I must stress that prayer is not some mysterious exercise designed to overcome God’s reluctance to walk with us, as if we can just say the magic words, and God will do something. Prayer seeks God and His will. It seeks His Mercy and Grace and to be reconciled back to Him.  God patiently waits for us to pray to Him and seek His will to lead us to eternal life.  But those who seek His favor and renewal must be humble enough to get on their knees and see the brokenness caused by their own sin.  Until we humble ourselves and seek Him, there won’t be any hope of life.  How can brokenness bring life to a world lost in sin?  In Matthew 3:2, we read,

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."  

John the Baptist prepared the WAY.  Which WAY? The way of repentance.  John knew he was not worthy to untie Jesus' shoes because he knew his own deficiencies and had entirely surrendered to God's will.  He just humbly and boldly prepared the WAY for the coming of the Messiah.  His own surrender to God enhanced his authority as a prophet.  Apart from Jesus, we have no Savior and no God!  John's message back then will accomplish the same thing today, if we will but heed it. The Gospel brings salvation and transformation.  Our conviction and godly sorrow over our sins produce the broken and contrite heart in us. It is brokenness over sin that brings on repentance, which will yield the fruit of salvation. This is how God heals and brings life to individuals, families, and nations.  Healing, refreshing, revival, or restoration can only come when there is brokenness.  We must be humble if we genuinely seek God. We must humbly do His will as we pray.  We must pray for the souls of men that they might seek Him and find healing for their sins.  

As Christ’s soldiers, soldiers of the cross, we must stand up for Him and lift our royal banner so it might not suffer loss.  From victory to victory, His army shall He lead, till every foe is vanquished, for Christ is Lord indeed.  Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey.  We must pray for the healing of those who are sin-sick.  God wants all men to repent and turn to Him for healing (Acts 3:19).  Healing or refreshing can only come after godly sorrow or true repentance and a heartfelt conversion, for godly sorrow worketh repentance.  Healing demands that we do things God’s way and not ours.  There must be humility, prayer, hunger, and repentance.  

John the Baptizer was the forerunner of Jesus.  His message was a message of repentance (Matthew 3:1-12).  God wants us to be renewed in our minds (Romans 12:2).  He wants us to have a change of mind, heart, think like Christ, be godly, and be open-minded to what He commands us to do (Col. 3:8-10).  Where God’s healing comes, there is rejoicing within the camp! There is rejoicing or joy because lost souls have genuinely moved back to God.  Healing will bring repentance, conversion, restoration, renewal, and rejoicing.  Thus we must pray for our souls and the souls of those lost in sin for a life-changing and soul-saving healing, revival, and refreshment.

Today , God is waiting for you to humble yourself and let Him heal you or raise you up from the death of sin and darkness into newness of life.  Restoration begins with God’s people teaching men the Gospel, the Word of God.  The Word of God is the foundation on which every nation must stand.  But when that foundation is destroyed, chaos and lawlessness rule.  God’s Word determines what is right and wrong.  God is the Dictator who dictates what must be done, not Nazi Germany or Roe V. Wade.  God’s people, yes, we Christians, must be the ones to fix all spiritual problems, for God’s people must do something!  He will hold us responsible for the decline of our nation and our homes.  We can blame everybody we want, but the bottom line is that God will hold His church accountable for keeping silent.  

For things to turn around in our nation, it must come from us, God’s people doing something. But doing what? By humbling ourselves and putting God where He belongs, in the rightful place in our lives.  We must acknowledge God as the Supreme Ruler of all things.  He is the Master of the universe.  We must stop trying to do things our own way! We must get rid of our pride, for it causes us a lot of trouble!  We must pray with a humble heart.  How often do you pray for our rulers and nation (1 Tim. 2:1-2)?  I’m afraid we spend too little time in prayer and forget that our God is the Giver and Creator of all.

We must seek His face and do what He wants us to do.  So we must pray for men to seek God’s will in our nation.  We must turn from our wicked ways, for wickedness is against God’s will.  When we fail to carry out His plans and will, we are not living for Him but following our wicked ways.  How can we expect others to follow God’s ways if we, ourselves, refuse to follow His ways (1 Peter 4:17)?  Healing requires God’s help, for we need God to hear us.  If we want things to go in the right direction, we definitely need God’s help.  But it begins with us!  Can we expect others to obey the Gospel if we are unwilling to obey God’s righteous ways?  

Sadly, God will not hear our pleas because we refuse to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked way.  Our disobedient heart blocks all of God’s blessings.  We also need God to forgive us when we sin against Him.  We need God to forgive our apathy.  Forgiveness is essential to receiving God’s blessings.  We need our God to heal the land, for He is the only One who can heal it.  What is broken can be fixed.  God can make all things new!  

We must be part of the solution and not the problem.  Instead of complaining and whining, let us make a difference by being the salt of the earth and shining our light brightly before all men.  God wants all men to repent and avoid going to hell, but the Gospel must be preached to save them.  So it is time we start doing God’s business so that refreshing may come!

 May we all bring our broken lives to God that He might heal us.  May we humble ourselves and accept His remedy.  May we be the salt of the earth and the healing power for our nation and people.  

Read with me the words of the song, "Bring Christ Your Broken Life." 

Luci

Bring Christ your broken life,
So marred by sin.
He will create anew,
Make whole again.
Your empty wasted years
He will restore,
And your iniquities,
Remember no more

Bring Him your every care
if great or small
whatever troubles you
oh, bring it all
Bring him the haunting fears
the nameless dread
thy heart he will relieve
and lift up thy head

Bring Him your weariness
receive his rest
Weep out your blinding tears
upon his breast
His love is wonderful
his power is great
and none that trust in him shall be desolate

Blest Saviour of us all
Almighty friend!
His presence shall be ours
unto the end
without him, life would be
how dark, how drear
but with him morning breaks
and Heaven is near!

THE WORKS OF THE FLESH ARE EVIDENT

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Galatians 5:16-21

God made man with a moral nature that must choose to do good and not do wrong. The animals are simply creatures of instinct and physical desire or flesh. If a man lives according to his fleshly desires, he is little different from the animals. Are you okay with that? Is it acceptable to you for people to behave like animals doing whatever the flesh desires?

Every time I turn my head, I cannot help but see the works of the flesh of Galatians 5:19-21 treated as acceptable in our society. These sins are promoted on TV, the big screen, newspaper, social media, the internet, in all kinds of entertainment. They are no longer hidden but instead are encouraged in our society. Take for instance the internet which is filled with this kind of stuff. Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram and others such as these are filled with these sins. I often hear people say that our society has moved on and that I need to be a little bit more tolerant and not so backward. But you know what the truth is? The truth is that our society or culture hasn’t moved that much! Why? Because despite our modern technology and social acceptance and tolerance, our people are more aware and encouraged to partake of these sins of darkness.

You see our society tells us to be more tolerant and acceptable about sexual immorality. Our people are having pre-marital relations (fornication) before they’re married without any shame whatsoever. Sins like homosexuality, lesbianism, and prostitution are considered acceptable in our society. But the Word of God says otherwise. Consider what 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 has to say. 

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.”

Our society now tells us that impurity is acceptable, for it is okay to have a filthy mind filled with filthy thoughts. But the Bible urges us saying, 

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.” (Titus 1:15).

Our society tells us that debauchery is acceptable, for they know no shame and are engaged in indecent conduct, dressing to seduce.  But the Word of God says, 

“Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.” (Romans 13:13).

Our society now tells us that idolatry is acceptable, for they are filling their lives with gambling, sex, drugs, and alcohol, avoiding at all cost the will of God. But the Bible says,

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5).

Society tells us that witchcraft is acceptable. In ancient times, people practiced witchcraft using drugs to stimulate people’s minds to a semi-conscious state. Later it was the witches, sorcerers, wizards, and witchdoctors who deceived and controlled people by fear. But the Bible says,

“If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.” (Leviticus 20:6).

Society tells us now that hatred is acceptable. But the Bible says, 

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.”  (Titus 3:3).

Our society tells us that quarrels, arguing and disputes are acceptable.  But the Word of God says,

“But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”  (Titus 3:9-11).

Our society tells us that jealousy is acceptable. But the Bible says, 

"For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?” (1 Corinthians 3:3).

Society tells us that it is okay and acceptable to have fits of rage, for they go insane when things don’t go their way to the point where they cannot control themselves. But the Bible says, 

"A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.” (Proverbs 29:11).

Society tells us that selfish gratification and ambition are acceptable, for they will go at any length to get what they want no matter the consequences and who is hurt in the way. They want the praise of men and recognition for themselves just like the Jewish brethren that Paul spoke of in Galatians 6:12.

“It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.”

Our society tells us that it is acceptable to have dissensions, for it is okay to have our own opinion as long as it agrees with theirs. Otherwise, it will become a big issue for them! But the Bible says, 

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”  (Proverbs 18:2).

Our society tells us that envy is acceptable. But Paul said of the those who were dividing the church by demanding circumcision as a condition of salvation, 

“They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.”  (Galatians 4:17).

Society tells us that envy is acceptable. But the Word of God says,

“A tranquil heart is the life of the flesh; But envy is the rottenness of the bones.” (Proverbs 14:30).

Our society now tells us that drunkenness is acceptable. But the Bible says,

“Be not among winebibbers, Among gluttonous eaters of flesh: 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.” (Proverbs 23:20-21).

Again, our society tells us that orgies are acceptable. Websites are filled with ads encouraging many to come and get involved. But again, the Bible says,

“For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.” (1 Peter 4:3).

CONCLUSION:

Society tells us that it is okay to have sexual relations with someone as long as it is not with my spouse! It is okay to have filthy thoughts as longs as it is not with those I love! It is okay to dress to seduce as longs as it is not my partner that they’re trying to seduce! It is okay to take drugs and drink alcohol as long as they don’t do it at my house!

I can go on and on but the point we must stress is that many of them agree with the Bible when it is convenient and suits them. They ignore that their salvation is at stake! Those who are Christians and are guilty of these sins must repent, for they will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.  Heaven is only for those who are victorious over sin (Revelation 21:6-8). Those who want to taste salvation, loving life and see good days (1 Peter 3:10) have turned away from sin and depend on God’s direction to transform their lives. And though we might be Christians, if the fruit of the Spirit is not seen in us, we are still walking in darkness like those in the world. A genuine Christian shows evidence of a Spirit-filled life, for they have allowed the Word of God to change their heart. They know they belong to Christ so they must crucify the flesh with its passions and desires. They have put to death the works of the flesh, for they want to be right with God and do His will to please Him and go to heaven.

May we provoke one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24; Galatians 6:10).

Luci

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."  

Ephesians 4:15-16

Can you imagine yourself standing before the throne of God, with Jesus at His right hand and hearing Him say, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”? We are thoroughly warned. Jesus is very plain, and mercifully clear because He wants the best for us. He spoke the Truth in love.  How can we be saved from that horrible moment? Please consider with me some basic principles that God has placed in our hands, to prepare us for that fateful day.

God chose the preaching of the Truth to save and edify us (1 Cor. 1:18-21).  Throughout the New Testament book of Acts, we see preachers "speaking" and an audience "hearing" the Truth of God (Acts 2:7, 14, 37).  The Word is the "seed of the kingdom," and it is the Truth (Lk. 8:11; Jn. 17:17).  The apostle Paul urged the brethren at Ephesus saying,

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ." (Eph. 4:15).

Paul presents spiritual growth in verses 11-16 to the brethren at Ephesus.  The early church had miraculous gifts (verses 10-11) to confirm the Word (The New Testament).  The purpose of these gifts was "to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ."  (Eph. 4:12).  The purpose of the Word and these gifts was to keep the church steady and guard them against error (verse 14).  When God's Word was revealed to man in its fullness, the New Testament (1 Cor. 12:8-10; Jas. 1:25), these miraculous gifts ceased, (verse 13).  Thus, "speaking the Truth in love" is part of God's plan and provision for spiritual growth (verse 15).  It is important that we stress that in our context Truth is objective and in love is subjective.  Truth then is concrete while the purpose of speaking the Truth in love is not as obvious.  The purpose of my study is to examine the meaning of "speaking the Truth in love."

I.   WHAT SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE IS NOT:

There is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about what it means to speak the Truth in love.  In fact, in some circumstances it is almost impossible to speak the Truth in love.  I must stress that speaking the Truth in love is not holding back parts of the Truth, for we must declare the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).  The apostle Paul loved the Truth so much that he even allowed it to make enemies of those whom he loved (Gal. 4:16).  I often hear someone say, "you don't have to teach on all matters, in fact, if you love people, you will spare them the Truth, especially on uncomfortable and painful subjects."  "If you have love, you will not teach on divorce and remarriage because you know many have been married to others!"  So, they demand that that part of the Truth be restrained or held back, thus abusing the charge "speaking the Truth in love" as their authority (Matthew 19:9).  They ignore that love causes one to declare the whole counsel of God rather than withholding the Truth.

Speaking the Truth in love is not watering down the Truth.  Many teachers water down and weaken the Truth (1 Peter 2:12).  Often we hear people say, "do not rock the boat."  They don't want the Truth to upset them.  But the same Paul who wrote, inspired by the Holy Spirit, "speak the Truth in love" also said, "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."  (2 Timothy 4:2).  "Speaking the Truth in love" does not mean that we may be ambiguous, that the hearers not understand the truth in their case.  Although some are skilled at being wordy, what they say is not really understood, because they're not clear and precise in their preaching and teaching.  Those who were led by the Spirit in the first century spoke the Truth in love clearly and precisely (Acts 2:37, 38-41).

II.   SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE IS:

• Speaking The Truth With Spiritual Balance:

It is not enough to be a spokesman or proclaimer of God's Truth and to be a kind and loving person, for one must be both.  There must be a balance in the life of Christians when it comes to Truth and love.  Like so many things in life, there must be a balance for things to work well.  For instance, if we fail to balance our tires in our car, our tires will run the risk of wearing out quickly.  There are other physical examples that one may consider.  But what about the spiritual one?  There must be a balance for Christians between Truth and love.  In Ephesians 4:15, Paul spoke about the need for "speaking the Truth in love" so that the body of Christ could achieve spiritual maturity and stability. We Christians can easily lose our balance when we fail to put enough emphasis on the side of love.  One might be a strong defender of the Truth with a thorough knowledge of it, but at the same time lack genuine concern for the well being of the other person.  This creates an imbalance.  By the same token, a Christian can be out of balance when he fails to stress the Truth.  He might be gentle, compassionate and caring, but if he fails to communicate God's Truth faithfully, he is out of balance.  It is critical to stress the importance of both sides.  Christians can lose their balance if they're not careful!  You see, to speak the Truth is not enough, for such must be done in love.  Likewise, to show just love to someone is not enough either, for such must be done in harmony with the will of God.  We can do a lot of harm when we know the Truth, but in the name of love to others, we fail to communicate all of God's truths to them.  In both cases, God is not pleased, and His name and cause are hindered.

• "Speaking the Truth in love" Demands that we love the Truth:

Is the Truth more important than love?  Or is love more important than the Truth?  If you answer yes to either question, you are out of balance.  For Truth is love and love is Truth (Romans 13:8-10).  You drop either one, and you lose both! Indeed, do one, and the other will come.  God commands us not to compromise what He thinks is vital for the church to carry His purpose.  Christ wants us to speak the Truth in love and become more like Him.  He wants us to proclaim the Truth in love and to live faithful to the love that Truth teaches.  He does not want us to compromise either one in any way, for they both are essential to glorifying Him (John 1:14).  Sadly, we often swing from one extreme to the other.  We have some that are contentious and love to argue with others when they speak the Truth.  They deceive themselves into thinking that they know everything, but in fact, they know nothing!  They disregard the fact that loving one another is also Truth.  On the other hand, we have those in our culture who hate the Truth and don't care about it.  They think love is the answer for everything, so love perfectly summarizes all Truth.  They abuse the sacred meaning of love.  Love is not toleration of sin, for sin has no room for the Truth.  Without Truth, there can be no love.  For many this Truth is hard to grasp, forgetting that it is crucial for us to take hold of the Truth.  Christ in His marvelous wisdom has placed a beautiful balance on both.  We are challenged to live the Truth out.  Speaking the Truth in love is presenting it to those who need to hear even if it offends and they are uncomfortable listening to it.  To love is to speak the Truth and not misrepresent it.  We must not under any circumstance compromise the Truth in the name of love!  

Men must love the Truth before they thoroughly believe it.  It will be difficult to convince anyone of the Truth about any issue if they're not willing to accept and believe it, no matter how much effort one can put into teaching it to them.  If there is no love for the Truth, it will be difficult to forfeit everything to acquire it.  In Proverbs 23:23 we are advised to "buy the truth and sell it not."  There must be a desire for the Truth, to accept it and live it.  In John 17:17 Jesus said, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."  The Bible is the Truth.  Jesus also said, "and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  (John 8:32).  Thus, the Bible is God's Word.  When we love the Truth, we want to know the teachings found in the Bible, God's Sacred Book.  We want to hunger and thirst for the Truth so that we can grow in that knowledge.  In doing this, you can rest assured that this will help you have the doctrinal stability spoken of in Ephesians 4:13-14.  

"Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."  

I assure you that if you diligently study your Bible, you will learn the Truth and you won't be easily deceived by the false teachings of men!  The Bible must be our only standard and guide, for it is God's breathed Truth that we must love and cherish.  It is impossible to speak the Truth in love without first loving the Truth with all of your heart and mind.

• "Speaking the Truth in love" demands that we speak the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth:

Truth does not fellowship with falsehood.  Falsehood disregards Truth and Truth is hurt by silence.  Truth must be spoken without any loopholes, lies or false statements.  It is not enough to love the Truth and speak the Truth, because we must speak the whole Truth and nothing else.  God demands that of us.  In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul stated, 

"How I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable and teaching you in public and from house to house... Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God."  (Acts 20:20, 26-27).  

Paul acknowledged that if anyone whom he taught perished, it was not because he refused or failed in teaching them the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth!  He was not afraid to speak all of God's Truth, counsel.  No one could intimidate him into silence. What about us?

• "Speaking the Truth in love" demands that we speak the Truth boldly, yet lovingly:

To speak the Truth boldly, yet lovingly is difficult to do, for one must balance speaking boldly with speaking lovingly.  Some might say that it is impossible.  I don't think so!  So what does it mean to speak the Truth boldly, yet lovingly?  It means speaking Truth boldly but not harshly or in an overly aggressive manner.  We must not be mean-spirited, cynical or repulsive when speaking the Truth to others.  But we must be kind and firm. We do this because we love their soul!  Boldness implies not being afraid even when danger is present.  The apostles all spoke the Truth boldly, for they were not afraid of the consequences even when their lives were threatened or placed in danger.  We see this clearly in Acts 20 when Paul declared to the brethren that he did not hide any portion of the Truth from them.  He did not “beat around the bush” nor was he evasive in speaking the whole counsel of God to them on any subject even if he thought it might offend them.  He was plain and to the point.  He did not “water down the Truth,” or “sugar-coat” the Message to avoid hurting their feelings or offend them.  I know this because of his statement in Galatians 4:16, 

"Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?"  

You see the apostle Paul loved the Truth, and he was honest and open. He “laid everything on the table,” neither holding back nor hiding anything, for he wanted them to see Truth.  He spoke boldly and did not compromise God's Truth.  But, is that what we do today?  I'm afraid not!  

Sadly, many Christians know the Truth but are not willing to take a stand to defend or speak the Truth boldly!  It is as if they were afraid to open their mouths, perhaps, because they are intimidated by the opposition, or they simply don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.  They don't want to offend anyone or lose a friend!  But you know what? This kind of mindset is wrong, and God is not pleased!  Do you not know that when we refuse to speak the Truth boldly to the lost and those in error, knowing the Truth, we are not showing that we love the Truth?  If I know someone who is walking in darkness (lost spiritually and in error), deceiving themselves because they believe that they are saved when in fact they are not but refuse to speak the Truth to them about their soul, then I am not showing them love since I remain silent.  That simple!  So what does my silence reflect?  Cowardice, lack of love, for you are not sharing the Truth with them so that they can respond to it.  It shows that you don't care if they die in error and go to hell!  That is terrible and sad my brethren!  You will be accountable to the Judge!  So resolve to be courageous and ask God to help you in speaking the Truth boldly!

Isn't it something how some are prompt to defend their silence!  They say, "there is nothing wrong with the path of less resistance, striving not to offend anyone.  After all, we are supposed to imitate Christ and just love and accept everyone."  But is that right?!  Not at all!  Can't you see how much our Lord Jesus loved mankind that He was willing to die a horrible death for all?!  He loved us more than anyone can fathom.  But really, how did Jesus speak?  He spoke boldly!   In Matthew 23, Jesus labeled the scribes and Pharisees “murderers,”  and challenged them, “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?”  Wow!!  Those are very strong words from the lips of the loving Jesus!  Without a doubt, Jesus offended them, for He wanted them to repent.  And though Jesus spoke the Truth in love, He was never a softy!  

My brethren, when we speak the Truth in love, we are speaking the whole Truth kindly!  We must speak the Truth to show others, especially those lost in sin and error, that we care for them and love them even though the Truth might offend them.  There is no other way to balance the teeter-totter of Truth and love!  We do this because we love the souls of those who are in error.  We don't have to love their actions, tolerate their error and compromise to show love and concern for their souls, for this is God's way and His key to church discipline.  Thus we must speak out against sin and error with the right attitude of heart, for that is speaking the Truth in love.  And though we must strive for peace as commanded by God, we must never let peace take precedence over the Truth!  We must not compromise the Truth, teaching just certain things to tickle people's ears to make them feel good and not be offended.  Remember what Jesus said in Revelation 3:19, "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent."  Thus, we must speak the Truth faithfully yet kindly!

• "Speaking the Truth in love" demands that we practice it:  

To love the Truth is to obey it.  Not only do we need to love the Truth with all of our heart, to speak it boldly and lovingly, but we must also put it into practice.  We must practice what we teach and preach, living the Truth out in our daily lives, that we may teach others effectively how to live godly and righteously.  How can we expect others to change and be transformed if we are not practicing what we are teaching (Romans 2:21)?  God demands that we put into practice His Truth, that is, we must live by the Bible!  We must guard our influence wisely, for it will hinder the Truth Message, affecting how others might discern and receive it when we speak it to them.  Those who love the Truth, believe the Truth, and obey it (I Peter 1:22-23).  To speak the Truth in love is to do the will of God (2 Thess. 2:8-12).  Truth demands obedience to God's commandments.  Therefore, we do not have the Truth if we are walking in darkness and not keeping His commandments (I John 2:4).   It is not enough to say “Lord, Lord” if we do not obey the Truth and do the will of God (Matt. 7:21).  Likewise, we must not be just hearers but doers of the Word of God (James 1:22-24).  We must also walk in the Truth (3 John 4).  So those who are not walking in the Truth of the Gospel must be rebuked (Gal. 2:14; 4:16).  Practicing the Truth is living by the Golden Rule of doing unto others as we would have them do unto us (Matt. 7:12).  Of course, if you sincerely labor to always speak the Truth in love to your friends, enemies, family members, and strangers, you are helping them to obey the Truth that they might be saved. 

CONCLUSION:

When we speak the Truth in love boldly and yet kindly, we will grow spiritually, for Christians will increase in their spiritual maturity, and the lost will come to the knowledge of the Truth.  Speaking the Truth in love might bring some adverse reactions.  When Jesus spoke the Truth in love, it caused some of His disciples to walk no more with Him and even resulted in division among some Jews (John 6:66; 7:43).  Speaking the Truth in love also caused Stephen to be murdered by an angry mob (Acts 7).  Despite adverse reactions, we Christians must speak the Truth in love making sure that what we are teaching is the Truth, giving book, chapter and verse (1 Thess. 5:21).  Often the one who is presenting the Truth is charged for not speaking the Truth in love by those who disagree and want to find fault with the messenger, when in fact, they are dispising the Truth and are opposing it.  And though Paul spoke the Truth in love, he still spoke what was relevant to his hearers, in a manner both plain and effective.  Our goal must be to speak the Truth in love yet boldly enough for the hearer to receive the Message.  A servant of the Lord must be able to teach patiently, gently, and with humility those who are in error that perhaps they might know the Truth so that God can forgive them (2 Tim. 2:24-25).  That is, the teacher must himself put into practice what he is teaching, for knowledge of the Bible is worth nothing if we don't teach the Truth lovingly and gently.  Indeed, this is the mark of maturity!  (Eph. 4:14-15).

 It is common today to find a worldly and cheap form of "Christianity."  One which offends nobody, demands no sacrifice, no cost, and thus has very little value. We must be wary of today's modern version of what is called Christianity. It is the one that accepts some forms of sin and thus refuses to conform to the divine pattern. It asks for limited obedience but does not wish to offend and correct the one who sins or is in error.  We cannot practice open fellowship without rebuke and disciplinary correction for wrongdoing and error (Eph. 5:11; 2 John 10-11).  Our Lord Jesus Christ is against it! (Rev. 2:20)  He did not tolerate sin (Hab. 1:13).  He never told anyone to accept, compromise and tolerate sin (John 2:13-17).  He openly challenged and confronted sin and error (Matt. 15:7-14; Matt. 23).  So we Christians must never compromise with error or sin (Gal. 2:5; Rev. 2:2).  Why?  Simply because religious and doctrinal error is sin against God (Gal. 1:6-10; 2 John 9).  And although Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, “Becoming all things to men,” he never implied that we have to accept or compromise with sin.  So what must we do then?  We must let our lights shine in the darkness (Matt. 5:14-16; Phil. 2:15).  Live our faith, maintaining a clean conscience (Rev. 13:14-17).  Teach the Message of salvation by speaking the Truth in love and never be ashamed (2 Tim. 1:8-10; Acts 17:6).  I often hear complaints about someone who opposes sin and error. They say he is not loving and accepting enough when the fact is he does love them, but not their sin or error. Let's never forget that our Lord Jesus died to redeem us from eternal punishment. This is how He has shown His love for us. 

You see, sinners will never obey the Gospel if they see Christians compromising their faith and convictions for the sake of convenience or earthly security (to be protected from harm).  Thus we must fight the good fight of our faith, speak the Truth in love, know our Bible well and know its opponents well. We must not become bitter, or antagonistic, or take vengeance but rather show love to them, especially when they are our brethren, even though they may count us as enemies when we correct them and speak the Truth in love about sin (1 Tim. 6:12; 1 Peter 2:12; 2 Tim. 2:24; Matt. 5:38-45; Jude 3-4; 2 Cor. 10:3-5).  Although we must challenge false teachers, refuse their false doctrines and refuse to have fellowship with them, we still must judge with righteous judgment and suffer for righteousness sake.  God is not pleased when we fail to communicate His Truth to those who are living in sin and teaching error.  He demands that we love the Truth and speak it boldly (yet lovingly), for we must not have a mean spirit when we speak God’s Truths.  We must speak the Truth firmly but kindly.  God loves their souls and so must we.  Sadly, many know the Truth but refuse to take a stand and speak boldly (without fear even in the presence of danger), for they do not want to hurt people’s feelings.  We don’t want to offend anybody!  We don’t want to lose a friend!  When we know the Truth but refuse to speak it boldly to the lost and those in error, we are not showing love!  Do you think it is love to remain silent about the Truth when you see someone who is lost spiritually but thinks that he is saved?   Silence is cowardice. It certainly is not love to hold back the Truth that you know that might lead them to repent and escape the wrath of God. I would rather become their enemy for speaking the Truth than to let them die in error and go to hell!  Remember that Jesus spoke boldly because He loved the souls of people and showed His love by dying a terrible and painful death on the cross. 

Remaining silent and avoiding conflict in doctrinal matters is not speaking the Truth in love, for it is not God’s way!  We have abundant examples in the Bible of men who spoke the Truth even when it cost them their own lives.  Remember John the baptizer who boldly told Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”  (Matt. 14:4).  Do you suppose John spoke the Truth out of love?  You’d better believe he did!  It cost John his life!  Both Jesus and John were not afraid to speak the Truth regardless of what others might do to them.  Do you remember that the Pharisees were offended by the words of Jesus in Matthew 15 when He denied their teaching about washing their hands before eating?  Stephen in Acts 7 was stoned to death for telling the Truth to the Jewish Freedmen because they did not love the Truth and refused to hear it.  We likewise must speak the Truth in love even when that same Truth offends others!  Yet we must do it kindly, for we love the souls of those in error.  But we must not tolerate error and compromise the Truth, for we must speak out against it.  Yes, we must strive for peace, but that does not necessarily mean that we are going to let peace take first place over the Truth. Speaking the Truth in love is not tickling people’s ears to make them feel good.  Speaking the Truth demands that we put into practice that same Truth.  How can we expect others to repent and change if we are not willing to practice what we preach?  It is vital to guard our influence carefully, for it may hinder the Message.  So we must determine to always speak the Truth to our friends, to our enemies, and to strangers, to the best of our ability that they might be saved and escape the wrath of God.  Love for sinners must compel us to rebuke sin in love, and not remain silent.  Even when we reprove and chastise those in sin and error properly, it is an act of love, for it is like the Lord’s chastisement.  Our love for Jesus and all others is enough reason to oppose sin, for to fail to oppose sin is a failure to love God and the sinner (Luke 14:26).  When we love sinners, we show them the Truth that will prick their hearts.  It is a way of showing mercy to the lost, for we want to snatch them from the fire, hating the filth of sin.

We must teach the Truth to others even though it might offend.  So let us not be so concerned about  "offending" this world.  Remember that the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  

"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness...."  (2 Peter 3:10-11).  

Let's never forget that being a true disciple of Christ will bring us ridicule, scorn, opposition, and persecution. Let's search our hearts and meditate on Jesus' Words. We do not want to be shamed by Him on that final Day of Judgment.

"Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven... And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity."  (Matthew 7:21-23).  

May we never hold back the Truth but speak it boldly and in love, declaring the whole counsel of God to all men that they might repent and be saved.  

Luci