Acts 7:5; Hebrews 11:13-16: "He (God) have him (Abraham) no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at the time Abraham had no child . . . . All these people (including Abraham) were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own . . . . They were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."
The story of Abraham's life is an incredible testimony of faith in the promises of God, even though those promises would not be fulfilled in the patriarch's lifetime. If one remembers the story of Abraham in the book of Genesis, one recalls that God called Abraham to leave his homeland and travel to a distant place that the Lord would determine. Abraham would end up travelling hundreds of miles to an unfamiliar territory, with only the hope of the promise of God that he would receive the land to which God was sending him.
When Abraham arrived to the Judean territory, he did not take title to the land that the Lord seemingly promised him; in fact, he would wander around the land in nomadic fashion until the end of his days. The only land that he would own was a small burial cave for Sarah and himself that he purchased from the Hittites near Mamre.
One might conclude that Abraham could have been justified in any frustration at God for not delivering His promises during Abraham's lifetime. But Abraham's trust in God had been fueled by his intimate fellowship that he regularly had with the Lord. Hebrews 6:15 tells us that "Abraham waited patiently (finally) receiving what he was promised." This was faith in the midst of conflicting circumstances. Whereas Abraham could have capitulated to his dismal earthly circumstances (wandering around in the land to which God had promised him . . . and not taking ownership), Abraham, through the power of the Holy Spirit, was able to rise above his circumstances to press on in obedience to the Lord in spite of his circumstances. Abraham was able to see that he was still on journey even when he arrived in Palestine; in fact, he was just beginning the trek that would continue until the day of his death, when he would finally take possession of God's ultimate Promised Land! Abraham determined that his ephemeral earthly life was to be lived as a sojourner on pilgrimage. Abraham knew that the earthly life was not the end to which he should passionately pursue; rather, the patriarch knew that all of his determination should be on dwelling in God's presence in eternity. Abraham would not permit his earthly circumstances to dissuade him from his faith in the Almighty and His promise of eternal blessing . . . Heaven.
What is so incredibly telling is the above cited passage, that God "is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." God is so proud of those who would trust Him in faith no matter what their circumstances might be . . . those who would commit themselves to the promises of the Lord even if those promises are not realized until eternity. These are people who can see the bigger picture of life through the lens of God's eternal plans and purposes. God is not ashamed to be called the Lord of those who would demonstrate such faith in Him. And just as Abraham was strengthened through his intimate fellowship with the Lord (see Genesis 12 & 15), so too we should be strengthening our faith by being intimately connected to the Lord through His Word and through prayer.
Let's adopt a sojourner's attitude in this life. And as we travel through the painful ordeals that this world has to offer, let us embrace the promises of God that He has presented to those who have surrendered to Him as Lord and Savior. He has told us that He has prepared for us a Promised Land (see John 14:1-3). May we through faith and intimacy with our Lord press on to the goal of life . . . eternal fellowship with the Almighty!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Standing Firm
Matthew 24:10-13: "At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
The above passage is part of Jesus' teaching concerning the end of the age, when God, the Holy and Righteous Judge, will return to bless the redeemed and judge the reprobate. The setting of this teaching by the Lord took place as Jesus and the disciples were leaving the Jerusalem temple. The disciples were rambling on about the impressiveness of the temple buildings as well as the amount of offerings being given to the priests (see Luke 21:5). Of course, Jesus challenged the disciples' consumption with external display by telling them that the magnificence of the temple buildings would not endure into eternity. He then began His teaching of the coming day when His disciples would experience persecution for their allegiance to Him as the Messiah.
Most noteworthy are Jesus' words concerning the end of time, for He vividly presents the disposition of the world when He returns to the earth a second time in glorious splendor. Jesus tells His disciples that many professing Christians will "turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other." The context of this passage deals with the heightened persecutions that the true Church will experience at the end of the age. Many within the church walls will cave to the pressures of persecution, and they will both renounce the faith and betray those who remain loyal to Christ. Still others who are filled with hate will see opportunity to destroy those to whom their hate is directed. The Scriptures tell us that these people that harbor such hate are not true followers of Jesus Christ; instead they are apostates who mask themselves as Christians (see I John 4:19-21).
We also find in the Matthew 24 passage that with the increased wickedness of the world, the "love of most will grow cold, but (the one) who stands firm to the end will be saved." The parallel passage in the Gospel of Luke says, "by your endurance you will gain your lives" (Luke 21:19). In the last days, people will become consumed with love for themselves and will justify any behavior that promotes their own selfishness above all others, including God. They will not "put up with sound doctrine; instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" (see 2 Timothy 3:2f; 4:3f). The persecution of the true Church of Jesus Christ will be great, for everyone who lives his life in godly obedience will be persecuted . . . and the intensity of persecution will get progressively worse (2 Timothy 3:12-13). Nonetheless, this persecution will have a purifying effect of separating the true followers of Christ from those who only label themselves as "Christian" but who in fact have no personal relationship with the Lord of Hosts.
Still, God expects faithfulness during this oppressive time. Followers of Jesus Christ must continue to turn away from wickedness, even though it may not be the popular thing to do. Tragically, the end of the age will bring vehement persecution upon the righteous at a level of distress that will be greater than the accumulated volume and intensity of persecutions from the beginning of time until that day (see Matthew 24:21; 2 Timothy 2:19). Fortunately for the elect, God will shorten the duration of that persecution with His unexpected return, which will be like a thief in the night (see I Thessalonians 5:2). For the majority of people who will have turned to wickedness and thus forsaken any allegiance to the One True God, the Lord's return will bring widespread mourning. This is because these recalcitrant ones will be judged for their rebellion against the Lord, and they will be assigned for eternity to the place where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 24:51).
Whereas the true Church of Jesus Christ has yet to experience the level of persecution that Jesus mentions above, this passage is a word of warning that it is coming. Our Savior entreats us to stand firm in our faith, no matter the level of intensity of persecution from wicked men, who hate Jesus Christ and anyone who claims to follow Him as Lord (see John 15:21). Although many will fall away from the faith due to the level of distress from persecution, Christ compels us to "keep watch" and to "be ready" for His return (Matthew 24:42,44). Our Savior's return will make our steadfastness in the midst of tribulation worth it all, for we will be ushered into His glorious presence for all eternity, never again to experience the level of pain that we experienced at the hands of ungodly men who are controlled by the Evil One.
The above passage is part of Jesus' teaching concerning the end of the age, when God, the Holy and Righteous Judge, will return to bless the redeemed and judge the reprobate. The setting of this teaching by the Lord took place as Jesus and the disciples were leaving the Jerusalem temple. The disciples were rambling on about the impressiveness of the temple buildings as well as the amount of offerings being given to the priests (see Luke 21:5). Of course, Jesus challenged the disciples' consumption with external display by telling them that the magnificence of the temple buildings would not endure into eternity. He then began His teaching of the coming day when His disciples would experience persecution for their allegiance to Him as the Messiah.
Most noteworthy are Jesus' words concerning the end of time, for He vividly presents the disposition of the world when He returns to the earth a second time in glorious splendor. Jesus tells His disciples that many professing Christians will "turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other." The context of this passage deals with the heightened persecutions that the true Church will experience at the end of the age. Many within the church walls will cave to the pressures of persecution, and they will both renounce the faith and betray those who remain loyal to Christ. Still others who are filled with hate will see opportunity to destroy those to whom their hate is directed. The Scriptures tell us that these people that harbor such hate are not true followers of Jesus Christ; instead they are apostates who mask themselves as Christians (see I John 4:19-21).
We also find in the Matthew 24 passage that with the increased wickedness of the world, the "love of most will grow cold, but (the one) who stands firm to the end will be saved." The parallel passage in the Gospel of Luke says, "by your endurance you will gain your lives" (Luke 21:19). In the last days, people will become consumed with love for themselves and will justify any behavior that promotes their own selfishness above all others, including God. They will not "put up with sound doctrine; instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear" (see 2 Timothy 3:2f; 4:3f). The persecution of the true Church of Jesus Christ will be great, for everyone who lives his life in godly obedience will be persecuted . . . and the intensity of persecution will get progressively worse (2 Timothy 3:12-13). Nonetheless, this persecution will have a purifying effect of separating the true followers of Christ from those who only label themselves as "Christian" but who in fact have no personal relationship with the Lord of Hosts.
Still, God expects faithfulness during this oppressive time. Followers of Jesus Christ must continue to turn away from wickedness, even though it may not be the popular thing to do. Tragically, the end of the age will bring vehement persecution upon the righteous at a level of distress that will be greater than the accumulated volume and intensity of persecutions from the beginning of time until that day (see Matthew 24:21; 2 Timothy 2:19). Fortunately for the elect, God will shorten the duration of that persecution with His unexpected return, which will be like a thief in the night (see I Thessalonians 5:2). For the majority of people who will have turned to wickedness and thus forsaken any allegiance to the One True God, the Lord's return will bring widespread mourning. This is because these recalcitrant ones will be judged for their rebellion against the Lord, and they will be assigned for eternity to the place where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 24:51).
Whereas the true Church of Jesus Christ has yet to experience the level of persecution that Jesus mentions above, this passage is a word of warning that it is coming. Our Savior entreats us to stand firm in our faith, no matter the level of intensity of persecution from wicked men, who hate Jesus Christ and anyone who claims to follow Him as Lord (see John 15:21). Although many will fall away from the faith due to the level of distress from persecution, Christ compels us to "keep watch" and to "be ready" for His return (Matthew 24:42,44). Our Savior's return will make our steadfastness in the midst of tribulation worth it all, for we will be ushered into His glorious presence for all eternity, never again to experience the level of pain that we experienced at the hands of ungodly men who are controlled by the Evil One.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Obedience to the End
Revelation 1-3: "And among the lampstands was someone like a son of man [Jesus Christ], dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet . . . . And the seven lampstands are the seven churches . . . . (The Lord said to the messenger of the church in Ephesus) 'Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place . . . . To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.' . . . . (To the Church at Smyrna the Lord said), 'Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life . . . . He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.' . . . . (The Lord said to the Church in Pergamum), 'To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it.' . . . . (To the Church at Thyatira the Lord said), 'To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations.' . . . . (To the Church at Sardis, the Lord said), 'He who overcomes will . . . be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.' . . . . (To the Church at Philadelphia, the Lord said), 'Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.' . . . . (To the Church at Laodicea the Lord said), 'To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.'"
In modern Christendom, there is a false notion that God's grace somehow is obtained by church association or mere cognitive awareness of Jesus' death and resurrection for the atonement of sin. How many times have people rationalized their faith by concluding, "I don't want to go to hell, so I'm going to say the sinner's prayer, make it public before the church, and get my 'Get Out of Hell Free' card . . . . But I'm not going to surrender my life (with all of its selfish and carnal appetites) to God . . . . I still want to be on the throne of my own life." Some are even more brazen to the point that they identify themselves as Christian simply because they participate in a few ceremonious events each year at a "Christian" church and give infrequently to a "Christian" organization. It's as if people want God for His eternal benefits, but they are unwilling to surrender to Him as their Lord. People will relegate God to a small subset within their life experience, but they refuse to give Him everything through their submission to Him as Master and Savior.
The Holy Scriptures do not teach such heresy; in fact, the Scriptures inculcate that salvation is reserved for those who persevere in their obedience to the Lord of Hosts through the power of the Holy Spirit. No mere words or ritualistic observances will suffice for one's redemption, for in each of the above cited scriptural dictates, the Lord expressly commands that only those who overcome the power of sin through true repentance and obedience will be the ones receiving His eternal blessing.
This is not to suggest that Christians live perfect lives (the example of the Church at Laodicea should affirm this [see Revelation 3:15-16]). Still, the true believer in Christ lives his life in such a way that he strives for Godly perfection through the life-transforming power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:48). If the true follower of Jesus Christ begins to stray from obedience to the Lord, the Holy Spirit (who indwells the believer, giving him the power to overcome sin [see Romans 8:9]) will convict the believer of his sin and will lead him to the truth of repentance (John 16:8,13), and the true believer will respond with contrition, confession, repentance, and renewed obedience. One will not find a true believer straying very far and for very long from the path of obedience, for he willingly yields his own selfish will to the will of the Father, and he quickly returns to faithful allegiance, once the Holy Spirit begins to convict him of sin.
Therefore, we know that the true Christian is one whose mind, will, and body are controlled by the Spirit, because he is surrendered to the Lord of Hosts as his Master. God is the number one priority for the believer, and he cannot help but be faithfully obedient to Him as his Lord.
Romans 8:5-8 reinforces this fact by presenting the evidential difference between the reprobate and the redeemed. Specifically, the passage tells us that the reprobate "live according to the sinful nature . . . (being) hostile to God (by not) submitting to His (God's) law . . . (therefore) not pleasing God (and thus bringing) death" whereas those who are committed to Christ "have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (which brings) life and peace."
Let us not fall prey to the popular misconception of what it means to be a Christian. This identification is not flippantly assigned by the Lord to just anyone; instead, it is granted to those who have received the precious gift of grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ . . . and the benefits of this grace are experienced through faith, made manifest in repentance and complete devotion to God as the exclusive Lord of one's life.
In modern Christendom, there is a false notion that God's grace somehow is obtained by church association or mere cognitive awareness of Jesus' death and resurrection for the atonement of sin. How many times have people rationalized their faith by concluding, "I don't want to go to hell, so I'm going to say the sinner's prayer, make it public before the church, and get my 'Get Out of Hell Free' card . . . . But I'm not going to surrender my life (with all of its selfish and carnal appetites) to God . . . . I still want to be on the throne of my own life." Some are even more brazen to the point that they identify themselves as Christian simply because they participate in a few ceremonious events each year at a "Christian" church and give infrequently to a "Christian" organization. It's as if people want God for His eternal benefits, but they are unwilling to surrender to Him as their Lord. People will relegate God to a small subset within their life experience, but they refuse to give Him everything through their submission to Him as Master and Savior.
The Holy Scriptures do not teach such heresy; in fact, the Scriptures inculcate that salvation is reserved for those who persevere in their obedience to the Lord of Hosts through the power of the Holy Spirit. No mere words or ritualistic observances will suffice for one's redemption, for in each of the above cited scriptural dictates, the Lord expressly commands that only those who overcome the power of sin through true repentance and obedience will be the ones receiving His eternal blessing.
This is not to suggest that Christians live perfect lives (the example of the Church at Laodicea should affirm this [see Revelation 3:15-16]). Still, the true believer in Christ lives his life in such a way that he strives for Godly perfection through the life-transforming power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 5:48). If the true follower of Jesus Christ begins to stray from obedience to the Lord, the Holy Spirit (who indwells the believer, giving him the power to overcome sin [see Romans 8:9]) will convict the believer of his sin and will lead him to the truth of repentance (John 16:8,13), and the true believer will respond with contrition, confession, repentance, and renewed obedience. One will not find a true believer straying very far and for very long from the path of obedience, for he willingly yields his own selfish will to the will of the Father, and he quickly returns to faithful allegiance, once the Holy Spirit begins to convict him of sin.
Therefore, we know that the true Christian is one whose mind, will, and body are controlled by the Spirit, because he is surrendered to the Lord of Hosts as his Master. God is the number one priority for the believer, and he cannot help but be faithfully obedient to Him as his Lord.
Romans 8:5-8 reinforces this fact by presenting the evidential difference between the reprobate and the redeemed. Specifically, the passage tells us that the reprobate "live according to the sinful nature . . . (being) hostile to God (by not) submitting to His (God's) law . . . (therefore) not pleasing God (and thus bringing) death" whereas those who are committed to Christ "have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (which brings) life and peace."
Let us not fall prey to the popular misconception of what it means to be a Christian. This identification is not flippantly assigned by the Lord to just anyone; instead, it is granted to those who have received the precious gift of grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ . . . and the benefits of this grace are experienced through faith, made manifest in repentance and complete devotion to God as the exclusive Lord of one's life.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Glorification in Judgment
Exodus 14:8,17b: "The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly . . . . (the LORD said) 'The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.'"
As one looks through Scripture, one finds that God is glorified in many things throughout His creation:
God is glorified by the heavens that He has created. They "pour forth praises day after day" for the Lord of Hosts (Psalm 19:1-2).
God is glorified when the righteous exalt His name through their praise and celebration of Him as their Lord and Savior (Psalm 34:3).
God is glorified through the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, to provide salvation for those who would surrender to Him as Lord (John 13:31-32). This immeasurable act of love, which permits us the privilege of adoption as God's sons and daughters, praises God's glorious grace that He willingly "lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding" (Ephesians 1:8).
God will be glorified by the righteous elect when He returns to receive them into His heavenly abode. They will glorify Him as they marvel at the One in whom they believed as Lord (2 Thessalonians 1:10).
God is glorified through His works . . . they are "pondered by all who delight in them" (Psalm 111:2-3).
Of course the list of things that glorify God could continue for all eternity; however, one noteworthy point is found in the cited passage above, namely that God is glorified through the hardening of the disobedient, so that He might drive them to fulfill certain events that would declare His sovereignty over all things. This demonstration of judgment declares that His Holiness will prevail, no matter what stands in rebellion against Him.
We know from the Exodus account that Pharaoh and the Egyptians had held the Israelites in bondage in Egypt for many years; they dealt with them ruthlessly and enslaved them to forced labor so that the Israelites would not rise up against them. Of course, God had promised Abraham hundreds of years before that His descendants would dwell in the land promised to the patriarch (see Genesis 12); and God had promised that He would punish the nation that would force the Israelites to serve as slaves (Genesis 15:14).
True to His Word, God hardened Pharaoh's heart just after the Egyptian leader had released the Israelites to return to their promised land. Pharaoh quickly changed his mind as to the emancipation of the Israelites, and he summoned his army to pursue them and return them to bondage. God used Pharaoh's wickedness to lead him to an ultimate confrontation with the Lord. Pharaoh, who considered himself the god of the most powerful nation in the world, would engage in battle against the One True God; and God would be glorified through his victory over Pharaoh and the Egyptians army. God did this so that all people, including the Egyptians, would know that He alone was the Lord (Exodus 14:4).
Pharaoh summoned 600 of his chariots along with his soldiers and pursued the Israelites and caught up with them at the Red Sea. The Israelites were sickened by the approaching Egyptian army and complained to Moses for leading them out into the wilderness to die; however, Moses countered their grumbling by reassuring them that the Lord would "fight for them" (14:14). And true to His promises, the Lord moved in between the Egyptian army and the Israelites, and He defeated the Egyptians by using darkness, confusion, and disarray. The Egyptian army had followed the Israelites into the dry sea bed that had been formed when God moved back the waters to permit the Israelites to pass through to the other side. Once all the Israelites had reached the other side of the great sea, Moses stretched his hand over the sea, and the Lord responded by collapsing the walls of water that had been formed. As the Egyptian chariots started to fall apart, the army realized that the Israelite God was protecting His people, and they determined to return to Egypt to get away from this divine wrath. Unfortunately for the Egyptians, it was too late. The great waters engulfed the army, and none of them survived. The Scriptures tell us that when the Israelites saw the great power of God demonstrated through the destruction of the mighty Egyptian army, they "feared the LORD and put their trust in Him and Moses His servant" (14:31).
We see from this account that the Lord is not averse to using the wicked in such a way to demonstrate His Sovereign Reign over all. Even as the Egyptians were being utterly destroyed by God, He was being glorified. Certainly good came from this destruction as His covenant people were strengthened in their faith in the One True Lord of Hosts.
We must remember that the Lord will be glorified both through the praises of the righteous and through the judgment of the wicked. Let us renounce any wickedness in our lives that would bring a punitive response from the Lord; let us instead follow the Lord faithfully and obediently so that God's glory would be demonstrated through our surrender to Him as Lord!
As one looks through Scripture, one finds that God is glorified in many things throughout His creation:
God is glorified by the heavens that He has created. They "pour forth praises day after day" for the Lord of Hosts (Psalm 19:1-2).
God is glorified when the righteous exalt His name through their praise and celebration of Him as their Lord and Savior (Psalm 34:3).
God is glorified through the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, to provide salvation for those who would surrender to Him as Lord (John 13:31-32). This immeasurable act of love, which permits us the privilege of adoption as God's sons and daughters, praises God's glorious grace that He willingly "lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding" (Ephesians 1:8).
God will be glorified by the righteous elect when He returns to receive them into His heavenly abode. They will glorify Him as they marvel at the One in whom they believed as Lord (2 Thessalonians 1:10).
God is glorified through His works . . . they are "pondered by all who delight in them" (Psalm 111:2-3).
Of course the list of things that glorify God could continue for all eternity; however, one noteworthy point is found in the cited passage above, namely that God is glorified through the hardening of the disobedient, so that He might drive them to fulfill certain events that would declare His sovereignty over all things. This demonstration of judgment declares that His Holiness will prevail, no matter what stands in rebellion against Him.
We know from the Exodus account that Pharaoh and the Egyptians had held the Israelites in bondage in Egypt for many years; they dealt with them ruthlessly and enslaved them to forced labor so that the Israelites would not rise up against them. Of course, God had promised Abraham hundreds of years before that His descendants would dwell in the land promised to the patriarch (see Genesis 12); and God had promised that He would punish the nation that would force the Israelites to serve as slaves (Genesis 15:14).
True to His Word, God hardened Pharaoh's heart just after the Egyptian leader had released the Israelites to return to their promised land. Pharaoh quickly changed his mind as to the emancipation of the Israelites, and he summoned his army to pursue them and return them to bondage. God used Pharaoh's wickedness to lead him to an ultimate confrontation with the Lord. Pharaoh, who considered himself the god of the most powerful nation in the world, would engage in battle against the One True God; and God would be glorified through his victory over Pharaoh and the Egyptians army. God did this so that all people, including the Egyptians, would know that He alone was the Lord (Exodus 14:4).
Pharaoh summoned 600 of his chariots along with his soldiers and pursued the Israelites and caught up with them at the Red Sea. The Israelites were sickened by the approaching Egyptian army and complained to Moses for leading them out into the wilderness to die; however, Moses countered their grumbling by reassuring them that the Lord would "fight for them" (14:14). And true to His promises, the Lord moved in between the Egyptian army and the Israelites, and He defeated the Egyptians by using darkness, confusion, and disarray. The Egyptian army had followed the Israelites into the dry sea bed that had been formed when God moved back the waters to permit the Israelites to pass through to the other side. Once all the Israelites had reached the other side of the great sea, Moses stretched his hand over the sea, and the Lord responded by collapsing the walls of water that had been formed. As the Egyptian chariots started to fall apart, the army realized that the Israelite God was protecting His people, and they determined to return to Egypt to get away from this divine wrath. Unfortunately for the Egyptians, it was too late. The great waters engulfed the army, and none of them survived. The Scriptures tell us that when the Israelites saw the great power of God demonstrated through the destruction of the mighty Egyptian army, they "feared the LORD and put their trust in Him and Moses His servant" (14:31).
We see from this account that the Lord is not averse to using the wicked in such a way to demonstrate His Sovereign Reign over all. Even as the Egyptians were being utterly destroyed by God, He was being glorified. Certainly good came from this destruction as His covenant people were strengthened in their faith in the One True Lord of Hosts.
We must remember that the Lord will be glorified both through the praises of the righteous and through the judgment of the wicked. Let us renounce any wickedness in our lives that would bring a punitive response from the Lord; let us instead follow the Lord faithfully and obediently so that God's glory would be demonstrated through our surrender to Him as Lord!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Be Diligent
Hebrews 6:12: "We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."
As I have had the opportunity of observing professing Christians in America for most of my life, I have come to the conclusion that the biggest impediment to spiritual growth has not been religious persecution or the lack of resources and opportunity to facilitate one's spiritual maturation; instead, it has been an apathetic spirit toward God and His wonderful grace that He has "lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding" (Ephesians 1:8). And this apathy has been manifest in an indifference to serving the Lord faithfully and obediently.
It seems as if many who label themselves as "Christian" see their tag as a sociological identifier of their religious persuasion. Since America traditionally has been associated with the Christian faith (with many churches being organized and buildings being constructed in the 19th & 20th centuries), a majority of people in our nation have assimilated themselves within the rubric of this "popular religion." Many will identify themselves with Christianity when in fact they have never come to the point of surrendering their lives to the One True Lord of Hosts! There is little intimate fellowship with God through prayer and Bible study, nor is there any association with a collective body of Christian believers in a church, with the possible exception of certain holidays. Serving others before oneself and being obedient to the expressed will of God in Scripture seems foreign to these people, who are ensnared by the cultural philosophy of competitive self-adulation and self-satisfaction at the expense of others.
Whereas there may be a number of determinants for this lack of true faith among these professing Christians, it may very well be that these people have relegated their spiritual experience to a rather insignificant place in their lives. It is as if these people have compartmentalized their alleged faith as a subset of their overall life experience rather than making it the foundation upon which all other areas of life are laid. In reality, these people may not be Christians, for they have continued to worship themselves over the One True God, and they have desired to satisfy their own self-centeredness over their service to the Lord Almighty!
Leon Morris, in his commentary on I Thessalonians has summed up well the true ethos of Christianity when he writes, "Becoming a Christian involves a very definite break with non-Christian habits. Whatever the believers' previous background, there must always be a turning from idols of some sort. The act of conversion involves a change of direction of the will. This is a decisive happening, a reorientation of the whole of life."
Of course, we know that the grace of God is not merited by us (see Ephesians 2:8-9); it is solely the gift of God, to reconcile us to Him through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Still, God does not expect us to treat this gift of grace with contempt by a spirit of indifference. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us not to become lazy, but to "imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." If anyone reading this passage is concerned with how this "imitation" is made manifest, he need only to look at the verses in subsequent chapters of the book of Hebrews. In chapter 10, the writer of Hebrews praises his listening audience for manifesting their hope in their glorious Lord by facing persecution and suffering for their faith. Some of these people were subjected to public insult for their allegiance to Jesus Christ, others had their property confiscated for their faith. Still, they rejoiced in the midst of their painful experiences, for they were strengthened with the assurance that worshiping and serving God was everything. They were also assured that God would redeem His people for all eternity, providing them with a rich reward for their faithfulness to Him.
As the writer of Hebrews implores his audience not to become lazy but to remain diligent in their commitment to the Lord, he uses the illustration of the patriarch, Abraham, as an example for the people to follow. Abraham was summoned by God to move hundreds of miles away from his homeland to a new land. The only assurance that he received from the Lord was the promise that God would bless the patriarch for his faithfulness. Abraham could have chosen to refuse God's offering and instead decided to live his own life according to his own desires. In fact, he could have chosen to forsake any surrender to the Lord and still labeled himself a "follower of God." Of course, this is not what we find with Abraham, for he yielded his own will to the will of His Lord. This surrender was not easy for Abraham. I'm certain that the trek was an arduous one, with many obstacles along the way. The easier path would have been simply to do nothing and in a spirit of laziness just "exist" in life. Abraham's decision to follow the Lord in faith would eventually bring to him the eternal blessings of God's promises.
As we reflect upon our own relationship with the Lord, we have to assess whether or not we have merely labeled ourselves "Christian" or if we are in fact true followers of Christ. We must not be self-absorbed and thus apathetic to the will of the Lord. If we truly are surrendered to Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will yield our own wills to His will. We will follow Him obediently, no matter the personal price, for we know that to obey Him is the least we can to for the Savior of our souls. People are not lazy or indifferent towards those things that they esteem. Let us revere the One True God in such a way that we submit to Him with passion and thanksgiving, knowing that He is everything to us.
As I have had the opportunity of observing professing Christians in America for most of my life, I have come to the conclusion that the biggest impediment to spiritual growth has not been religious persecution or the lack of resources and opportunity to facilitate one's spiritual maturation; instead, it has been an apathetic spirit toward God and His wonderful grace that He has "lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding" (Ephesians 1:8). And this apathy has been manifest in an indifference to serving the Lord faithfully and obediently.
It seems as if many who label themselves as "Christian" see their tag as a sociological identifier of their religious persuasion. Since America traditionally has been associated with the Christian faith (with many churches being organized and buildings being constructed in the 19th & 20th centuries), a majority of people in our nation have assimilated themselves within the rubric of this "popular religion." Many will identify themselves with Christianity when in fact they have never come to the point of surrendering their lives to the One True Lord of Hosts! There is little intimate fellowship with God through prayer and Bible study, nor is there any association with a collective body of Christian believers in a church, with the possible exception of certain holidays. Serving others before oneself and being obedient to the expressed will of God in Scripture seems foreign to these people, who are ensnared by the cultural philosophy of competitive self-adulation and self-satisfaction at the expense of others.
Whereas there may be a number of determinants for this lack of true faith among these professing Christians, it may very well be that these people have relegated their spiritual experience to a rather insignificant place in their lives. It is as if these people have compartmentalized their alleged faith as a subset of their overall life experience rather than making it the foundation upon which all other areas of life are laid. In reality, these people may not be Christians, for they have continued to worship themselves over the One True God, and they have desired to satisfy their own self-centeredness over their service to the Lord Almighty!
Leon Morris, in his commentary on I Thessalonians has summed up well the true ethos of Christianity when he writes, "Becoming a Christian involves a very definite break with non-Christian habits. Whatever the believers' previous background, there must always be a turning from idols of some sort. The act of conversion involves a change of direction of the will. This is a decisive happening, a reorientation of the whole of life."
Of course, we know that the grace of God is not merited by us (see Ephesians 2:8-9); it is solely the gift of God, to reconcile us to Him through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Still, God does not expect us to treat this gift of grace with contempt by a spirit of indifference. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us not to become lazy, but to "imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." If anyone reading this passage is concerned with how this "imitation" is made manifest, he need only to look at the verses in subsequent chapters of the book of Hebrews. In chapter 10, the writer of Hebrews praises his listening audience for manifesting their hope in their glorious Lord by facing persecution and suffering for their faith. Some of these people were subjected to public insult for their allegiance to Jesus Christ, others had their property confiscated for their faith. Still, they rejoiced in the midst of their painful experiences, for they were strengthened with the assurance that worshiping and serving God was everything. They were also assured that God would redeem His people for all eternity, providing them with a rich reward for their faithfulness to Him.
As the writer of Hebrews implores his audience not to become lazy but to remain diligent in their commitment to the Lord, he uses the illustration of the patriarch, Abraham, as an example for the people to follow. Abraham was summoned by God to move hundreds of miles away from his homeland to a new land. The only assurance that he received from the Lord was the promise that God would bless the patriarch for his faithfulness. Abraham could have chosen to refuse God's offering and instead decided to live his own life according to his own desires. In fact, he could have chosen to forsake any surrender to the Lord and still labeled himself a "follower of God." Of course, this is not what we find with Abraham, for he yielded his own will to the will of His Lord. This surrender was not easy for Abraham. I'm certain that the trek was an arduous one, with many obstacles along the way. The easier path would have been simply to do nothing and in a spirit of laziness just "exist" in life. Abraham's decision to follow the Lord in faith would eventually bring to him the eternal blessings of God's promises.
As we reflect upon our own relationship with the Lord, we have to assess whether or not we have merely labeled ourselves "Christian" or if we are in fact true followers of Christ. We must not be self-absorbed and thus apathetic to the will of the Lord. If we truly are surrendered to Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will yield our own wills to His will. We will follow Him obediently, no matter the personal price, for we know that to obey Him is the least we can to for the Savior of our souls. People are not lazy or indifferent towards those things that they esteem. Let us revere the One True God in such a way that we submit to Him with passion and thanksgiving, knowing that He is everything to us.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
What Is Considered Greatness in God's Eyes?
Mark 10:42-45: "Jesus called them (the disciples) together and said, 'You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'"
In a day in which people measure greatness in terms of advancement, acumen, and affluency, we who have surrendered ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ would do well to be reminded that greatness in God's eyes has everything to do with love and servitude towards others.
In the above mentioned passage, the disciples had been bickering amongst themselves as to whom was the greatest; in fact, John and James had secretly petitioned Jesus to permit them the distinguished honor of sitting on either side of His glorious, exalted throne in heaven. They were rather brazen in their request in that they first asked Jesus to answer whatever they asked, without qualifying what the request was. One has to wonder if these sons of Zebedee were aware of the egregious arrogance of their petition even before they asked it of Jesus, for they seemed to use some deception to get Jesus to agree to their demand even before He knew what it was.
Of course, Jesus would not be fooled by their trickery, and He specifically asked what it was that they wanted Him to do for them. When their quest for personal veneration was exposed, Jesus questioned them if they could drink of the cup that He drank and if they would be baptized with the baptism He had received. Many have speculated as to what Jesus was referring when He used terms like "cup" and "baptism," but in light of Jesus' reference to the cup of suffering and crucifixion from which He would drink (see Mark 14:36), one convincingly can conclude that Jesus had in mind persecution for the cause of redeeming mankind. This certainly is the reference that Jesus uses for greatness in Mark 10:45; for we see that His purpose for coming into the world was not to be exalted by His creation, but to serve them by offering His life as a ransom for their sins.
What is amazing is the tension that James and John's request introduced among the disciples, for the rest of the twelve became rather indignant at such a pompous request. Of course, the other disciples were hoping for the very same blessing, and they were likely angered that they had not asked this of Jesus sooner. Jesus, knowing the arrogant disposition of His disciples, used this episode as an opportunity to teach His disciples that greatness to the Lord is not measured in personal accolades but in a spirit that is willing to put others first . . . loving and serving them with no expectation in return. Jesus informed His disciples that the places of honor in heaven were not being prepared for those who were exalting themselves on earth; rather, these places were being held for those who were willing to serve others before oneself.
Of course, the disciples did not learn the significance of Jesus' teaching here, for later in the Upper Room in Jerusalem they would continue their arguments as to whom was the greatest (see Luke 22:24). Rather than rebuking His disciples, Jesus took the opportunity to teach them of the importance of servitude by washing their feet. As the Messiah took off his outer garment and tied a towel around his waist to wash their feet, He told them, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." After Jesus completed this incredible teaching illustration, He told them, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, YOU also should wash one another's feet . . . you will be blessed if you do them" (John 13:14,17).
There is a tremendous word of direction from our Lord in these referenced passages. As true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to forsake the world's quest for personal exaltation as the expense of others. We need to be counter cultural by seeking the benefit of others over our very selves, just as the Messiah demonstrated when He came into the world. Jesus has informed us that we will be blessed if we follow this command; let us not miss out on the Divine blessings that come from obedience to our Lord.
In a day in which people measure greatness in terms of advancement, acumen, and affluency, we who have surrendered ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ would do well to be reminded that greatness in God's eyes has everything to do with love and servitude towards others.
In the above mentioned passage, the disciples had been bickering amongst themselves as to whom was the greatest; in fact, John and James had secretly petitioned Jesus to permit them the distinguished honor of sitting on either side of His glorious, exalted throne in heaven. They were rather brazen in their request in that they first asked Jesus to answer whatever they asked, without qualifying what the request was. One has to wonder if these sons of Zebedee were aware of the egregious arrogance of their petition even before they asked it of Jesus, for they seemed to use some deception to get Jesus to agree to their demand even before He knew what it was.
Of course, Jesus would not be fooled by their trickery, and He specifically asked what it was that they wanted Him to do for them. When their quest for personal veneration was exposed, Jesus questioned them if they could drink of the cup that He drank and if they would be baptized with the baptism He had received. Many have speculated as to what Jesus was referring when He used terms like "cup" and "baptism," but in light of Jesus' reference to the cup of suffering and crucifixion from which He would drink (see Mark 14:36), one convincingly can conclude that Jesus had in mind persecution for the cause of redeeming mankind. This certainly is the reference that Jesus uses for greatness in Mark 10:45; for we see that His purpose for coming into the world was not to be exalted by His creation, but to serve them by offering His life as a ransom for their sins.
What is amazing is the tension that James and John's request introduced among the disciples, for the rest of the twelve became rather indignant at such a pompous request. Of course, the other disciples were hoping for the very same blessing, and they were likely angered that they had not asked this of Jesus sooner. Jesus, knowing the arrogant disposition of His disciples, used this episode as an opportunity to teach His disciples that greatness to the Lord is not measured in personal accolades but in a spirit that is willing to put others first . . . loving and serving them with no expectation in return. Jesus informed His disciples that the places of honor in heaven were not being prepared for those who were exalting themselves on earth; rather, these places were being held for those who were willing to serve others before oneself.
Of course, the disciples did not learn the significance of Jesus' teaching here, for later in the Upper Room in Jerusalem they would continue their arguments as to whom was the greatest (see Luke 22:24). Rather than rebuking His disciples, Jesus took the opportunity to teach them of the importance of servitude by washing their feet. As the Messiah took off his outer garment and tied a towel around his waist to wash their feet, He told them, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." After Jesus completed this incredible teaching illustration, He told them, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, YOU also should wash one another's feet . . . you will be blessed if you do them" (John 13:14,17).
There is a tremendous word of direction from our Lord in these referenced passages. As true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to forsake the world's quest for personal exaltation as the expense of others. We need to be counter cultural by seeking the benefit of others over our very selves, just as the Messiah demonstrated when He came into the world. Jesus has informed us that we will be blessed if we follow this command; let us not miss out on the Divine blessings that come from obedience to our Lord.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Another Look at the Curse
Genesis 3:16: "To the woman he (God) said, 'I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
The recorded events of Genesis 3 describe the infamous rebellion of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, against the sovereign rule of the One True God. Whereas God had given the couple the abundance of blessing in the Garden of Eden, God had also communicated to Adam the prohibition of consuming the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (with death being the consequence). Now there have been many opinions as to why God would put such a "test" before mankind, but I believe that the best conclusion is that God wanted to give humanity the opportunity of freely demonstrating its love and loyalty to the Creator. It has been said that love is only true when it is demonstrated by one's free will; thus, God gave man the opportunity to love Him by choosing to follow Him obediently.
Tragically, both Adam and Eve were consumed with the quest for their own lordship, for they had been informed by the Evil One that the forbidden fruit would make them "like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). After they defiantly ate of the forbidden fruit, their eyes were opened to their nakedness; and as a result, they hid from the Lord when He came to visit them in the cool of the day. God's holiness would not be mocked by the rebellion of His creation; therefore, He pronounced curses upon the serpent, Adam, and Eve for their disobedience.
Whereas the curses were retributive and punitive in nature, one can see divine remedy in the latter half of each of the judgment directives for Adam and Eve. For example, Adam had previously enjoyed the pleasure of working in a perfected Garden . . . one that produced an abundant harvest, free from the encumbrances of thorns, disease, and drought. Now, these detrimental ingredients would be introduced to the now accursed ground, which would result in Adam having to work in difficult toil to see a harvest. Work now would not necessarily be a delight but would be painful and arduous. In the end, Adam (and all of his descendants) would die and their bodies would return to the dust from whence they were created.
Still, this pronouncement of death would be a deliverance in that Adam (and his descendants after him) would be freed from the ever-declining physical condition of the physical body and the physical world, both now subject to the curse. This is why God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden and placed cherubim with flaming swords at its entrance . . . to prevent Adam and Eve from eating the fruit of the Tree of Life and thus living forever in this perpetual physical decline. One can only imagine living in a body that had spent its physical strength and yet did not die. In fact, some of us have had the difficult experience of visiting an incapacitated person in a nursing home. After our visits to those who linger in such a state, without much hope for recovery, we conclude that death would be the blessing of emancipation from such physical bondage. We are not nearly as saddened when we hear of that person "passing on" into eternity; in fact, for the believer, we celebrate the new life of vitality that the person is now experiencing. Therefore, we can see in the latter half of the pronounced curse upon Adam, there is a offering of remedy for his despicable state of sin.
So too, we find that the latter half of the curse communicated to Eve provides remedy from the consequences of her sin. God declared that the woman would experience "pain in childbearing." The very experience that should be a total delight to the woman, now would involve a painful process before the delight of birth. God then declared that the woman's husband would rule over her as her desire would be for her husband. Most scholars would conclude that this continued sentence for sin is punitive in nature, but as with the latter half of Adam's judgment, we may be able to see God's love in providing a strategy that may mitigate the severity of the curse.
We first find that the husband would rule over his wife. If we see the husband/wife paradigm as a God-orchestrated, tangible illustration of Himself (husband) in marital communion with His bride (the Church), then we can see that this spiritual leadership role of the husband would have been God's model even before the pronounced judgment for sin. This certainly seems to be suggested by the Apostle Paul in I Timothy 2:12-13 & Ephesians 5:22-23. Just as Christ is the spiritual head of his family, so too He has mandated that the husband is to be the spiritual head of his family (Ephesians 5:22-24). Now we must clarify that this "ruling" of the husband is to be modeled in the spirit of self-sacrificing love that Christ Himself has presented to us (the Church) as His bride. And of course we know that Christ offered His very life for His bride, which is the greatest expression of love (John 15:13).
When we think of healthy marital relationships, we find two specific ingredients: one is a husband that knows that his wife finds him desirable. This man knows that he is loved by his wife, for she makes it a point to demonstrate to her mate that he is her sacred treasure. This man is showered with the affections of love that make him feel treasured and important. Equally true, the wife of a healthy relationship is one who knows that her husband loves her by providing the Godly, consistent, spiritual leadership for her and her children. She basks in the stability and security that her loving husband provides to her family. This wife never has to worry if her husband will do the right thing, because she knows that this familial leader is driven by the principle of obedience to his Lord and the principle of love for his wife and children. She is comforted in knowing that she is the treasure of her husband, as he will take all measures necessary to see that she is esteemed. Therefore, the sentence of "ruling" and "desire" may in fact be a remedy to unhealthy familial relations that were introduced into the world with the advent of sin.
Even with the pronounced curse against the deceiving serpent, God implicitly communicates rescue for humanity. Specifically, God states that He would put "enmity between the offspring of humanity and Satan, culminating with the crushing of the serpent's head by Eve's offspring (namely the Messiah). Even from outset of the first rebellion by humanity, our Lord was seeking to provide salvation for His people.
Whereas we should be contrite for the sin that we have perpetrated against the Holy God, we can be assured from these scriptures that God has provided ways to escape the full impact of these acts of rebellion. For those of us who have responded to God's offering of grace through Jesus Christ, we are assured that death is our deliverance from the bondage that sin has been introduced in this life. We also know that in God's design of the first relational institution that He created (the family), we would do well to respect the ingredients of desire and submission that can provide relational and emotional fulfillment in a rather dysfunctional world.
The recorded events of Genesis 3 describe the infamous rebellion of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, against the sovereign rule of the One True God. Whereas God had given the couple the abundance of blessing in the Garden of Eden, God had also communicated to Adam the prohibition of consuming the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (with death being the consequence). Now there have been many opinions as to why God would put such a "test" before mankind, but I believe that the best conclusion is that God wanted to give humanity the opportunity of freely demonstrating its love and loyalty to the Creator. It has been said that love is only true when it is demonstrated by one's free will; thus, God gave man the opportunity to love Him by choosing to follow Him obediently.
Tragically, both Adam and Eve were consumed with the quest for their own lordship, for they had been informed by the Evil One that the forbidden fruit would make them "like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:5). After they defiantly ate of the forbidden fruit, their eyes were opened to their nakedness; and as a result, they hid from the Lord when He came to visit them in the cool of the day. God's holiness would not be mocked by the rebellion of His creation; therefore, He pronounced curses upon the serpent, Adam, and Eve for their disobedience.
Whereas the curses were retributive and punitive in nature, one can see divine remedy in the latter half of each of the judgment directives for Adam and Eve. For example, Adam had previously enjoyed the pleasure of working in a perfected Garden . . . one that produced an abundant harvest, free from the encumbrances of thorns, disease, and drought. Now, these detrimental ingredients would be introduced to the now accursed ground, which would result in Adam having to work in difficult toil to see a harvest. Work now would not necessarily be a delight but would be painful and arduous. In the end, Adam (and all of his descendants) would die and their bodies would return to the dust from whence they were created.
Still, this pronouncement of death would be a deliverance in that Adam (and his descendants after him) would be freed from the ever-declining physical condition of the physical body and the physical world, both now subject to the curse. This is why God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden and placed cherubim with flaming swords at its entrance . . . to prevent Adam and Eve from eating the fruit of the Tree of Life and thus living forever in this perpetual physical decline. One can only imagine living in a body that had spent its physical strength and yet did not die. In fact, some of us have had the difficult experience of visiting an incapacitated person in a nursing home. After our visits to those who linger in such a state, without much hope for recovery, we conclude that death would be the blessing of emancipation from such physical bondage. We are not nearly as saddened when we hear of that person "passing on" into eternity; in fact, for the believer, we celebrate the new life of vitality that the person is now experiencing. Therefore, we can see in the latter half of the pronounced curse upon Adam, there is a offering of remedy for his despicable state of sin.
So too, we find that the latter half of the curse communicated to Eve provides remedy from the consequences of her sin. God declared that the woman would experience "pain in childbearing." The very experience that should be a total delight to the woman, now would involve a painful process before the delight of birth. God then declared that the woman's husband would rule over her as her desire would be for her husband. Most scholars would conclude that this continued sentence for sin is punitive in nature, but as with the latter half of Adam's judgment, we may be able to see God's love in providing a strategy that may mitigate the severity of the curse.
We first find that the husband would rule over his wife. If we see the husband/wife paradigm as a God-orchestrated, tangible illustration of Himself (husband) in marital communion with His bride (the Church), then we can see that this spiritual leadership role of the husband would have been God's model even before the pronounced judgment for sin. This certainly seems to be suggested by the Apostle Paul in I Timothy 2:12-13 & Ephesians 5:22-23. Just as Christ is the spiritual head of his family, so too He has mandated that the husband is to be the spiritual head of his family (Ephesians 5:22-24). Now we must clarify that this "ruling" of the husband is to be modeled in the spirit of self-sacrificing love that Christ Himself has presented to us (the Church) as His bride. And of course we know that Christ offered His very life for His bride, which is the greatest expression of love (John 15:13).
When we think of healthy marital relationships, we find two specific ingredients: one is a husband that knows that his wife finds him desirable. This man knows that he is loved by his wife, for she makes it a point to demonstrate to her mate that he is her sacred treasure. This man is showered with the affections of love that make him feel treasured and important. Equally true, the wife of a healthy relationship is one who knows that her husband loves her by providing the Godly, consistent, spiritual leadership for her and her children. She basks in the stability and security that her loving husband provides to her family. This wife never has to worry if her husband will do the right thing, because she knows that this familial leader is driven by the principle of obedience to his Lord and the principle of love for his wife and children. She is comforted in knowing that she is the treasure of her husband, as he will take all measures necessary to see that she is esteemed. Therefore, the sentence of "ruling" and "desire" may in fact be a remedy to unhealthy familial relations that were introduced into the world with the advent of sin.
Even with the pronounced curse against the deceiving serpent, God implicitly communicates rescue for humanity. Specifically, God states that He would put "enmity between the offspring of humanity and Satan, culminating with the crushing of the serpent's head by Eve's offspring (namely the Messiah). Even from outset of the first rebellion by humanity, our Lord was seeking to provide salvation for His people.
Whereas we should be contrite for the sin that we have perpetrated against the Holy God, we can be assured from these scriptures that God has provided ways to escape the full impact of these acts of rebellion. For those of us who have responded to God's offering of grace through Jesus Christ, we are assured that death is our deliverance from the bondage that sin has been introduced in this life. We also know that in God's design of the first relational institution that He created (the family), we would do well to respect the ingredients of desire and submission that can provide relational and emotional fulfillment in a rather dysfunctional world.
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