The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Sinners

  • Righteousness

    “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:”

    Luke 18:9

    There is a very familiar parable that Jesus told about a Pharisee and a publican. “9. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other menare,extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much ashiseyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14.I tell you, this man went down to his house justifiedratherthan the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14). The reason Jesus told this was to draw attention to the fact that some people “trusted in themselves that they were righteous”. This is a very dangerous thing and everyone needs to understand exactly what this means.

    The word righteous has a very long definition in the Greek. Righteous (Dikaios) means “that which is right, conformable to right … When this absolute justice is applied to man, it is stated that there is no man who in his behavior can fully meet the expectations of God in his life (see Romans 3:10: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one”)…” This very long definition helps one understand what the Bible means when it says righteous. The definition continues, for in Luke 18:9 it has a totally different meaning. Righteous (Dikaios) means “may also apply to the person who establishes his own rules of life. Such was a Pharisee whom the Lord exposed as righteous in himself (see Matthew 9:13: “But go ye and learn whatthatmeaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”; see Luke 18:9: “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:”). Having set up and kept, or pretended to keep, certain standards, the Pharisees called themselves righteous or just in the sight of God. Most of these rules and regulations, however, were not those of inner holiness and conformity to God, but mere performance of external ceremonial ordinances (see Romans 10:3: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”) … The nonbelievers, referred to as heathen, call others righteous or just, as they compare them with their own standards… Christianity must continually combat such a view …” There is much more to this definition, but this section is very interesting in that it deals with man’s definition of righteous – not God’s. Much like the Pharisee in the parable Jesus told.

    Another time Jesus used this definition was when He was addressing the Pharisees as they challenged Jesus for eating with publicans and sinners whom Matthew had brought to meet Jesus. It would be important for us to remember that when people choose to follow Jesus (as Jesus’ disciples had), there is usually trouble stirring nearby. “10. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12. But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13. But go ye and learn whatthatmeaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:10-13). The scribes and Pharisees (the religious leaders) questioned Jesus – but they did not ask their questions directly to Jesus, instead asking Jesus’ disciples. However, Jesus knew what was happening. He immediately stepped in, and dealt with their challenge of Him eating with sinners. Jesus made it clear why He had come. Jesus had, “not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” If you ponder on that for a bit, understanding what the word righteous means according to what we just read, it might scare you a bit. Jesus told them to learn that they were sick (their self-righteousness would not uphold when they stood before God one day). Until they understood that they were sick (lost, apart from Christ and His righteousness), they would die in their sin and spend eternity in hell. They had to first acknowledge their sin, which leads to repentance. Only a sinner who is repentant before God can receive the righteousness of Christ which gives salvation. “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9).

    Have you rejected self-righteousness of your own making and instead chosen to receive the righteousness of Christ?

    How to receive Christ.

  • A Called and Beloved People

    “As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.”

    Romans 9:25

    Why is it important to read and understand the book of Hosea in the Old Testament? God revealed to Hosea that one day the Gentiles would be included as His people. Understand that Gentiles are any peoples who are not Jews (Israelites). “As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved” (Romans 9:25). (Osee is “Hosea”.) This verse is in reference to Hosea 2:23: “And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” Today, we can become the beloved of God. The word beloved in this verse means “to love or delight in.”

    Read the following quick summary of the book of Hosea:

    God told Hosea to take Gomer, a “wife of whoredoms”, for his wife in the days of Jeroboam II. Gomer had a son, Jezreel; a daughter, Loruhamah; another son, Loammi; each child represented a relationship between God and His people (see Hosea 1). A warning was given. God revealed His love for His people in the taking away then restoring their necessities. By doing that, He would remove their allegiance to Baal, restoring them as His people (see Hosea 2). Hosea was to love his wife, buying her back, displaying the love God had for His people (see Hosea 3). Hosea told the people that because of their apostasy, God would allow troubles (see Hosea 4). Judgment would fall upon the priests, the house of Israel, and the house of the king. Yet when they sought God, they would not find Him, for He would withdraw from His people. Hosea revealed that God’s wrath would be poured out upon them “till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face” (see Hosea 5). Encouragement to return to the Lord was given, along with a reminder of the failings of man’s ability to keep their part of the covenant with God (see Hosea 6). ALL of the people had turned from God, and none had returned. For this, God would send destruction (see Hosea 7). Why? “For Israel hath forgotten his Maker”. We then read a listing of the sins, punishments, and the reasons for punishment (see Hosea 8). Recognize the utter rejection of God’s people described during the time of discipline, “My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him” (see Hosea 9). “Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity.” Yet they are encouraged to “break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD” (See Hosea 10). Important reminders: “When Israel was a child, then I loved him” and “my people are bent to backsliding from me” (see Hosea 11). God reminded them from which they came, yet in spite of their faithless behavior, God still called for their return to Him (see Hosea 12). “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help” (see Hosea 13). The call to repentance: “O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.” What God would do if they would only return: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him” (see Hosea 14).

    As we glimpsed at Hosea’s personal life knowing the problems that God allowed, recognize that he was still faithful to obey God’s call upon his life. He willingly married an unfaithful wife, just as God willingly chose a people He knew would be unfaithful to Him. Remember the progression in the departure of God’s people from Him. Slow, yet ending in complete separation from Him. Even with the continual cry to seek God, repent, and turn back to avoid discipline, we found God knew that His people would refuse and continue in their path of sin — directly away from God and his mercy.

    Just as the Israelites were told of their sin and called to repentance, the same call is now extended to us today. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All are guilty of sin, and there is a penalty to pay. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). In addition, God provided One (Jesus) who paid the penalty for us — if only we would receive. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Just as God extended a call to the Israelites, warning them before judgment would fall, God warns us today. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). What response does God require? “8. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:8–10). What are we to do with that information? “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6). As we recognize that because of the rejection of God by Israel, God then allowed the Gentile people to have an opportunity to belong to Him. If we will only seek Him, repent, and turn our lives completely over to Him. The process is the same, and the eternal salvation is yet to be seen. Nevertheless, we know that God told us to seek Him, while He may be found.

    Have you recognized God’s call upon your life, then responding not only to the call for salvation, but in service to Him?

    http://biblicalpath.com/index.php/how-to-be-saved/

  • Our City of Refuge

    “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

    Romans 5:8

    God established a rule for the death of a man by a man immediately after the flood. “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” (Genesis 9:6). This was to deter man from killing another man. God established it into His Law in Exodus. “He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death” (Exodus 21:12). God made a distinction between if one accidentally kills someone (manslaughter) and intentional killing (murder). Read how God extended His grace for manslaughter: “And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee” (Exodus 21:13). However, for murder: “But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die” (Exodus 21:14).

    In the book of Joshua, as they conquered the land, God provided six Cities of Refuge. These cities were places one could run into and hide (see Joshua 20). “That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood” (Joshua 20:3). These cities were to protect those who accidentally killed another. It prevented one from being killed by an avenger. When one fled to one of the Cities of Refuge, they had to remain within the city gates until the death of the high priest. It was then they were unconditionally set free and allowed to leave the city in safety.

    There are no physical Cities of Refuge in our world today in which one can flee to be saved from the penalty of sin. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Notice that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. In order to be freed from the wages of sin (death) one must flee to Jesus and receive the gift of God. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus became flesh (a human being) to bring us salvation. “8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Romans 5:8-9). Jesus paid our debt.

     There is a great picture of what Jesus did found in Zechariah. “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him” (Zechariah 3:1). Joshua was dressed in filthy garments being accused by Satan. “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel” (Zechariah 3:3). That was a picture of the sin that could not be hidden. He had no defense – for he was guilty. However, Jesus (the angel of the Lord) ordered that the filthy garments be taken away, for Jesus caused the iniquity to be taken from him. (Remember: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” Psalm 103:12.) Jesus then called for new garments – picturing a renewed, right relationship before God. The sin was taken away, and God’s judgment was set aside. Read what the angel of the Lord said next. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by” (Zechariah 3:7). After this sin was removed, God’s people were expected to walk in God’s ways, for they now had the freedom to walk with God. They were to accomplish the task set before them.

    This is a great picture of a Christian’s salvation in Jesus Christ. Under the Law, there were cities of refuge provided for those who were pursued by the avenger of blood. God provided a much better refuge. Because Jesus came, being the High Priest who made the final offering which removed sin by His death, a Christian is free. One is not confined to a “City of Refuge” because of sin until the high priest dies. Jesus already paid the penalty. Jesus died for man’s sin, becoming a refuge for all sinners who have the heart of repentance unto salvation, thus fleeing to Christ. Jesus is a much better refuge, a refuge for any sinner who has the heart to flee to Jesus.

    Jesus is the seventh, and final, City of Refuge.

    Have you trusted in Jesus to take away your sin, then becoming your City of Refuge?

  • How to Draw Nigh to God

    “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

    James 4:8

    Repentance before God is very important.

    From the call to Adam in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 3:8-10), God has called for man’s repentance. This call comes when one’s heart is convicted of sin (when one recognizes the sin in their life), understanding the need for repentance. Repentance means “compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication reversal (of [another’s] decision); it is the understanding that one is to think differently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feel compunction).” This act is revealed when one asks God for forgiveness and then trusts in Jesus to take the sin away. “10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him” (Psalm 103:10-13). We call this salvation, or becoming a Christian. (See http://biblicalpath.com/index.php/how-to-be-saved/ for more information). One then proceeds by allowing God to change that heart and life.

    Nevertheless, because we still live in this world, all Christians sin. It is not right or good. However, it is important to turn from that sin immediately, asking God for forgiveness. Understanding that, a Christian should always live a life pleasing to the Lord. Right? More often than not, Christians harbor sin in their hearts. Sometimes unwittingly, sometimes on purpose, but all have sin that enters their hearts and lives (see Psalm 44:20-21). The important thing is to repent of that sin, asking God to cleanse that heart again. This should be a daily chore – to check one’s heart, making sure that sin is not hiding out there. But most Christians become so busy, they do not check their hearts daily. It is then that the sin begins to reside in the heart (most often unrecognized). This is dangerous because that Christian has allowed Satan to have influence in that life.

    You may not know what is wrong, but you feel that something is not right in your spirit. You acknowledge that you have not been acting right in your life. Things are not going well for you, you know there is something that is off, but you just do not know what it is. When you recognize that something is just not quite right, you should pray and ask the Lord what it is. “5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (James 1:5-6). When you do not know what you must do, read your Bible. It is then that God will reveal what the problem is and what must be done. When there is hidden sin in the heart, God will reveal it. It is then that one must repent. Yes, again! Repentance should be a constant in a Christian’s life – for we consistently fail to live a Christ-like life.

    How do we truly repent? There is an order of repentance, and God gives it to us in His Word. “6. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:6-8). It is at this point you ask the Lord what it is that you must do to correct the course of your life. How do you repent?

    There are four movements to repentance: Submit, cleanse your heart, resist the devil, and draw near to God.

    Understand that when God touches your heart, you need to submit unto Him. When you learn to submit to God, you are then able to submit to others. Until you submit to God, you will never submit to anyone else. God resists the proud. You then ask for forgiveness.

    It is then that you realize that you have been listening to the devil and living in the way of the world (of which Satan is the temporary ruler: see Ephesians 2:2-10). This is the point that one must resist the devil and his ways. This is the second step. It is at this point that the devil will flee from you. When you resist him, he has no power over you. The only power he ever had over mankind was death. Jesus took the sting of death from Satan (removing that power away from him) when Jesus rose from the dead (see 1 Corinthians 15:54-58). Remember the devil has come to steal, kill, and destroy (see John 10:10). When one has Christ, the devil has no power over you – as long as you submit to the Lord. Therefore, we have no reason to fear the devil. However, one must remember that one cannot draw near to God unless you resist the devil. When one resists the devil, one is then able to draw near to God. That is the third thing one must do. It is then that God will draw near to you. What an encouraging promise!

    Finally, cleanse your hands and purify your hearts. This is a reminder that once one recognizes the need for repentance, one must remove the sin from that heart and life. Then allow God to change that heart and life. Do not enter into that sin again (“ye double minded”). “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8).

    The call to repentance is throughout the Bible, even to the end in Revelation. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).  – if you are thirsty come.

    Do you check your heart, recognizing when you need to repent, enabling you to draw nigh to God?

  • A Death Sentence

    “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
    Hebrews 11:6

    Naaman healed of leprosy is a very familiar event that happened in the Old Testament. In Bible times, leprosy was much like a death sentence. There was no known cure. However, have you ever considered a great lesson that can be understood from this event?

    Read what we know about Naaman. “Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper” (2 Kings 5:1). Naaman was a great, honorable, and a mighty man in valor that God had used to give victory to Syria. But he was a leper.

    A young servant girl understood what being a leper meant, and she wanted to see him healed. She knew the answer to his problem. There was a man of God (from her homeland in Israel) named Elisha who knew how to recover Naaman of his leprosy. Naaman went to the door of Elisha with his horses and chariot. “And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean” (2 Kings 5:10). Naaman was very angry. He went away saying, “Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper” (2 Kings 5:11b). Naaman expected Elisha to come out of the house and do something to heal him from his leprosy. Instead, Elisha had required that Naaman needed to do something. He was to obey the word of the prophet. Naaman declared there were better rivers in Syria than in Israel. “May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage” (2 Kings 5:12b).

    Naaman had servants that gave him good counsel. They suggested that if Naaman had been asked to do some great thing, wouldn’t he have done it just to be healed from his leprosy? “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kings 5:14). When Naaman acted in faith, believing the word of God’s prophet, he was healed. He returned to Elisha and said, “Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel” (2 Kings 5:15b).

    What almost stopped Naaman from obeying the man of God? His pride. He thought that the man of God must do something (stand, call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place) in order form him to be healed. The only thing it took was for Naaman to humble himself, believe Elisha, and act upon that belief. His leprosy was a physical death sentence. However, not knowing God was a spiritual death sentence. Because Naaman acted in faith, he was cured of both conditions.

    There are many good people today who do many great things, but they have a problem. They are sinners, which is a spiritual death sentence. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). They are in the same condition as Naaman. They need to know God. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). People need someone much like that servant girl to help them understand that there is deliverance available – if they would only have faith and act upon it. What is the message we need to get out to good people who have this problem? We need to tell them the only way to God is through Jesus. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

    Are you a good person with a spiritual death sentence?

    Or were you a sinner that believed, sought diligently and found Jesus?

    How to be Saved

  • God Loves You

    “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
    Romans 5:8

    What does it mean when someone says that God loves you?

    Paul was zealous for God. He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees (this means he was very religious!). He knew God’s Word – better than most people. He went to the Temple (church to us today) all of the time. And when there was a new Way (Christianity) in town, he fought against it. Read what Paul wrote, “13. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14. And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers” (Galatians 1:13-14). In his persecution of the church of God, he even imprisoned those who believed in Jesus.

    Paul went on a special trip to find more of those who believed in Jesus, when he met Jesus for himself. He found out just how much God loved him. See how he understood what Jesus did for him: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God showed Paul how much He loved him by sending His Son, Jesus, to die for Paul, a sinner. That changed Paul’s life! He no longer went about persecuting those who gave their hearts and lives to Jesus, he became one of the most well known preachers in the New Testament! He completely changed.

    Paul penned the book of Romans for us to read. Within that book, one cannot help but recognize the sinfulness of people, the penalty of death for each person because of that sin, and the need of the Saviour, Jesus (the only One who can take away that penalty of sin). He explained the reason Jesus came into this world. Remember that God gave His Son, because He loves you!

    With that thought in mind, see the following: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God is waiting for you to come to repentance and know His Son, Jesus.

    When should you answer His call? “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Today is that day. Do not wait! 

    Read the following message Paul preached to those who placed their faith and trust in Jesus: “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Romans 6: 22).

    Now can you see just how much God loves you?

    How to be Saved