Jan. 15, 2006
"I Don't Believe It"

John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

Friday afternoon my parents and I went out to run some errands and shop. We also stopped at our favorite Chinese restaurant for dinner. While we were eating a mother and her two young children came in and sat at the next table. As I recall, in the course of their conversation the mother made a statement and the little girl answered pointedly, "I don't believe you." This she said with all the profound wisdom of a five year old. Somehow this comment made its way into my dreams that night, and when I woke up I got to contemplating.

One of the most amazing things about truth is that it is not altered nor changed by lack of belief. If no one in the world believes it, it is still true. This is why truth is so powerful. (Which leads many people to claim or pretend that they have some "truth" only they can dispense.)

These things play themselves out in millions of ways in life. But, regardless of what people believe or don't believe, how they promote the truth or try to twist it, it is still recorded in the inerasable record of time and creation. It matters not to God that man has mis-recorded his record. God's alone is absolutely true. Speaking of the Jews who did not believe the gospel, Paul wrote through the Spirit, Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

In contrast it is only when lies are believed that they become truly powerful. What if no one had believed Darwin? What if Hitler had been branded a liar and run out of the country when he first started his loud lies? What if Marx and Lenin had been seen for what they were and cast aside? What if someone had burned the original "Protocols of Zion"? What if the monks at the monastery had told Tishcendorf that he could not have their discarded Greek manuscript of the New Testament because it had lies in it? Even so, these lies have no power to actually change the truth, even though billions of people have believed them! The truth remains the same. Proverbs 12:19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Man has the ridiculous habit of thinking that if he does not believe a thing, it is therefore not true. His "proofs" may convince himself, but at the same time they do not alter the truth nor effect it in the least. Of course, the father of lies is always pleased to supply plenty of his "proofs" as well. John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

The fact that millions don't believe in creation has not changed the truth of it, nor has it changed that fact that the creation continues to show the mighty power of God. Just because some little brat stands up, looks God square in the face and says, "I don't believe you!" doesn't change what God did in the least. It doesn't impress Him either nor does it intimidate Him. And what's more, He has no need to "prove it" as some demand. He gave His record and man's belief or unbelief cannot alter it. (John 8:13-14)

So it is with a thousand different things. The age of the earth is not changed by the fact that man can't agree upon an exact date. The King James Bible is still the only pure scriptures in English, even if the scholars ridicule it and people doubt it. Jesus Christ is still the Son of God, even though men crucified Him and deny Him still. The catching away of the church will occur though many disregard it and mock it. Devils are still real and active though some judge that as superstition and myth. A child of God is still saved even though he or she may cease to believe it, 1 John 3:20.  (You might want to read that last one again.)

Our lack of faith and belief cannot break the truth. We may be deceived into thinking it has because of the effects our unbelief have upon our lives, but experience has no bearing on absolute truth. If experience and truth agree, the truth is right. If they do not agree, the truth is right. If the truth does not appear true, it is still true. How we feel about it makes no difference.

Think of it this way - if a person is charged, found guilty, sentenced and executed for a crime they did NOT commit, does that prove they did it? Certainly not! Thus, as with the little girl and her mother, when some man or woman turns to their Creator and says, "I don't believe you," they have accomplished nothing but to prove their own ignorance and foolishness. Basically, they just look silly.

The very fact that truth is unalterable proves there IS a holy God. The unholy gods of other religions, and even "Christian" cults, have no power to keep truth true. Their alleged "truth", if they claim any, changes over time and through circumstances. The Lord God Almighty ...keepeth truth for ever... (Ps. 146:4). It is not up for debate.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
1John 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
3John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Psalm 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

CA

Jan. 11, 2006
But They...

Last fall I was visiting a neighbor of ours who was concerned because a relative of hers was about to die and she was not confident of his salvation. He had made a profession of salvation in his youth, but he never lived like a saved man. I mentioned the verse ...by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20 She agreed, but pointed out that the Bible also says that some will be saved yet as by fire. (1Corinthains 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.)

I think that sometimes we are too quick to judge someone's salvation. We see some things or hear some things and we assume, "That person can't be saved."

In my evening Bible reading I recently came across this passage, which caused me to stop and think:

Psalm 78:34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God. 35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. 36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. 37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. 38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. 39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.

This Psalm recounts God's dealings with Israel. First of all, we see that God did chasten them. Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. So, we know that if a professing Christian is never chastened they are not truly God's child.

But, notice that even though they returned to God for a time, Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. Also, ...their heart was not right with him...

When we see a professing Christian living like the devil or totally engrossed in the traditions of man or cares of this life, we are sometimes inclined to think, "How can they be saved?" Yet here we see under the Old Testament covenant that God chastened His children, yes, and they returned to Him; but they then proceeded to lie to Him, and their heart was not right with Him! Could this not happen under the New Testament covenant as well?

In these days of jackboot preachers, compromisers, those sunken in defeat, and other assorted doubtful characters who profess Christ, we can easily tend to question everyone's salvation. After all, how many have proven to be liars and flatters to God (saying they put Him first in their lives, when it's plain to see they have not). To assume that they are unsaved because they receive no more immediate punishment may not be appropriate. Asaph tells us that God was full of compassion. He forgave and destroyed not. He turned away His anger. He remembered they were but flesh (Ps. 103:13-17).

If God, in His great mercy, does not see fit to give these people the chastisement we think they deserve, that does not mean they are not saved. Yes, they will have chastening, as Hebrews tells us, but they may not get what we think "they have coming." The Lord has the right to decide to turn away His full wrath. We would all be in trouble if God stirred up all of His wrath, for none of us deserve anything good (Isa. 64:6).

Psalm 78 continues, 40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! 41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.

Far from justifying their waywardness and lies, the Lord is provoked and grieved by them. Still they may actually be His children. But, how sad in the final analyses - they tempted God (to manifest His holiness) and limited Him! By following man's traditions, by abusing the saints, by walking disorderly, by disobeying His word (and so many other things) these people limit God from what He could have done - for them, for their children, for other Christians. If you stop and ponder that you will be able to think of a lot of ways that works itself out.

In the end, we must let God be God. If He chooses to show compassion to sinners, who are we to question Him? While we may be forced to mark and avoid them according to New Testament teaching (Rom. 16:17-18, 1Cor. 5:11-13), it still behooves us to remember Paul's comment in Galatians 2:6 ...(whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:)... In some cases we really cannot know if a person is saved till we get to heaven. Yes, there are many who are not truly saved, but after all - we look on the outward appearance (1 Sam. 16:7). 1Kings 8:39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)

I am reminded of a small incident from my dad's youth. He was complaining to an older brother in the Lord about some lady missionary who was a real crank. The man called him short with the comment, "Just imagine what she would like if she wasn't saved!" Hm..... Interesting thought.

CA

Jan. 3, 2006
A Bold Foe

Over the weekend we had a guest - a fellow believer from California. Last night we showed him one of our lion documentaries (The Lions of Etosha, filmed by Des and Jan Bartlet). In discussing the hunting habits of lions they showed two different sequences in which the lions, in the process of their hunt, did not even bother to hide themselves. Half of the strategy was to panic the prey by their very presence. The prey knew they were being hunted and could plainly see all or at least part of the lions. The fear factor in this panicked the prey into going exactly where the lions wanted them so they could catch one to devour.

I was again reminded that this is one of the tactics of our adversary the devil who is also described as a devouring lion. 1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Sometimes the devil, or his minions, will actually hunt for the saints, as it were, in our plain sight. The idea is much as the lion's - they desire to panic us into bolting or walking into their trap.

It is amazingly easy to be panicked by this tactic, but the Lord has not left us helpless and not knowing what to do. The passage continues, Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 1Peter 5:9 Steadfast resistance in the faith is the key. Unlike the helpless prey of the real lions, if we in faith steadfastly resist being panicked we can overcome the devil and his helpers.

We read in Proverbs 28:1, ...the righteous are bold as a lion. We are righteous through Jesus Christ, Who is the lion of the tribe of Juda (Rev. 5:5). Another section of the video showed a confrontation between two male "stray lions" (lions not belonging to a pride), and the two big males of the pride. At first, the lone lion from the pride ran from the intruders, but when his friend - his brother - came to support him he turned around and confronted the intruders. There is strength in the support of our fellow saints, but ultimately our support is Christ, the lion of Juda. With Him no spiritual predator can overcome us. Our confidence and faith must be in Him, not ourselves; and thus we must resist the urge to panic when the roaring devil shows himself. Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

CA