Being Cruel

“By the word of your lips have I avoided the paths of cruelty.”

Psalm 17:4

There is never a justification for us to be malicious and cruel.  Some people think it is OK to be cruel to people who are wrong, but others being wrong is no excuse for cruelty.  Simeon and Levi justified their barbaric cruelty to the inhabitants of Shechem because their sister had been mistreated, but their father Jacob cursed them because of it (Gen. 49:5–7).  They learned the truth of Solomon’s admonition to his son: “A merciful man does good to his own soul, but a cruel man troubles his own flesh” (Prov. 11:17).

Besides that, what if the person you think is wrong is not wrong?  Men justified their injustice and cruelty against Jesus because they thought he was wrong.  But even though Jesus knew his enemies were wrong, he did not retaliate with cruelty against them.  Peter said, “Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his footsteps, who committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return, and when suffering, did not threaten, but committed himself to the One who judges justly” (1Pet. 2:21–23).  And so, as Peter went on to say, “Let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in well-doing, as to a faithful Creator.”  So, if someone has been cruel toward you, trust God and be patient.  He will be your avenger in due time.

In this world, if you are an upright person, you will suffer for it, and increasingly so as this world drifts deeper and deeper into darkness.  Be prepared.  Do not retaliate in kind, but “turn the other cheek” as Jesus said to do.  Peter wrote in another place, “Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” (1Pet. 4:1).  You can consider the abuse of sinners against you as evidence that you have ceased from sin, and that is a good thing.  Paul taught the same thing: “All who are willing to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2Tim. 3:12).

Are you willing to live a godly life before men?  If so, then you will suffer their abuse.  But that’s OK because “if we persevere, we will also reign with him” (2Tim. 2:12).  And remember, no matter how wrong we think someone else is, it is never right for us to be cruel to them.  We overcome evil with good, not with more evil.

What Our Blessings and Gifts Are For

“You said to Jehovah, ‘You are my Lord!  

My goodness is not for you,

but for saints who are on the earth,

for them and the rulers of all those in whom is my delight.’”

Psalm 16:2–3

The Son of God here was confessing to his Father that the great power that his Father had given him was meant to benefit those on earth who loved God, not God Himself.  There is nothing anyone in heaven or on earth can do to make God healthier, holier, or richer than He is.  And the same can be said of the Son, whom God has exalted above heaven itself (Eph. 4:10) and has made “most blessed forever” (Ps. 21:6).

No matter how good or great anyone is, there is nothing that any creature can do to make Jesus healthier, holier, or richer.  No gift or blessing we receive is intended to help us make Jesus greater in any way; all the good things we have received from our heavenly Father are for the blessing of our brothers and sisters on earth.

The only way you can bless Jesus is to bless one of God’s other children, for Jesus said, “As often as you do it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me” (Mt. 25:40).  We cannot bless Jesus himself; but we can make him happy by blessing those on earth that he loves.  I like what my father once lovingly said to his little flock: “I want to give Jesus a hug, but he’s not here; so, until he returns, I’m going to take it out on you!”  That’s how to bless Jesus!

Every one of us have good things from God, but are His children, Jesus’ brothers and sisters, being blessed by your good things?  If so, you are blessing the Father and the Son the only way you can.

“Be Anxious for Nothing”

The night is coming when no one can work.

John 9:4

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Psalm 11:3

This world is coming apart at the seams, but when Jesus said, “Be anxious for nothing,” he meant not to be anxious about it.  More important than the world falling apart is many believers are coming unglued, too, under the pressure of the gross immorality being adopted as normal by this culture.  This is what Jesus foretold when he said that near the end of this age, the love of many of God’s children would wax cold because wickedness would be so prevalent that it would influence their spirits.  The foundations of faith in Christ are being undermined, destroying many saints’ love for truth.  When that love is gone, God’s servants will not be able to work, for there will be nothing to work with.

But Jesus said not to worry even about that.  He saw the night coming.

Sin is being redefined now in order to accommodate detestable lusts, and righteousness is dismissed, sometimes even made illegal.  And men are not doing this in secret, but openly and proudly.  Tragically, weak saints are yielding to the pressure to fit in with the world.  (Build yourselves up by praying in the holy Ghost!)  We are seeing for ourselves the truth of Paul’s words concerning people in his day (including God’s people) who once had a conscience: “claiming to be wise, they were turned over to foolishness” (Rom. 1:22).  Foolish people will not tolerate the truth, and where no truth is welcome, God’s servants cannot work.

But Jesus said not to worry about it.  He knew the night was coming.

We can rejoice because in spite of all that men do, God is faithful.  He has given His children promises which neither the world nor backslidden believers can nullify.  In Him is not even a hint of turning.  He is entirely unaffected by anything humans say or do, and He has made the way for us to be just like Him.  When Jesus said the night was coming when we could not work, it was because men would become so blackhearted that God would stop working to try to save them.

I cannot adequately describe the fury and supreme contempt I felt from God the evening He said to me, “What difference does it make, what men say about anything‽”  It was as if the word men was, to God, a filthy “four-letter word”.  And He continued, with great rage, “If men call a man a pastor, does that make him a pastor‽  If men call a man a prophet, does that make him a prophet‽  If men call something the body of Christ, does that make it the body of Christ‽” etc.  And at last, He added, “Am I confused by your delusions‽”  So, what of it, if men call good evil, and evil good?  What of it, if men call us evil?  It means nothing to God.  What of it, if we can’t work, if there is nothing we can do for some people?  God still loves us, and He has not changed.

Set your eyes on Jesus, and rejoice that you have been chosen for the honor of bowing low at Jesus’ feet.  Whether or not we can do any work is not up to us, but up to God.  That is why we may be anxious for nothing.

Blessing a Robber

The wicked man blesses a robber, and spurns the Lord.

Psalm 10:4

All who have ever come before me are thieves and robbers,

but the sheep did not hear them.

John 10:8

The world loves those who love the world, but God calls His children who love the world adulterers and adulteresses: “You adulterers and adulteresses!  Do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity against God?  Therefore, whoever would be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God!” (Jas. 4:4).  Likewise, the world rewards those who say what they want to hear about God, but God condemns His children who reward such ministers: “When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and your portion is with adulterers!” (Ps. 50:18).

Worst of all is when one of God’s own children becomes a thief, teaching for money what men want them to teach.  We can hardly bring ourselves to think of ministers hired to teach about Jesus as wicked, but God has no such qualms: “To the wicked man, God says, ‘How dare you declare my statutes, or take up my covenant into your mouth!’ (Ps. 50:16).  To teach people about God for money is the sin of Balaam, and it is one of the greatest sins that a servant of God can commit.  Jesus was still angrily speaking of Balaam’s sin in the last book of the Bible, over three thousand years after Balaam committed it, because there were men among the saints doing as Balaam did (Rev. 2:14).

  Ministering for hire makes a man a thief because a minister who is hired is stealing from God’s people the money that should be given to Jesus’ faithful servants.   Paul had to warn the saints not to encourage such men, for many had already begun to follow Balaam’s example in Paul’s day: “There are many rebellious, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things they should not for the sake of base gain” (Tit. 1:11).  By “whole houses”, Paul meant whole congregations, for the saints met in houses at that time.  John also warned the saints, “If anyone comes to you not carrying this doctrine, do not receive him into your house, and do not offer him a greeting, for he who welcomes him partakes of his evil deeds” (2Jn. 1:10–11).

Jesus said that all who came before him were thieves and robbers, and I will add that all who have come after him are thieves and robbers –– unless he has sent them.  When the sheep see a thief, that is, a minister who is following Balaam’s example by being hired to teach about God, they will not bless him!  They know that those who bless robbers make themselves adulterers and adulteresses in God’s sight.

Frustrated

Israel’s false prophets and priests were prosperous and respected, and it frustrated God’s true servants, such as Jeremiah, to see it: “You are righteous, O Lord, though I complain to you.  Nevertheless, let me speak with you about your judgments.  Why does the way of wicked men prosper?  All those who deal treacherously are at ease.  You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit.  You are near in their mouth, but far from their hearts” (Jer. 12:1–2).  As far as we know, God never answered Jeremiah’s question as long as he lived.

David’s friend, Asaph, felt the same frustration: “Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.  But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; my steps were almost gone.  For I was envious of those who are praised.  I saw the happiness of wicked men, for there are no bonds on them until death, and their bodies are stout.  They are not in trouble as other men are; neither are they plagued along with other men.  Their eye stands out with fatness; they have more than heart can wish.  They mock and speak wickedly of oppression; they speak loftily.  Therefore, His people turn away [from truth] after them, and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.  Behold, these are the wicked, always at ease; they increase in wealth.  Truly, I have kept my heart clean for nothing, and washed my hands in innocence, for I am plagued all day long, and correction comes to me every morning.  When I tried to understand this, it was hard for me, until I entered into God’s sanctuary; then, I considered their end” (excerpts from Ps. 73:1–17).

The end is all that really matters, and in the end, both Asaph and Jeremiah found eternal rest, while the false prophets and priests who prospered on earth were cast into Torment.

Who Will Be Able To Stand?

The wicked shall not stand in the Judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Psalm 1:5

Moved by the Spirit of God, David declared that in the Final Judgment, not one ungodly person will escape the wrath of God; not one ungodly soul will be able to stand before God.  It will not be possible.  David said again, “You alone are to be feared, for who can stand before you, once you are angered?” (Ps. 76:7).  Other prophets asked the same rhetorical question.  Nahum: “Who can stand before His indignation?  Who can withstand the fury of His anger?” (Nah. 1:6).  And Malachi: “Who can endure the day of his coming, and who will stand when he appears?” (Mal. 3:2).  The obvious answer is, only the righteous.  To be judged worthy to stand in God’s presence will be a very great blessing, and Jesus exhorted his disciples to pray for it: “Stay alert and always pray, so that you might be counted worthy to escape all the things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of man” (Lk. 21:36).  

But David did not limit his declaration to the Final Judgment; he said also that the ungodly will not stand in a righteous congregation.  God’s children who drift away from righteousness can no more stand in a congregation of godly people now than they will be able to stand in the Final Judgment.  For just as God will be the Judge in the end, so “God presides in the Assembly of God, and He judges among the gods [His people]” (Ps. 82:1).

If any group of saints will keep themselves pure, God will not allow an ungodly person to stand for long among them.  And if any member of that congregation becomes ungodly, and sets his mind to it, he will not be able to stand among them, either.  God will give him a “good” reason to leave.  That judgment of God has always been, is now, and will always be the same.  That is why “the wicked shall not stand in the Judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.”

In Psalm 15, David asked God to reveal to him who would be allowed to stand in His presence.  Take good heed to God’s response:

Psalm 15

1. O Lord, who shall abide in your tabernacle?  Who shall dwell on your holy mountain?

2. He who lives blamelessly, and does righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart,

3. he who does not gossip with his tongue, nor does evil to his fellow, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;

4. in whose eyes a reprobate is despised, but he honors those who fear the Lord; he who swears to his own hurt, yet does not change;

5. he who does not lend his money at interest; and a bribe against the innocent, he does not take.  He who does these things shall never be moved.