THE FIRST SONG IN THE SACRED SONGBOOK (continued)

Introduction: For many years I knew intellectually that this was a sacred song, but I didn’t specifically think of it as a song. My first experience that I remember with Christian songs was when I was in the ranch country in Western Oklahoma the year before I was saved.  Every restaurant or store of any size had a nickelodeon, as we called them then (or juke boxes I think they are called now).  A song that was played almost constantly was “I won’t Go Hunting with You, Jake, but I’ll Go Chasing Women.”  I never put  in a nickel to hear that.  I didn’t like the song, but I did like to hunt.  I went ‘coon hunting with my dogs many of my free nights.  Then I heard a new song, “It Is no Secret what God Can Do.” Though I wasn’t a Christian, I liked the song and played it every chance I got.  One of my friends said, “Don’t you know that the same guy wrote both songs?”  I was shocked!  I began to ask people how that could be.  Then someone explained to me that the first song was one of Stuart Hamlin’s last hits before he became a Christian, and the second was written after he was saved. 

Let us look at the second stanza of the first sacred song in the Bible hymnbook:

II. THE FAITH OF THE GODLY MAN – Psalm 1:2

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (1:2).

In this second stanza of the song, the psalmist is reflecting on three things: delight in the law, deliberation in the law, and dedication to the law of God.

A. His Delight Is in the Law of the lord – Ps. 1:2a

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD” (1:2a).

To delight in the Lord means:

To be attracted to His attributes.

To be hungry for His holiness.

To long to learn about the Lord.

To feast on His spiritual food.

To want to be wise according to His Word.

To be tuned to His teaching.

To delight in His doctrine*

To love His law*

To want to walk in His will.

To have peace in His presence.

To have protection in His presence.

*Let’s look again at what it means to delight in His doctrine and to love His law. 

(Psa 119:10)  "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments."

(Psa 119:47-48)  "And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. {48} My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes."

(Psa 119:97)  "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day."

(Psa 119:140)  "Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it."

(Psa 119:159)  "Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness."

(Psa 119:163)  "I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love."

(Psa 119:165)  "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."

(Psa 119:167)  "My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly."

B. His Deliberation Is in the Law of the Lord – Ps. 1:2b

“And in his law doth he meditate” (1:2b).

In the beginning of my Christian life, I was given this definition of  to meditate:  “Meditation is reflective thinking with a view to application.” This definition has been a great help to me. 

Christians need to train their minds to meditate about God and His grace.

 (Josh 1:8)  "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

(Psa 119:15)  "I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways."

(Psa 119:23)  "Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes."

(Psa 119:48)  "My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.”

(Psa 119:97)  "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day."

(Psa 143:5)  "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands."

 (Psa 19:14)  "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."

(Phil 4:8)  "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

C. His Dedication Is to the Law of the Lord – Ps. 1:2c

“And in his law doth he meditate day and night” (1:2c).  

The godly man meditates in the Law day and night; that is, he whole heartedly walks with God, watches withGod, and waits for God.  He spends all his time (day and night) in the presence of God.  His dedication is to the Law of the Lord.

Here are some Scriptures that come to mind about being wholeheartedly dedicated to the Lord and to His Law: 

 (Jos. 1:8) “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

(2 Chron.15:15) “And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.

(Col. 3:22–23) “²²Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: ²³And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

(Phil. 4:8) “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”—That is, think on these things day and night!

The Bible Knowledge Commentary on the Old Testament has this statement at the end of the teaching on Psalm 1:2, before going on to verse 3: “This is ‘the announcement of blessings and the centrality of the Law for fulfillment in life’” (page 790).

THE FIRST SONG IN THE SACRED SONGBOOK

Some twenty years ago I was attending a pastors’ conference in California with about 2,000 pastors in attendance.  It was a new experience for me to hear that many pastors sing some of the great hymns of our faith.  After a good message, we had a twenty-minute recess. A lot of us did not leave the auditorium, but just stood up and visited.  We were commenting on the wonderful singing when one well-known pastor made this comment: “I don’t think the average Christian could sing the first verse of the first sacred hymn with a sincere heart.”  I thought that was a strange statement.  Joy bells were still ringing in my head from the great hymns we had heard an hour before.  Later when I was alone with another pastor, I mentioned that I didn’t understand why the pastor made that statement.  He said, “Oh, I can tell you.  He’s not talking about the hymn books here in back of the pews.  He is talking about Psalm One.”  To tell you the truth, I was somewhat shocked, but I didn’t want anyone to know it.  The first chance I got to be by myself, I opened the Bible to the book of Psalms and read the first verse:  "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” 

Psalm One is introduced with the words “Blessed is the man.”  We need to understand what this phrase means.  “Blessed” here means “happy” or “joyful,” but it is more than that.  This  is a declaration about a person who is godly.  The godly man is “BLESSED” with an intimate relationship with God.  The godless man (Psalm 1:3-6) is not blessed with this relationship, but he is still blessed.  "For he [God] maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Mt. 5:45b). 

I. THE FELICITY OF THE GODLY MAN - Psalm 1:1

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psa.1:1).

A.  The Godly Man Does not Conform to the Council of the Ungodly – Psalm 1:1a

"Walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly"   (1:1a)

The phrase “walketh not” conveys the idea that the Godly person does not conform to the council of the ungodly because he does not listen to them nor does he learn from them.

(1 Pet 4:1-4)  "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; {2} That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. {3} For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: {4} Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:"

(1 John 2:6)  "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he [Christ] walked."

(2 John 1:4)  "I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father."

(3 John 1:3)  "For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth."

(1 Th 4:1)  "Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more."

(Acts 9:31)  "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied."

B.  The Godly Man Does not Have Communion with Sinners – Psalm 1:1b

"Nor standeth in the way of sinners" (1:1b).

The idea of “nor standeth” is that the Godly man does not linger in the company of sinners. 

I remember when I was in high school that the kids who wanted to talk about football would huddle somewhere at recess and those who wanted to talk about girls would be together on another part of the grounds.  Even as an unsaved person I noticed them gathering in groups for different reasons. 

(Eph 5:5-11)  "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. {6} Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. {7} Be not ye therefore partakers with them. {8} For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: {9} (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) {10} Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. {11} And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

                                                                                                 

C. The Godly Man Does not Congregate with the Scornful   - Psalm 1:1c

"Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful (1:1c).

The expression here, “nor sitteth” conveys the idea of joining with or even judging with the scornful.  For instance, he would not join their congregation or go to the extent of becoming a leader in that kind of church.  Jesus gives us a negative example of this in Matthew 23:1-3: "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, {2} Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: {3} All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not."  They should have judged according to Moses, but they didn’t.

 (2 Cor 6:11-18)  "O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. {12} Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. {13} Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged. {14} Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? {15} And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? {16} And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. {17} Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, {18} And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

(2 Pet 3:3)  "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,"

The song is talking about the influence of the world in the lives of Christians.  Worldly influence always drags the saved person downward.   The progression of influence that Satan uses goes from conversation to communion to congregating.  Let us look at the three lines of the first verse of the song  again:  

1. The Godly Man Does not Conform to the Council of the Ungodly – Psalm 1:1a 
2. The Godly Man Does not Have Communion with Sinners – Psalm 1:1b 
3. The Godly Man Does not Congregate with the Scornful  - Psalm 1:1c

FACETS OF FEAR

Introduction: Usually the expression “the fear of the Lord” in the Bible refers to a profound reverence. But sometimes it refers to being afraid, for example, fearing due punishment when one disobeys Him.

I was raised on a ranch in Western Oklahoma. As a child I feared God, though most of my friends and family did not. We never went to church, but I was taught that God created the world in six days and rested the seventh. My dad never worked on Sunday because he thought it was bad luck and God would punish us if we did.

Everyone was afraid of lightning. When there was a storm we would seek shelter in the house or the barn. I remember when some of the cattle lying near a barbed wire fence were electrocuted by lightning. I heard about the father and two brothers of my brother-in-law being killed by lightning when they were working in the field. I heard people say God did those things. I feared God because I respected Him. I had so much respect for God that I carried a rabbit’s tail in my pocket all the time. It was well groomed by my fingers.

The first time I went to church, I was eighteen years old. I didn’t know what to expect as I didn’t know what a church looked like on the inside. The first message I ever heard from the pulpit was about hell. (I didn’t so much as know that thing the preacher hid behind was called a pulpit.) Before this I just throught “hell” was a curse word. The preacher showed from the Bible that it is a real place. He gave graphic illustrations from World War II of soldiers without God going into eternity with great fear. The message scared me so badly, it made me tremble. My fear subsided at the end of the service when everyone in the church began to sing.

But then after church some young people began to talk to me. They told me I was an enemy of God. I certainly didn’t think I was, but they showed me some verses in the Bible like James 4:4, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (cf. Rom 8:7; Rom 5:10; Acts 13:10). I knew I was a friend of the world, and I knew I wasn’t a friend of the church, so I began to understand.

Why on earth did I go back a second time after such punishment? But I did go back every night, and by the end of the last service that week, my respect for God had changed to reverence because I had learned that God loved me even when I was a sinner and His enemy. Romans 5:8 clearly says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." When I realized that Jesus loved me enough to die for me, my heart melted. At last, I committed my life into the loving arms of the Lord Jesus Christ. I reverenced His name. I worshiped His person, ("But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. Psa. 5:7-8) "There was great joy and rejoicing in my heart because of the eternal salvation that He so freely gave me. The fear that I left the church with was a fear not only of respect, but of reverence and rejoicing.

The phrase “the fear of the Lord” is used twenty-seven times in the King James Bible. It is used fourteen times in the book of Proverbs alone. It is the theme of Proverbs. “The fear of the Lord” is the basis of salvation, the basis of sanctification, and the basis for serving the Savior. “The fear of the Lord” is the key that unlocks all the intricate portions in the book of Proverbs.
Let’s begin at the beginning. “One cannot gain knowledge of spiritual things if he begins at the wrong point, refusing to fear the Lord (i.e.,to recognize God’s character and respond by revering,trusting, worshiping, obeying, and serving Him). (The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, Old Testament. Ed. By John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Pages 907-908).

In the future I would like to share some thoughts from Proverbs and tell how the book has affected my life, so I thought I would start with this topical message that I first preached many years ago.

I. THE ESSENCE OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Webster’s Dictionary defines “essense” in several ways.  Here is the way I am using it: “The property necessary to the nature of a thing.”

A. The Beginning of the Fear of the Lord – Prov. 9:10

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding" (9:10). 

B. The Behavior of those that Fear of the Lord – Prov. 8:13

“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (8:13). 

(Deuteronomy 10:12) “And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul”.

(Jeremiah 32:39–40) “³⁹And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: ⁴⁰And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me”

(Deuteronomy) 13:4  “Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

C. The Blessing of those that Fear of the Lord – Ps. 60:4

“Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah” (Ps. 60:4).  “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love” (Song 2:4). 

(Prov 14:26)  “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.  

(Prov 14:27) “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”

(Prov 19:23)  “The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.”

(Prov 22:4)  “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.”

(Psa. 34:7)  “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”

(Psa 34:9)  “O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.”

II. THE ESTEEM FOR THE FEAR OF THE LORD  

The esteem for the fear of the Lord does not come automatically. If one does not place a high value on it, he or she will not seek it.

(Prov 2:1-5)  “{1} My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; {2} So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; {3} Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; {4} If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; {5} Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”

(Isa 33:6)  “And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.”

III. THE ELECTIVE OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Again, the fear of the Lord does not come automatically.  One must consciously choose it, realizing its importance for his or her walk with the Lord here on earth.

(Prov 1:29)  "For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD."

(Psa 86:11)  "Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name."

This is one of the clearest verses that explains how much David wanted to experience the fear of the Lord in his life.  He mentions three things:  1) His desire to find the will of God, 2) His desire to follow the will of God, 3) His desire for fellowship with God.

IV. THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD

The fear of the Lord must be taught by every means starting with the parent-child relationship. 

(Psa 34:11)  “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

(Psa 111:10)  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”

(Prov 15:33)  “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.”

(Eccl 12:13-14)  “{13} Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. {14} For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

(Zeph 3:7) “ I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.”

In II Kings chapter 17, God sent lions into Samaria, which at this time was an Assyrian province, to teach the people he had transplanted there the fear of the Lord.  So the king who had conquered Samaria, the northern kingdom of Israel, sent an Israelite priest back to teach the people how to worship the Lord.

V. THE EXERCISE IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD  

We must follow the principles of the Word of God in our lives.

(Acts 9:31)  “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

(Neh) 5:15)  “But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.”

 (Mal 3:16-18)  “{16} Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. {17} And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. {18} Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”

(1 Pet 1:17)  “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.”

VI. THE EXHORTATION IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD

We must remember to fear of the Lord in all of life’s circumstances.

(Deu 6:24)  “And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.”

(Deu 13:4)  “Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.”

(Mat 10:28)  “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

VII. THE EXAMPLE OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD  

The Lord Jesus Christ is our principal example of what it means to fear God.  He always obeyed the Father.  What an example!

Isa 11:1-5)  "{1} And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: {2} And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; {3} And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: {4} But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. {5} And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins."                                                                                             

THE INSECURE VERSUS THE INSURED

Proverbs 28:1have

“The wicked flee when no man pursueth: But the righteous are bold as a lion”

.

INTRODUCTION:  I’m thrilled that some of you are continuing to read a chapter of Proverbs every day (as I am).  Today I opened my Bible to Proverbs 28 and asked the Lord to speak to me from this chapter.  I couldn’t get by verse one.  I thought about it, I prayed about it, and I thought about it again.  But I decided to keep the rule and slowly read the entire chapter.  BUT I couldn’t get verse one out of my mind, so I got up and got a cup of coffee and tried to think about some other verse, but that one was stuck there.  Do you know what I mean?

So, I said to myself, all right, then I will meditate on Proverbs 28:1, thinking about what I am supposed to learn, remember, or do. 

 I. THE INSECURE – Prov. 28:1a

“The wicked flee when no man pursueth” (28:1a).

When I was a teenager I was INSECURE about everything.

1) I was insecure about my job.

2) I was insecure about my schooling.

3) I was insecure about my friends.

4) I was insecure about a girl friend  

5) I was insecure about marriage in the future

6) I was insecure about my future in general

7) I was insecure about death.  My best friend died in a car accident.  He was 16 and I was 17.

II.  THE INSURED – Proverbs 28:1b

“But the righteous are bold as a lion” (28:1b).

 The righteous are bold as a lion because they have assurance from the Lord.

I almost died several times that I knew of.  My older brother told me, “Everyone almost dies every time they get on the highway.”  But twice when I was fourteen, I almost drowned in a lake. When my two friends saved me and pulled me out on dry land, I didn’t want them to turn loose of me, even on dry land. 

But when I became a Christian, I received eternal life.  I was eternally changed.  My life style was changed.  I didn’t know that II Corinthians 5:17 was in the Bible until later.  (“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.")

I felt insured!  I felt so secure in the Lord about my future and about EVERYTHING.  My first memory passage was Romans 10:9-10: “⁹That 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.  ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”. No one told me to memorize Romans 10:9-10. I just loved this Scripture.  It spoke to me day and night.

Since then, I have memorized many verses that show me that God has eternally secured me for Himself.  I am so grateful for His Gospel, for His Goodness, and for His Guidance.  Since then, I have never felt insecure.  

JUDGE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS

Introduction:  As I hear all the controversies concerning Duck Dynasty, it bothers me that people mix their opinions with what they think is Biblical doctrine.  Actually, the Bible instructs us to judge: We have the commandment to judge, the caution about judging, and the consequences of judging.

I.The commandment to judge – Jn. 7:24

Jesus said, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

II. The caution about judging – Mt. 7:1-2

Again, Jesus said, “¹Judge not, that ye be not judged. ²For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

You can’t talk about good and evil, right and wrong, without judging.   The judgment Jesus is talking about doesn’t have to do with condemning anyone to hell.  Only God gives that kind of judgment.  Here are some Scriptures:

Leviticus 18:22–23

²²Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

²³Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

Leviticus 20:10–21

¹⁰And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

¹¹And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

¹²And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.

¹³If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

¹⁴And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.

¹⁵And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.

¹⁶And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

¹⁷And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

¹⁸And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.

¹⁹And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.

²⁰And if a man shall lie with his uncle’s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.

²¹And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.

Romans 1:26–27

²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

²⁷And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

                              

1 Corinthians 6:9–10

⁹Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

¹⁰Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19–21

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Timothy 1:10

¹⁰For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Revelation 21:8

⁸But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

III. The consequences of judging- Mt. 7:3-5

Jesus continued, “ ³And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? ⁴Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? ⁵Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”

I recently had a two-inch thorn that went all the way through my shoe pulled out of my foot.  That was painful!  But if I had a little thorn in my eye, I would definitely want a professional who could see and knew what he was doing to take it out.  I wouldn’t just want to leave it there.

ANUNCIO en cuanto al blog

Hemos hecho un blog nuevo con el titulo ENSEÑANDO LAS ESCRITURAS, y vamos a continuar poniendo las ensenanzas en el.

Ya no pondremos mensajes en español en este blog.

Para hallar los mensajes en español favor de hacer clic aqui:   http://ensenandolasescrituras.blogspot.com/

COMO CRECER EN CRISTO (Cuarta parte)

1 Peter 2:1–3

“¹Desechando, pues, toda malicia, todo engaño, hipocresía, envidias, y todas las detracciones, ²desead, como niños recién nacidos, la leche espiritual no adulterada, para que por ella crezcáis para salvación, ³si es que habéis gustado la benignidad del Señor”.

IV. EL MOTIVO DE CRECER EN CRISTO - I Pedro 2:3

“Si es que habéis gustado la benignidad del Señor” (2:3).

El Apóstol Pedro cita aquí el Salmo 34:8: “Gustad, y ved que es bueno Jehová; Dichoso el hombre que confía en él”. Este versículo nos ayua a entender I Pedro 2:3. 

El propósito del versículo es hacernos evaluar nuestra vida cristiana y que esta evaluación cause alabanzas   al Señor.  El versículo tiene dos partes importantes:

A. LA EXPERIENCIA PASADA DEL CRISTIANO - 1 P 2:3a

 “Si es que habéis gustado la benignidad del Señor” (2:3a).

La frase “si es que” debe entenderse como una confirmaclón del nuevo nacimiento del cristiano y no implica que está en duda.  Se puede traducir esta frase “ya que”. 

El Apóstol aseguró la salvación de los santos en 1 Pedro 1:22 con estas palabras: “Habiendo purificado vuestras almas por la obediencia a la verdad, mediante el Espíritu, para el amor fraternal no fingido, amaos unos a otros entrañablemente, de corazón puro.”

B. LA ESPERANZA PRESENTE DEL CRISTIANO - 1 P 2:3b

“Si es que habéis gustado la benignidad del Señor” (2:3b).

(Nah 1:7)^“Jehová es bueno, fortaleza en el día de la angustia; y conoce a los que en él confían”.

1 P 1:4–8) “⁴Para una herencia incorruptible, incontaminada e inmarcesible, reservada en los cielos para vosotros, ⁵que sois guardados por el poder de Dios mediante la fe, para alcanzar la salvación que está preparada para ser manifestada en el tiempo postrero. ⁶En lo cual vosotros os alegráis, aunque ahora por un poco de tiempo, si es necesario, tengáis que ser afligidos en diversas pruebas, ⁷para que sometida a prueba vuestra fe, mucho más preciosa que el oro, el cual aunque perecedero se prueba con fuego, sea hallada en alabanza, gloria y honra cuando sea manifestado Jesucristo, ⁸a quien amáis sin haberle visto, en quien creyendo, aunque ahora no lo veáis, os alegráis con gozo inefable y glorioso”.

(Hebreos 11:6)  “Es un buen comentario en este versículo: “Pero sin fe es imposible agradar a Dios; porque es necesario que el que se acerca a Dios crea que le hay, y que es galardonador de los que le buscan”.

(Hebrews 12:28) “Así que, recibiendo nosotros un reino inconmovible, tengamos gratitud, y mediante ella sirvamos a Dios agradándole con temor y reverencia”.

(Esta es la ultima parte de cuatro.   Para ver la primera parte, haga clic  AQUI )