Sincerely Loving Others, Even our Enemies

It would be much easier to walk through this world not caring. There is a certain appeal to being a detached, impenetrable person, avoiding hurt and never feeling the pains of others. Loving others can hurt. Many times I have found myself saying “I wish I didn’t care so much.”

Loving comes with a cost to self, especially loving those who do not believe in Christ, and do not love you in return. Psalm 35:12-16 gives jaw dropping insight into David’s heart towards his enemies:

“They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. But I, when they were sick- I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning. But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.”

The Bible calls for a radical kind of love. Only people with hearts set on fire with love for God could offer sincerity of prayer for those who would hate and mock them. This type of love will be accompanied by sorrows. Jesus Christ calls us to lay down our life in love and service towards others- but not just our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Matthew 5:43-47 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?”

Jesus taught that we are to love and pray for those who use us, slander us, and would even put us to death.

Does love include feeling, or is it only a choice displayed in loving actions?

In an attempt to avoid sentimentalized, emotion-driven Christianity, some have declared that love is choice and action but not emotion. In reading scripture I cannot bring myself to that kind of cut and dry conclusion about the biblical command to love others.

I agree with Pastor John Piper’s statement:

“That love involves not only the will, but also the affections, is born out in everyday experience. Imagine a husband who seeks the welfare of his wife, but doesn’t enjoy doing it. Would his wife feel loved? We doubt it. Even if the husband did not dislike serving his wife, but simply was indifferent in doing it, she still would not feel loved. This is because we intuitively recognize that emotions are an essential part of love. Love includes not just willing, but also preferring and wanting and delighting.”

Loving the Way God Does

1 John 3:16-18 “By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

From this verse we can see that God’s love is self-sacrificing, open-hearted, and generously meeting the needs of others. Offering professions of love and care are not enough on their own, but where there is need, the Christian labour of love is to meet it. It is essential to see that not only should we meet physical needs, but spiritual needs as well. Real love is concerned for people’s souls, knowledge of truth, and spiritual well being.

Remember that it is possible to perform loving actions without genuine love. 1Corinthians 13:3 “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

What Types of Emotions May Be Involved In Loving Others?

Empathy for Human Sorrow and Weakness

2 Corinthians 11:28-29 “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?”

Romans 12:15 “Weep with those who weep.”

We need to recognize ourselves in the sea of human frailty, failure, and hurt. If we are doing well now, we should be able to remember times when we were mistreated, sorrowful, burdened with sin- and the many other trials that are common to men. We might see a brother struggling and tell him the right things to do, but it is better if we first care for him in prayer, and then with humility and understanding meet our brother and share in his broken heartedness and battles. This positions our heart towards counselling our brother out of sincerity and love.

Sorrow and Anguished Prayer For the Lost

Romans 9:2-3, 10:1 “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh…Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”

Authentic love doesn’t only recognize the lost condition of others, but feels it. Notice Paul doesn’t brush the weight of his lost kinsmen off by saying “Well, if they are elect then God will save them.” He lets the burden of their cursed state rest squarely on his shoulders until he prays like what seems to be, a man gone out of his mind.

God alone is capable of saving people, but this fact is never intended to ease our fervent desire for people to be saved. Throughout the whole of scripture, the prophets, Jesus Christ, and the disciples showed grave concern for people’s souls, and brought them before the Lord in anguished prayer and with warnings. This is genuine love, and we should follow their example.

Grief Within the Soul for Suffering People

Job 30:25 “Did not I weep for him whose day was hard? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?”

Randy Alcorn expresses exactly what I want to say about this point in his book “If God Is Good.”

“It’s no sin to feel that burden [the weight of creation groaning because of world suffering], and sometimes it’s a sin not to. Some of what passes for Christian contentment is, in fact, indifference to the evil and suffering around us. It’s apathy toward the plight of God’s image-bearers, demonstrated by the fact that we do so little and give so little to help them… I feel a profound sadness and mourning for human brokenness, for children exploited by the sex trade, killed by abortion, and dying of diseases and disasters. Still, my confidence in an all-good and all-powerful God allows me to simultaneously feel happiness even in this world of evil and suffering.”

Steadfast faith and trust in the sovereignty of God should not be acquainted with a heart unmoved to pity and grief in the face of human suffering. Genuine love must move our hearts to compassion.

Care and Concern for People’s Welfare

Philippians 2:1-3 “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Phillippians 2:20 (Paul’s affirmation of Timothy) “I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.”

Sharing in Christ’s “love,” “affection”, and “sympathy,” means caring for others because we love Jesus and want to serve Him.

We see also, the sad admonition that there are few people who are genuinely concerned with the good of others. Most of us are primarily concerned with our own lives, and not with the lives of those that Jesus Christ so loves and cares about. He wants to show His love to this world through His church. I find it so convicting how often we concern ourselves with ourselves instead of displaying this love to each other in the body of Christ and to the world.

Distress and Torment of Soul over People’s Sin and Rejection of Christ

Jeremiah 13:17 “But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears…”

Psalm 119:136 “My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.”

1Peter 2:8 “He (God) rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard).”

Matthew 23:37 Jesus laments “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!”

If we love people and our God, our hearts should break over the sin that is all around us. By sin our great God is offended and grieved, lives are destroyed, and people go to Hell. They reject the Messiah who would save them if they would only repent and trust in His name, but instead they trample His sacrifice beneath their feet.

God says “I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually… (Isaiah 65:2-3).” If we know our own wretchedness, if we know the Lord and understand His heart’s desire for all people to be saved, if we comprehend some of the enormous atrocity of sinning against Him, we will not feel smug and pious when we look at people’s sin. In love for them and for His Name we will weep for people’s condition and bring them the gospel which has all power to save.

Rich and Satisfying Joy

Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice.”

3John 4 “I have no greater joy than to heart that my children are walking in the truth.”

Luke 15:7 “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Without love that is willing to feel pain and travail in prayer on the behalf of others, I don’t think it is possible to experience the same depth of blessing by sharing in this kind of rejoicing. There is a vast difference between hearing about someone’s salvation or victory of faith when you have contributed by prayer or support, than if you played no role in it whatsoever. Your level of joy is in proportion to your level of care.

This being said, the Christian who truly loves and labours for people, will have great satisfaction in sharing in their joy, not only in this life but also in the life to come!

Psalm 126:6 “He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Further Thoughts

We need to pray that God would help us love people like this. It is so important to Christ who declared that the greatest commandment was to love Him with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind and to love our neighbour as our self (Luke 10:27).

Loving hearts are bold in faith, and rich in deeds of compassion. In thinking once again about the love that we should have for even our enemies, I close with this verse:

“The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will (2Timoth 2:24-26).”

What wonderful encouragement to persevere in love, even in the face of evil. And what a great and glorious God we have!

How would we live if we really believed God alone was our portion in life and in death?

Much of my time the last several months has been spent near those who are dying, and their loved ones. In heartache and pain I have witnessed this, yet it has done much spiritual good for my soul.

Death is a reality that we don’t often like to consider. In our minds, we set up our lives as if they are permanent. We don’t want to face death- not our own, and not the death of those we love.

Yet, as I have considered this, I am finding that for those who love Christ more than life there is special blessing found in death, and in being near to the dying.

Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 “A good name is better than a good ointment, and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.”

The day of death is better? The house of mourning is better? Sorrow is better? Oh Lord, how can this be?

Not many people die or experience grief with this attitude, and I am afraid that most people miss the purposes God has for suffering. We have our mind on this earth, clinging tightly to our jobs, family, health, and possessions. I believe the painstaking reality most people face with great anxiety and dread on their death bed is the realization that God has not been their portion- this life has.

In prosperous and greedy nations, far too many people are just like the rich man in Luke 12:19-20 who said to himself “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’”

We need to consider this warning from Jesus Christ while we still have life: “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds (Matthew 16:26-27).”

A time is coming when whatever we have gained in this world will either abruptly or slowly slip between our fingers like oil. We will pass into a much more important day, in which we will give an account of our lives before God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

How do I want to respond when my time comes? If illness befalls me and settles down for a long and weary season upon my bed, what will I say? What would be the condition of my heart before God?

What landmark are you aiming for? Graduation? Marriage? Children? Retirement? A vacation? Dear friends, a far more important day is coming, and I want us to be ready for it.

You see, I don’t want to slip away from this life with hands gripped firmly around it. I want to develop an attitude that glorifies God in the midst of all suffering and trials in this life, so that when my time comes I can be a bright and shining light for His name. I want His praises on my lips, with a full and satisfied heart, recognizing that He was all I ever had, and that He is all I need in the life to come. I don’t want to sort my priorities out when it’s too late.

I want me and you to be able to say this:

2Corinthians 5:8-10 “We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ…”

Whether in living or in dying, I want to make it my aim to please Him.

How can we become people like this?

A look through Psalm 73

Psalm 73 takes us through a journey that most of us experience.

Psalm 73:3- “I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked…always at ease, they have increased in wealth.”

How often do we set our eyes on prosperity and increased wealth? We are envious of people who do not even have Christ, yet somehow we regard them as fortunate for having temporal ease and happiness.

When we strive for holiness and to please the Lord, and yet experience tribulation, is this how we respond?

Psalm 73:13-14 “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence; for I have been stricken all day long and chastened every morning?”

We might feel like we would never respond in this way, but we need to prayerfully examine our hearts. If God took your health, your spouse, or whatever thing is precious to you- would you be tempted to say: “God…is this how you repay me for my service to you?” or “What have I done to deserve this?”

If so, we need to examine our core beliefs about who we are, who God is, and what our lives are all about. We need pure motives and a true love for the Lord, not obeying Him so that we can get what we want from this life, but because we adore Him and offer our lives freely into His sovereign hands.

As the psalmist ponders these things, God graciously reveals deep truths to his heart.

Psalm 73:16-19 “When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; you cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment!”

In a brief moment a life lived for worldly pleasure results in destruction. Dear friend, look towards those with glamour, comfort, and high-profile lives, and in wisdom discern their end: Absolute loss of all good, and eternity in Hell. “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

This realization worked humility and repentance in the psalmist’s heart.

Psalm 73:21-22 “When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.”

I love this raw and unreserved confession of sinfulness within. If we recognize sinful attitudes and idolatry within ourselves, I pray that we would make it ours.

Now, let us pay special attention to the beautiful end of this Psalm. I believe it provides a key answer to the question of how we can be the type of people who both live and die to glorify Christ.

Verse 23 begins with the word “Nevertheless…” That word says so much. It is as if to say: even though I have been greedy, even though I was bitter, though I was foolish, though like a beast, Lord…

“Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand, with your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory (Psalm 73:23,24).”

God is so merciful to guide His children out of self pity, false doctrine, idolatry, or whatever else is keeping us from living fully for His glory. He goes on to proclaim:

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:25-26).”

This is the crux of the issue; it is what we all desperately need to realize: God is our all, and all we have is His. We might sing it, we might confess it, but do we truly believe it and live it? Does it impact our lives?

There is nothing in Heaven that compares with Him. Do you simply want eternal life instead of death, peace instead of despair, and reward instead of punishment, or do you really and ultimately just want Christ? Is He all that your thirsty soul wants from Heaven?

And on earth, are you living to behold and to magnify Him, or are you pursuing your own aims? Could you let it all go and be satisfied in Him? Would He be enough?

And if your flesh began to fester, and your heart to give way, would He be your strength and portion enough for you?

These are hard questions, and I confess they hurt to ask. I know I’m not where I ought to be. But lately as I’ve considered the plight of those who are dying, I have had to ask myself: Where would I be?

I so want Him to be my all. If destruction came to my house like it did to Job I would want to join him in saying “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:20).”

This is an unnatural response that could only come from a person who has prepared themselves for times of trouble. It’s the response of one who knows that all he ever had was God, and that all his good comes from God’s hands. Only a man who knows that he deserves nothing, and already possesses far more than he should have ever hoped to attain can respond this way. Only those with hearts set on what is eternal can praise God when the temporal withers and falls.

Oh Lord, make us this way. Let us not wait until it’s too late to make ourselves ready to meet You. May we be able to speak these words in truth:

Philippians 2:20-21 “According to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.”

The question “why children?” never really occurred to me until I was pregnant. In our culture we often have a romanticized idea of what it means to have a family. We want a baby who is born in perfect health, rarely cries, and is cute. We want them to grow up to be quick learning, strong, and well mannered. Of course, a nice house with a beautiful nursery and a big back yard helps too.

We all desire these things for our life and our children. I think the desire to have a healthy, happy baby is natural. But this is where I have really started examining myself: Why do I want this child?

I think the first place we need to start is in asking the question: Whose child is it?

Children are not primarily created by their parents, but by God. Psalm 139:13,16 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb…Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.”

We are far too familiar with these words. God is the one who plans for, predestines, and creates life. Before Brent and I had even met, He had plans for our future children. We need to view God as the Giver of this precious life, and ourselves as the receiver and temporary steward of this awesome gift.

James 1:16 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”

If God is the primary Giver of life, then He is also the primary possessor. He is the sovereign King of our children and will have the ultimate impact on determining their steps in life. My children will be under the secondary guidance and control of Brent and I, but behind the scenes God is the one weaving the threads of their life for His purposes.

This truth leads me to examine and reprioritize my desires. It causes me to seek out the motives of my own heart and test where my faith is.

I want a healthy, happy child, in a comfortable, pleasant home. I am praying for it, and pursuing it; I am not discounting my desires or casting them aside. But join with me in examining your own heart:

If your child was born disabled, would you thank God and praise Him to the same extent you would if your child was born healthy?

If your child was disfigured or just simply not as cute, would it dampen the joy in your heart?

If your child was born sick and needed to undergo treatment, would you question the goodness of God?

Consider the following verses:

Isaiah 53:2 “He (Jesus) had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.”

Exodus 4:11 “Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”

John 9:2-3 “And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

It is God, not Satan who chooses to create some children with disabilities and some without. It is not the direct result of particular sin or the lack of faith in a parent, but a result of God’s loving choice. He has a good and perfect purpose for every illness, disability, or deformity that children might face. God can use all things for His glory.

1Corinthians 1:26-29 “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

The Result of Self Centered Child Rearing

This topic could easily cover an entire book. I’m going to look at the most drastic result in brief, but I sincerely believe that self centered child rearing is causing devastation in our society today.

Today, when a woman is pregnant, she will be asked if she would like to be screened to see if her child might have Down syndrome or spina bifida. I am not being tested because ultimately, it doesn’t matter. I find it irrelevant to my level of joyful expectancy. However, it is estimated that 92% of women today who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome will abort. They did not love their child unconditionally. They loved themselves.

Our self centered, romanticized view of family has brought on the eugenics of the disabled by the means of abortion.

But dear friends, this horrid mentality must not creep into Christ’s church.

My Desire

God has blessed me with the opportunity to work with disabled children, as well as dozens of other children over the past several years. He has opened my eyes to see much of the harmful philosophies that drive today’s parenting.

But this is the conclusion I have come to:

I will love my children, bless the Lord, and count them as gifts whether they are healthy or not, disabled or able bodied, blind or seeing, intelligent or slow to understand, plain or cute and whether we are rich or poor. The baby growing inside of me is not ultimately mine, it belongs to God, and I am so grateful for that. What more capable hands are there? How dare I question His plans or His goodness? He is an awesome God, and all of His works are marvellous; my soul knows this full well!

Our greatest prayer and heartfelt desire should be that our children and family might grow to glorify God and magnify His Son Jesus Christ, no matter what it takes. We must surrender our perceived “rights” from God, and be willing to embrace whatever He places in our hands. May our children be for Him. May our parenting be for His name’s sake, and may our homes be filled with thanksgiving and praises regardless of all circumstances.

I know this is more easily said than done, and I don’t deny that circumstances can be grievous and painfully difficult. Lord I pray for myself and whoever might read this, grant grace to sustain, hope to endure, and a love for our children that flows out of the recognition of what You did for us well we were yet sinners, in laying down Y our life.

Let me first say, this is written out of my grief, love and hope for women. You may see it differently and say it is hateful, harsh, and judgemental. Let me say this: “Whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins (James 5:20).”

I have often thought how I wished a Christian would have been honest with me when I was living in sin. How I might have been spared from sinning and heartache. Maybe I would have hated the person who warned me. Or, I may have repented sooner. I pray the later will be the case for you.

The Culture’s Shove For Promiscuity

Isaiah 3:9 “For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it.”

Some months ago I was flipping through a secular business magazine and found an article discussing current movies. It stated that today’s movies targeting teenagers share one similar goal: to make promiscuous girls appear virtuous, and for Christian girls to play the villain.

Recently I have had the unfortunate experience of forgetting my mp3 player while working out at the local all women’s gym. This is supposed to be a positive environment for women. So what messages are promoted in the music? The messages are as following:

From a female artist:

“All my life I’ve been good, but now…all I want is to mess around. I don’t care if you love me, hate me, you can save me.”

Or from a male artist:

“I make the good girls go bad…you’re daddy’s little girl, let me shake up your world, cause just one night couldn’t be so wrong…”

Ugh. That’s not the half of it but you get the idea. This is what’s supposed to pump me up to work out at the gym. All it really makes me want to do is either throw up or weep.

Brace yourself, I have one more sample. A “Slut Walk” was recently held in Vancouver. No, I don’t like the word either but this is what it was called. The cause: Outraged that police or others would say that a women’s dress, drinks, whereabouts, or lifestyle could increase their risk of being raped, they march to take a stand for promiscuous women everywhere. How noble.

Ellen Woodsworth, counsellor for the City of Vancouver was involved. To quote their promotion of her:

“One of the most vital aspects of Ellen’s history in acting for women’s rights has been her pro-choice work surrounding abortion rights. She was part of the Abortion Cavalcade and was one of the women who chained herself to the House of Commons for this cause. She feels her pro-choice stance is in keeping with SlutWalk Vancouver’s assertion that women’s freedom and bodily autonomy is of utmost importance.”

Do you hear that ladies? It’s your bodily freedom that’s of utmost importance. Not your brain, not integrity, not what you contribute to this world, but rather your right to freely kill your babies and do whatever you want with “your” body.

I finish laying out this mess with another quote. Read it carefully.

“Becki Ross, who chairs the women’s and gender studies department at UBC, also applauds the SlutWalk organizers for working to challenge harmful cultural norms.

“’To me, the SlutWalks in Toronto, Vancouver, Boston, and elsewhere reclaim slut for all women who dare to challenge constricting and punishing gender and heterosexual norms that have historically divided ‘good women’—monogamous, virtuous, passive, subordinated—from ‘bad women’—sexually experimental, curious, and rebellious,” Ross said.”

Let’s get ready to applause- finally someone is reclaiming the equally virtuous and good right of all women to be… sluts. Something is horribly wrong here.

So, let’s examine the agenda today’s culture has for young women.

Disgrace Put Forth As Virtue

Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”

Women’s rights activists would have us to be “emboldened women.” They would say if a woman feels good about herself and wants to confidently expose herself to the world, why shouldn’t she? If she has the desire to sleep around, she should embrace it whole heartedly. She is guided by her own wants and casts off society’s restrictions. There is nothing more fun, powerful, or admirable than to be a “free woman” in this area of your life.

The only type of freedom they desire to destroy is biblical freedom. The woman who freely desires to dress modestly and save herself for one man, has “harmful…constricting and punishing gender and heterosexual norms.” This is such a clear example of darkness being presented as light, and light as darkness. Sadly, the masses are buying in.

They do not hold to an absolute standard of right and wrong, or good and evil. If it’s good for you, it’s good for you. Be true to yourself and don’t let anyone stop you from doing it.

So what is the result for women and young girls who believe these lies? What is really going on here? Let’s find out in the Word of God.

The Truth about Promiscuous Women

They forget how to be ashamed.

Jeremiahs 6:15 “Were they ashamed when the committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush.”

Their conscience is seared.

Proverbs 30:20 “This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done no wrong.’”

In their fight for freedom they have become slaves.

They become “foolish, disobedient (to God), led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing…days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another (Titus 2:3).”

They forsake the living God.

Hosea 4:12 “A spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore.”

They have no respect from men and are destroyed by them.

Jeremiah 4:30 “And you, O desolate one; what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life.”

They may “abort” their children on the idolatrous alter of women’s freedom.

Ezekiel 23:39 “They… slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols.”

By hardening their hearts through corrupt living, they are more prone to commit future adultery on a spouse.

Proverbs 5:26 “For the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life.”

They have blindly become like prostitutes.

Ezekiel 16:34-35 “So you were different from other women in your whoring. No one solicited you to play the whore, and you gave payment, while no payment was given to you; therefore you were different. Therefore, O prostitute hear the word of the Lord.”

Their lustful lifestyle may lead them to lesbian activity.

Romans 1:26-27 “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relation for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”

They blindly walk the broad path to Hell.

Proverbs 5:5-6 “Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.”

The ironic truth is that women who want to be “free” in the area of sexuality, actually become slaves. They are slaves to their every craving and sinful lust, no longer keeping control over themselves emotionally or physically. In their fight to be “free” from the “oppression of men and cultural norms” they become slaves to lust hungry men. They are used up and dry, integrity and virtue seeping away from them until nothing is left but a hollow shell of a woman.

“How has the domain of darkness

So disguised its self as light?

There you sit as in the shadows

And the chains of death but yet

The world says “this is life,

And yes what life is all about:

To sit in darkness as if light,

To raise your bound hands high

And shout your freedom,

For you are free to do as much

Of what you’re bound to as you like.”

This world offers an illusion of freedom for women, and in the end all they find is bondage, unsatisfied cravings and lusts, disillusionment, spiritual and possibly physical death, and eventual destruction if not for the grace of God.

Today’s music, movies, magazines, and philosophies are damning for women. When I hear of it or see it all I can think is “How un-glorious.” Now, thank the Lord God that He has a great, glorious, and perfect plan for women.

God’s Plan For Women’s Freedom

1. Salvation.

What should the Lord do about us, dear women? We, whose chief adultery is against the Lord! We have taken the beauty and gifts that He gave us, and gone after other lovers. We have turned our back on Him who loves us and calls us for Himself, and said to Him “It is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners (or men, or sex etc), and after them I will go…We are free, we will come no more to you (Jeremiah 2:25,31).”

What should the God we have spurned do with us?

Well, dear friends, He could rightly say this: “I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy (Ezekiel 16:38).”

Yet, our God is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 145:8).”

He says to the same guilty group: “You may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for all that you have done (Ezekiel 16:63).”

And now, we ought to cover our mouths in shock. “When I atone for all that you have done.”

How does God bring this atonement about?

2Corinthians 4:21 “For our sake he (God the Father) made him (Jesus) to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

God placed the full weight of sin on Jesus Christ’s shoulders. He died to pay the penalty for women who cheat on spouses, steal husbands, parade themselves, sleep around, and commit abortion. There is no sin too great that Jesus blood is not sufficient to wash it away. The most holy and righteous God gave His Son’s life as a ransom for us when we were in a despicable state. All within us that God abhors, all our shameful words and ways, He placed upon Jesus. Jesus died to remove our transgressions “as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).”

To quote C.J. Mahaney:

“Because of God’s amazing gracious heart toward those who thoroughly deserve only His wrath, He both planned for and provided this mediator (Jesus) to resolve the divine dilemma- a mediator who, through His blood, would accomplish a unique assignment utterly unlike any other work of mediation. In the mystery of His mercy, God- the innocent, offended party- offers up to death His own Son, to satisfy His righteous wrath and save the guilty party from it.”

What should be our response to this mercy?

Ezekiel 18:30-31 “Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die?”

God says “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone…so turn and live (Ezekiel 18:32).”

If you have bought into this world’s lies about “sexual freedom” then I pray you have become aware that it will destroy you, if it hasn’t yet. Ultimately, your soul will pay the penalty in Hell. I say this, because I do not want that for you, and because God offers such a great salvation! You must forsake your sin, and put your trust in Jesus Christ who paid your death penalty when He died on the cross. Ask Him to forgive you all your sins this day. Jesus says “whoever comes to me I will never cast out (John 6:37).”

His love knows no limits, and He will cleanse you of all your sin if you will turn to Him. He will set you free from slavery to sin, and grant you a new life and a new heart. This is God’s ultimate purpose for women.

John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

2. To make a pure Bride for Christ.

Ephesians 5:25-27 “…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”

Revelation 19:7-8 “’Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’ – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

The Christian woman (and man) has an amazing calling from God. We are to wait longingly to be united with Christ, and to prepare ourselves for that great day by being made holy and clothing ourselves with righteous deeds. God Himself is preparing us, and His promise is to present us as blameless and spotless before God the Son. We will be betrothed to Him forever.

Jesus prayer for us will be completely accomplished. He prayed to the Father asking “…that they (believers) may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one…Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world (John 17:22-24).”

“How deep the Father’s love for us

How vast beyond all measure

That He would give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure.”

And so, our purpose for existing is to be saved and set apart for Christ, and to await the wedding feast when we will finally be joined with Him for all eternity. There is no more glorious purpose for women!

3. Satisfied in Christ, we submit to God’s perfect plan for singleness, marriage and sexuality.

Christ should become so glorious and supremely satisfying to us that even if we never received romantic male attention again, we would be more than content with our portion. This is our life’s aim. Be we single or married, barren or with children, healthy or diseased, rich or poor- God is enough for us.

That being said, all sinful lusts in us must die. We should no longer find our satisfaction in attention from men.

I only want to touch on this topic briefly.

Are you single?

Let me says this: “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1Corinthians 6:20).”

If Jesus Christ has ransomed you, He now owns you. What greater Master is there? You were once mastered by your sinful flesh, but now Christ rules you. He loved you so much that He died for you! So glorify Him with your dress and your speech. Be a modest woman, exalting Christ with your body.

You have a unique opportunity to be committed to service and evangelism, and I would encourage you to wholeheartedly live in devotion to Christ. Be a satisfied single woman. If you are waiting and saving yourself for your husband, don’t waste time pining away. Rather, be on fire for the gospel of God with a love for dying people.

Are you married?

Among other things (caring for the needy, sharing the gospel etc) married women are called to “love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled (Titus 2:4).”

I will touch on all these points briefly. We are called to:

Love. Isn’t this what all women desire? The world wants us to have endless cravings after many men, and the result is hardness of heart with no tenderness or affection. What a wonderful calling from God, that we should love our husbands and children.

Practice Self Control. We are no longer to be slaves to our emotions and perceived rights. I think of this verse which proves so prosperous in the life of a woman: “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil (Psalm 37:8).”

Be Pure. This applies to every area of our lives but I think of this verse: “Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Our heart, mind, and body is set apart for our husbands alone, and we are never to stray into adulterous ways.

Work at home. This is another way to love our families, by providing them with a pleasant home to live in, and by meeting their physical needs. The woman who does this will find great fulfillment and blessing. Proverbs 31:27-28 “She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

Be kind and submissive to their own husbands. You mean not demanding our rights? Not ruling over our household? Not calling our husbands fools for forgetting something, or nagging them endlessly? Yes.

Let’s really consider this: what women ever felt peace and joy in being cruel and acting superior to their husbands? No one. When we follow God’s ordained plans for marriage we have peace, rest, and joy regardless of our circumstances. His ways are always higher than ours.

“That the word of God may not be reviled.”

I love this. Everything about our lives reflects on God and the truth of His word! This should motivate and inspire the godly woman.

I pray that in reading this, you would put away the lie that sexual and reproductive freedom is of “utmost importance” in the lives of women. Do not destroy your soul for the pleasures of this world. Your eternity is at stake, and Christ is at hand.

Final Verses To Consider

Psalm 16:5-6,11 “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance…You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

His investments had multiplied, assets increased, and businesses all profitably ran themselves. But what should he do with all this wealth? His children were well taken care of… there were grandchildren coming soon, he hoped. “I will secure a future for myself, my children, and my children’s children. I will say to my soul ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’”   

He does not know this is the night his soul will be required of him.

He hits play, and an orchestra surrounds him. Closing his eyes, the wine slips smoothly past his lips. He smiles, intent to meditate on his many accomplishments and abundance of possessions: feature story in Macleans, private homes at three exotic locations, beautiful wife, intelligent children, and a Rolls-Royce with a V12 engine, hand-stitched leather, and a paintjob so gorgeous his own reflection stares back at him.

Thoughts from his sister’s letter abruptly hijacked his brain, interrupting his bliss like a loud mouthed fool at a fine banquet. All good feelings fled, and unpleasant thoughts dead bolted the door.

“Money doesn’t satisfy that deepest part of you,” she’d said.

What kind of sentimental, pre-teen girl talk was that, he scoffed.

Besides, he wasn’t selfish. Charities hit him up every year like kids at an ice cream truck. They knew they could count on his generosity. It’s not like he sits and counts his dollar bills at night.

Money doesn’t satisfy? He guessed not. But it sure was nice.

And that silly verse she had quoted at him! It wasn’t relevant at all. He flattened the crinkled letter to read it again.

 Proverbs 23:4-5 “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”

His financial advisors were more than able to take care of that concern. What century was she living in? It’s like she has the idea that people still burry their money bags in the field for robbers to dig up. But he was secure. Secure, secure, secure. No green bills were sprouting wings around here anytime soon.

He could shrug those warnings off like last years’ Armani. But what really wrenched his guts was her audacity to talk about “sin.”

Christian’s greatest sin is all the emphasis they put on… sin. Yeah, some people are bad. But what society needs to do is foster the good that is in everyone, not point out flaws. Criminals are people who have had the good beat out of them by a lack of care, kindness, and encouragement. They suffer from a serious lack of self-esteem. How is the word “sinner” going to help anyone? It’s only making things worse.

He kept reading. “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement.”

Well there’s a positive view on life. Thanks for hope sis. But he knew better, not like these prehistoric Christians with their caveman like thinking. God isn’t out there to knock people with a club; he looks for the best in everyone.

“God holds us accountable for our sin.”

And she thinks she has a “high view” of God? He was pretty sure God is bigger than that. Christians think God’s mind is as narrow as their own. But God is much more welcoming than they know. He wonders if they’ll be angry in Heaven when God welcomes the Buddhists, Muslims, and humanists. He laughed to himself as he imagined the Christians rallying to kick them out. They’re such petty people.

He glanced over the finishing words, but he’d heard them all before. “Jesus died for you sin… He took the punishment you deserve… repent… trust in Him… I love you Marv, and I want to see you in Heaven.”

She really believed this stuff. A current of sympathy rolled into the tumult of anger in his stomach. He swallowed hard to try and suppress them both. He had told her time and time again that he did believe in Jesus. But for him, Jesus was like a spiritual lottery. The more prayers you prayed, the higher your chances of… blessings. Jesus existed for him, not the other way around. It seemed obvious that Jesus had taken a great liking to him, he thought as he gazed out the window at his private garden, the lit path inviting him for a walk.

Standing on the small bridge, the crisp night air felt good, and his heart calmed as he watched the fountain steadily cascade into the pond. More comfortable concerns filled his head.

What to get Nina for Christmas? Jewellery always excited her… but over half of it glittered in a locked box all year in the deeper recesses of the closet. Maybe a surprise trip. A nice idea, but how could it stand out from the other five vacations they take each year?

His head had been aching for an hour. He scanned the area for a servant to bring him some Tylenol. Not one in sight. He felt unusually cold for a moderate night. It was then he realized his shirt was damp with sweat.

“Did her letter stress me out that much?” He felt embarrassed for being affected by such nonsense. His heart seemed to skip a beat in his chest, and his air caught in his lungs. He turned to head to the house and stumbled. Gasping for breath, a crushing pain was set ablaze and began to roar within his chest. His knees hit pavement as some unseen force seemed to cruelly wring the life out of him.  

His face pressed closer to the cement as he laboured to resist it. Death was gripping him. It squeezed tighter and tighter. This seemed a merciless way to die. No friends or family beside his bed. No preparation, no last words, no peaceful escape.
No breathe left for final prayers.

His few last seconds were spent fighting to keep his eyes opened. This is what he saw, and this is for eternity how he will remember his exit from this world:

His home loomed above him, glorious and strong. It was a testimony to his life’s ambition fulfilled. Hard work had seemed to pay off. Few peopled had earned the right to enjoy life as much as he had. Some would say he was “privileged,” but he resented that kind of talk. Privilege had nothing to do with it; he had earned the right to live luxuriously.

Then rain began to fall like he had never seen before. The wind came upon the house rumbling and rushing like a thousand trains. It pummelled the rain like bullets at his home from all directions. The water gathered all around him and quickly rose.

He heard a loud creak, and a groaning from the house. It was then he realized that both he and his home were suddenly standing on loose sand. There were no roots, no depths, or strength to withstand this terrible storm.

He watched his home swiftly fall to pieces and be carried out to sea, as his life ended. For the first time he began to consider the concept of what his sister called “eternal death.” Was this it? He was horrified to find that he still existed, yet the inescapable sensation he felt was one of dying.

 His hands longed to reach out again for the things of that last world, but his hands were empty and his land was desolate. His true condition was being unveiled, but too late. What he had been on earth, he forever would be. Death had sealed his fate in eternity. The evildoer would still do evil, the filthy would still be filthy, the righteous would still do right, and the holy would still be holy (Revelation 22:10).

Years passed. Hundreds of them. At first, he tried vainly to comfort himself with memories of that past life. But it was a fading dream. No matter how he fought to keep it, it slipped further into the background, until it became a haunt to him, and a detested torturer.

 Revelation 3:17 “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Proverbs 11:4 “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”

*Part Two titled “The Poor Man” in this two part story will soon follow.

Right now God is in a state of holding back, or rather as Romans 2:5 says “storing up” His wrath while His enemies roam the earth. His wrath is kindled; it may now be pressing in on them, but is not yet being fully poured out on living people. As long as a person has breath they are experiencing God’s amazing mercy every single day.

We have discussed that God feels anger towards unregenerate men while they live. But what other feelings might He have towards them? What is His heart for the people of this earth?

(Sections 5-9 of this series already has more thoughts on this, but I want to back up and go deeper)

2Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

1Timothy 2:3-4 “God our Savior… desires all people to be saved and to come the knowledge of the truth.”

Arminians use these verses as ammunition against the idea that God had particular, chosen people in mind when He sent Jesus to the cross. Some Calvinists have shallow thinking, and sweep these verses aside saying “all” or “any” only ever refers to chosen people.

But God’s delight, desire, longing, and heart is that every knee would bow before Jesus Christ before the Judgement Day. Many of us, in our attempt to “protect” God’s sovereignty have done people a great disservice by diminishing the emotions God experiences towards those who are walking towards eternal destruction. We have unbiblical notions about an indifferent God withholding salvation from “unchosen” people, without a hint of concern about their welfare. Some think of the gift of salvation as something God grants only out of hard determination void of passion, depth of love, rich satisfaction, and joy.

Why must we make God smaller? We take the Potter and try to meld him into a clay image that we can fit our hands around. One exalts the love of God as though it trumps His sovereign right to do with humans whatever He pleases. Another preaches God’s sovereignty in such a way that men have become helpless pawns on a chessboard, and God an aloof dictator knocking down whoever He wants.

This is not the heart of God revealed in scripture. Don’t withdraw your emotions when you read these words; rather close your eyes and think about God’s heart revealed in them.

Romans 10:19-20 “‘I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.’ But of Israel he says, ‘All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

First we see that God seeks out gentiles and reveals Himself to a people who have no interest in Him. What is His heart in this? Is it so that He can say “Ahah! You selfish people, I have saved you in spite of yourself!”

No. Rather with tenderness, joy and anticipation He says “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called sons of the living God’ (Romans 9:25-26).” When He claims someone He calls them “beloved.” Those He once rejected, He now adopts and calls “sons of the living God.”

But what about those who were not saved- in this case the larger part of Israel?

“All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Does God invite all sinners to come to Him? Would He, though in control of their hearts, yet plead with them?

Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and you would not!”

Isaiah 55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts…”

John 7:37 “If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink.”

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me all who are heavy laden…”

When the Lord pleads with people to come to Him, He cast His net over the whole earth. He emphasizes mankind’s responsibility to come to Him, even though Jesus said “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws Him (John 6:44).” Yet He never preached, “Come to me, whoever is chosen. Wait for me to incline your dead heart to believe.” He appeals to our conscience, our guilt and our felt need of Him.

When He preaches the cross He doesn’t say “And here is good news for whoever is predestined.” He says “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself (John 12:32).” When the angel announced his birth he said “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Lest we forget, Jesus is the one who said “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

If God is in sovereign control of souls, does that make His appeal to all mankind fake? Is he only humouring people when He gives the command: “Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live (Isaiah 55:3).” Or “Make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

Randy Alcorn discusses this issue in his book “If God Is Good”: “God extends a genuine, not a pretend invitation to choice-making people to come to him. They can do so as he sovereignly empowers them…  Sinners should choose to repent, yet only God grants saving repentance… Our problem is both our unwillingness to understand and our incapacity to turn our wills toward God.”

I believe God’s sovereign control is beautifully revealed alongside man’s responsibility to respond in Matthew 13. In verse 11 Jesus says to his disciples “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” God is the only one who can unveil kingdom secrets to spiritually blind people. He does this as it pleases Him: “The Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it (John 5:21).”

Yet, look at the explanation Jesus gives for this people’s blindness and unbelief:

“You will indeed hear, but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them (Matthew 13:14-15).”

To this people God sent prophets. They killed them. To this people God stretched out His hand all day long and gave the “adoption, the glory, the covenants, the…law, the worship…the promises… the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh…Christ who is God over all (Romans 9:4-5).” This Christ healed their diseases, He preached good news, and they wanted to destroy Him. In fact, they gave it their best effort.

We must never dare use these scriptures in Matthew to prove how “unwilling” God is to save people, but rather how unwilling man is to repent. His patience is not short friends, it is unfathomable. Would you hold out your hands to a bride all day long who showered your gifts on other lovers, sacrificed your children to demons, ignored you and forgot you? Read the book of Hosea. Read Psalm 78 and 106 and you will see that this is exactly what God did.

What are we seeing here in Matthew? First, that God must open up hearts to understand spiritual truths. But notice these words: “Their eyes they have close, lest…”

Jesus stands before them, truth and grace pouring from His lips. A blind man sees, the crippled man walks, a dead man leave his tomb, and they shut tight their eyes.

Stephen preaches to them their guilt, and says “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51).” What was their response? “They were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him… they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him… and stoned him (Acts 7:54,57,58).”

Man does not need God to actively harden their heart to the gospel. We are perfectly capable and so inclined to close our own eyes, harden our own hearts, and stop our own ears. He does not force men to resist the Holy Spirit; they do it themselves.

Is there a time when God so puts His hand upon a man’s heart so as to confirm it’s hardness and seal them over to their willful unbelief and corrupt desires? Yes. “He hardens whomever he wills (Romans 9:18).” “Since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind (Romans 1:28).”

See that it is people, not God, who receive blame for their lack of belief and response to Him. It is their own corrupt nature and desire that seals their condemnation.

John 3:18-19 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.”

Look once more at Matthew 13: “Their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them (Matthew 13:14-15).”

Dear friends, again I say “God is not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” If they would see, if they would hear, if they would incline their heart this day, He says “I would heal them.” Is it true that they cannot do this? Absolutely (see Romans 8:7, 1Corinthians 2:14). But don’t miss the other fact- they have freely refused to accept and believe the truth.

So what is God’s heart toward the living dead? I believe it is salvation.

He will be revealed as Awesome, Mighty, Righteous, and Just every time He casts sinners to Hell. These are hard words, but they are undeniable. A terrible day of judgement is coming, and God will ultimately accomplish the intent of His heart without reason for remorse. However, for those alive on this earth, today is a day of repentance, and now is the opportunity to respond to God’s loving calls and receive mercy. God “does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men (Lamentations 3:33).” That is to say He does not execute justice cheerfully or from the heart. It is not God’s passion or delight to say “depart from me (Matthew 7:23).”

When I ask “what is God’s heart?” I am really asking, “What is God’s delight and most glorious purpose for spiritually dead mankind?”

I want to end with these two scripture verses and come back again to discuss this further:

Isaiah 53:11 “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant; make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.”

Hebrews 12:2 “Jesus… for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

We have discussed that God is not hesitant, nor will He regret the need to punish. John 3:36 says that “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”  One will go to eternal life, and one will bare an eternal wrath. There is no end to the punishment in Hell.  Sins done on earth cannot be made right again. The day of repentance has passed; the hope of gaining salvation by works has proven futile. God’s anger cannot be removed from sinners; their condemnation is sealed and set in stone. In the dark world they condemned themselves by loving evil and refusing light. The pain of Hell will be in knowing one’s own worthlessness and foolishness, while hating a God whom they can never escape from. God’s anger will forever burn against them, and all they will experience is infuriation, loathing, and misery.

The unpleasant subject of Hell is seldom talked about in Christianity today. But with multitudes of people boldly marching onward to this eternal destination, how can we turn a blind eye to it? Can you imagine if these were your eternal cries?

Jeremiah 8:20 “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

Lamentation 3:1-3 “I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light; surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long.”

Can you imagine the horror of at last facing God as His enemy? Not only are you His enemy, but He is yours. The following words are among the most terrible I have read in the Bible, spoken by a man alive on earth. Can you imagine how much worse the cries of a man will be who has spent a million years in Hell?

Lamentations 3:16-18 “He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, ‘My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.”

If we are Christians, shouldn’t our hearts break? So many lives are going to be proven as vain as the grass that withers and the flower that fades. One wretched gush of wind and it’s over. People will have eternity to deal with the consequences. The utter waste of it all should rid us of selfish desires in this world. We should cry out “Lord, detach our hearts from this fleeting place!” Only two things will endure forever- the souls of men and the Word of God. Why do we flitter with all the things that are passing away?

Charles Spurgeon said “If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies; and if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay…. If Hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned or unprayed for.”

Should our hearts be filled with such urgency and grief? Aren’t people only getting what they deserve for their sins? Certainly yes, but let us pray to have a heart like Paul:

“I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh (Romans 9:2-3).”   

This is the contrition of heart that pleases God, unlike the prophet Jonah who was pleased only that sinners received what they deserved. Would God not rather be pleased with Jeremiah who said to disobedient people: “If you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive (Jeremiah 13:17).”

If God’s followers are to be broken over impending punishment for sinners, do you think the Lord is unfeeling toward them? Can the Lord be satisfied in doing right, unhesitant to punish, and still feel grieved over sinful people’s lives and loss? 

I believe the Word of God teaches that He can.

This leads us into our next section of study, which is God’s heart towards lost people. But I will close with these verses for now:

Ezekiel 18:31-32 “Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn and live.”

She wakes up, already in a hurried pace. “Did my heart rate slow at all last night?” she wonders. Even her dreams are a blur. The coffee is set, already brewing. She begins her routine: wrinkle cream, tweezing, makeup just right, and a fifteen-minute-to-do hair style that says “natural.” There’s no one to kiss goodbye to– yet– but she’s building her dreams and Mr. Right will soon follow.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-8 “Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other… yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, ‘For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?’ This also is vanity and an unhappy business.”

The coffee doesn’t taste right in her stainless steel mug, but its morning fuel nonetheless. She throws her briefcase into her Mercedes and pops in a motivational disc.

“You have the power to accomplish your dreams. All of that power is in you. You already posses what it takes to make them a reality, you just need to believe it.”

“I believe it,” she says to herself. Yet, why does the accomplishing of one goal always lead to the unquenchable desire to achieve more? And why, after striving so hard to hit the target is the feeling of satisfaction so brief and fleeting? She wished there was a way to bottle up the feeling of success and pop the lid off whenever she needed a boost.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income.”

“I have every reason to be happy,” she says to herself. “I am beautiful, rich, healthy, and well liked.” She doesn’t see this as pride, but rather a mantra to repeat to herself. All good things can come to pass if you think and confess positively.

She stops at a city light. A group of kids are waiting for a walk signal. She sees one purple Mohawk, two cigarettes, three metal band t-shirts, and too many piercings to count. She watches them talk, and can tell that for them life is one big joke. They don’t respect each other; they don’t respect themselves. One kid with headphones on rocks his head to an invisible band, mouthing the same curse word over and over. They don’t even care that people are watching.

One catches her eye and smiles. She looks away. The light turns green and she turns left towards her office thinking “If those kids don’t smarten up they’re going to waste their lives. I’m sure they are certainly wasting their high school years.”

Ecclesiastes 9:2,6 “The same event happens to the righteous and the wicked… and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.”

Not like her. She made the best of her schooling and continued right up through six long hard years of University. She was the top of her class. Smarts alone won’t get you through life; she had learned how to treat people kindly, fairly. She exuded a positive attitude and rarely entered a room without a smile. She had fought her way to the top of this corporation and still held a good reputation. Though the days were long, and if she was honest the nights were lonely, she took comfort in these thoughts.

She walked through the heavy glass doors, acknowledging her colleagues. “I’m doing far better than most women my age” she thought.  “And I know I can go even further.”

Ecclesiastes 4:4 “Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbour. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.”

The phone at her desk begins ringing incessantly as soon as eight o’clock hits. Her heart sinks. She smiles, and picks up the phone. Here we go again.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 “Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”

“Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.” –CT Studd

Philippians 3:7-9 “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and counted them rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

           

Jeremiah 23:19-20 “Behold, the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has accomplished the intents of his heart.”

            What is it like for God to at last pour out His wrath on a life poorly lived? How does He feel about this? There was a time when I imagined that God did this with great reluctance, tears in His eyes, and looking away. It was almost as if the situation was out of His control as He pronounced final judgement.

            One night, at a time in my life when I had little exposure to teaching about the wrath of God, I read Jonathon Edward’s Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God. I remember having a deep sense of its truth, as awe came over me mingled with a sickening feeling of uneasiness. In issues of judgement this God seemed frightfully different from the god I had envisioned. Edwards described that it’s as easy for God to cast sinners to Hell as it is for a man to crush a worm underfoot. I was helped to see that throughout men’s lives God’s mercy restrains impending judgement, the axe being held up only by His kindness until at last their day of repentance has passed.

            In vivid, unreserved language Edwards made clear that God is obligated to give nothing to men but justice. The night I read this the Holy Spirit tore down idolatry in my heart. I ached, mourned, and fought within as God stripped me of my sentimentalized version of Himself! But of course dear friends, any time God reveals Himself more truly to your heart, you will experience deeper reverence and greater satisfaction in Him than when you held on to falsehood.

            But now, let us seek to think about this as biblically as we can. At first, I was in danger of imagining God to be less powerful, capable, and wrathful. I thought that He was reluctantly just. I imagined man to be too worthy, wonderful, attractive to God, and capable of attaining salvation by some effort of his own. After reading Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God I could choose to view God as cruel, heartless, and compassionless- but I would be sorely wrong.

            God is as loving and He is just.  He is “keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but… will by no means clear the guilty (Exodus 34:7).” He must punish sin, and it will be punished, either in the perpetrator or in the broken body of Jesus Christ, in which case all sins will be forgiven. Both situations are within His control, including unrepentant sinners and their necessary punishment. God always does what is right, just, and perfect.  He makes no mistakes; Therefore He will have no regrets.

 

The Bible teaches that God will be glorified in His saints the day of His return, but Psalm 76:10 also says that “Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.”  Proverbs 16:4 states that “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.”  What good purpose could come from the terrible day of judgement that will fall upon wicked people?  What type of praise will God receive for having executed his wrath upon men?

Romans 9:22-23 “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy which he has prepared beforehand for glory…?”

God Almighty is not ashamed of His attributes.  He desires to make known His mercy, but also to be revealed as great in wrath, awesome in power, and just to punish. 

In David’s prayer of repentance after committing adultery with Bathsheba he says “Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement (Psalm 51:4).”  We know that God does not need to be “justified” in a sense like we do, but rather this word means He will be shown as righteous and just, and will make manifest what He already is.  Our sin brings us guilt that is like a rotting in our bones.  It can tear apart families and leads us down the road to death.  All of sin’s results, including final judgement will cause men to be undeniably sure that all of God’s judgements and words were blameless.

Paul quotes Psalm 51:4 and brings up this argument:  “But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say?  That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)  By no means!  For then how could God judge the world (Romans 3:5-6)?”

This is ample evidence to show God desires to show forth His justice, and that He will be right and fair in doing so.  When we accuse God of being unfair, we elevate ourselves above God and are actually considering that God may be unrighteous.  God’s plan and execution of redemption and judgement is perfect.  At the final judgement the redeemed will glorify God for dealing perfect justice, and their praises will be exalted higher upon the visual realization of what they have been spared from.