Rebels are sometimes known as loners. Today’s scripture says that this trait can be attributed to their desire to keep their distance from righteousness. Many who would be identified by these terms do not disassociate from sin or sinners. Instead, they disassociate from truth and righteousness. Righteous thoughts and words have been known to melt the hard heart. They penetrate the rocky soil and begin to break down pride and rebellion. In order for a rebel to remain in his rebellion, he must keep a distance between himself and the truth. The very concepts of righteousness and rebellion refuse to coexist. Hence the battle rages: as the Lord works to draw man’s attention to righteousness, the Devil fights to keep man’s distance from it.
Loyalty is a godly trait, and like most godly traits, difficulties can accompany it. The story of David and Uriah serves as a prime example. David sinned against the Lord when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. His actions caused her to become expectant with child. In an attempt to cover his wickedness, he sent for Uriah, his faithful soldier. David knew that his only opportunity to hide his sin from man was for Uriah to go home to Bathsheba. However, Uriah was a faithful soldier. He simply refused to enjoy the comforts of being with his wife while his fellow soldiers were enduring the hardness of battle. Uriah instead chose to sleep at the door of the king’s house. This loyalty caused David to reevaluate his devious plan and escalate the consequences. He decided to order Uriah to the hottest part of the battle insuring certain death. It was not just the enemy that killed Uriah, but also his loyalty to an unfaithful man!
Loyalty sometimes comes at the steepest of prices! For some, the cost may seem minimal, but for others it has cost them deeply, dearly, and sometimes completely. Throughout history, the people of God have endured mocking, persecution, and even martyrdom. God offers us the record of many who chose to suffer rather than recant their proclaimed faith in the Creator. Many things have changed since ancient times, but those choosing to walk with the Lord today will likewise see an escalation in all forms of persecution. This tribulation from the world will become increasingly worse as man continues to be influenced by ungodliness. Believers should willingly endure whatever cost loyalty may require by keeping in mind the ultimate price paid when Christ gave Himself for mankind. Though the list in Hebrews chapter 11 has been closed, the Lord continues to track the actions of those loyal to Him.
God offered man the greatest statement of loyalty when Christ promised never to leave the believer. The Lord did not promise some type of reciprocating loyalty conditioned upon man’s loyalty toward Him. Rather, the Lord promised He will “never leave . . . nor forsake.” Man’s frailty offers God numerous reasons and opportunities to justify leaving and forsaking, but God’s character overrides man’s frailty. If the Lord promises loyalty, He fulfils that promise without requiring reciprocity. According to 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise.” Once a man is born again, he becomes a child of God and immediately becomes the beneficiary of promised loyalty given to him by the Son of God.
The apostle Paul warned of a time when people would no longer endure sound doctrine. Because of their lusts, they would actively seek after teachers who turned them unto fables. In fact, much of this is accomplished by people using the truth as a source for teaching things contrary to the very truth they supposedly uphold. Far too frequently people have been turned away from the truth in the name of truth. These Bible teachers elevate themselves as the authority while creating fables generally based upon certain verses of scripture. The tragedy may begin subtly, but eventually, many people seek after these teachers rather than scripture. This is why Paul admonished Timothy to “Preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2) to delay the onset of this spiritually desolate period.
The enemies of God and of His people have always sought to conquer those weak in the faith by destroying their faith. Even now, false teachers seek to deceive the hearts of the simple – those who lack knowledge, understanding, and wisdom (Proverbs 8:5; Proverbs 9:4, 13). According to the scripture, these teachers do so “by good words and fair speeches.” It is not some raving, ranting lunatic that is most dangerous; it is the sweet talking, kind, loving, liar. In order to gain a following, a teacher must only appeal to others by sounding intelligent and offering “fair speeches” sprinkled with truth. If he can present things new to his audience, whether factual or not, the simple will become enamoured with his abilities and follow his teachings. This is why the Bible warns believers to have no fellowship with those who teach things contrary to the scripture. Any world religious leader who speaks softly and kindly yet fails to proclaim the true gospel probably lives more like a devil in private. The Bible calls these people wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Physically speaking, the life of the flesh involves a sound heart (Proverbs 14:30) and blood (Leviticus 17:11). Without these, a man will not long survive. In like manner, much emphasis is also placed upon the importance of sound bone structure. A man who has problems with his bone density and strength finds his quality of life greatly hindered. According to the Bible, we can draw a parallel between bone strength and spirituality. The Bible says that envy is the rottenness of the bones. As bone strength declines, the individual becomes prone to falls and injury. In like manner, as a person allows envy to take root within his heart, he becomes unstable and prone to falling and personal injury. Those who refuse to repent of envy will ultimately lead themselves into an untimely spiritual death.
The death of someone is a sorrowful event, but much more so for those who do not know God (the lost). Believers, on the other hand, understand that the separation of death is only temporary. For this reason, believers should find much hope after losing a loved one who knew the Lord. This loss serves as another reminder to look forward to the joys of heaven awaiting God’s people. The scenario is much different for the lost. When a lost person loses a loved one, there is no reason for hope. If the departed loved one was saved, no hope for a reunion is both real and anticipated; however, if the loved one was never saved, hell will not be a place for any joyous reunions. It is terrible to witness others lose loved ones to death without the wonderful hope offered by God to His children.
This life offers only a window of time and opportunity to work for the Lord. Youthfulness and old age both offer their own hindrances to service. In many ways, though not entirely, youth should be spent in learning, middle age in doing, and old age in teaching those who are learning and doing. Many of the greatest servants of the Lord found in scripture began their journey in youth by learning of the Lord and His ways (1 Kings 18:12; Psalm 71:5; 2 Chronicles 34:3; Job 29:4; Ecclesiastes 12:1). As they approached the prime of life, they invested their learning by serving the Lord (Numbers 8:24-25). As they passed their prime, they would pass their knowledge on to the next generation in hopes of the Lord’s work continuing and flourishing (2 Timothy 4:1-8)..
Sometimes the most difficult and significant tasks involve the simplest truths. For instance, every Christian should quickly learn that vengeance belongs unto the Lord. God confirms as much throughout scripture (Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalm 94:1; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30). This should be understandable as only the Lord has all the necessary information to execute just vengeance 100 percent of the time. When man attempts to execute vengeance, he often does so out of an improper motive or without key information of the evil that appears to have been done. Furthermore, when a believer takes vengeance into his own hands, he robs the Lord of His right and responsibility to exact vengeance at the right time and in the right manner.
