How would making your motive match the Lord's motive change how you approach the Christian life (from witnessing to praying to Bible reading and so on)?
A martyr is one who is killed for his faith. Only two individuals are specifically named as martyrs in scripture: Stephen and Antipas.
The Bible mentions true riches thus indicating the existence of false riches. Much of what the world considers riches simply serves as a veil for true poverty. While on earth, the Lord appeared to be the poorest of the poor (Matthew 8:20), all the while being the One who owned all things. The believers at Smyrna appeared to be poor, but the Lord unflinchingly stated that they were in fact rich (Revelation 2:8-9). The opposite was said of those in Laodicea. Although they claimed to be rich, the Bible states the reality: they were poor (Revelation 3:14-17). This truth is confirmed in Proverbs 13:7 when the Bible says, “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.”
The question concerning duly authorized or appointed authority is crucial. Although the question above originated with the chief priests and elders, it remains a good question. What was the Lord’s authority for the things He was doing, and from what or whom did this authority originate? It is under this microscope that everything in life should be examined. The Lord’s authority was Himself (or His Father), and so it should be with the New Testament believer. Everything believed or done should be believed or done because it is the will of the Lord. Unfortunately, the typical believer today has other competing authorities such as feelings, experience, and even peers that often lead to unscriptural beliefs and works.
Although one individual may possess both power and authority, the two are not identical. Authority is the right or responsibility to do something whereas power is the ability to do something. Unfortunately, the modern versions missed this truth when they translated Matthew 28:18. Instead of properly expressing that because of the resurrection the Lord Jesus had been given all power in heaven and earth, these so-called bibles suggest that He had been instead given authority. The authority already resided with Him, but the resurrection declared Him “to be the Son of God with power” (Romans 1:4). His resurrection from the dead gave Him the power over death by conquering the one who possessed the power of death (Hebrews 2:14).
As Necho, king of Egypt, was on his way to fight against Carchemish, king Josiah of Judah came out against him for battle. Necho assured Josiah that the battle did not involve Judah and that the Lord had commanded him to make haste against the house of Carchemish. In order to turn Josiah’s intervention, Necho reminded Josiah that his intervention would be meddling with the will of God. Josiah refused to listen to the warning and meddled in these matters costing him his life (2 Chronicles 35:22-24). Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, expressed a similar statement when he told his peers that they should let the apostles alone lest they fight against God (Acts 5:34-39).
True loyalty never wavers without sound justification. The book of Revelation reveals that believers in Smyrna were going to face various difficulties such as imprisonment, trials, and perhaps even martyrdom. In the midst of these calamities, the Lord admonished them to be “faithful unto death.” God’s people have always had their loyalty to the Lord tested. If loyalty occurred naturally, everyone would exhibit loyalty. True loyalty is not something a believer possesses in the absence of adversity. Rather, adversity provides the means for loyalty to excel. In fact, it was in the face of the adversity of crucifixion that the Lord Jesus Christ exemplified His loyalty to both mankind and the Father. In doing so, He set forth an example that every believer ought to willingly follow and exemplify.
God hates! For those enamored by the teachers who strictly emphasize the love of God, this fact may be difficult to appreciate. Yet, it is both true and scriptural. In fact, the truth becomes even more peculiar when considering that God's hatred is founded within His love. According to 1 John 4:8, “God is love.” He never ceases to be love, and if He did, He would cease to be God. Yet, the Bible specifically points out that God also hates! Let the Bible speak for itself and it will clear up any preconceived ideas. God hates because He loves. God loves the righteous; therefore, He hates “all workers of iniquity” (Psalm 5:5). The Bible also points out that He hates the wicked and those who love violence (Psalm 11:5). These truths are frequently contrary to the common teaching by men who fail to consider the whole of scripture and the depth of God. The old saying, “God hates the sin, but loves the sinner” apparently fails when considering the whole matter. God does, in fact, hate the wicked! Additionally, God hates wicked deeds and wicked doctrines (Revelation 2:6, 15). Each of us must insure that we declare all the counsel of God and not conveniently limit our understanding to only the most positive aspects (Acts 20:27).
God knows everything about everything, yet Christians sometimes act as though He has some debilitating limitations. Once again, the Bible shines the light of truth upon the matter. It reveals that He is great, “and of great power: his understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5). In fact, His eyes “are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). In other words, there is nothing that escapes the knowledge and attention of God. This includes the good and the bad! The Son of God proclaimed to the church at Thyatira that He knew their works, charity, service, faith, and patience. He too knows about the level of a man’s faith! He knows the content, strength, and reality of that faith. A man can and will fool others and frequently even deceives himself (Jeremiah 17:9), but he has no capacity to mislead God. The Lord knows those who believe and accept His word as the perfect word of God and He is not unrighteous to forget (Hebrews 6:10).
