After Christ removes the church, He will establish the time of Jacob’s trouble. After this, Christ will return as a thief in the night to make up His jewels.
To steal is to wrongfully and selfishly take something that belongs to someone else and place it amongst one’s own possessions.
God calls people into different works. In the midst of this diversity, a common thread unites all the work—men ought to do all they do to the glory of God.
One must choose his reward for actions taken. Would he rather receive eternal reward from God the Father, or temporary praise and recognition from his peers?
The world contains far too many wicked people possessing no concern for God, the Bible, and eternity. Sometimes those who know the Lord as Saviour lose hope concerning others coming to a saving knowledge of Christ. Bible-believing Christians must always keep in mind that as long as a man remains breathing there is hope for his redemption. Isaiah told the Lord, “For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth” (Isaiah 38:18). Once death occurs, all hope ceases. The individual’s destination and/or his reward are settled. Yet, up until that point in time, there is hope for salvation, hope for growth, and hope for spiritual change.
It is very important that the saint recognize that he is blameless in Christ at this very moment in time because of Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross. Yet, the Bible warns of one’s condition when the Lord Jesus Christ returns for His own. Thankfully, the scriptures also clearly address this event. According to 1 Corinthians 1:8, the Lord Jesus Christ “shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The same truth is expressed in 1 Thessalonians 3:13 when the Bible says that the Lord desires to stablish the believers’ “hearts unblameable in holiness before God . . . at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” How is this accomplished? 1 Thessalonians 5:23 offers the answer when it mentions being “preserved blameless.” This preservation is not through man’s efforts but only through the work of Christ. He preserves the Christian positionally blameless.
Bible-believing Christians in their desire for independence have sometimes been characterized as rebels disapproving of most authority. This characterization should not be the case and our lives should reflect just the opposite mind-set and approach. Those who know the Lord should be the first to obey, submit to (Hebrews 13:17), and pray for (1 Timothy 2:1-2) those in authority. Those who walk in the flesh are the ones who“despise government” and “are not afraid to speak evil of dignities” (2 Peter 2:10; Jude 1:8). There are times when man’s authority comes into direct conflict with God’s authority. In these cases, men must choose to obey God (Acts 5:29). Yet, there are plenty of other times when the people of God need to learn a greater respect for authority.
Far too few believers consider the extent that God cares about what they do in, to, and through their bodies. The reality is that the believer is to glorify God in his body. Today’s passage instructs the saint of God to present his body to God as a living sacrifice. Amazingly, the Bible describes this spiritual sacrifice not as some great spiritual achievement but as a mere reasonable service (Romans 12:1). All true fellowship, consecration, and sanctification originate within one’s heart; however, it eventually works its way out to be visibly seen. A believer deceives himself if he claims to walk with God in sweet communion yet experiences no outward changes visible to mankind. A yielded Christian ensures that no part of his life is off limits to the Lord. He strives to ensure his life, including his body, is a testimony bringing glory to His Saviour.
The steward is not distinguished for his own possessions but, rather, for the care of another’s possessions. This is true of the life and ministry of every believer. He has been purchased by the blood of Christ and claims nothing as his own. If he has a family, his family is a blessing from God still belonging to God. If he has any ministries, they too belong to God. Even his own spirit, soul, and body belong to the Lord and not to himself (1 Corinthians 6:20). Understanding these truths makes a steward prosper in his walk with the Lord and in his service to the Lord. He recognizes and accepts that life is not all about him. He knows that every aspect of life should revolve around caring for each of the possessions of his heavenly Master.
A simplistic view of vengeance involves the retribution of an evil deed. The first (Genesis 4:15) and last (Jude 7) mention of the word vengeance substantiates this definition. The Bible uses words like recompence (Deuteronomy 32:35), reward (Deuteronomy 32:41), punishments (Psalm 149:7), avenge (Jeremiah 46:10), revenge (Ezekiel 25:15), and repay (Romans 12:19) as descriptive words for vengeance. With this in mind, it is clear that vengeance is the just punishment as a consequence upon those who violate the laws of God. It is not the dispensing of wrath without cause but is specific punishment exacted for specific crimes committed.
