No man is to be respected above another person in a form of unrighteous judgment. However, does not infer nondiscrimination in every matter.
The Bible offers two circumstances to truly define death: the departure of the soul (Genesis 35:18) and the departure of the spirit (Genesis 25:8).
Biblically speaking, a man’s name is equal to his character (Proverbs 22:1). This is why God’s character is often defined by His name. Faithful and true are two words that describe the very nature of God, but they are also names by which the Son of God will be called at His second advent (Revelation 19:11). Even the name Jesus was associated with the person and work of our Lord (Matthew 1:21). These names, and many more like them, are well known to believers, but few know that the Lord’s name is also said to be Jealous. Why? Because that is who He is! He is the One true and living God who demands man’s sole attention. Just as He is Faithful and True, God is also Jealous.
Most people do not understand or recognize that the law and grace are polar opposites. The law emphasizes man’s responsibility to God, while grace emphasizes God’s efforts toward man. The law’s purpose shows man his sin and points him to God for help (Romans 3:20). Additionally, the law condemns man and sheds light upon the fact that he has no hope. Interestingly, the first five books of the Bible (commonly called the books of the Law) make no reference to the word hope. Some might ask why? Because the law simply reveals that man has no hope apart from God. As such, the Lord Jesus brought in a “better hope . . . by the which we draw nigh unto God.” Any man who places his hope and trust in what he can do or must do for God has lost sight of what God must do for him.
World leaders constantly claim that they hold the solution for how to rid the world of poverty. Yet, the Lord stated that mankind would always have a problem with poverty, at least until the millennium. Believers should be willing to help the poor but must keep in mind that they will never eliminate world poverty. According to Deuteronomy 15:11, “the poor shall never cease out of the land.” In other words, regardless of man’s efforts to give and help, there will always be a group of people who struggle financially. With this in mind, believers should not ignore the physical needs of the poor but should be most concerned with offering the poor spiritual help (Acts 3:6).
The Bible says that “The poor is hated even of his own neighbour” (Proverbs 14:20). In fact, his wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard (Ecclesiastes 9:16). His friends go far from him, and his brethren hate him (Proverbs 19:7). But this should not be the case amongst believers. Instead, believers should defend the poor (Psalm 82:3). They should open their ears to the cries of the poor (Proverbs 21:13) and deliver them in time of trouble (Psalm 41:1). Believers must realize that their treatment of the poor is directly related to their relationship with the Lord (Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 17:5). Even in the New Testament, Paul was admonished to “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10).
Conviction testifies of guilt and transgression. It testifies that God is just while man is vile. It testifies to the gap of righteousness that exists between the two. If men were righteous apart from the Lord’s help, the Lord would never need to convince men that they are transgressors of His law. When men violate or transgress the law of God, the Spirit of God uses that law to convince those guilty that they are wrong and need to make things right with the Lord. The very presence of conviction confirms man’s guilt. It cries out that I am wrong and God is right. Perhaps this explains why in these last days, fewer seem interested in experiencing the convicting work of the Spirit of God.
The Bible says, “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous” (Proverbs 27:4). Yet, these two emotions generally adversely affect all who come into contact with them. The believer should not only abstain from ungodly anger within his own heart but also guard himself against making friends with those who are angry. This is why Solomon said, “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.” Generally, believers take on the traits of those with whom they spend the majority of their time. This is why it is imperative that believers spend much time with the Lord and avoid ungodly, close friendships.
Every individual to a certain degree is a prime target for temptation. Yet, because of personal choices and circumstances, some people are a far greater target than others. According to scripture, ungodly fellowship (Exodus 23:33; Exodus 34:12; Proverbs 22:24-26), riches (Deuteronomy 7:25; 1 Timothy 6:9), and broken vows (Proverbs 20:25) are a few of the things that weaken the believer’s ability to endure temptation. Some of these are blatantly sinful while others can be innocent. Each believer needs to diligently seek the Lord regardless of whether or not any of these things are present in his life. However, the presence of these things only works to heighten a man’s temptations.
In scripture, a man’s name frequently refers to his reputation. The wise man values a good name far above the accumulated wealth of the entire world. Its value is priceless. A good name is what others think of a man resulting from his conduct. Unfortunately, many people throughout history have willingly sabotaged their good name in order to get gain and earthly pleasure. Yet, those who truly believe and trust the word of God know that “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.” With this in mind, the believer should reflect upon the long-term effects every decision brings upon his reputation. Reaping immediate gratification takes a back seat to the prolonged benefits of having a good name among other believers, the unsaved, and especially the Lord.
