Category Archives: Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law

Discerning / Judging, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Hypocrisy, Righteousness / Serving God, Traditions / Holidays

Why Do You Put Traditions Above Commandments of God?

In Matthew 15:1-20, Jesus reminds us that we should be careful to follow the instructions of God and clearly distinguish those from the traditions of man.

Traditions can be very comforting and can initially be well intended…  trying to help translate the commands of God into actionable, specific steps or actions. However, we must be careful not to get so attached to the traditions of men, that we lose connection to the original instructions of God.

15 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’[b] 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents.[c] And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

8 ‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
9 Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’[d]”

10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”

13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”

16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

Jesus also strongly makes the case to his disciples that we can not be overly concerned about offending people if they do not like to hear the truth of God’s word. We must teach the truth of the gospel even if it upsets some who prefer the traditions of men.

Ask yourself, what traditions are you holding on to? Do you get so focused on the tradition that you miss the original intent of God’s instruction? Are the traditions you hold on to even based on God’s instruction, or are they contrary to it?

Where traditions are in contrast to God’s instruction or replace God’s instruction, we must reject them. Traditions should support and point to God’s instruction, but never replace it.

—-

Please share our devotionals with your friends and family and visit our website at www.HearingFromJesus.org to see more.

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Peace / Rest

Jesus Confronts Pharisees Regarding Sabbath

Jesus confronts the Pharisees regarding the law and Sabbath in Matthew 12:1-14. Jesus reminds us that He is Lord over the Sabbath and desires mercy and love to be demonstrated  more than a legalistic execution of the law regarding Sabbath.

12 At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. 2 But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.”

3 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. 5 And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? 6 I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! 7 But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[a] 8 For the Son of Man[b] is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

9 Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, 10 where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)

11 And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. 12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”

13 Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! 14 Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.

Jesus does not dismiss the Sabbath as no longer relevant… in fact, Jesus recognized the importance of Sabbath throughout His earthly ministry. However, He clearly demonstrates that it is not to be treated as a legalistic, but rather to be celebrated with mercy and love. “Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”

Perhaps most disappointing, we see the hard hearts of the Pharisees. They have already decided that Jesus is not God and refuse to see the clear evidence, even as He heals yet another person right in front of them. Instead of recognizing His miracles as proof He is God, or even celebrating with the man who was healed, they are already plotting to trap and kill Jesus. There are many in the world like this today.

Observing or celebrating Sabbath is not required for salvation… that comes through grace alone by accepting Jesus Christ as lord and savior. But Jesus Himself reminds us that Sabbath was made to meet the needs of the people.  We should take heed that it is important and has great potential to benefit us as God’s people.

[Mark 2:27] 27 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.

I have found it very enriching for my relationship with family and with God to celebrate Sabbath every week. I encourage you to consider the same for your life.

—-

Please share our devotionals with your friends and family and visit our website at www.HearingFromJesus.org to see more.

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Am I on the path?, Hearing from God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Share the Good News

Jesus’ Instructions For Sharing the Good News

Matthew 10 contains important insight from Jesus to those of us  who commit to serve Him and take the message of the gospel to the world.  The instructions are as relevant to us now as they were to Jesus’ disciples 2000 years ago.

There is a lot of crucial guidance in Matthew 10, and I have summarized key points at the end so this devotional is rather long. I encourage you to read it through.

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil[a] spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. 2 Here are the names of the twelve apostles:

first, Simon (also called Peter),
then Andrew (Peter’s brother),
James (son of Zebedee),
John (James’s brother),
3 Philip,
Bartholomew,
Thomas,
Matthew (the tax collector),
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,[b]
4 Simon (the zealot[c]),
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

5 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, 6 but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. 7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.[d] 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!

9 “Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. 10 Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.

11 “Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. 12 When you enter the home, give it your blessing. 13 If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. 14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.

16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. 17 But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. 18 You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.[e] 19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. 20 For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 22 And all nations will hate you because you are my followers.[f] But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man[g] will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.

24 “Students[h] are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons,[i] the members of my household will be called by even worse names!

26 “But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. 27 What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!

28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.[j] 29 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin[k]? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.

34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

35 ‘I have come to set a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36     Your enemies will be right in your own household!’[l]

37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

40 “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. 41 If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God,[m] you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs. 42 And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”

Trying to break down some of the key points:

  • Jesus wants His followers to openly and boldly bring the good news of the gospel to others, even though many will reject it.
  • Jesus called the twelve specific individuals and gave them authority for healing and casting out spirits. Not all of us will be given this special authority, or share the same task… in this case going out on the road to share the gospel with others. However, we all are called to share the gospel with others.
  • Jesus sent his disciples first to God’s lost sheep rather than going to those that never knew Him. God later sent others to bring the word to the gentiles. God loves all but sometimes may send us to a specific group at a specific time. This can help us have needed direction to be effective in operating in God’s plan.
  • Jesus instructed the disciples to go without extra money or supplies, but instead rely on hospitality. This guidance certainly focuses the disciples on trusting and following God rather than their possessions. Jesus is reassuring them that God is with them and will provide what is needed to complete the mission.
  • Once you bring the message of Jesus Christ to someone, if they reject it you are to shake the dust from your feet and move on. This was a symbolic way to show separation from those who reject Jesus Christ. We must not linger with those who reject His message for we will run out of time and fail to bring the good news to others who may receive it.
  • You may endure much suffering when you bring the news of Jesus Christ. Expect it. Jesus assures us He will be with us. Sometimes the suffering will create unique opportunities to share the gospel with others.
  • Many people, even family will persecute you for passionately following Christ and bringing His message in full truth. [Even those who say they follow God, but do not live according to His word. They often do not want to change and thus reject those who show them the truth that they should change.]
  • Sometimes it will be necessary to flee a bad situation. That is an opportunity to bring the message of the gospel to another group of people somewhere else.
  • Those who claimed to serve God, religious leaders, called Jesus prince of demons. Expect many to call you names and reject you… even those in the church.
  • Jesus tells us not to be afraid of those who can only kill our body, but of God who holds our eternity in His hand. What God whispers in our ear, He wants us to shout to others!
  • Those who refuse to acknowledge Jesus here on earth, despite persecution… He will not recognize before God the Father.
  • A common misunderstanding is refuted clearly. Jesus tells us He did not come to bring peace. People are peaceful when everyone is comfortable in their sin and leave others to their sin.  Jesus came to bring conflict. He wants us to stand up and clearly be different from the world and confront others with truth and the need for them to change and repent from sin. When we honor God with our lives instead of just blending in quietly, it creates conflict because people prefer to remain comfortable in their sin.
  • Jesus must be first in our lives. He must come before our own desires and before our loved ones. When we put Jesus first, everything else that should be in our lives will be placed in the right priority by following God’s instruction.
  • Jesus wants us to help His followers. We are to receive righteous people for being righteous. Even giving a cup of cold water to “the least of my [Jesus’] followers” will be rewarded.

This passage in scripture requires time to reflect and re-read to fully digest. Please take the time to apply it to your life and be encouraged that Jesus will be with us as we share the truth of the gospel with others!

—-

Please share our devotionals with your friends and family. Help us to share the good news of the gospel!

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Faith / Trusting God, Hearing from God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God

God Requires Obedience As Part of His Covenant

In Genesis 17, God reminds Abram about the agreement they have in which Abram will be made the father of many nations if he and his children obey God. God commands a physical sign of the covenant that will serve as a reminder of the agreement to God’s people.

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord came to him and said, “I am God All-powerful. Obey Me, and be without blame. 2 And I will keep My agreement between Me and you. I will give you many children.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. God said to him, 4 “See, My agreement is with you. You will be the father of many nations. 5 No more will your name be Abram. But your name will be Abraham. For I will make you the father of many nations. 6 Many will come from you. I will make nations of you. Kings will come from you. 7 I will make My agreement between Me and you and your children after you through their whole lives for all time. I will be God to you and to your children’s children after you. 8 I will give to you and your children after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan for yourselves forever. And I will be their God.”

9 Then God said to Abraham, “You must keep My agreement, you and your children after you for all time. 10 This is My agreement between Me and you and your children after you, which you must obey: Every man among you must have this religious act done. 11 In this religious act the skin is cut off from the end of your sex part. This will be the special act of the agreement between Me and you. 12 Every male child among you who is eight days old must have this religious act done, through all time. The same must be done to all the men born in your house or bought with your money from any stranger, who is not one of your family. 13 He that is born in your house and he that is bought with your money must have this religious act done. So will My agreement be marked in your flesh, an agreement that lasts forever. 14 But the man who has not had this religious act done, of cutting off his piece of skin, will be cut off from his people. He has broken My agreement.”

15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her name Sarai. But Sarah will be her name. 16 And I will bring good to her. I will give you a son by her. I will bring good to her. And she will be the mother of nations. Kings of many people will come from her.”

17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He said to himself, “Will a child be born to a man who is 100 years old? 18 Then Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live before You!” 19 But God said, “No, but your wife Sarah will give birth to your son. And you will give him the name Isaac. I will make My agreement with him and for his children after him, an agreement that will last forever. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will bring good to him. I will make him grow in number. He will be the father of twelve rulers. I will make him a great nation. 21 But I will make My agreement with Isaac, who will be born to Sarah at this time next year.”

22 When He had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. 23 Then Abraham took his son Ishmael, and all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money, and every man and boy who lived in his house. And he cut off their piece of skin that very day, as God had told him to do. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he had the religious act done of cutting off his piece of skin. 25 His son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he had the religious act done of cutting off his piece of skin. 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael had this religious act done that very day. 27 And all the men of his house, who were born in the house or bought with money from a stranger, had this religious act done with him.

It is common for a covenant agreement to have a clause concerning a witness as reminder that the covenant existed. Of course the reminder is for God’s people as God will not forget. In the case of the covenant with Noah, God created rainbows as a reminder. With Abram it is circumcision.

Circumcision was more than just a physical reminder though, it also represents accepting the covenant… a willingness to obey the laws of God. This is somewhat similar to the practice of baptism which is an outward sign of a person accepting Jesus Christ as lord and savior. The physical act is representative of an inner choice.

God’s covenants are typically not just one-sided promises where God says you can reject Him and still be blessed. As in this example, God calls for obedience in our hearts and behaviors as our part and if we do that, then He will be our God and bless us.

Abram… now Abraham…wasted no time to fulfill God’s command. Abraham was already committed to obeying God, so after discussing the covenant and hearing God’s command, Abraham immediately took the appropriate, obedient action. He did not delay or wait until later to do what God asked.

As a moment of reflection… each of us should consider if we obey God when He leads us to take some action (through His word or through other ways He communicates with us). Do we debate God, delay until “later” or obey immediately?

—-

Help us to share the good news of the gospel! Please visit our Support Us page at HearingFromJesus.org to find out more.

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Am I on the path?, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, How do I get started?, Love

The Golden Rule

1 Comment

Jesus has a way of simplifying key concepts to help us remember and apply them to our lives. Many of us have heard of the “Golden Rule”, though it may surprise quite a few that it originates from Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:12.

12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

This scripture matches closely with Matthew 22:37-40.

37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

In the context of Matthew 7:12, Jesus is addressing how His disciples should treat one another. He is not referring to our relationship with God. In Matthew 22:37-40, He addresses both our relationships with God and with one another.

It is genuinely rare for someone to be able to truly think about something from someone else’s perspective. It is much easier to visualize from our own perspective. Thus Jesus has given us an easier way of thinking about how to treat others. Show love to others as we want to be loved and treat one another as we want to be treated.

The concept is easy to remember… the challenge for each of us is to apply it daily in our lives.

—-

Help us to share the good news of the gospel! Please visit our Support Us page at HearingFromJesus.org to find out more.

the way with scripture - for posts, medium 2

Adultery / Sex Outside Marriage, Consequences of Sin, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Marriage

Let Your Wife Be a Fountain of Blessing

God uses Proverbs 5 to provide a crystal clear and stern warning for men who are in the midst of adultery or considering adultery. This scripture serves as a  warning also for immoral women who would participate in adultery. Finally, God reminds us to enjoy His gift of sex within the context of a godly marriage between a man and a woman… let your wife be a fountain of blessing to you.

5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
    listen carefully to my wise counsel.
2 Then you will show discernment,
    and your lips will express what you’ve learned.
3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,
    and her mouth is smoother than oil.
4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison,
    as dangerous as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.[a]
6 For she cares nothing about the path to life.
    She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.

7 So now, my sons, listen to me.
    Never stray from what I am about to say:
8 Stay away from her!
    Don’t go near the door of her house!
9 If you do, you will lose your honor
    and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.
10 Strangers will consume your wealth,
    and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
11 In the end you will groan in anguish
    when disease consumes your body.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    If only I had not ignored all the warnings!
13 Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers?
    Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
    and now I must face public disgrace.”

15 Drink water from your own well—
    share your love only with your wife.[b]
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
    having sex with just anyone?[c]
17 You should reserve it for yourselves.
    Never share it with strangers.

18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
    Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.
    Let her breasts satisfy you always.
    May you always be captivated by her love.
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,
    or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?

21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,
    examining every path he takes.
22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
    they are ropes that catch and hold him.
23 He will die for lack of self-control;
    he will be lost because of his great foolishness.

Self control and discipline are essential elements for a Christian life. We must know God’s word and be prepared to follow it. We must make decisions ahead of time, before times of temptation, to decide how we will respond. Will we subject ourselves to situations that lead to temptation, or flee from temptation as Joseph did in Genesis 39:10-12.

10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

Joseph honored God by holding to godly wisdom and values.  He was not worried about being subtle in refusing temptation. He wanted to resist temptation and quickly. He took decisive action.

God also reminds us in Proverbs 5 that we should absolutely enjoy sex within the context of a godly marriage.  After all, God created it as a wonderful part of relationship of man and wife as the two become one.

For those of you who may be in the midst of adultery and maybe only now realize how wrong it is… stop. Stop the immoral behavior immediately. Repent of your sin before God and your spouse. Run from it and never return.

—-

Help us to share the good news of the gospel! Please visit our Support Us page at HearingFromJesus.org to find out more.

Small Tile for Posts

 

 

Am I on the path?, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, How do I get started?, Love, Sin

Love Your Enemies

In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus continues challenging us as His followers to be different from the world, to live according to His instruction.

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’[q] and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies![r] Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends,[s] how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Loving your enemies does not mean you want them to destroy you. It does not mean you agree with or accept what they are doing or how they are living.  Paul describes love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Sometimes loving someone means you have to reject their sin, tell them how they are wrong and encourage them to repent… even if they do not want to hear it. To ignore or accept their sin is not showing show love, but rather it shows ambivalence… it shows you do not care about them.  To accept and endorse someone’s sin is equivalent to walking by children who are playing with a sharp knife and choosing not to say anything.

Praying for those who persecute you does not mean you pray for them to be successful in their efforts towards persecution. It means you pray for them to be open to the true word of God, for their lives to be transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. You pray for them to know, love, and serve Jesus.  How glorious to have more people to follow in the path of Saul, who after encountering Jesus Christ turned his life around and became Paul… one of the most effective missionaries for Jesus Christ ever.

—-

Help us to share the good news of the gospel! Please visit our Support Us page at HearingFromJesus.org to find out more.

Small Tile for Posts

Anger (unrighteous anger), Consequences of Sin, Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Murder, Pride, Righteousness / Serving God

Sin Wrecks Families and Separates Us From God

God speaks to us in Genesis 4:1-16 about the devastation that sin can create for individuals and their families.  When we choose to sin, there are consequences. When we choose to sin, it is not God’s fault, but our own.

4 Now Adam[a] had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced[b] a man!” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel.

When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

6 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.”[c] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

9 Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

10 But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12 No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment[d] is too great for me to bear! 14 You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”

15 The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16 So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod,[e] east of Eden.

There are many important points in this passage of scripture.

  • Despite earlier sin in the garden of Eden by Adam and Eve, God still maintained a personal relationship with their family. They were special to Him.
  • Cain and Abel both grew up in the same family environment with the same parents and likely a similar upbringing. That was not the cause of Cain’s sin.
  • God did not create the sin. He created people with a free will, who have the ability to love or rebel against God. Then He told them what they should do and what they should not do.
  • God loved Cain enough to speak to him personally about his sin, despite the fact that Cain was not doing what was right. God specifically warned Cain to address the sin in his life and to change behavior to do what is right. This instruction would require Cain to change his behavior.
  • Cain gives the appearance of genuinely caring about pleasing God, but was unwilling to change his behavior. Instead, Cain attacked and killed his brother who was honoring God. Jealousy led to anger, which led to murder. Of course, his actions did not lead him to right standing with God… quite the opposite.
  • Cain never demonstrates a repentant heart or regret for his actions. He lies to God and tries to hide his sin. Cain never admits wrongdoing or asks forgiveness. He only expresses grief at the consequences of his sin when confronted about it.
  • Because Cain was an unrepentant sinner, he created separation for himself from God.
  • God still loved Cain enough to protect him despite his unrepentant attitude toward sin. Imagine how God would have rejoiced if Cain would have repented.

Cain’s pride and stubbornness to do things his way instead of God’s way and his refusal to repent from sin wrecked his family and separated him from God. We should each challenge ourselves to learn from Cain’s poor choices and apply those learnings to our lives.

—-

Help us to share the good news of the gospel! Please visit our Support Us page at HearingFromJesus.org to find out more.

Small Tile for Posts

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Righteousness / Serving God

Yes Should Mean Yes and No Should Mean No

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5:33-37 that our yes should mean yes and our no should mean no. We should not have to make vows to someone for them to trust our word. Instead, our word should be trustworthy all the time.

33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’[n] 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.

 If we feel we need to tell someone “I promise I will…”, then perhaps we should reflect on why they need that reassurance. Do we often let them down if we just say “I will…”?

—-

Help us to share the good news of the gospel! Please visit our Support Us page at HearingFromJesus.org to find out more.

Small Tile for Posts

Adultery / Sex Outside Marriage, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Marriage

Seek a Godly Marriage Rather Than Divorce

Jesus speaks clearly on the covenant and commitment of marriage in Matthew 5:31-32 and Matthew 19:3-9.

[Matthew 5:31-32]  

31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’[m] 32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.

[Matthew 19:3-10]

3 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

4 “Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’[a]” 5 And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’[b] 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

7 “Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?”[c] they asked.

8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9 And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.[d]”

A marriage covenant based on God’s word is to be taken very seriously. When there are difficulties, we are called to work through them in a godly way, not to harden our hearts and seek divorce.

Jesus also highlights in both scriptures how damaging adultery is to a marriage, by calling it out as an exception to His statement. Do not misunderstand this though, many who have suffered through adultery in a marriage can, with the help of Jesus, overcome that sin and betrayal and still build a godly marriage from it based out of true repentance.

The Bible provides insight in building godly marriages, even when husband and wife do not both know God equally. At www.HearingFromJesus.org, we also provide some links on our website to ministries and to resources (e.g. books, etc.) that focus on godly marriage.

One more important reminder… work proactively to build a godly marriage even before you experience trouble in your marriage.

—-

Help us to share the good news of the gospel! Please visit our Support Us page at HearingFromJesus.org to find out more.

Small Tile for Posts