Our heavenly Father asked this question twice in the early chapters of the Bible with the same kind of meaning. The first came after Adam and Eve sinned by eating of the forbidden fruit. He asked Eve, “What is this you have done?” (Genesis 3:13). Following that, Cain sinned when he murdered his brother Abel. When God confronted Cain, He asked, “What have you done?” (Genesis 4:10).

There are lessons for us today from this question.

No Sin is Hidden from God – God knew what they had done. Even when Adam and Eve tried to hide from Him (Genesis 3:8) and Cain tried to deny his sin (Genesis 4:9), God knew. We cannot hide anything from God. “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). Paul said a day would come when “God will judge the secrets of men” (Romans 2:16). We may hide our sin from others. But we will not hide it from God.

We Are Responsible for Our Actions – We live in a society where people do not want to take responsibility for their actions. They blame others, blame their circumstances or upbringing, even blame God for making them the way they are. Adam tried to shift the blame for his sin to Eve, and indirectly to God (Genesis 3:11-12). Eve tried to pass the blame to the serpent (Genesis 3:13). Even though the serpent lied and was punished, Eve was still responsible for her sin (Genesis 3:14-16). And even though Eve was punished, Adam was still accountable as well (Genesis 3:17-19). It doesn’t matter what others say or do. It doesn’t matter what our circumstances are. We must obey God’s instructions.

Sin Has Consequences – Adam, Eve, and Cain all faced consequences for their sins. There was the spiritual consequence of being separated from God (Genesis 3:23-24; 4:16). They had to face physical consequences as well. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden and would have to endure physical death (Genesis 3:23-24). Adam’s work became difficult (Genesis 3:17-19). Eve’s childbearing became painful (Genesis 3:16). Cain would suffer hardship and mistreatment (Genesis 4:13-14). Others would also be affected. The physical consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin extended to their descendants – hard work, pain in childbirth, physical death.

Our sins have consequences as well. Most notable is the spiritual consequence. Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). If we do not rectify that situation, the result will be eternal punishment (Romans 6:23). There are physical consequences in the hardships that arise as the result of our sins. The proverb writer noted, “the way of the treacherous [transgressor - ASV] is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). Consequences extend to others as our sins often affect more than just ourselves. Repentance does not take these physical consequences away – either for ourselves or others. Even though we may still be able to repent, we may do irreparable harm in our lives.

God Will Judge Us – God passed judgment on all parties involved – the serpent, Eve, and Adam in Genesis 3 and Cain in Genesis 4. God will also judge us one day (Romans 2:16). Paul said, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Knowing these things, don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can hide anything from God. Don’t blame anyone or anything else for your sins. Don’t think that you can sin without paying a price for it. Instead, prepare to stand before the Lord in judgment. Take responsibility for your actions. Strive to keep all aspects of your life acceptable before Him.

“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.

“Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.

“Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

“For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.”

There are four points in this psalm that relate to our praise to God.

We must understand who God is. Why praise the Lord and not some other god? Idolatry was all around the Jewish people when this psalm was written. Even today in our culture, idolatry exists in different forms. So why praise the Lord and not any other god? “It is He who has made us” (Psalm 100:3). He is the Creator and the only true and living God (cf. Genesis 1:1; Ephesians 4:6).

We must understand who we are. When we recognize who God is – the Creator – we are forced to recognize who we are – the creation. “It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves” (Psalm 100:3). All that we are (1 Corinthians 15:10) and all that we have (James 1:17) comes by the grace of God and what He has provided for us.

We must remember what He has done. The psalmist reminds us of God’s goodness, lovingkindness, and faithfulness that endure forever (Psalm 100:5). Through His providence, He has provided every physical blessing we need (James 1:17; Acts 14:15,17). Through His Son, He has provided for us the hope of eternal life (Romans 6:23).

We must recognize the privilege that it is to serve God. Notice the terms the psalmist uses in regards to our praise to God: joyfully, gladness, joyful, thanksgiving. We should not approach our praise, worship, or service to God as a grudging obligation. We must realize the great privilege we have to “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). We were separated from God for our sins (Isaiah 59:2) and unable to remedy that situation on our own (Romans 5:6). But God gives us the chance to be “reconciled to [Him] through the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10).

Understanding these things, “shout joyfully to the Lord… serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing… Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.”

“Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all nations will stream to it.

“And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths.’ For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

“And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; and they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war” (Isaiah 2:2-4).

Let us briefly consider each of these terms:

Mountain – When Isaiah says, “the mountain…of the Lord will be established,” he is obviously not talking about a literal mountain. This term signifies government, or authority. This prophecy is about a coming kingdom. This kingdom would be the chief of the mountains (governments, authorities). As Daniel said, it would destroy the existing world empires but would itself endure forever (Daniel 2:44). Jesus told Pilate that this kingdom was a spiritual kingdom and that He was its King (John 18:36-37). As King, Jesus has “all authority” (Matthew 28:18). Those who would be part of His kingdom must respect His authority in all things (Colossians 3:17).

House – Paul explained to Timothy that the house of God was “the church of the living God” (1 Timothy 3:15). This prophecy helps prove to us that the church was part of God’s plan. It was not just an afterthought, established temporarily because Jesus failed to set up His kingdom the first time (as premillennialism teaches). Isaiah’s prophecy clearly ties the church and the kingdom together – “the mountain of the house of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:2). Jesus used the terms kingdom and church interchangeably (Matthew 16:18-19), referring to the same thing. We are not waiting for a future kingdom. It is here today (Mark 9:1; Colossians 1:13).

Nations – The term “nations” refers to the Gentiles. This kingdom that would be established would be open to all – not just the physical descendants of Abraham. Peter told the Jews on the day of Pentecost that the promise was “for you and your children and for all who are far off” (Acts 2:39). This refers to the Gentiles, “who formerly were far off [but] have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). Christ came to bring Jews and Gentiles together in reconciling them both to God (Ephesians 2:16).

Come – The invitation would go forth: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:3). Though the invitation would be spread far and wide (Mark 16:15), only those who chose to answer the call would be saved (Mark 16:16). This reminds us of our individual responsibility. Paul told the brethren in Philippi, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). God does not force anyone to follow Him. We must be willing to do so (cf. Matthew 23:37). It is also not good enough to simply be associated with those who follow. We will each “appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). There we will be judged as individuals, not as families, congregations, nations, etc. We must decide on our own to follow Christ.

Teach – Why are we going to the mountain or house of the Lord? Our initial answer may be to worship. While worshiping God is certainly important (John 4:23-24), something else is emphasized here – teaching. Why is there an emphasis on teaching? Because we need to know God’s will. We must have faith to please God and be justified before Him (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 5:1). But that faith “comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). This is why we continue to emphasize teaching today. Alien sinners must hear the gospel (Mark 16:15). Christians need to be built up in the faith (Acts 20:32). The house of God to which we are all coming is the “pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Faithful churches will continue to preach and teach the word, even though it may not always be popular.

Walk – When it comes to the word of God, learning what is taught is not (or should not be) merely an academic exercise. We learn so that “we may walk in His paths” (Isaiah 2:3). Those who would be part of Christ’s kingdom need to conduct themselves in a certain way. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21). This concept runs contrary to the popular doctrine of salvation by faith alone. We must do more than hear God’s word and believe in Jesus. James tells us, “prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (James 1:22).

Law – Many people misinterpret passages in the New Testament in attempting to defend their assertion that in Christ we are not under law today. But we are under a law. It is called by various terms in the New Testament: the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2), the law of the Spirit (Romans 8:2), the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25). Because the word of God constitutes a law, we must follow it. Previous points about Jesus’ authority and our need to walk in His teachings reinforce this point.

Judge – When the kingdom is established, Isaiah said that Christ would “judge between the nations” (Isaiah 2:4). When we read about judgment, we may immediately think of the final judgment when the Lord returns. Christ will certainly judge us (2 Corinthians 5:10), but there is another point we should take from this as well. Jesus is able to “judge between the nations and…render decisions for many peoples” because there is one standard for all nations. That standard is His word which will ultimately judge us (John 12:48). The gospel was to go forth “to all creation” (Mark 16:15) because all people are amenable to the law of Christ.

Peace – This word is not stated, but it is certainly implied. Under the reign of Christ, the nations, “will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war” (Isaiah 2:4). One may ask: if peace was to come with Christ’s kingdom, and His kingdom is now in existence (Mark 9:1; Colossians 1:13), why are there still wars between the nations? We must understand that this verse is not talking about some utopian paradise on the earth enjoyed by all people – Christians and non-Christians. There are two points in this verse about peace that we should remember. First, violence is not to be used to advance the cause of Christ (Matthew 26:51-53; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Second, all of Jesus’ followers should be united (John 17:20-21). He came to bring us to peace with God and, as a result, peace with one another (Ephesians 2:13-16).

There are important lessons to be learned from passages like this one. But we must understand the terms that are being used or else we will miss the point. Christ’s kingdom, the church, is open to all who will come to Him, learn His will, and live according to His law. It is a great privilege to be part of His kingdom and be able to look forward to the eternal reward He offers. Let us be sure to take advantage of the salvation offered to all those who will follow Him.

Halloween originated as “All Hallows’ Eve,” the night prior to “All Hallows’ Day,” that is “All Saints’ Day” on which Catholics honor their pantheon of so-called “saints.” Neither Halloween nor All Saints Day has any basis in scripture. Each is the invention of the Catholic Church, amounting to the traditions of men, rather than the commandments of God (Matthew 15:1-9).

The Pope designated the first of November All Saints’ Day to co-opt the existing Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sow-en”). Meaning “Summer’s End,” Samhain was a harvest festival, but more than that, it was also a festival of the dead. As summer turned to winter, the holiday represented a time of transition when spirits from beyond the grave could pass through. Deceased ancestors were honored while harmful spirits were warded off by frightening disguises.

Eventually, Halloween arrived at its current secular status as the one day a year children could dress in costume, knock on strangers’ doors, and reasonably expect to receive candy. As such, it is basically harmless, provided that it is celebrated without religious trappings, either Pagan or Catholic. Opting out altogether is certainly a respectable choice, but those wishing to participate in a secular manner are urged to select costumes and décor with caution.

Witches. Decades of inculcation by way of the television series “Bewitched” and “Sabrina The Teenage Witch,” as well as the Harry Potter books, among other sources, have numbed the public consciousness to the evil that is witchcraft. Witchcraft, also known as sorcery, is treated as a sinister practice in scripture. The Almighty commanded, “There shall not be found among you anyone who… practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). The Old Testament penalty was severe: “You shall not permit a sorceress to live” (Exodus 22:18). The New Testament likewise condemns the practice, calling “sorcery” a “work of the flesh” (Galatians 5:20), the outcome of which is eternal damnation (Revelation 22:15).“Sorcerers… shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). Witches are not merely fictional crones, the stuff of fairy tales and legends, riding brooms, wearing pointed hats, and accompanied by black cats. They were a genuine threat to godliness when the Old and New Testaments were penned, and remain so today. Wiccan is a growing religion worldwide, and should be regarded as the falsehood it is. Witchcraft ought not to be a source of entertainment at Halloween or otherwise.

Vampires. Fictional vampires depicted as villains in literature and cinema are hardly problematic. Stories need conflict and characters, and blood sucking monsters make excellent antagonists. Where trouble lies, however, is in vampirism’s recent transformation from villainy to heroism. From Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice to Twilight by Stephanie Meyers, the vampires of modern fiction no longer epitomize literary evildoers, but conflicted heroes. They resist the urge to consume human blood, thereby avoiding the sin of murder, by re-directing that urge through the consumption of animal blood. This is hardly a godly solution inasmuch as ingesting blood is strictly forbidden throughout scripture. Prior to the Law of Moses, when Noah and his family emerged from the ark, God informed them, “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood” (Genesis 9:3-4). Within the Law of Moses, the prohibition against blood consumption was reiterated: “And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘No one among you shall eat blood, nor shall any stranger who dwells among you eat blood’” (Leviticus 17:10-12). Partaking of blood remains just as sinful under the Law of Christ (Acts 15:20, 29). Sadly, vampiric behavior is no longer confined to the pages of fiction, having transitioned to modern occult practices, including elements of the goth subculture, beginning with the success of the Interview With The Vampire franchise. A fringe minority to be sure, but there really are people who drink blood donated by syringe from willing friends. These things considered, vampire costumes and decorations just don’t seem appropriate.

Devil. Satan’s actual appearance does not involve a pointy tail, a horned forehead, a red satin cape, or a pitchfork. Such artistic depictions are the product of imagination, not scripture. As the master of deception (John 8:44), the devil knows better than to be so obvious. In fact, he presents himself in the most wholesome fashion, as it is written, “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2nd Corinthians 11:14). Accuracy notwithstanding, there is a popular understanding of what the Tempter looks like and it is most regrettable anyone would choose to replicate that image in costume. He is the originator of all sin (John 8:44), he put it in Judas’ heart to betray Christ (John 13:27), and he turns souls away from obeying the gospel (Matthew 13:19, 39). The error of presenting oneself as the Wicked One should be obvious to anyone willing to give it a moment’s consideration.

To be clear, participation in the secular observance of Halloween is an individual choice, and is neither right nor wrong in itself; however, participants must exercise discretion in the manner in which they celebrate.

• Was John the First Baptist? (10.18.09)
• Four Limitations (10.18.09)
• Just Before He Died (10.18.09)
• How God Draws Men to Jesus (10.19.09)
• Your Heart’s Desire (10.20.09)
• What Questions Can Teach Us (10.21.09)

These links are to the MP3 audio files. You can either click on a link to listen to the sermon, or right-click to save the file to your computer.

If you visit Parkway’s website, you can find the audio files for various other sermons and radio programs, articles, and more.

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” (Psalm 1:1). This verse is often used to point out the progression that takes place as our familiarity with evil grows (from walking, to standing, to sitting). The fact that sin is progressive is certainly true (2 Timothy 3:13), but there is more to this verse than just that point.

Notice the things that the righteous man does not do. He does not walk in the counsel of the wicked in that he does not follow their thinking or heed their advice. He does not stand in the path of sinners, putting himself unnecessarily in a position to be influenced by them. He does not sit in the seat of the scoffers, learning how to grumble and complain against others. These are things the righteous will not do.

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2). The righteous man will not grudgingly listen to or accept God’s word. He delights in it, just as the noble-minded Bereans “received the word with great eagerness” (Acts 17:11). He delights in God’s law because he recognizes the benefit of it – salvation (James 1:21), guidance (Psalm 119:105), instruction (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and more. If we delight in God’s law, we will not ignore it or forget it, but will think on it daily.

“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:3). We have a picture of stability and longevity. The righteous are deeply rooted and not easily shaken (1 Corinthians 15:58). As we study and meditate on God’s law and put it into practice, we are nourished by it (1 Timothy 4:6) and bear fruit (Luke 8:8,15; Galatians 5:22-23). As long as we continue, we will not wither or fade away (Hebrews 10:39).

The phrase, “in whatever he does, he prospers,” is not to be taken the way most would want to understand it today. The psalmist is not saying that if we follow God, we can have anything we desire. What it does teach is that when we do God’s will, we will prosper according to God’s will, which often will not be realized until after this life (Matthew 6:19-21; 1 Peter 1:3-4).

“The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous” (Psalm 1:4-5). The wicked are not like the righteous. They follow the counsel of other wicked people. They do not try to avoid sin. They are at home with the scoffers. They do not delight in God’s word. Therefore, they will not meditate upon it. They are not like the tree planted by the river of waters.

The reasons that the righteous are blessed are not found in the wicked. Therefore, they are like the chaff. They are worthless to the Lord as long as they continue in their wickedness. In this state, they cannot stand in judgment before Him and have no place among the people of God. With such strong language used in the psalm, we had better examine ourselves to make sure we have the traits of the righteous rather than the wicked (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:5).

“For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:6). When the psalmist says that the Lord knows the way of the righteous, it does not mean know in the sense that God is omniscient, even though that certainly is true about God (Hebrews 4:13). In this sense, God knows the way of the wicked as well (hence the judgment of verse 5). Instead it means that God approves of the way of the righteous. Why? Because it is His way. The righteousness of God is revealed in His word (Romans 1:16). Our responsibility is to follow it.

If we do not follow God’s righteousness, we will be classified with the wicked who will perish. We may choose sin. But we can only follow it so long before we must give an account. If that is your current path, don’t keep going in that direction. Change your course and follow after God so that you may receive the blessings of the righteous.

As Paul wrote to the brethren in Corinth, he reminded them of the fundamental truths in the gospel that everything else was built upon. In the verses cited above, the apostle mentions four facts that are “of first importance” to God’s saving message.

• Christ died. The first truth that Paul reminds them of is that Jesus “died for our sins.” He told the Colossians, “He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death” (Colossians 1:22). The death of Christ was a demonstration of God’s love toward us (Romans 5:8,10). What’s more, Jesus willingly died for us. In speaking of His life, Jesus said, “I lay it down on My own initiative” (John 10:18), showing us the great love He has for us as well. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
• He was buried. Jesus did not just die. His physical body was buried. A man from Arimathea named Joseph took the body of Christ, prepared it for burial, then “laid it in his own new tomb… and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb” (Matthew 27:57-60). Jesus’ burial shows that His death was not a hoax. It really did happen. Fortunately, the story does not end there, or else we would be in a most pitiful condition (1 Corinthians 15:17-19).
• He was raised. In the verse cited earlier that says Jesus willingly gave His life, He said, “I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (John 10:18). Since Jesus, through divine power, was raised from the dead, He became “the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). He was not the first in the Bible to be raised from the dead. But He was the first to arise to never die again (Romans 6:9). Because of His resurrection, we have hope (1 Peter 1:3).
• He appeared. We often think of the foundation of the gospel being comprised of three things: Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. But Paul mentions a fourth: Jesus’ appearance to others – not just a few individuals, but hundreds. This fact provides proof for the others. Eyewitness testimony is used in the court of law to determine the truth. It is used the same way in the Bible. We can believe because we have the testimony of eyewitnesses (2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:1-3).

On these four truths rest the whole gospel message. They do not represent the entire message. But they are the foundation for everything else contained in the gospel.

In the same way, there are certain things that we must do that correspond to these truths about Christ. They represent the foundation of our life as a Christian. Again, these are not the totality of our service to God, but everything else is built off of these things.

• Our death. Writing to the brethren in Rome, Paul says that “our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6). We must consider ourselves “dead to sin” and not allow it to reign over us (Romans 6:11-12).
• Our burial. Like the previous point, our burial is not talking about the literal burial of our body when we pass from this life. It is a burial with a spiritual significance. Again, Paul told the Romans: “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death” (Romans 6:3-4). Paul is very clear about what this burial is. It is baptism. While many in the denominational world want to minimize the importance of baptism, we must understand that it is part of the foundation of our life in Christ.
• Our resurrection. After we are “buried with Him through baptism into death,” then “as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). In conforming to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, we put off the old man and put on the new man (Colossians 3:9-10), ready to begin our new life as a follower of Christ.
• Our appearance. As Jesus appeared to others following His resurrection, demonstrating that He had been raised from the dead, we too must prove through our lives that we have put off sin and have begun following Christ. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We are not to be “conformed to this world, but…transformed” (Romans 12:2).

If one wants to be saved, he must “obey the gospel” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Have you done that? Have you died to sin, been buried with Christ in baptism, and raised to walk in newness of life? Have you been living in such a way that people can see that you are a “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17)? If not, why not?

The title is based on one of Jesus’ statements from the Sermon on the Mount – “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). The scribes and Pharisees were regarded as the religious leaders of that day. Jesus’ point is that in order to follow Him, we must live up to a higher standard than what is commonly accepted, even commended to us, among the religious world. Doing just enough to blend in with those who are religious is not enough to be part of His kingdom.

To emphasize His point, Jesus talked about six commands that would be generally accepted by most who claimed to be religious (such as the command not to murder). He then explained how we must do more than this. We must live according to the principles behind the command because God calls us to follow a higher standard.

Jesus mentioned six ways in which our righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees:

• Murder – “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell” (Matthew 5:21-22). It is generally recognized that murder is wrong – not just by the religious world, but all of society. But we must do more than simply refrain from murdering. We must learn to control our emotions and not allow ourselves to be angry with our brethren. Jesus indicates the seriousness of this when He tells us that being angry with a brother puts our own soul in jeopardy (v. 22) and renders our service to God meaningless (v. 23-24).
• Adultery – “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28). I believe there is general agreement in the religious world of the concept that adultery is wrong. It’s just that many ignore God’s definition of adultery and condone adulterous marriages (cf. Matthew 19:9). Regardless, in principle, adultery is generally rejected by religious people. But Jesus takes it a step further. We must not even lust after someone, thereby committing adultery in our heart. He also teaches that we must eliminate anything in our lives that hinders us in our battle against lust (v. 29-30).
• Divorce – “It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matthew 5:31-32). It used to be that divorce was rare among religious people. Now it is common, and becoming more common even among brethren. But no matter how common it becomes, we have a different standard. Because of the hard hearts of the people, God, through Moses, gave the instruction about the certificate of divorce. But it was never His intention that one would put away their mate for just any reason (cf. Matthew 19:7-8). Today people put away their spouses for any cause. But Jesus gave just one exception to the rule that one was not to put away their spouse – unchastity or fornication on the part of their spouse.
• Making Vows – “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ But I say to you, make no oath at all… But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil” (Matthew 5:33-34,37). Everyone understands that false vows are wrong. But all vows? Why did Jesus tell us not to make any vows? First, we are unqualified to make these vows because we cannot back them up. If we swear by heaven, earth, or Jerusalem (examples He cites), what power do we have over these things? In addition to this, we are to speak the truth at all times (Ephesians 4:25). If we demonstrate that we are people of integrity who will keep their word, then vows should not be necessary. We should not make a vow in one situation, because we believe it is more important to be truthful then and we want people to see that we know that. We need to be truthful in all situations.
• Revenge – “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matthew 5:38-39). Here Jesus is talking about retaliating for being wronged, or getting even with someone. While this may be natural to want to do this, we are to be “patient when wronged” (2 Timothy 2:24). We are not to take our own vengeance but rather leave that to God (Romans 12:19) and, when necessary, the governing authorities which He ordained as the ones to execute vengeance in this life (Romans 13:1,4).
• Enemies – “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:43-45). The first part about loving one’s neighbor is from Leviticus 19:18. But the second part about hating one’s enemy is not found in the Old Law. This was the interpretation that they were applying to this passage. But we are to love our enemies. God treats all men the same in this life, causing the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous (v. 45). So we should treat them the same as well. If we love only those who love us, we are no better than those who are not following God (v. 46-47).

There are many who would seem religious by the world’s standards. But we are not following the world’s standards – we are following God’s. Jesus concluded by saying, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). We must strive for perfection, not what is accepted by the religious world around us.

To have this kind of growth, obviously the religion is spreading beyond the countries already dominated by Islam. The report noted that “more than 300 million Muslims, or one-fifth of the world’s Muslim population, live in countries where Islam is not the majority religion. These minority Muslim populations are often quite large.”

Should this rapid growth of Islam be of any concern to Christians? The answer to that is a resounding yes!

Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, Tim Haile put together an article called, The Battle Cry of the Qur’an. In it, he examines various passages from the Muslim holy book to demonstrate the fact that we should not be surprised when Muslims carry out attacks like this against innocent people. This sort of violence is commended and encouraged in many passages.

It should be noted, and it is pointed out in this article, that not all Muslims strictly follow the teachings of the Qur’an and carry out acts of physical violence and war against Christians and others. For this we are thankful. But the fact remains that those who carry out such attacks are following a strict interpretation of Mohammed’s teachings. As the greater population of Muslims grow, so does the number of those who follow the Qur’an’s teachings of physical violence against non-Muslims.

It is unlikely that this growth of Islam will reverse, at least not anytime soon. So Christians need to be prepared.

• We must prepare to teach about and against Islam. To do this, we must know what Islam teaches. We cannot continue to ignore it, because it is not going to go away. Prepare to teach non-Muslims to not be led into the religion of Islam. Prepare to teach and persuade Muslims of the truth of the gospel so that they might turn from Islam to following Christ.
• We must prepare for persecution. I’m not talking about the minor persecution that Christians typically face in this country – being ridiculed, ostracized, etc. I’m talking about persecution that involves physical injury, torture, and even death. Again, not all Muslims will do these things. But a significant percentage will. As Islam spreads, the likelihood of this severe persecution increases. We had better be ready for it.

Ultimately, we have the assurance from Christ that if we are “faithful until death,” we will be rewarded with “the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). No matter what happens in the world around us, or what suffering we must endure, we have the promise of heaven if we will be faithful. So let us be faithful until death, even if it means losing our life in persecution for our faith, so that we can receive that reward.

In the next chapter, God sent a flood in which He nearly destroyed all of mankind (Genesis 7:23). But Noah and his household were spared. The text says, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8). We read a few things about Noah before, during, and after the events of the flood that show how he was different than the others who perished and why he found favor with God and was saved.

He walked with God. “These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time, Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). We already noticed the severe corruption of mankind. But Noah did not allow his society to influence him. He did not walk in the ways of the world. He walked with God. For this reason, God offered salvation to him if he would take advantage of it. “Then the Lord said to Noah, ‘Enter the ark, you and all your household, for you alone I have seen to be righteous before Me in this time’” (Genesis 7:1).

He obeyed God. After telling Noah that He would destroy the earth, God gave him instructions about building the ark – floor plans, dimensions, type of wood, number of animals, etc. (Genesis 6:13-21). Upon receiving these instructions, it says, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did” (Genesis 6:22). There is a similar statement in the next chapter: “Noah did according to all that the Lord had commanded him” (Genesis 7:5). While Noah found favor (grace) with the Lord, he still needed to obey Him so that he would not perish in the flood. The Hebrew writer describes the faith of Noah, saying that he “prepared an ark for the salvation of his household” (Hebrews 11:7). Yes, he received grace. But he had to obey God to take advantage of that grace.

He waited for God. The flood began “in the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month” (Genesis 7:11). After the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat and Noah sent out the raven and the dove to find out if the earth was inhabitable again, “Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up.” This took place “in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month” (Genesis 8:13). After being confined to the ark for almost a year, one might expect Noah to immediately exit the ark as soon as he knew the earth was dried. But he didn’t. He waited almost a full two months for God to give him the instruction to leave (Genesis 8:14-16). He did not presume to know what was right. He waited for God’s commands.

He sacrificed to God. The first thing we read Noah doing after leaving the ark was that he “built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar” (Genesis 8:20). Serving God and offering worship to Him was not an afterthought for Noah. It took precedence over everything else.

We can learn a lot from Noah’s example. Just as Noah lived in an exceedingly wicked time, we also live “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” (Philippians 2:15). As Noah found favor before God, we have God’s grace that has been extended to us (Titus 2:11).

In order to take advantage of God’s grace, we need to be like Noah. Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9), and we must “walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light” (1 John 1:7). “Noah did according to all that the Lord had commanded him” (Genesis 7:5). We must obey Him and follow the pattern that He has left for us (Hebrews 5:9; 2 Timothy 1:13). As Noah did not act presumptuously, assuming he knew what would please God (Genesis 8:15-16), we must not be presumptuous, but rather “do all in the name of [by the authority of] the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). Noah put his service to God first (Genesis 8:20). We must also have our priorities in order and “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

We can be saved as Noah was, if we will serve the Lord as Noah did.