Month: June 2016

15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.
Act 24:15-16

The reason Paul lived as he did in v. 16 was because of what he believed in v. 15. He lived his life in constant awareness of eternity. He knew there was an afterlife, and the experience in that life was dependent on his experience in this present life. It will truly change the way we think and act if we realize our actions now have eternal consequences!

Paul was, first of all, concerned about living without any offense to God. Only a man who believes in the resurrection will carry such a burden. He encouraged the men of Athens to repent and turn from idolatry because God “has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Act 17:31) Paul warned them that there would be of a day of general resurrection, a day when men would be judged. But he didn’t stop there. He also pointed them to the only hope a man will have in that day–the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who had already been raised from the dead because He was approved of God!

In addition to being concerned about offending God, Paul was also concerned about offending man. This mattered to him for two reasons. First, he knew that, like all of us, he would be judged according to what he did in this life, including how he treated his fellow-man, especially the saints of God. Remember the basis for Jesus dividing the sheep from the goats in Mat 25? It was based on how they treated “the least of these My brethren”. (Mat 25:40) We are not saved by our works (Tit 3:5), but our works will certainly be the evidence to prove whether we belong on the Lord’s right hand or His left. (Mat 25:33) We will be judged based on what we do. “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” (Mat 16:27)

The second thing that motivated Paul to be free from offense to men was that he didn’t want to do anything to hinder his gospel message which he knew had the power to free their captive souls. The reality is that the gospel itself will offend some. If some refuse it, let it be the message of the gospel that offends and not the messenger! Let them see in us a desire for their eternal well-being. Knowing that there would be a resurrection in which “God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ” (Rom 2:16), Paul desired that men would face eternity having a Savior, “an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”. (1Jo 2:1) His instruction to Corinth in 1Co 10:32-33 makes this clear: “Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

In like manner, may Paul’s goal of service without offense to God or man be our own desire. May we be obedient to Pro 3:3 to “let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart” in order that v. 4 be accomplished: “And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.” May it simply be said of us as it was of our Lord that they “went about doing good”. (Acts 10:38)

Jamie

But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy.
Acts 23:11-13

The account above is the norm for the believer, not the exception. No sooner has God promised to get Paul safely from Jerusalem to Rome than he finds out 40 men are plotting to kill him! Don’t be surprised, dear Christian, by resistance to the promises God has made to you. Expect it! God didn’t give us faith for it to be dormant. He expects us to use it, therefore it must be tried. In fact, Peter writes that this trying of our faith is necessary so that it “may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. So, “do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you”. (1Pe 1:7, 4:12)

It’s important to note how Paul reacted when he learned of this plot. He didn’t respond to his nephew (who told him of the planned assassination), “Don’t worry about it! God’s promised to get me safely to Rome so everything will be okay.” He did what any normal human being would do. He instructed him to go tell the police! (Or, in this case, the Roman soldiers in Act 23:17) Now, some would condemn Paul for such an action, claiming he was weak in believing God’s promise. But, trusting in the promises of God doesn’t mean we throw reason and logic out the door nor does it mean we will have nothing to do with the fulfillment of those promises.

The account of Noah reveals much concerning the natural means the Lord uses to bring His promises to pass. In Gen 6:17-18, God exposed his plan to destroy every living thing but promised to preserve Noah and his family; however, the fulfillment of this promise would require tremendous human effort on Noah’s part! For years (scholars believe it took 50-75 years), Noah and his sons would labor to build a boat of such magnitude that it would be the late 1800’s before an ocean-going vessel of that size was constructed again! In addition to actually building the ark, they had to see that all the animals had enclosures appropriate for their unique requirements as well as collect enough food to sustain the animals and themselves for the year-long journey. (v. 19-21)

Noah’s faith in God’s promise didn’t prompt inactivity. It called him to action! And so, per Heb 11:7, “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Remember, inactive faith is dead faith. (Jam 2:26) May the certainty of the promises of God encourage us to labor fervently, knowing that nothing and no one can prevent them from coming to pass! “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise”. (Heb 10:36)

Jamie