No one can truthfully claim to have cleansed themselves of all sin. It is only through the action of God’s Spirit that we can be cleansed and sin removed from our lives. God detests double standards, let us never hold others to a standard we will not attempt to live up to ourselves. Nor should we hold one person accountable for actions we would ignore in another.
Yesterday we read the first part of this psalm, where the psalmist expressed deep and complete despair. He felt abandoned by God. Today, in the conclusion of the psalm, he expresses his faith in God. He states that he will praise God before the assembled people. When Jesus cited this psalm from the cross, He was citing both the despair of the first part and the faith of this portion.
God does not ignore the suffering of the needy. He does not consider what we are suffering to be too minor for His concern. He will not turn His back on us, just as Jesus was acknowledging that God had not turned His back on Him. God will listen to the cries for help from those in need. God will provide for the needs of the poor. Those who seek God will discover Him and He will give them joy. The day is coming when the whole earth will acknowledge God.
This is one of my favorite Bible passages. It contains so much for us to study. Paul tells us to offer up our bodies as living sacrifices to God. We should treat our bodies as Holy and belonging to God. They are not ours to use to bring us pleasure. Our bodies belong to God and should be used to do His will and bring Him pleasure. We should not allow ourselves to conform to the expectations and thought patterns of the world around us. Rather, let us allow God’s Spirit to renew our minds and transform us into God’s image, so that we think and act according to His will.
Let us not think more highly of ourselves than is appropriate. Seek to honour others rather than seek to be honoured. Look at the gifts which God has given us and exercise those gifts to their fullest extent. Do not pretend to love others, but do so genuinely. Do not think of ourselves as too important to spend time with poor, needy, or otherwise “little” people. We are not too good to associate with them.
When others wrong us, it is not our place to exact revenge. God has stated that He will pay back those who are so deserving. If anyone has done us wrong, God will extract our revenge. Instead of doing wrong to those who have done us wrong, let us do good to them. Let us show the world that we will not be brought down to its level, but will live according to God’s love.
Joash became king when he was seven years old. He was put on the throne by Jehoiada, the high priest. For as long as Jehoiada lived Joash served God and was a good king. He was not just a puppet of Jehoiada because we are told that he confronted Jehoiada over his failure to restore the Temple as Joash had ordered. However, Jehoiada’s influence led Joash to consider what God’s will was in all of his decisions. After Jehoiada’s death, Joash came under the influence of advisers whose priority was not serving God. Those advisers led Joash into sin and idolatry. This passage reminds us of the importance of surrounding ourselves with godly companions.
I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
As long as his uncle, Jehoiada, the man who had raised him, was alive, Joash followed the Lord faithfully. He ordered the Levites to collect the offerings required by the law and use those funds to repair the Temple. When the Levites failed to follow through, Joash ordered a chest made and placed at the entrance to the Temple. He then sent word throughout the land that people were to bring their offering to the Temple and place it in the chest, rather than give it to the Levites visiting their town. When the chest was full, it was brought to Joash’s officials who emptied it and tallied how much had been collected. Once a large amount had been collected, Joash hired construction supervisors to repair the Temple. When the repairs were finished the money left over was used to replace the various articles of worship which had been destroyed or defiled over the years.
Jehoiada lived to 130, but unfortunately after his death Joash began listening to less righteous advisers. They encouraged him to abandon the Temple of God and start worshiping Asherah poles and other idols. Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah prophesied against these practices telling the people that since they had abandoned God, God had abandoned them. Joash ordered that Zechariah be stoned to death in the courtyard of the Temple. In the spring of the following year a small army of Arameans invaded Judah and plundered Jerusalem. In the battle Joash was wounded. While he was recuperating some of his officials assassinated him for killing Zechariah.
Amaziah, Joash’s son, succeeded him on the throne. Amaziah gathered his army and attacked Edom, plundering it. He brought back the idols of Edom and began worshiping them. A prophet confronted Amaziah, asking him why he worshiped gods that had been unable to rescue their own people? Amaziah told the prophet that he had not been appointed a counselor to the king and should keep quiet. The prophet concluded by telling Amaziah that God had determined to destroy him. Amaziah then issued a challenge to the king of Israel to meet in battle. The king of Israel responded by telling Amaziah that he should not stir up trouble just because he had defeated Edom. Amaziah did not listen to this advice and went to war against Israel. The king of Israel soundly defeated Amaziah and plundered Jerusalem, tearing down a large segment of its walls. Eventually there was a conspiracy against Amaziah and he was assassinated.
Today’s passage is perhaps the clearest part of the book of Romans and a great basic outline of how to live as a Christian. First Paul tells us not to conform to the world, that is not to copy its behaviors and customs. Rather we are to be transformed by God’s Spirit so that we will know and practice God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will for us.
Next he tells us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. That is not to think we are more important or better than others. We need to honestly evaluate ourselves, judging ourselves against the standard of what God has called us to be, not against the standard of what others do (or more likely what we perceive others to do). Paul explains both why we should not think ourselves better than others and why we should not judge ourselves against others. He tells us that just as the body has different parts which each have their own purpose, so each of us in the Church are different and have different gifts from God so as to fulfill different purposes. We should use the gifts which God has given us to the best of our ability.
We should not hypocritically love others, holding them to a standard that we do not live up to ourselves. Let us hate what is evil and strive to do that which is good. Paul tells us to be devoted to our fellow Christians, giving preference to others over ourselves. He commands us to work hard at serving the Lord. Let us rejoice in the hope that God has given us and be patient when we face difficulties and trouble, praying at all times. Help those around us who are in need, especially our fellow Christians, seeking opportunities to practice hospitality.
Paul finishes out this section by telling us how to deal with those around us who wrong us. He tells us to bless those who persecute us. He tells us not to curse them, if we are not to curse even those who persecute us, how can there be anyone it is appropriate for us to curse? Through Paul, God commands us to live in harmony with each other. It is our duty to live at peace with those around us as much as that is within our control. God calls us to associate with those others might consider beneath us. When someone does wrong to us, we should respond by doing good and certainly not by doing wrong to them. It is not our place to take revenge. God reserves vengeance for Himself. Paul reminds us that God says: “Vengeance is Mine. I will repay.” I will not be conquered by evil, but will strive to conquer evil with good.
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When I think that I owe someone revenge, I try to remember this passage (forgetting more often than not). However, if someone has truly done something to me deserving of revenge, what can I do to them that comes close to the vengeance which God will enact against them. On the other hand, if God never exacts vengeance for the wrong I believe was done to me, there are two possibilities. Either I am mistaken in perceiving the person to have done me wrong, or I was due that wrong for wrongs I myself had done. Of course, just because I never see God exact revenge on those who have done wrong does not mean that He has not done so.
There is a further quote from the Old Testament that Paul uses here.
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”
If I do good things for those who have, by their actions, declared themselves my enemies there are three possible outcomes. All of which reflect well for me. The first is that they will live in fear, waiting for me to “drop the mask” and exact my revenge, which they will be convinced will be all the worse for being set up by my kindness. The second is that they will feel shame and remorse for having done wrong by me. The final is that those whose good opinion is worth having will hold me in high esteem for my failure to sink to the level of the one mistreating me (and will hold the one who wronged me in low esteem).
I chose my title for today’s blog because God’s command to us is to not let evil overcome us. It is to overcome evil with good. We don’t understand it, but God tells us that if we want to defeat our enemies then we must follow Paul’s instruction: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them.” The people of God win when they do good, even for those who do evil against them.
Another tomato plant with tomatoes ripening
Today’s psalm is the second part of Jesus’ last message for His disciples while He hung on the cross. In the first part, which we covered yesterday, the psalmist expressed utter despair and the feeling of abandonment. However, in today’s portion he tells us that God has not ignored his cries for help. He proclaims that God listens and answers the cries of those in need. For this he will praise God in the assembly of the people.
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When I read this psalm, I realize that when Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” he was not crying out in despair because God had turned His back on Him. Rather He was telling His disciples that despite the despair He was (and they were) feeling, God had NOT turned His back on Him. Rather, in the midst of His suffering, Jesus was praising God for His faithfulness and kindness. At that, His lowest moment, Jesus was still willing to praise God and have faith that God would redeem Him.
Flowers on a tomato plant
I have read this proverb, “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin’?”, many times. Today for the first time I realized the key part of it, “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart;…'”. I have not cleansed my heart. To the degree that my heart has been cleansed, it is God who has done it. Until I am willing to accept that the only way any and every sin can be cleansed from my hearts is for God to do it, those sins will remain. Any time, I say to God, “OK, I see what you want, I’ll take it from here,” I will fail to overcome the sin in question. It is only when I turn to God in abject humility and say, “God, I can’t do it. It is beyond my ability to overcome. Please do this for me,” that the sin in my life will be overcome.
I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
When Joash got old enough to start acting as king one of the first things he did was to instruct the Levites to go throughout Judah to collect the tax imposed by the Law of Moses and use it to repair the Temple. This was not done and Joash became impatient. He set up a chest at the gate of the Temple for people to put money into. This money was given to men who were given responsibility to repair the Temple. These men hired workmen of all sorts and got the Temple repaired. When the Temple repairs were finished the money left over was used to create new articles for sacrifice and worship services. We are told that as long as Jehoiada, the priest who had raised him and put him on the throne, was alive Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord.
However, after Jehoiada’s death Joash began worshiping Asherah poles and other idols. Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah, confronted Joash about his sin in front of the people. Joash ordered him stoned to death. The following spring the Arameans invaded and plundered Judah. Joash was seriously wounded and a couple of his officials plotted together and killed him. Joash’s son Amaziah took the throne after his death. The chronicler commends Amaziah for only punishing the men who killed his father and not their children. Amaziah then began going to war with the intention of expanding his power. He attacked Edom and conquered it. Along with other plunder Amaziah brought back the gods of Edom and began worshiping them. A prophet confronted Amaziah about this and told him that God had determined to destroy him because he would not give up the idols of Edom. Amaziah then makes war against Israel and is defeated soundly.
Today’s passage from Romans is full of a lot of stuff that is very important. The first thing Paul talks about is offering our bodies as living sacrifices to God. Part of what he is saying is that we should be willing to suffer and die, just as the burnt offering sacrifices died. But I think there is much more to it because of what he says next. Right after telling us to be living sacrifices, he tells us not to conform to this world but instead to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Just as today, in Paul’s time there was a strong element of the culture that emphasized that we are sexual beings and that sexual activity is an inherent part of who we are. That somehow we cannot help but be sexually active (and perhaps promiscuous, although that is generally less explicitly stated). Paul here is telling us that we must not conform to the world’s expectations, but instead keep our bodies pure and holy. Our minds must be transformed by the Holy Spirit to control our bodies.
Then Paul goes on to another topic. He first tells us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. There are two sins he is addressing here. The first is thinking we are better than others. The second is just as bad. It is thinking that others are better than us. We should look at ourselves carefully and with “sober judgement”. We should analyze our strengths and weaknesses. Then he tells us to focus on doing what we are good at, what we have been given a gift from God to do. Many times what Paul writes needs to be carefully read and thought about to understand what he is getting at, but not here. From the New International Version:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Paul goes on with more important guidelines for our daily lives. Guidelines that are easy to understand, but hard to follow. He tells us that when those around us are happy, we should be happy with them. When they are sad, we should be sad with them. He tells us to not be too proud to associate with and befriend those that society thinks of as beneath us. This is not quite as easy as it seems. There are places where there are two or more groups that consider all of the other groups as beneath them; no person of true class would associate with that other group. We cannot just say, “Those people look down on these people, so we will only associate with these people.” If we do that then we are doing exactly what Paul told us not to. We are being too proud to associate with that other group because we are better than them by associating with this group that they look down on.
Paul goes on to tell us that we should not seek conflict with others. We should strive to be at peace with others as much as it is within our control. This does not mean that we fail to defend our beliefs when others attack them. It does not mean that we pretend to agree with other people. This is something I struggle with, when does defending my beliefs cross the line and become conflict that I could, and should, avoid?
Finally Paul tells us not to seek “payback” for those who do wrong to us. Not only should we not seek payback, we should strive to do good for those who have done us wrong. Paul gives us two reasons why we should do good to those who do wrong to us. The first is that God has stated, “It is mine to avenge. I will repay.” Do we really think we can extract a more fitting revenge than what God will give out? The second reason he tells us to do good to those who do wrong by us is that by doing so, we will make them feel much worse than anything we can do to harm them. But I think there are two other reasons why Paul tells us not to seek revenge. Seeking revenge is bad for us. Have you ever noticed how some people become consumed by their revenge? The desire to make others pay for the wrong they have done us eats into our souls and damages us much more than any harm we inflict on others. I have heard seeking revenge described as taking poison and expecting someone else to become sick and die. The final reason Paul tells us not to seek revenge but to rather seek to do good for those who have wronged us is because it is a good witness to those who see our actions. Several years ago, a man went on a shooting rampage at an Amish school, killing a number of children before killing himself. The story made an even larger national impact than it would have anyway because the immediate response of the Amish community was to reach out to his family and offer comfort. They went to his funeral. I remember people saying, “What is wrong with these people?” But people were also impressed.
Paul finishes today’s passage with something that we must remember. We cannot overcome evil with evil. If we try, evil will overcome us. The only way to overcome evil is with good. If we respond to evil by doing good, than good will win…even if those who do evil continue to do so.
As I said yesterday, the first half of this psalm contains images that the New Testament writers saw as foreshadowing of the crucifixion. And Jesus just before he died, made reference to this psalm by calling out its opening line, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” As I said yesterday, by quoting the first line, Jesus was calling upon the entire passage. Yesterday we looked at the first half of the psalm where the psalmist was overwhelmed by his trials, just as Jesus was overwhelmed by His suffering. Today we look at the rest of their experience. In the middle of this suffering they declared that, even though they felt abandoned, they were not abandoned by God. That God was standing by them in their trials:
For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.
He has not turned his back on them,
but has listened to their cries for help.
When Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” He was declaring his immense suffering and pain. But He was also declaring His praise to God and His belief that God would rescue Him. Which indeed God did on Easter morning with the Resurrection. The psalmist told us, and Jesus, when he was hanging on the cross about to die told us, those who seek the Lord will rejoice. In the depths of His suffering on the cross, Jesus rejoiced to be serving God’s plan. There are many stories of martyrs doing the same. During the Reformation, the various government authorities which persecuted those who followed the Bible rather than the religious dictates of the government took to removing the tongues of the martyrs before burning them at the stake or otherwise killing them tortuously because they wanted to stop them from declaring their joy at suffering for following Christ as they died these horrible deaths.
Today we have three proverbs. The first is one that we know is not always true, but it is one that ought to always be true. When it is true, a country will be in the process of becoming stronger and more prosperous. When it is not true, a country will be in the process of becoming weaker and poorer. The second proverb reminds us why we need God’s grace, because we can never be pure enough on our own to approach God. The final is related to the first, if people apply different standards (whether of weight and measure, or of behavior) to favored groups than to disfavored groups, society will suffer.
