The days are evil.
Are we evil too?
How can you ask that Ken? There are many good people around Today! What about those in the Ministry? In the word of God a man called Jesus; “Good Master”, Jesus replied; “Why do you call me good?”. No one is good except God alone Mark 10:18 NASB. Jesus also said: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:11 NASB. Some don’t ask so they don’t get! Jesus spoke of persistance in prayer, keep knocking and you will receive! The evil Judge gave a penniless woman her request, growing weary of her constantly coming before him. Jesus said; “How much more will your Father in Heaven give to you his children who cry out to Him continually?” Remember, Jesus said the Father will only give “Good” gifts to His children!
But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” Luke 5:5-8 NASB. (Sinful man is evil, our sinless Lord is Holy!) Paul the Apostle also saw this contrast; It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all 1-Timothy 1:15 NASB.
What is the answer to the question Jesus asked of this man? Simple, Jesus is God and good, the man did not know who He is! (Remember Jesus said: “Unless you believe I AM HE, you will die in your sins” John 8:24).
From Adam and Eve, sin has given mankind a fallen nature, inwardly (Blind in spirit) and outwardly the sins of the flesh. All believers have a “New Nature”. Our dead to God spirits were made alive through the regeneration by the Holy Spirit. We are made to be “One spirit” with Him. “But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him” 1-Corinthians 6:17 NASB.
So those who believe and serve God are Holy and sinless in their “Inner Man”( spirit/heart) but still can yield to sin in the flesh. All believers are in a warfare against it. I highly recommend reading Romans 7. (Paul in his battle with sin in his flesh cries out for deliverance. He finds it in Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. This is God saying to those believers struggling with sin as Paul was, the Lord is saying “your sins cannot separate you from my Love!” Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness (Symbol of sin), or peril, or sword? Romans 8:35 NASB.) The Apostle Paul reveals he still sins but not willingly! He states correctly that this comes from the flesh. God, for His own purposes left all believers in corruptible bodies. In these bodies we all we groan, by the way. God has declared our corruptible bodies Holy as they are His Temple. He also promises to give us “New Bodies”, uncorrupted like Jesus has. Then we will never sin again, being freed from the presence and power of sin forever. We will receive our new bodies when He returns.
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is 1-John 3:2 NASB.
As Paul said, nothing good dwells in the flesh. Romans 7:18 * So in that respect we are evil. But as believers we have a new nature, a new heart that hates the corruptible flesh and wars against it. We as Paul are given Grace upon Grace in this warfare, don’t give up, you have higher help!
Should we sin that this Grace would abound? God forbid, Jesus died for our sins at such a great cost. Therefore it is willful sin that brings correction which can be grievous (Whom the Lord loves, He corrects). Paul wrote that willful sin will bring God’s correction that can include death, going to Heaven early! To avoid this and other correction, examine yourself before communion, confess your sins. Do not cling to confessed sin, this leads to a guilt trip and no joy! When God forgives He also forgets! “FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.” Hebrews 8:12 NASB. God looks at the heart of every believer and sees His Son Jesus. When we all are revealed one day in glory, God Himself will sing**. He will have many exactly like His Son; this will give Him great pleasure!
*An addition to the “Days are evil”
And because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man John 2:25 NASB.
What was it Lord that you knew what was in man? Jesus saw our fallen nature. Our spirits unable to communicate with God, a perfect fellowship broken due to sin. Jesus saw our hearts, (spirits) desperately wicked. (The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 KJV). (You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks Matthew 12:34 NIV).
Tough words but true from the God man Jesus. Who else would know what is in us? He created us, not fallen, by the way!
Did you know God hates sins and cannot look upon it? Moses was God’s chosen but when he asked to see God in all His glory, he could not see Him face to face. If he did he would have died. One day we, the Church His Bride, will see Him “Face to Face” (For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known 1-Corinthians 13:12 NASB).
But Moses being in sinful flesh as we are also, could not gaze upon the Almighty and live. He was only able to see the back parts of God (“Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” Exodus 33:22-23 NASB).
Can you imagine how horrible it was for Jesus, God the Son in the flesh to become sin for us. He who knew no sin became a serpent, (A symbol of sin which poisons and kills) the one who God the Father would unleash His anger and fury upon for us!
The Gospel is good news to the sinner’s ear. The sinner by faith in Jesus can go from a fallen condition to a righteous position!
**Zephaniah 3: 17 For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight
in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs” (NLT).
The Hebrew word for “singing” actually means “a ringing cry” with a sense of joy. What a great verse! God sings. Since He is perfect in every way, I will look forward to hearing the beauty of His voice. The Bible tells us that He gave all of His creatures the ability to sing. Job says the angels, who are also called “stars” in Job, can sing (By permission).
Ken
March 2012