This is the seventh part of going through Romans chapter 6 and living the Christian life. We have spent a lot of time looking at the effect death has of the life of the believer in Jesus Christ. The death of Jesus Christ paid the debt our sins have accumulated and that debt is paid when a person has accepted and trusted Jesus Christ for salvation. The apostle Paul tells us in the Book of Romans that believers have died with Jesus Christ on the cross and believers have been raised with Him from the dead. Why do believers have to die with Jesus Christ on the cross? Because a person cannot be born again if they have not first died. And a dead man cannot sin. If a person continually follows the leading of the Holy Spirit, then they would not sin, because the Holy Spirit does not lead anyone to sin. Before we continue on, let us sum up a few things that we have covered over the last six Sundays:

First, Jesus Christ died. It is a historical fact that Jesus Christ did live here on earth. He is not a made up character or a legend or a myth. It is a historical fact that He died on the cross of Calvary. He did die on the cross – He did not swoon or fake His death.

Second, Jesus Christ did rise from the dead. This is again not a legend or a lie or a myth made up by His followers. Considering all of the martyrs deaths that believers have endured over the centuries, they would not have been willing to die for a lie. You might think: what about the Muslim martyrs there have been over the last twenty or so years, are they willing to die for a lie? Apparently the answer is “yes” because look at the difference between the Christian martyrs and the Muslim martyrs. The Christian martyrs were willing to die alone for their beliefs. The Muslim martyrs are also willing to die for their beliefs and take as many others as possible with them when they die.

Third, believers died with Jesus Christ when they accepted Him as their Saviour. The individual Christian’s salvation is rooted in two space-time historic points. The first is the finished work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary, and the second is the point of time when, by the grace of God, the individual accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour [Francis Schaeffer]. Turn to Romans 5:1.

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Note the two tenses here: Therefore being justified by faith is past tense, and we have peace with God is present tense. Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Again “that are dead to sin” points to the past for the believer and “live any longer” points to today and the future. Romans 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Again, the past and the present are emphasized: believers are to be dead to sin so that we can then walk the way we are suppose to walk: in path of Jesus Christ as led by the Holy Spirit. As Francis Schaeffer wrote: The Bible says that in the present life we are in practise to live by faith as though we are dead now.

Romans 6:10-11 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus Christ did not sin and with His death on the cross, He died unto sin once. Likewise, as believers, we are to figure ourselves to be dead everyday and live each day as if we are dead. Why? Because a dead man cannot sin. A dead man cannot control him or herself but is controlled by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: As believers we are to mortify the deeds of the body – in other words set aside the desires we have in favor of God’s desires and will. If we are following the Holy Spirit, then there will be no desire to sin and do the deeds of the body. Those deeds of the body are in the old man, but when a person is born again, they have put on the new man and have become a new creature in Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. When people have become born again, then they should want to act as that new creature – the things that pleased the old man should no longer please the new man. If the things that please our old man would not please God, then as new creatures, we should not want to do them! If an action or a thought would not be pleasing to God, then we, as new creatures, should not do them. By faith in Jesus Christ, we are new creatures and should look to only please God. If God does not like something, then we should not like it – or even make jokes about it. As children of God, if God warns us not to do something through His Word, the Bible, then we should not do it. Children sometimes do not listen. They hear what they want to hear. We, as their parents, often strive to work in their lives and give them guidelines to follow for their own good and because we love them. We know and understand this, but many times our children do not. They become angry and resentful towards us because they believe we are robbing them of fully experiencing life, and we are taking away their opportunities for fun and happiness. We sometimes want to beat our heads against a wall in frustration.

I wonder if God feels that way also in regards to us, His children? Listen to this story:

There was once a lamb and its mother. It seems the lamb passed a pig pen each morning on the way to pasture with its mother. Watching the pigs wallow in the mud seemed like fun to the lamb, and on an especially hot day the lamb asked his mother if he could jump the fence and wallow in the cool mud. She replied, “No.” Then the lamb asked the question, “Why?” The mother just said, “SHEEP DO NOT WALLOW.”

This did not satisfy the lamb. He felt she had “put him down and exercised force she should not have,” etc. So, as soon as the mother was out of sight, the lamb ran to the pig pen and jumped the fence. He was soon feeling the cool mud on his feet, his legs, and soon his stomach. After a few moments he decided he had better go back to his mother, but he could not. He was stuck! Mud and wool do not mix. His pleasure had become his prison. He cried out and was rescued by the kindly farmer. When cleaned and returned to the fold, the mother said, “Remember, sheep do not wallow.”

Lets continue to read Colossians 3. Verse 5 tells the believers what they should be avoiding and mortifying their members from: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness.

Colossians 3:5-11 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (6) For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: (7) In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. (8) But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. (9) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (10) And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (11) Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Verse 6 states that the children of disobedience do these things therefore the wrath of God is upon them. In verse 7, Paul points out the the saved Colossian believers used to do those same sins when they were unsaved. Verse 8 tells believers that since they have gotten saved, they have stopped the previous named sins and are to put off the following as well: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, and lying. We have to be very careful about what we are saying, how we are saying it and where we are saying it, as Paul wrote: 1Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. And note the last half of verse 9: seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;We are to no longer do the deeds that our old man did – Essentially we are to take off the old man suit that we were wearing as unsaved people and put on the new man suit that Jesus Christ provides for us. Jesus Christ wants everyone to come to Him as they are, but they should not go away the same as they were before. I heard a preacher once say: “The saying should not be ‘a new suit for every man’, but instead: ‘ a new man for every suit!’” Being a Christian is suppose to be different from everything else, because nothing else works except Jesus Christ! Verses 10, 11:

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (11) Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Believers are to be new people in Jesus Christ. Believers should put on the mind of Jesus Christ and follow what is told to us in the Bible. There should be no compromise – we cannot mix the world and God’s Word together. There should be no compromise – you cannot mix truth and lies together and

get the truth.

Winter was coming on and a hunter went out into the forest to shoot a bear out of which he planned to make a warm coat. By and by he saw a big bear coming toward him and raised his gun and took aim.

“Wait,” said the bear, “why do you want to shoot me?”

“Because I am cold,” said the hunter, “and I need a coat.”

“But I am hungry,” the bear replied, “so maybe if we just talk this over a little, we could come to a compromise.” So the hunter sat down beside the bear and began to talk over the pros and cons. In the end, the hunter was well enveloped with the bear’s fur, and the bear had eaten his dinner. We always lose out when we try to compromise with sin. It will consume us in the end.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Note that Paul is telling us that we can walk in newness of life NOW! Believers should be walking in newness of life NOW! Believers should not be walking the same way that they use to walk before salvation and there should be a difference in their lives and a desire for Jesus Christ. Consider the caterpillar, it spends its days eating leaves and other parts of plants. If they eat too much of the plant, the plant will be damaged or die. However, after the caterpillar has made a cocoon and emerged from it as a new creature – a butterfly, does it continue to eat leaves and damage the plant? No, it does not, the butterfly drinks nectar or other liquids from the plant. The butterfly – the new creation – no longer behaves the same way as it did before as a caterpillar – the butterfly now walks in newness of life. It no longer has a desire to eat leaves as it did as the old man, the caterpillar.

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

How can true believers no longer serve sin? By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When does this happen? At the moment of salvation and everyday. We are to live by faith now as though we were now dead, as though we have already died. We are to live now by faith as though we have now already been raised from the dead [Francis Schaeffer]. It means: That in our thoughts and lives now we are to live as though we had already died, been to Heaven, and come back again as risen [Francis Schaeffer].

This only can happen when believers humble themselves before God and state: “Not my will, but thy will, God.” Believers need to be usable by God. A businessman told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior.

As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.

“Forget about the repairs,” the buyer said. “When I buy this place, I’m going to build something completely different. I don’t want the building; I want the site.”

Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God’s, the old life is over. He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to build. [Ian Wilson]

2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

For the past few weeks we have looking at the importance of death in the life of the believer in Jesus Christ. In Romans chapter 6, the apostle Paul contrasts what everyone was before salvation, and what believers should be like after salvation. The blessing for the believer is that they no longer have to fear physical death, but now they must die to self – to mortify their members (body parts that can lead to sin) in order to walk in obedience to God. That does not mean believers literally slay their members, but that the believer should set aside their fleshly desires in order to follow God’s desires.

Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Note that Paul points out that covetousness is also idolatry and really, all sin is idolatry because the sinner has decided that they know what is the best way for them to go. The believer should flee from sin in order to properly follow God. However, the Christian life is not about NOT doing certain things. The person cannot declare that they are right with God because they do not do certain things or that they DO certain things. The believer must have the right motivation for the things that they do and have the right motivation for the things they do not do. And that motivation must be because they love God and want to honor and glorify Him. A believer cannot do that if they have idols in their life.

Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Thankfully, God has given every believer the means to be able to properly follow God. That means is the Holy Spirit. People are able to mortify their members and the deeds of their body, their people that can lie down on a bed of nails believing that action brings closer to their god. Some people live in monasteries and nunneries and deny themselves marriage and wear uncomfortable clothing believing this brings them closer to God. But God does not require these types of actions by the believers in Jesus Christ. These actions are going beyond what is taught in the Bible. God gives the believer to not sin if they would follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. The believer can have triumph of sin if they would continuously follow the Holy Spirit.

J.N. Darby wrote: For there is power of life in Christ to enable us to triumph over sin and death, and not to live unto ourselves, but unto Him who loved us, and died for us, and is now seated at the right hand of God. We are already risen in Him and to be manifested with Him in the glory. Shall I, then, allow any wretched object or idle vanity to occupy me instead of Christ? It may be perhaps some folly, or some piece of self-importance, or some evil disposition, or even the cares of this life!

Ephesians 4:29-30 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (30) And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

When believers are not following the Holy Spirit, they are grieving the Holy Spirit. To grieve the Holy Spirit, means to bring pain to Him because we are not following His leading. The Holy Spirit will lead the believer, but the believer must be willing to be led. D.L Moody said, “I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled.” Think about this: if you take a dog out for a walk, the dog will want to decide where it wants to go. If the dog is big enough and determined enough it will pull the dog walker all over the place even if it has a leash. The dog will dash to one spot because something smells interesting and then will want to quickly run elsewhere because something has caught its attention. But if the dog is properly trained, no matter how big the dog, the dog walker will be able to decide where the dog will walk. And the first thing that happens is that the dog is trained to follow the will of the walker not the desires of the dog. The dog is trained to obey the dog walker. The same is true for the believer in Jesus Christ – the believer must be trained to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and go where God wants. The believer must humble themselves and walk where God wants, not where the believer wants to go. The believer must be willing to say to God, “Not my will, but thine.”

D.L. Moody was to have a campaign in England. An elderly pastor protested, “Why do we need this ‘Mr. Moody’? He’s uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?” A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, “No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody.” D.L. Moody desired to be sold out for God and he determined to follow God, not fight God.

Each believer in Jesus Christ must not grieve the Holy Spirit, because when that happens they lose discernment. The longer the believer grieves the Holy Spirit, the less and less discernment they will have in their lives. They will have trouble knowing what is right or wrong in the eyes of God, because they will have stopped praying and have stopped reading their Bible. When the believer grieves the Holy Spirit, then sin is working in the believer’s life and makes it more difficult for him or her to follow God. Sin begets sin and the believer’s neck will stiffen and their heart will harden about the things of God. The believer’s spiritual sense will dim and sin will lead the believer further away from God. This is why the believer must daily die to self and humble themselves before God so they can be led by the Holy Spirit and follow God in love and obedience. The believer must decrease so the God can increase.

Speaking to a large audience, D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One man shouted, “Suck it out with a pump!” Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass.” After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then went on to explain that victory in the Christian life is not accomplished by “sucking out a sin here and there,” but by being filled with the Holy Spirit. Go back to Romans 6.

Romans 6:12-13 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. (13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

In verse 12, Paul warns that believers should not allow sin to control them. Sin is never full for long, once it starts it will continue to grow if the believer does not realize the sin and repent of it. Believers cannot allow sin to control them nor allow it a foothold in their lives. There’s an old story about a man who tried to save the city of Sodom from destruction by warning the citizens. But the people ignored him. One day someone asked, “Why bother everyone? You can’t change them.” “Maybe I can’t,” the man replied, “but I still shout and scream to prevent them from changing me!

In verse 13, Paul warns the believer to decide who or what they are going to yield to: sin or God. Believers have the choice and Paul is urging them to yield to God’s will and not their own will. Believers must look to follow God and not their own desires that are contrary to God. This can only happen when believers humble themselves and do not grieve the Holy Spirit. This means that the believer needs to grow and mature in Jesus Christ and not remain stagnant. J. Vernon McGee wrote: A little girl fell out of bed one night and began to cry. Her mother rushed into her bedroom, picked her up, put her back in bed, and asked her, “Honey, why did you fall out of bed?” And she said, “I think I stayed too close to the place where I got in.” And that’s the reason a great many of us fall, my friend. It is because we are actually yielding ourselves to our old nature. We’re following the dictates of the old nature; that is what gets us into trouble.

Believers are always going to have a sin nature, but believers do not have to choose to yield to it. Remember that: we choose to sin, but we do not have to sin. Romans 6:4-6 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

The believer’s old man is his or her sin nature – that desire to please the flesh – but the believer does not have to be the servant of sin. Please remember that sin does not serve us, because sin does not have our best interests at heart. We become servants of sin because once we start, we desire to add to it and build it up. Sin becomes our every thought and our every imagination.

Please remember that the Christian life is not a matter of simply following certain rules and avoiding certain things. Keeping the Law that Moses delivered does not save anyone. J. Vernon McGee wrote: The Christian life is not following certain rules; you can follow rules and regulations and still not be living the Christian life. Somebody asks,”The what is the Christian life?” The Christian life is to be obedient unto Christ. It means communication with Christ. It is not how you walk, but where you walk – are you walking in the light, walking in fellowship with Christ? Sin will break the fellowship, of course, and then we are to confess our sin. The Lord Jesus said to Peter in the upper room, “If I wash you not, you have no part with me (John 13:8)”. We do not have fellowship with Him unless we confess our sins to Him as we go along. Our part is confession; His part is cleansing (see 1 John 1:9). The important thing for you and me is to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and to obey Him. Then we will be living the Christian life.

Romans 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

When the believer is dead to sin, then they are free from sin. Why? Because a dead man cannot sin! Furthermore, because the believer has died with Jesus Christ on the cross, was buried, and rose with Jesus Christ, the believer is no longer under the penalty for sin. God looks upon the believer has has declared him or her righteous. The believer is declared not guilty, why? Because Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for the believer.

Romans 6:8-9 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: (9) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Remember, the three steps for the believer: rejected, slain, risen. Every believer must go through those steps, just as Jesus Christ did for the believer. If the believer died with Jesus Christ then they will also be risen with Him. The believer has newness of life now and the believer will be resurrected one day after they have physically died. Look at verse 9 – what is the first word? Knowing, not hoping, not maybe, not possibly, but KNOWING. Paul wants the believer to realize that they should KNOW death no more has dominion and that Jesus Christ forever lives. As Jesus Christ told the apostle John: Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Romans 6:10-12 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Jesus Christ died once and will never die again. The believer has the same promise. The believer must realize that they are dead to sin and do not have to choose to sin. If the believer chooses to not sin, then they will live a fuller life following God in love and obedience. That does not mean they will live an easier life, but it will be a life more satisfying. Charles Spurgeon wrote: We are one with Jesus being both dead with Him, and risen in Him; ours therefore it is to live the new life, and view ourselves as dead to all the sinful joys of our former lives. Of for grace to carry this out to the full.

What is the true Christian life? Being a Christian is more than just being born again. A person is only physically born once and then that person can only be born again spiritually once. Being born again is just the beginning, after that the believer is to walk in love and obedience toward God and this is an ongoing process. When the believer stops growing spiritually, they will begin to shrink. Just as a muscle in the body shrinks if it is not exercised, so will the believer’s faith and spirituality shrink if it is not exercised. Spirituality is exercised internally and then shows itself externally. Now, we can exhibit spiritual-looking behavior by going to church, witnessing, saying the right things, but if it is not something that we believe internally, then nothing is truly gained. If we do things just because it is our duty, then that is the wrong motivation. How would you feel if a child of your came to visit you and told you that they only came because they felt it is their duty? Duty is the wrong motivation for the believer in Jesus Christ. We should serve Him because we love Him. If that is not your motivation, then you need to get to your knees and ask God for help. The more time you spend with God, the more your love for Him will grow. And the opposite is true: the less time you spend with God, the less will your love for Him be. You will trust Him less and your faith will shrink.

God is a personal God and He wants your relationship with Him to be more than just the new birth. How many of us would really want a son or daughter than only remained a week old infant for their whole lives? God wants to see His children grow and mature.

Hebrews 5:12-14; 6:1,2 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. (13) For every one that useth milk is unskillfull in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. (14) But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (2) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

In the Old Testament God gave ten commandments. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ gave two commandments, which summarized the ten commandments.

Matthew 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? (37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus Christ is stating that these two commandments cover all of God’s commandments. The first one He gave about loving the Lord covers the first four commandments, and the second commandment covers the last six. I do want you to note that the Tenth Commandment given by God, in a sense, covers the previous nine commandments.

Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.

If we are coveting something that our neighbor has – tangible or intangible – then we are not properly loving our neighbor AND we are not trusting God and His decisions for us. My neighbor may have fame and if I desire his fame, then I am covetous and I am lacking faith in God that He rightly decides for me. Why is it that we trust God for salvation and then refuse to trust Him for anything else? If I declare that I trust God, but then my actions do not show that trust, what am I saying to others? I am stating that I do not believe what I say I believe. If I lack trust in Him, what I am really doing is denying in practice that He has a right, as my God, to use me where He wants in the spiritual battle which exists in the seen and unseen world (Francis Schaeffer). If I am coveting, then I am not showing proper love for my fellow man AND I am disobeying God, so now I have broken both of the commandments by Jesus Christ.

Duty alone is a poor reason for doing anything. It was Robert E. Lee who said, “Duty s the sublimest word in the English language.” But though her name may be sublime, Duty’s demands may be harsh and burdensome. “Must” is an unpleasant word. It sometimes speaks of harsh necessity. Jesus Christ said, “The Son of man must be lifted up” (John 3:14; 12:34). God’s Son must be nailed to the cross. Yet there was no drawing back from the obligation, no shirking the necessity. He must be lifted up because He loved, and love, eager to save poor sinners, made His death necessary. He must die because He loved. His submission to the will of God and His love for men were tangent at the cross. In obedience to the will of the Father and because He loved men and willed to redeem them He must die. He had to die. It was necessary that the Son of Man be lifted up because the Son of Man came into the world to save sinners and He must go to the cross to do the work of salvation. He went to the cross willingly. He was bound to the tree not by the nails which impaled Him upon the beam. The God who hid in the earth the iron from which the nails were forged and made the tree of the cross grow from its seed could not have been held by the nails upon the wood against His will. He was bound there by the cords of His own divine love. He gave His life. No man took it from Him (John 10:17,18) (unknown author).

1Corinthians 10:23-24 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. (24) Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.

When we place other people’s needs and desires ahead of our own, and doing it for the right reason, then we are not being covetous and we are obeying God. To do things for others with the right motivation requires us to humble ourselves because we are setting aside our needs and desires for someone else’s. 1Corinthians 13:3-5 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (4) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, (5) Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Are we truly loving our neighbor, if we are not willing to help them or love them for the right reason? If my focus is on me and what I want, then I am not loving my neighbor and the end result is that I am not loving God. Your neighbor is more than just the person living next door, your neighbor is also your spouse, your child, and your relatives.

Does this mean all desiring and needing is covetousness? No. So when does desire become covetousness? Desire becomes sin when the love of God or man is excluded. When our motivation becomes wrong for desiring something, then it becomes covetousness. If you are not sure then you can examine yourself this way: First: am I content with what God has given me; Second: do I love my neighbor enough that I do not envy them.

First, in regard to God: I am to love God enough to be contented, because otherwise even our natural and proper desires bring us into revolt against God. God has made us with proper desires, but if there is not a proper contentment on my part, to this extent I am in revolt against God and, of course, revolt is the central problem of sin. When I lack proper contentment, I have forgotten that God is God (Francis Schaeffer). And how can you tell that you are not content? When you are not thankful to God for what He has given you.

Ephesians 5:3-4 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; (4) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ:

If I am truly contented than I will also be thankful to God. Furthermore, I will not be partaking in anything that is listed in verses 3 and 4.

The second test about when desire becomes coveting toward our fellow man is when we envy what the other has and we hope to see the man fall. We should not take satisfaction in seeing another person fall down and if we do then we are being covetous and not loving our neighbor as we should. That other person may seem to be succeeding, even if they are doing it through wrong methods, but if we truly love them, then we should be praying for their repentance toward God.

Romans 6:3, 4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death

Paul is telling us that as believers, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Saviour, in God’s eyes we have died. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:5-9 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (6) For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: (7) In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. (8) But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. (9) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are to die daily to ourselves. This happens when we humble ourselves and look to serve and please God and others first. Paul uses the word “mortify” meaning to bring ourselves under the spiritual control of God – not self control, but spiritual control. So we must be willing to say “No” to ourselves in order to better love God and our fellow man. Instead seeking my good first, I should seek other’s good first. Remember again: 1Corinthians 10:23-24 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. (24) Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth. Just because I can do something, does not mean I should do it. Even if it is allowable under God’s Law, if the action may cause my fellow man to stumble, then I should not do it. It means saying, “No” to what we want and, “Yes” to others. We naturally do not want to deny ourselves anything, but we must be willing to say, “No” to ourselves.

Jesus Christ told His disciples: Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. This is the concept of dying daily: deny ourselves in order to follow God. What are we to deny ourselves? Things that are sinful and things that are done in the wrong motivation. For the believer in Jesus Christ, when He died on the cross, the believer died on the cross. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is important for the believer. If He had not died on the cross, then the believer’s sins have not been paid for. Jesus Christ was the perfect, sinless sacrifice as the Lamb of God to take away the of the world. He had to died to pay the sin debt that everyone has accumulated, but that debt is only paid for those that have trusted in Him. If everyone is going to Heaven, then there was no reason for Jesus Christ to die on the cross. If everyone could get to Heaven whether they follow Jesus Christ or not, then Jesus Christ did not have to die on the cross of Calvary! Jesus Christ points out in several places in the Gospels the fact that He was going to die for the sins of others. Go to Isaiah 53. Look at the words used: stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: he was afflicted; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter,

Jesus Christ’s death, His sacrifice, on the cross is absolutely necessary for the salvation of all that come to Him. Because of His death, believers are no longer under the penalty of sin and believers can live lives that honor and please God because they love Him. His death was unlike no other death because it was a substitutionary death. He died for others so that they may live. Jesus Christ died once for all.

Luke 9:22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

Jesus Christ showed a chronological order here in Luke 9:22 for His upcoming death: rejected, slain, raised. Then we see this same order presented for the believer in Jesus Christ: rejected, slain, raised. Luke 9:23, 24 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (24) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. The believer in Jesus Christ should look to follow this order in their lives everyday. It is a matter of again seeking to love and serve God and others before ourselves. Luke 9:25-26 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? (26) For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels. As Christ’s rejection and death are the first steps in the order of redemption, so our rejection and death to things and self are the first steps in the order of true and growing spirituality (Francis Schaeffer).

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee, Trust Him when thy strength is small,

Trust Him when to simply trust Him Seems the hardest thing of all. Trust Him, He is ever faithful,

Trust Him, for his will is best,

Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus

Is the only place of rest.

All glory and dominion should be to God and God alone. At the beginning of this passage I have read this morning, we see that believers will receive a crown of glory from the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. However, God deserves all the glory and the believer will gratefully give up the crown of glory and place it before the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 4:10-11 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, (11) Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

As much as believers today state that God deserves all glory, I do not think we can still fully grasp the concept of God’s glory from here on earth. What is glory? The dictionary defines glory as being “brightness, luster, splendor, magnificence.” Peter helps define “glory” in 2 Peter:

2 Peter 1:16-17 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (17) For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

This passage is referring to the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, when Peter, James, and John saw Jesus Christ transfigured in all of His glory and speaking with Elijah and Moses. Glory is something that can be seen and felt.

Luke 9:28-32 And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. (29) And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. (30) And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah: (31) Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. (32) But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

If glory can be seen, how big is it? Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Consider how large the universe is and that still does not come anywhere near the full size of God’s glory. Scientists have roughly determined that the universe is 90 billion trillion miles and that is still small compared to the glory of God, especially since He created the universe.

If glory can be seen, what color is it? In the passage about the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, we see that His clothes have become white and glistering – I never noticed that before that the word here is “glister”, which means the same as “glisten” – bright and shiny. And Jesus Christ’s glory shone from within Himself, it was not like a spotlight that shined upon Him: Matthew 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And glory is more that just the color white: Matthew 6:28-29 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: (29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. The lilies of the field are more than just the color white and they were more colorful than even Solomon in his best robes ever looked. God’s glory is more than we can fully understand here on earth, but it something we should look to do: glorify Him, rather than glorify ourselves. Charles Spurgeon said: If I might have but one prayer, it would be, “O God, glorify thyself in thine own church, and in the salvation of men!” And the wonderful thing about God’s glory is that it does not fade away. If a chair is constantly exposed to the sun, the colors of the chair eventually fade and lose their brightness, but God’s glory never fades and never loses its brightness.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Peter is exhorting his fellow believers to be humble, to be willing to submit to one another. It is very hard to be humble, each of us want to be in control of something in some way, but a proud person cannot know the grace of God. Peter states that the believer should be clothed with humility, meaning that humility should be in every facet of our lives. Believers are special in the eyes of God, but we should not be proud of our specialness. Charles Spurgeon said: I imagine there may be some of you ready to say, “Sir, I am nothing.” Then I shall reply, “You are a young Christian.” There will be others of you who will say, “Sir, I am less than nothing.” And I shall say, “You are an old Christian,” for the older Christians get, the less they become in their own esteem.” “When you are half an inch above the ground, you are that half-inch too high. Your place is to be nothing.”

Before a person can come to Jesus Christ for salvation, they must realize that they are not the center of their universe. The sun does not revolve around each of us. John the Baptist realized this and declared to the Pharisees: John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. It is not about me, it is about Jesus Christ. A long time ago, Nicolaus Copernicus studied the sky and declared, “If man is to know the truth, he must change his thinking! Despite what we have said for years, our earth is not the center of the cosmos-but just one celestial body among many. The sun does not move around us; we move around the sun.” This was a revolutionary idea for his time – people were positive that everything in the universe revolved around the earth. Years later, Jean Piaget studied children and declared, “Each child must experience his or her own ‘Copernican revolution.’They must learn that they are not the center of their world.” This is another revolutionary idea, and one that is not followed today. “After all,” each infant thinks, “My wants have always been met. I want it to always be that way!” “Walls should move out of the way before I run into them. The floor should become soft just as I fall. Everyone should give me their toys if I want them. The rules of games should change so I can always win.” Sooner or later, life does not cooperate and the child is shocked. But what about as adults – have we learned that lesson? Most of us learn it. But Satan urges us to put ourselves back in the center. And we often do, even when we know better.

The message of Jesus Christ to everyone is essentially: “If you want to enter the kingdom of heaven, you must change your thinking! Despite what your sinful nature tells you, you are not the center of your world. To find life, you must know the truth. Accommodate yourself to that; it will make you free!” John 8:28-32 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. (29) And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (30) As he spake these words, many believed on him. (31) Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

This is a hard lesson for everyone to learn. The illusion is easier. It justifies selfishness. And we all like being selfish.Too bad that the selfish way is not true.Too bad that it does not bring satisfaction or life. A hard lesson. But an important one. Life goes much better once you have got it.

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

The believer in Jesus Christ is to humble himself before God in submission. That means we are to do His Will, not our own will. That means that we are to do things His way, not our own way. If we are not sure what that way is, then we are to pray and read His Word to discover what He desires. Sometimes that means being patient and waiting for Him to show what His Will is. Psalm 27:11-14 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. (12) Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. (13) I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. (14) Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

God will teach if the student is willing to learn. That means being humble and submissive to God. That means surrendering control to God. A pastor traveling on a train was the sole occupant of a compartment, save for a young man reading a newspaper. The youth was also a Christian, but so weak was his faith, and so many were his temptations, that he told the pastor he did not think he would be able to stand life a week longer. The pastor took from his pocket a Bible and a pen and said, “See, I will make this pen stand up on the cover of this Bible, in spite of the rocking of the train.” The young man, thinking that this was some magic trick, watched the proceeding with interest, saying, “I am afraid that it will not be very easy to do that , sir.” “But,” said the pastor, “I am doing it.” “Oh, but you are holding it,” replied his fellow passenger. “Why of course. Did you ever hear of a pen standing up on its end without being held up?” “I see,” was the young man’s comment. “I see you mean to teach me that I cannot stand unless Christ holds me. Thank you for reminding me of that.”

Think about it for a moment, who has mightier hands than God? Do I? Do you? Does anyone? Of course not. That is exactly why we should put ourselves in His Hands – how can any of us possibly trust anyone else, especially ourselves? The Lord God encouraged Joshua in Joshua 1:9 Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. As D. L. Moody said, “Trust in yourself, and you are doomed to disappointment; trust in your friends, and they will die and leave you; trust in reputation, and some slanderous tongue may blast it; but trust in God, and you are never to be confounded in time or eternity.“

Proverb 30:26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

Now we are not completely sure what a cony is, but most scholars guess that it is some sort of rabbit. Rabbits are not strong animals and they cannot defend themselves very well in a fight. People have to be careful how they pick up a rabbit because their backs are fragile and could be broken if they are picked up wrong. A rabbit’s only defense is to run and hide. They are a feeble folk, but look where they choose to hide: the rock. When the cony sees a hawk or an eagle, it does not try to defend itself, instead it runs and hides in the rocks. The cony knows that it is too feeble to fight off a predator, so it lets the rocks protect it. That is what the believer must do as well – we are too weak to defend ourselves against the enemy, we must rely on the Rock: Jesus Christ. Look at how Peter describes the enemy: 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Personally, I do not want to confront a lion and if I had to then I want Jesus Christ as my Rock to hide behind and trust in His Word.

1 Peter 5:6, 7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

The only way a believer can cast his or her care upon Jesus Christ is to trust Him with the care. He loves His children and takes care of them. Too often we say, “I trust you, Lord” but then determine things our own way. It is when we decide that we know best, that we run into trouble. Let us say I have a brain tumor. A brain surgeon does not expect me to give him advice when he is conducting surgery. I have to trust that he has learned how to perform the surgery and let him work. The same is true with God: He is the Creator of all things – He is all powerful and all knowing, who better to cast my cares upon than Him? Jesus Christ declared:

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

He promises to give the believer rest, when they rely upon Him. If we cast our care upon Him, as Peter wrote, then we will have rest with God. What a blessing that is to know that God cares for each of us, He just wants us to come to Him. But the only way anyone can come to Him is by humbling ourselves before Him. Looking to do His Will in love and obedience.

God hath not promised skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptations, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

1 Peter 5:6, 7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

We are in a difficult time of history and we know from the Bible that the future is going to get rougher. The events in Egypt could be a forerunner of the future events that are predicted in the Bible. The Middle East is chaotic and anything could happen. The world is rushing closer to the end times and believers in Jesus Christ should be expecting to hear that trumpet call at any moment. Mankind is in a hurry to get away from God and follow man’s own ideas rather than what God has written down in the Bible. Man wants to remake Christianity in his own image rather than follow what God has said! Listen to this illustration:

“A small boy filled with all kinds of playful ideas anxiously awaited his father’s return from work. An extra-long day at the office, however, had taken its toll, and his father longed for a few minutes of relaxation. Over and over again the boy tugged at his dad’s leg with yet another suggestion of something they might do together. Well, finally in total frustration the father ripped from a magazine a picture of the world and tore it into a hundred pieces. “Here,” he said handing the child a roll of scotch tape, “go and put the world back together.” Ah, peace at last, or so he thought. But, in just a few minutes, he was interrupted again, there before him stood his son-and in hands was a crudely fashioned picture of the world. “Son, that’s incredible. How did you do it?” “It was easy,” said the boy, “you see on the other side of the picture of the world was the picture of a man, and as soon as I got man straightened out the world came together.” What a profound answer from a child! How true! Get man fixed and the world will be okay.” The illustration ends there, but it seems incomplete, but it does express the philosophy of today: get man fixed and the world will be okay.

In February, there is going to be a conference called “Big Tent Christianity” that describes itself as “the convergence of new and old ways of being and becoming the Church: Progressive and Emergent; Denominational and Non-denominational; Large and Small Faith Communities Describable and Undescribable. BTX brings people together from across the country to proclaim what unites us as followers of Jesus in this modern world. More than a dozen leading Christian voices will break through boundaries to share new and innovative forms of ministry and renewal. You will be inspired by their visions of how we can speak even more powerfully in and to the world of the 21st century.”

One of the speakers at this conference is Marcus Borg, who recently wrote: “To be Christian means to find the decisive revelation of God in Jesus. To be Muslim means to find the decisive revelation of God in the Koran. To be Jewish means to find the decisive revelation of God in the Torah, and so forth. I don’t think that one of these is better than the other. You could even say they are all divinely given paths to the sacred. To be Christian in this kind of context means to be deeply committed to one’s own tradition, even as one recognizes the validity of other traditions.”

These people are looking to get man straightened out and then the world will be okay. The problem is that they are leaving out the God of the Bible in the process. Only God can straighten man out, no matter how hard a man may try. They are also trying to remake God and Jesus Christ into something more palatable and agreeable: Marcus Borg also wrote: “Seminary also introduced me to the historical study of Jesus and Christian origins. I learned from my professors and the readings they assigned that Jesus almost certainly was not born of a virgin, did not think of himself as the Son of God, and did not see his purpose as dying for the sins of the world… I also found the claim that Jesus and Christianity were the only way of salvation to be troublesome.” Reverend Lowell Grisham, an Episcopalian minister wrote: “But I’ve never understood why people would want to worship a God who was meaner than they are. That’s not a God who deserves our worship. What kind of God would condemn Gandhi and the Dalai Lama to hell? Maybe an unjust, tribal deity. But that’s not the God we see reflected in the life of Jesus, and it is not the God of healthy Christianity. When Christians speak of God, we look first to the person of Jesus as the incarnation of God, the human face of God. Jesus did not run around trying to convert everyone to his religion. He reached out with compassion and understanding toward those who were outside his religion, and he treated them with love and respect.”

What was one of the first statements that Jesus Christ is recorded as declaring in Mark’s Gospel? Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. That is the Jesus Christ of the Bible and that is the Jesus Christ people need to follow! People need to get back to what God has said in His Word rather than looking for new ways and new ideas. Only Jesus Christ can straighten man out and the world will only be okay when Jesus Christ returns! People need to put away these “new” ideas and return to the old paths. Jeremiah wrote:

Jeremiah 6:16-20 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. (17) Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. (18) Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. (19) Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. (20) To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

God is telling the Israelites to return to the ways that He had taught them hundreds of years before during the Exodus. All they have to do is follow Him and they will find rest for their souls – they just have to walk on the good way. Jesus Christ Himself informed the disobedient Israelites where to find the good way: John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. The word “the” makes the meaning all to clear: Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. But the world wants to think that there are many paths to God.

In the latest issue of Reader’s Digest, there is an article by a Muslim woman who is defending the mosque being built near Ground Zero in New York City. She believes that the world’s religions need to get along with each other and embrace the differences and realize that we all worship the same god. She ends the article with this: “The Sufi poet Rumi has a very beautiful poem. He says that God is like an ocean, and religions are like rivers that all flow into the same ocean. Our origins are the same, and our destinations are the same; it is our paths that sometimes differ.” Now if I read that statement to the average person out there – even the ones that profess to be Christian – they would applaud that statement. But it is completely contradictory to what the Bible says. There is not a shred of truth to that poem. Sadly, people do not want to believe the Word of God.

Jeremiah 6:10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. Jeremiah spoke the Word of God to the Israelites and they could not listen to it. Their ears were filled with their sin and they could not bear to hear the Word of God. Just as Paul wrote to Timothy: 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. Look at the last phrase of Jer. 6:10

behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. The Israelites refused to hear the Word of God and then began to mock it and found no pleasure in it. The Word of God is not always going to be what people want to hear – BUT it is what people NEED to hear. Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Who ever wants to be corrected or chastised or rebuked? Nobody does, but each of us need to be corrected when we stray from the way of God. The Word of God is what every person needs to hear in order to follow God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Listen to what these men say about the Bible:

“Make it the first morning business of your life to understand some part of the Bible clearly, and make it your daily business to obey it in all that you do understand”-John Ruskin.

“I cannot too greatly emphasize the importance and value of Bible study-more important than ever before in these days of uncertainties, when men and women are apt to decide questions from the standpoint of expediency rather than on the eternal principles laid down by God Himself”-John Wanamaker.

“It is impossible to mentally or socially enslave a Bible reading people. The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom”-Horace Greeley.

Jeremiah 6:11-14 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. (12) And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD. (13) For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. (14) They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

Look at verse 13: God is declaring through Jeremiah that everyone is covetous – everyone wants for themselves first. Everybody wants what is not theirs. Covetousness is the root of many sins: consider the Ten Commandments almost all of those involve someone being covetous. Commandments 1-4: “I want to have my own god or be god. I want to worship who or what ever I desire. I will talk as I like and I will do whatever I want on whatever day I want.” Commandments 7-10: “I want my neighbor’s spouse. I will take what my neighbor has. I will take my neighbor’s reputation away through lying. I will desire to have what my neighbor has.” Jeremiah goes on to state that the religious leaders – the prophets to the priests – are dealing falsely with the Israelites and with God. In verse 14 the false prophets and priests have claimed to heal the wounds of the Israelites, but all they have done is put a bandage on a wound that is infected. They did nothing to cure the problem and that is what is happening today: There are plenty of band-aids but they are only covering the wounds and not getting to the root of the problem:sin. People are refusing to see their sin and they refuse to answer to the conviction by the Holy Spirit when they do sin. They want to believe that they are at peace with God, while they are waddling in their sin!

A certain community was near a dangerous highway curve where several cars had driven too fast around the curve and fallen over a cliff. Great discussion took place in the town over what to do about the situation. Some in the discussion group thought it a good idea to station an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff to give immediate aid to the victims. Wiser heads suggested it might be better to erect a fence around the curve on top of the cliff. To us, such a discussion is ridiculous. We know it is much better to prevent accidents and deaths than to treat them after the fact. Let us not overlook the truth that this principle also has much spiritual merit. We need not debate whether Christians sin. The New Testament speaks plainly. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His Word has no place in our lives. The Apostle John immediately follows this truth with a powerful statement of assurance. 1John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Although forgiveness and grace are abundant, Jesus does not intend for us to just focus on these. He not only provides forgiveness, He also gives us the power to keep from sin. How much better that we focus on the “fence” at the top rather than on the “ambulance” at the bottom. How much better it is to warn rather than to try to pick up the pieces.

Jeremiah 6:15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. When people are filled with covetousness, their only concern is themselves and they feel no shame about it. A young man applying for a job as usher in a theater was asked by the owner, “In case of fire, what would you do?” “Oh, don’t be concerned about me,” was the reply. “I’d be able to escape immediately.” He did not even think of his responsibility toward others. Of course, he didn’t get the job. Sin blinds us all and keeps our focus on what I want. Sin is an “I” problem and becomes all about me. Sin has us saying, “I can do it myself.” The believer in Jesus Christ realizes that he or she must bow down before Him and say, “Help me, Jesus, I cannot do this without you.”

Daniel 1:9-10 Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. (10) And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

Daniel was favored by the prince of eunuchs and we see God’s hand in this, as He intervenes for His children. The eunuch feared for his own life if Daniel and his friends looked less healthy than the rest of the captive Israelites.

Daniel 1:11-13 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, (12) Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. (13) Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

The four young men did not want to defile themselves and asked the prince of the eunuchs to provide them with diet of vegetables and grains. They asked Melzar to give them ten days on the diet of pulse and if they looked worse than the other young men that ate of the king’s meat, then they would eat from the king’s meat as well.

Daniel 1:14-15 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. (15) And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.

After ten days of eating pulse, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah looked healthier than the men who ate the portion of the king’s meat. Harry Ironside wrote: Some who read the account in our day may also consider it all a mere quibble on the part of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. But it brings out a principle of great force and beauty that should appeal to every Christian’s heart and conscience. The only way to grow in the Lord is by being faithful in little things. He who honors the Lord by conscientious adherence to His Word in what some would call minor details is likely to be exercised about greater things.

The believer in Jesus Christ must determine in their heart to follow in love and obedience Jesus Christ. It may be a case of rejecting things that bring us pleasure in order to please Jesus Christ. Believers need to understand that they will need to deny themselves some things in order to come closer to Jesus Christ. It must be a conscience decision on the believer’s part. Barnabas encouraged the people of Antioch to do this:

Act 11:22-23 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. (23) Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

The believer must purpose in his or her heart to not defile themselves. There can be no compromise with the world and the things that defile the believer. Truth is truth – it is as simple as that. God’s Word is truth and we must follow it and show its truth to others. The other Hebrews with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, chose to compromise the values that God gave them. They chose to eat the portion of the king’s meat and they were not rewarded by God, unlike Daniel and his friends.

Daniel 1:17-20 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. (18) Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. (19) And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. (20) And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

God’s hand was upon the four men because they chose to follow God despite the consequences that were before them. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. When we allow something into our life that will defile us, it may seem small at first, but the sin will grow. As the sin grows in our life, it will darken our view of God and it will deaden our sensitivity to the things of God. God no longer becomes a light unto our feet and we will stumble and choose to go deeper into sin. Proverb 4:18-19 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (19) The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

When an individual has the attitude of compromise in regard to spiritual values and truths, dark days are ahead. All who strive to be Christians feel a certain amount of pressure from the world. Through the strength that Christ gives, we can overcome the world and its temptations.

A man starting a fish business put out his sign that read, “Fresh Fish For Sale Today” and invited all to visit his place of business on opening day. Many came and congratulated him on his new business, but one suggested that he change his sign. “Why the ‘Today’? It is today.” So he removed the “Today”.

Someone else said, “Why, ‘For Sale’? Everybody knows you have fish for sale-or else why the store?” The words “For Sale” came off the sign. Another said, “Why the word ‘Fresh’? You are a man of integrity, that guarantees your fish to be fresh.” “Fresh” came off the sign. Only one word was left, “Fish” and one complained about it. “I smelled your fish two blocks away.”

The individual that tries to satisfy everybody ends up by pleasing nobody. If we start compromising, we will end up serving the devil. The man should have put up his sign and then stood by it. This is what we are to do in life. Accept God’s will for our lives and stand on His promises. Believers must purpose in their hearts to follow God.

Daniel 1:1-8 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. (2) And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. (3) And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; (4) Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. (5) And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. (6) Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: (7) Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego. (8) But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

The Babylonians invaded the kingdom of Judah three times. On the third time, they destroyed the city and took most everybody into captivity. The invasion described in the beginning of the Book of Daniel was the first invasion and it took place about 604 BC. Daniel and his three friends were taken along with thousands of others. Some of the vessels from the house of the Lord were taken and placed into the temple of the god of Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 1:3 And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes;

When invading a foreign land, Babylon would take the best people from that land and put them to work for Babylon. We see here in verses 3,4 that certain young men were set apart and chosen for their wisdom and understanding so that they could serve as advisers to King Nebuchadnezzar. It is believed that Daniel would have been about seventeen and it is also believed that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were made eunuchs. Verse 3 tells us that the master of the eunuchs watched over them and verse 9 Dan 1:9 Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs points in that direction. This would fulfill the prophesy made by Isaiah to King Hezekiah: Isaiah 39:7 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Why would Nebuchadnezzar have them made into eunuchs? So the men would remain focused on studying science and wisdom rather than being distracted by other pursuits.

Daniel 1:4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favored, and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

They were chosen for their smarts and also their ability to communicate and conduct themselves. I like what J. Vernon McGee wrote about this verse: I want to submit to you that the Bible was not written by a bunch of ninnies – it wasn’t written by men who were ignorant. Moses was learned in all the wisdom of Egypt. The Egyptians were quite advanced; they knew the distance to the sun, and they knew that the earth was round. It was a few Greeks who came along later and flattened out the earth. They were the “scientists” in that day, you see. Science taught the the earth was flat. The Bible never did teach that; in fact it said it was a circle (see Isaiah 40:22). Daniel, too, as a young man was outstanding. He must have rated high on the list of tests in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. Don’t despise the learning of that day. There were many men who were well advanced in knowledge, in science, and in many other areas. Daniel is going to be exposed to all that.

Daniel 1:5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

These young men were to fed with the best food in the kingdom – the same food that King Nebuchadnezzar would be eating. The idea was that they would be ready to stand before the king ready to advise him after three years. The king’s meat would include foods that were prohibited by God’s Law. Daniel was a Jew and was forbidden by God to eat unclean animals which included certain meats, birds and fish.

Daniel 1:6,7 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: (7) Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.

The Jewish names for these young men point toward their allegiance to God and their Hebrew names incorporate the name of God in some fashion. Each of these men were devoted to God as their names suggest, but the prince of eunuchs determined that they needed new names to show their subjection to the Babylonians. So the names Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego incorporate the names of the gods of the Babylonians. Obviously, as we read through the Book of Daniel, the men did not follow the gods that they had been re-named after. They chose to follow Jehovah and remain obedient to Him even at great risk to their lives.

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

This is the key phrase in this chapter: Daniel purposed in his heart: Daniel decided early on that he would not defile himself for the sake of getting along. Daniel decided in his heart that he would take a stand against what he knew was wrong. Daniel decided in his heart that he would not compromise despite the consequences of his actions. The goal of the Babylonians was to make these men into Babylonians – they were to learn Babylonian knowledge, they were to dress like Babylonians, they were to eat like Babylonians, and they were to behave like Babylonians. Daniel and his three friends purposed in their hearts that they would not compromise and adopt the ways of the Babylonian world. The king of Babylon had ordered that the men were to eat of the king’s meat and so it looks like they would have to follow those orders. There are those that would argue this is true and that there is no individual responsibility in this matter. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah did not see it this way and purposed in their hearts to follow God. They chose to obey God’s Word and not man’s law. They chose to honour God and glorify Him rather than compromise and follow the Babylonian example. The Christian should never compromise on what God’s Word declares. Paul Harvey once told the story of the uncertain soldier in the Civil War who, figuring to play it safe, dressed himself in a blue coat and gray pants and tiptoed out onto the field of battle. He got shot from both directions!

by H.A. Ironside, 1910 from his commentary on Daniel