Chapter Three

 

Getting Real With God

The Bible invites us to return unto God and, in so doing, put Him to the test. “Prove me now!” says the Lord God, “Put me to the test. See if my word is true.” 

“For I, Yahweh, don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says Yahweh of Armies. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this,” says Yahweh of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there will not be room enough for. I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before its time in the field,” says Yahweh of Armies. “All nations shall call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says Yahweh of Armies.

“Your words have been stout against me,” says Yahweh. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?  Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’ Then those who feared Yahweh spoke one with another; and Yahweh listened, and heard, and a book of memory was written before him, for those who feared Yahweh, and who honored his name. They shall be mine,” says Yahweh of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn’t serve him.

(Malachi 3:6-18)

His step-grandfather was a wealthy man, and he was providing them all with cheap accommodation in the various properties he would buy for investment purposes. More than this, he would even provide interest-free loans for the grandchildren to purchase automobiles and also when an emergency arose; not to mention the other gifts he would shower on his extended family of stepchildren and step-grandchildren for birthdays and special events.

John was single. He was hoping to meet a girl and marry. His younger siblings already had children from in wedlock and out of wedlock. The fact that they all had partners, and he did not, was a constant boil on his backside that would irritate him at the many family gatherings and meals. While John looked to Lord Jesus Christ and claimed he believed God could do anything, he did not really believe that He would honor His word; for this showed when it came to the tithe.

One of the sad facts about John is he likes telling people he is a Christian and believes in God—but in a way that is off-putting. He is very boisterous and is quick to tell people how much better he is than others at doing things, and prides himself on his reliability when others are not so reliable. Because of his lack of social skills, most people think he is a simpleton when they meet him. When they get to know him, John demonstrates that he is quite capable of doing a number of tasks and has some good attributes, but his personality can be suffocating. But then, this is what one becomes when one is protected into adulthood and finds comfort in computer games and pornography on the internet. Sadly, John is like so many people who look to Jesus Christ and attend church, but inadvertently cause the name of God to be blasphemed around the world. He believes he is saved by grace and, even though he has certain proclivities he likes, which he knows are sinful, he believes he can do them because God forgives him.

God is not mocked, though, and neither does God change. God is righteous, and because of this, He will not change His mind like humans do at the drop of a hat. Among the scoffers of the world, the Creator is construed as an irascible tyrant incapable of self-control. The scoffers are the fools, who know they will die, but do not care. When they do care, it will be too late. They will be like men who die from thirst in the middle of the desert, while seeking to make it to their mirage. Whereas, we who have come to appreciate the truth of what righteousness means, and can distinguish this from self-righteousness, know that as humans we are not righteous of ourselves. Our righteousness, we recognize, comes from the inheritance that was bequeathed to us at the death of Jesus. However, repentance means to stop doing sinful activities. Repentance does not mean sin as much as we like, because we will always be forgiven, as long as we forgive others; therefore, God will always hear our prayers.

In the book of Hebrews, we learn that although a new covenant has been put in place, for an inheritance to have its effect, the death of the one who bequeaths it has to be established. For we read:

For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a last will and testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it. For a will is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives. Therefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood.

(Hebrews 9:15-18)

This can be a little tricky to understand because, on the one hand, Jesus has died and, on the other hand, He lives still. If the one who has died bequeaths an inheritance to others upon his death, then this is established at his death. The reading of the will is made known, and then those in charge of executing the estate that has been left by the dead person do so in accordance with the person’s wishes. In the case of Jesus, He has died; but He lives forevermore and invites us to share His life as beneficiaries of His last will and testament. Understanding this can be somewhat confusing, because this is not a straightforward transaction. The beneficiaries are not recipients of a material asset that belongs to this world alone. Nevertheless, it is the death of Jesus that provides an inheritance for us. Without the death of Jesus, there would be no inheritance.

Legally, the only way we humans could receive eternal life would be for the One who possesses the right to live forever to die and bequeath His right to us. This is the only way we can obtain eternal life, and this is the only way a righteous God could legally bequeath life to us.

There is much said about the grace of God and the unmerited favor that is bestowed upon us who accept that Jesus Christ died for our sins. There is also much said about legalism and its destructive influence within the church. Legalistic attitudes are judgmental and, therefore, not of God, because there is no grace involved. This is true when we speak of man-made legalities and judgments. This is not the case when we speak of the righteousness of God and how He maintains being Holy. For from God emanate all the laws and principles of life. We cannot escape these laws—no matter how much we try. The very concept of knowledge is bound in law. This is why Jesus said to the lawyers that they possessed the keys of knowledge.

The particular Scripture that records what Jesus said about lawyers does not say that they possess the keys of knowledge in the same sense as has just been expressed, but this is implied; because if someone takes away the key, they must then have possession of it, unless they lose it or it is taken from them. For we read:

Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered.

(Luke 11:52)

When Jesus said this, He was not talking to priests nor the scribes, but to those who made a practice of representing others and arguing on their behalf before the priests.

Some individuals say that the people of those days were not so advanced as to have lawyers. But then these naysayers would also argue such a thing as earning interest on money did not exist in Jesus’ day either—when it did. Ancient civilization has been more complex than what many from the modern era have been willing to admit.

Jesus called these people lawyers because they were the ones who interpreted the law within the Jewish system and exacted payment from their clients. Actually, the idea of law comes from a word that signifies action is taking place which is difficult to resist, even if there is an emphasis on religious thought. This is because the Mosaic idea of law is effectively: “God’s word moves mountains.” God’s word is an active force. God’s word does not come back void. Hence, law impels compliance by its weight of obligation. If we think of the gravitational pull of the Earth, we are getting the right idea.

Righteousness is the very force that creates order out of chaos. To bring this closer to home, imagine that we are on the Moon; we would float as we bounced around, due to the lack of gravitational pull. Home is Earth, but in order to get home we need help. We cannot do this on our own. We have to leave the gravitational pull of the Moon and enter into the gravitational pull that emanates from Earth. Now if there were no law of gravity[i] (which is the equivalent of righteousness), we would just float off and bang into other objects, and nothing with purpose would exist. There would be chaos.

Imagine we are born on the Moon as children of parents who were part of a party of explorers sent to investigate the living conditions on the Moon. Supplies are no longer shipped in from Earth because, as far as food and basic needs are concerned, the community is self-sufficient. The Moon community has developed a habitable environment that is self-sustaining using hydroponic methods of providing food and is increasing the capacity of arable land using natural fertilization methods. However, the Moon landscape is not as refreshing to behold as is the blue planet, where our parents were originally from. As young adults, we long to visit the planet of our parents, but since the supplies have stopped coming from Earth, we have to work out how to get there ourselves.

In order for us to get to Earth, the first thing we have to work out is how to leave the gravitational pull of the Moon and enter into that which belongs to Earth. For us to navigate our way from the Moon to Earth we need knowledge. We need to understand what laws keep these two objects from smashing into each other. Only instead of laws, we start thinking in terms of principles, because our parents tell us laws sound like something that can be changed as quickly as a coin can be tossed—just like local municipalities short of money change road laws, speeding limits, and curfews that are common among the communities on the blue planet.

Now when it comes to what many people perceive to be laws, they mean regulations that are created and enforced by the governing body at the time. These can be edicts of kings, councils, or parliaments that are changed whenever there is a changing of the guard. Such laws are not like the law of gravity, which has a permanency that enables a planet like Earth to sustain life as we know it. What we know is gravity actually governs Earth and keeps everything on the surface attached to the ground. We could say gravity is the law which is the governing principle that enables life to exist on Earth.

When contemplating the governing principle of life, we have to conclude that this is a calculated determination of what is the correct calibration of energy required to sustain and maintain an equilibrium of applied knowledge within infinity. If that definition is too profound, we will settle for this: life is sustained by the full comprehensive knowledge of existence calculating harmony. If this is still a little too deep, how does “righteousness” sound as the governing principle of life? For indeed this is true righteousness.

God is righteous; therefore, whatever He brings into existence has a right to exist. However, when something that God has created decides to reject the right He possesses over His creation, then that something can be extinguished just as easily as it was created. In this regard, we read in the Scriptures about the potter and the clay, and the question is posed about the right the clay has to dictate to the potter. Or, what should the potter do with the clay that is no longer useful for what it was originally purposed?

The nation Israel was likened unto a clay vessel that had been formed on the potter’s wheel. The question was posed regarding the Lord God’s right over that nation and its individual members. Surely, as the potter has the right to do with the clay what he so desires, so, too, the Omniscient, Omnipotent One has the right to do whatever He desires with the nation He created and the people who form that nation. The words of Jeremiah are framed within the context of a righteous owner of goods exercising his rights over those goods. In the case of Israel, being a nation made up of people possessing the capacity for independent thought, unlike a potter merely dealing with clay that cannot think, the issues of breaking faith and righteousness arose between the Creator and the created. With this in mind, we can understand the heart of God as He attempts to reason with a people who are intent on turning their backs on Him, when He only wants the best for them. Although couched in terms of human understanding at the time, God is not an irascible tyrant; rather God, being righteous, has to execute justice when required, and this requires accountability. Accountability also means recompense is required to uphold a just system and enable the measurement of the standard of righteousness to be upheld as equitable. For we cannot be accountable if there is no standard for accountability with which a measurement can be made. This would be like asking how long a piece of string is and having nothing to measure it. Or guessing the size and weight of the fish that got away to have been the largest and heaviest caught. Righteousness, therefore, requires accountability and also the measurement of that accountability, so the truth can be established.

That a righteous God would require accountability and exact recompense, if required for justice to be equitable, is the context in which we need to understand the following:

The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making a work on the wheels. When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter? says Yahweh. Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them. Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Yahweh says: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return you now everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings. But they say, It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore Yahweh says: Ask now among the nations, who has heard such things; the virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing. Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up? For my people have forgotten me. (Jeremiah 18:1-15a)

Importantly, in the aforementioned text, the House of Israel is the focus of the admonishment, not individuals themselves. The House of Israel is the only nation that God created, and like a potter with clay, He says He can smash one creation and make another. This is the case even though the House of Israel consists of individuals who possess free will.

When we read that God frames evil, we need to understand that, as the consequence of the people’s actions—like a piece of clay that was unsuitable for the required purpose—they were to be discarded as a corporate body. Since the people are not like inanimate objects, but living beings with a conscience and the capacity to make decisions, what befalls them appears evil, when in fact it is righteous judgment being executed. The Israelites, as the House of Israel, were being shown undue grace under the circumstances because they could have been exterminated as a nation; except, because of the promises made to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the people were not consumed. Instead, they were chastised, as a nation, in the hope that, as individuals of the House of Israel, who make up the collective, they might see the light and repent from the evil of their ways. Like employees of a corporation, if the individuals of the House of Israel do what is required, there is prosperity for all to enjoy. But if they fail in meeting their individual commitments, the corporate body suffers, as well as everyone else who is a member of that organization, which in this case just happens to be the House of Israel.

The prophet Isaiah presents the case that the iniquities of the people consume them rather than the fury of an angry God. He also appeals to God to consider the mitigating factors that have caused the people of Israel to disregard Him, saying:

There is no one who calls on your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have consumed us by means of our iniquities. But now, Yahweh, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you our potter. We all are the work of your hand. Don’t be furious, Yahweh, and don’t remember iniquity forever. Look and see, we beg you, we are all your people. (Isaiah 64:7-9)

From an enlightened perspective, we might look upon the foolishness of those who have thought that God cannot see what they are doing every minute of the day, yet with a curtailed memory. For we ourselves have most probably forgotten, at times, that our behavior is being closely monitored, and when we have committed sin against other people, even in a seemingly minor manner, God sees us. We are all accountable for what we do—in word and deed. Nevertheless, God reasons with us all, the same as He attempted to reason with the people of Israel through the prophets, for we read:

Woe to those who deeply hide their counsel from Yahweh, and whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us?” and “Who knows us?” You turn things upside down! Should the potter be thought to be like clay; that the thing made should say about him who made it, “He didn’t make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding?” (Isaiah 29:15-16)

The Apostle Paul uses the illustration of the potter and the clay to drive home the point that, at the end of the day, we are all accountable to God, and need to be treated as vessels of mercy rather than wrath if we are to have any hope. The Apostle is not formulating a doctrine of predestination of the wicked and the righteous having been determined before the foundations of the world. Those who decide to do wicked will be destined as vessels of wrath, while those who cry for mercy will receive mercy. The fact that God chooses who is to receive mercy and who is to receive the judgment of wrath has nothing to do with people being like clay and not being able to make their own decisions. The Apostle Paul introduces the concept of the potter and the clay to demonstrate that when assessing the bottom line, our Creator is in control of the universe, even if we have been given limited capabilities to make choices between good and evil, right and wrong, true and false. The Apostle Paul poses the question and essentially asks, What if it were the case that God further hardens the hardened heart and extends mercy on those whom He determines to show His mercy, would the result be different? For we read:

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:20-24)

As vessels of wrath, being born into sin and having committed sin, instead of consigning every vessel to destruction by further hardening their hearts according to their ways, God has opted to provide an opportunity of mercy to all who respond to His call. Whether we respond to the call or not is our own responsibility. We have all been given free will. We can do nothing about this fact since this is how the Lord God has made us. We can complain and attempt to shift the blame by blaming the Devil for causing us to give in to our weaknesses, or we can accept the truth and acknowledge that with every temptation that we have had, there has always been a way of escape so we might endure it. Sometimes we have chosen to endure, and other times we have decided not to endure. In the end, we are all tempted when we are enticed and lured by our own desires.

In the book of Hosea we learn:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me. Because you have forgotten your God’s law, I will also forget your children. (Hosea 4:6)

Knowledge is what makes us different from the beasts of the field. Knowing what is right and wrong, good and evil, true and false, is what sets us apart. If we did not possess the ability to think and distinguish morally between one idea and another, we may as well be as beasts of the field that have no say in their lives. Some children do not get any say; they are born unable to communicate with other human beings, even though they possess a spirit, soul, and a body. Not being able to communicate and demonstrate comprehension regarding their surroundings, their ability to sin against another human being is limited, if not an impossibility.

This creates a problem for the doctrine that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). For how can a person be held accountable for a sin that person did not commit?[ii] The truth is the person cannot be held accountable for any sin not committed. Nevertheless, the Bible informs us that since sin entered the world through Adam and, through him, brought forth death; therefore, we are all tarred with the same brush. Sin and death reign, regardless of whether we consciously sin or not (Romans 5:12-13). From this comes the doctrine that we are totally depraved and are incapable of exercising free will to do good. We might desire to do good, but whatever good we choose to do is in vain, because we will always do evil instead. This doctrine of total depravity is also premised upon the Apostle Paul’s admission of his own circumstances before he became a Christian—when trying in his own strength and in his own wisdom to honor the commandments of God but failing to do so (Romans 7:1-25).

The truth is we are all born into a world governed by sin, and we inherit the consequences of sin as part of our DNA. However, we are not responsible for the sin of our fathers; we are only responsible for our own sin. Now if we had no choice in the matter, then we have no free will. If we possess free will and are capable of making decisions, then we need knowledge to make those decisions—especially if they are to be informed judgments. Without knowledge, we perish (Hosea 4:6).

The law is what provides us with knowledge. The law of God that was given to Moses provides us with knowledge and truth (Romans 2:20). Some translations rightly state that the Law possesses and embodies the essence of knowledge and truth. Without knowledge, we cannot possess truth, and without the truth we cannot realize our existence; that is, be cognizant of the truth of our being. For us to be aware of our emotions and conscious of our existence, we need the means by which we can define one thing from another; otherwise, we are meaningless creatures that possess nothing of worth.

The Bible tells us we are not worthless. The Bible tells us that we were made in the image of God so that we might be vessels for His glory and not totally depraved, as some would attempt to have us believe. The fact that we are born into a world that is governed by sin and we are subject to sinful desires on a daily basis does not mean we are totally depraved and incapable of making decisions not to sin. If we possess the right understanding of what the Law of God requires, then we should be able to do what God requires. Unfortunately, because we are born into a world governed by sin, even if we were not to knowingly sin, in all likelihood, we will suffer the sin of self-righteousness or doubt.

The Apostle Paul informs us that whatever is done out of faith is not sin (Romans 14:23). Therefore, understanding faith is critical to being of a sound mind and exercising self-control. Faith is often viewed as the sum of one’s belief and not as something that grows. We speak about growing in confidence, but not so much about growing in faith. Yet it is faith that enables us to have confidence in the things that are unseen. Faith is an element of being that is misunderstood, even though in some circles nothing but faith conquering doubt is preached. These are those who preach that we can have whatever we ask, providing we have faith and do not doubt. Indeed, these preachers and their adherents tend to make a lot of noise about what they claim they believe; but in practice, they are not renowned for their demonstration of faith—as inactive faith is not faith. Faith that does not produce fruit cannot be faith. The Apostle James states:

Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. (James 2:18)

Faith is something that grows and matures like an emotional aspect of our spiritual walk and needs to be understood and cultivated in a similar manner to leadership skills that are recalibrated to bring about an attitudinal change. This involves having a sound resolution of what possessing faith means for us. If we are not resolute about our convictions, then possessing the faith that moves mountains is never going to be possible. Moreover, we need to understand that faith towards God is not exactly the same as the faith expressed towards our family and friends, even if there are similarities.

There are also similarities in expectations, hopefulness, and wishful thinking; only they are not the same. While we might expect something to happen, do we have the faith that it will happen? Wishfully, we might hope a certain event will turn in our favor, but we may not have the faith to act as if it has. Hopefulness causes us to reach out in faith and extend mercy and grace to those who may not be deserving of it. Hope also emanates from a desire within that is strong enough to envisage something futuristic as being more than just a passing thought emanating from an overactive imagination.

An oft quoted portion of Scripture is found in the book of Proverbs and reads:

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18 ESV)

In common parlance, “where there is no vision the people perish” is how the Scripture from Proverbs is often quoted, depending upon which Bible translation is being used. Implicit in this Scripture is the idea that people who have nothing to aim for, no goal in life, are inclined to self-destruct. Many civilizations have done this. History is replete with revolutionaries having a vision and turning the tables on those who opposed them, only to see the following generation degenerate into what the original visionaries rose up against. Like the cycle associated with the concept of karma and reincarnation, the more it happens, the more it remains the same. Likewise, people from the West think that only the Orientals think in terms of rivers running down to the ocean to return as rain and snow to water the plants and provide bread for the sower. The suggestion that this is a Biblical concept horrifies some. Yet this is what we find in the book of Isaiah:

For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

What is even more elusive for many minds is that this relates to the concept of faith and faithfulness—people returning to God and receiving blessings.

The Apostle Paul had a habit of drawing from the Old Testament in his letters, which have played a prominent role in creating the New Testament. He would often mix Scriptures around to highlight a point. In this respect, when writing to the Corinthians, he draws from different passages to encourage the faith and continued generosity of his fellow brethren. In the following passage, we can easily recognize where he may have drawn some of his thoughts from, for we read:

As it is written, “He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.” Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; you being enriched in everything to all liberality, which produces through us thanksgiving to God.

(2 Corinthians 9:9-11)

As we read further in the same letter to the Corinthians, it becomes obvious that Paul’s aim is to see faith grow in those to whom he has had the privilege of ministering, even though this key element of salvation does seem to be couched within other matters at the time. As we can see from this example, the truth of God’s word is easily overlooked by those who are not genuinely seeking to know Him as Lord and Savior, and give Him the recognition that is rightfully His. Without faith growing in the hearts of believers, nothing is going to happen, but we need to understand that only those of us who earnestly desire the truth shall find it. This is evident in the following text:

For we don’t stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn’t reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ, not boasting beyond proper limits in other men’s labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence, so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

(2 Corinthians 9:14-16)

The Corinthian brethren were known more for their carousing rather than for seeking the truth. Those at Thessalonica appear to be different, because, in all probability, the brethren at Berea had influenced them. These Berean brethren demonstrated integrity in their search for the truth when the Apostle Paul first came to the region. This quality of genuine desire for truth was not common. Even though Paul was wont to boast, this being the nature that he had cultivated prior to becoming a Christian, at least in the following Scripture, he is boasting not of himself but about the degree of faith the Thessalonian brethren possess; for we read:

We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds; so that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure. (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4)

While the people at Thessalonica were abounding in love for one another, it was their faith towards God that was growing. The same as those at Corinth, their faith was growing. The reason their faith was growing is because they were giving to the work of ministry. They had entered into providing for the saints and giving to the work of ministry. To quote the Apostle:

You being enriched in everything to all liberality, which produces through us thanksgiving to God. For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through many givings of thanks to God; seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all. (2 Corinthians 9:11-13)

Giving is not something that is to be done out of compulsion; it has to come from a liberal heart that gives freely because of the joy that others will receive once they have become recipients of the gift. They are also giving to meet needs, not to finance individuals’ economic aspirations. Ministers of the gospel, who labor in sharing the words of life with others and spend time in prayer and devotion on behalf of the saints, are worthy of having their financial needs met. Even when the Apostle was taking contributions to other saints who were suffering, his traveling requirements would have needed to be met. If we give to the Lord with a cheerful heart, we are seeking to give Him the glory. The Apostle Paul writes:

I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you, and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness. Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.

(2 Corinthians 9:5-8)

Jesus spoke of our lights shining before men, and their seeing our good works and giving glory to God because of what we do. This does not mean that we go around making a show of what we do, so that people’s attention might be drawn to what we have done. What Jesus is talking about transcends selfish worldly thinking and points to the change in the emotional disposition, attitudinal disposition, and general character of those of us who have discovered true salvation, because our natures are being transformed into the likeness of the Son of God and our Heavenly Father. This occurs because of a change of heart within us, and because we have been set free from sin. The prophet Isaiah, who was eager to serve the Lord his God, exhorts us all to:

Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

(Isaiah 55:6-7)

If we are to return to the Lord of Blessings, the Holy One Who sees everything we do, we need to seek Him, call out to Lord Jesus Christ, forsake our wicked ways, and our unrighteous thoughts. We need to exercise our willpower to resolve that this is what we desire to do, for we cannot afford to leave our salvation to chance.

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[i] This author acknowledges that the laws of magnetism contradict the proposed laws of gravity, nevertheless, the current understanding of gravity suits the purpose of the illustration

[ii] This is a position of the Orthodox Church. No one is guilty of any sin they did not commit. Humans suffer as a result of the consequences of the sin of Adam, but bear no guilt for it. Each one bears the guilt of his or her own action to violate their conscience.

Chapter Four