Understanding the Fear of the LORD

The “fear of the LORD” isn’t talked about much in Christian circles today, including sermons. Why? Likely because the Mighty LORD has been essentially reduced to a cuddly teddy bear in the sky or perhaps a genial genie. The idea that the Almighty Sovereign God — the Creator of all things in Heaven, Earth & the Universe — is to be feared, respected and awed seems to be unhip. But what does the Bible say about the fear of the LORD, both Old and New Testaments? After all, the Holy Scriptures are God’s blueprint for authentic doctrine (teaching) and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17 & 1 Corinthians 4:6).

Let’s start with the fact that the fear of the LORD is foundational in a person’s life. Foundational to what? See for yourself:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

Psalm 111:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10

These verses show the close connection of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Knowledge, of course, is factual information, whether mundane or spiritual, while understanding has to do with comprehension. It’s possible to know something, including trivia, but not really understand it. Meanwhile wisdom is the application of what you know and understand. Many people know & understand certain important things, but they fail to live it or live in light of it, which means they lack wisdom.

Observe what these passages say is the beginning of all three – the fear of the LORD. If the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, understanding and wisdom then a person who seeks to attain these without the fear of the LORD is off track right from the start! Consequently, the conclusions they’ll come to in their journey of enlightenment will be off. We see this today with all these highly intelligent and “educated” people who are trying to reinvent morality: What is bad is now good and what is good is bad (Isaiah 5:20). Their journey has brought them to a place of twisted understanding because they failed to start with the fear of the LORD, which is acknowledging the Creator and respecting God.

Someone might argue that the “fear of the LORD” is an outmoded Old Testament principle, but Christ himself said we are to fear God:

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Matthew 10:28

Want more proof? Revelation 19:5 depicts a scene in heaven that the apostle John saw in a vision. In this scene a voice comes from God’s throne saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!” Furthermore, after Ananias and Sapphira were slain by the LORD for their unrepentant lying “great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events” (Acts 5:5,11). Great fear of whom? God!

When Paul noted that all believers will have to stand before Jesus Christ and give an account of our lives at the Judgment Seat he followed it up with “since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). Why do we fear the Lord? Because we’re going to stand before Christ and give an account of our lives for what we did in the body, whether good or bad. Of course, any deeds repented of beforehand will not be evaluated because God forgave you when you ‘fessed up and “purified you from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). Those sins were cast into the sea of forgetfulness (Micah 7:19). Isn’t that awesome?

The type of fear Paul was talking about — led of the Holy Spirit — was obviously fear of being held accountable to something negative. In other words, fear of punishment (Proverbs 16:6, 3:7 & 8:13). This is the most elemental kind of fear, which compels people to stay on the straight and narrow. For instance, someone might not believe in God, but he won’t commit murder because he fears going to prison for decades or the death penalty. A married man might find a woman sexually alluring, but he refuses to commit adultery because he doesn’t want to ruin his family and life. Of course the Lord wants us to grow past fear of punishment on our spiritual journey and be motivated by love of God led of the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:16-18 & Romans 8:14). This naturally comes with spiritual growth.

So the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, understanding and wisdom, and it’s not just an Old Testament principle, but what exactly is the fear of the LORD? Since fear is another word for reverence and worship this suggests that knowledge and wisdom begin when we properly acknowledge God and offer our Creator the reverence and adoration due. The writer of Hebrews put it like this:

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming Fire.”

Hebrews 12:28-29

There’s also the respectful fear that a son has toward the just correction and discipline of his loving father. It’s a healthy respect for authority, in God’s case the ultimate authority.

A key trait of the fear of the LORD is, of course, humility, the attitude that we’re not all that and a bag of chips, which brings to mind a simple yet potent passage:

God opposes the proud but gives grace [favor] to the humble.

James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5 & Proverbs 3:34

This is quoted three times in the bible, once in the Old Testament and twice in the New. Do ya think God’s trying to get something across to us? Of course! The passage says that God “opposes” the proud, which means the LORD resists them. Those who are arrogant resist God and the Lord, in turn, resists them. They resist, God resists. It’s a doomed cycle.

The good news, of course, is that the LORD gives grace to the humble, the meek, not the weak. This means his favor! God says:

“This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”

Isaiah 66:2

God’s favor, blessing and enlightenment only flow to the humble who genuinely acknowledge their Creator, not the arrogant who are stubborn, hard-hearted and think they know it all. The latter includes religious leaders, like the Pharisees and teachers of the law, who put on airs that they knew and honored God when nothing could’ve been further from the truth. The Pharisees, for instance, claimed to be God’s children but the Messiah told them point blank that they were children of the devil (John 8:41-47)! Don’t think that such religious leaders only existed in Christ’s day. They’re all over today, just open your eyes; they even go by the tag ‘Christian’ and say “Lord, Lord” (Matthew 7:15-23).

What can we conclude from all this? If we want freedom we have to want truth, which means the way it really is. Why? Because truth is the very thing we need to set us free, as Jesus taught (John 8:31-32). Truth consists of knowledge, understanding and wisdom from God’s Word and the foundation of these is the fear of the LORD.

Needless to say, let’s be wise sons & daughters of God and cultivate a healthy reverence and awe of the Holy One. Always strive for humility, which is the opposite of stubbornness and arrogance. If you do this, God’s favor will surely flow to you. But please understand that persecutions will increase (2 Timothy 3:12). Higher levels, bigger devils.

Related Topics:

Does God Reserve All Judgment until the End of the Age?

Jesus Christ — Milksop or Mighty Lord?

THE Angel of the LORD — Mighty Angel or Pre-Incarnate Christ?

Is Christianity a “Relationship with God”?

GRACE — What Is God’s Grace? How Do You Receive It? How Do You Grow In It?

False Grace — “Hyper-Grace Cotton Candy”

Judgment Seat of Christ (the Judgment of Believers)

Why did Christ decline to give “Signs on Demand”?

Why the BREASTPLATE of Righteousness Is So Vital

Do you feel you’re too sinful to serve God? Do you struggle with a sense of unworthiness that hinders your communion with the Lord (that is, your prayer life)? Do you think you’re too unrighteous to fulfill God’s call on your life? The LORD has provided a piece of spiritual armor to set you FREE and empower you to serve effectively; it’s the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14).

This vital piece of armor refers to accepting the gift of righteousness the LORD has provided you in Christ (Romans 5:17) and living out of your new nature — your spirit — because it was born righteous when you accepted the gospel and underwent spiritual regeneration (2 Corinthians 5:21 & Titus 3:5). This is your “new self, which was created to be like God in true righteousness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). As you learn to walk according to this new nature with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit you’ll naturally walk in practical righteousness. So putting on your breastplate of righteousness is one-and-the-same as walking in the spirit (Galatians 5:16).

Of course, as a human being with a flesh, you’ll inevitably sin; this includes the more common sins like envy, jealousy, rivalry, hatred, gossip, lying, greed or lust. Those who have their “breastplate” on will humbly ’fess up and receive God’s forgiveness when they miss it, which “purifies you from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9). Doing this is “keeping with repentance” (Matthew & Luke 3:8). The repentance/forgiveness dynamic is essential to spiritual growth because it ensures God’s grace continually flowing in your life and your ongoing progress. It keeps your spiritual arteries clear of the clog-up of unconfessed sin. *

* Incredibly, there’s this widespread false teaching amongst Evangelicals today which suggests that believers never have to repent of anything, ever. Gee, Christ must have been walking in gross error when he instructed the Ephesian Christians to repent in Revelation 2:5 (sarcasm).

A Roman soldier’s breastplate guarded his heart and other vital organs. Just so, the breastplate of righteousness guards your figurative heart — your mind — and prevents it from being corrupted by things that would eventually destroy you, including oppressive guilt and a destructive sense of unworthiness (Proverbs 4:23).

Endeavor to live out of your new nature, which was “created to be like God in true righteousness.” The Bible calls this “participating in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). Cultivate a pliable, humble heart that’s quick & willing to ’fess up if you succumb to the corrupt desires of the old nature. God is faithful to (1) dismiss the sin and (2) “purify you from all unrighteousness.” Guard your heart as the wellspring of life by regularly rooting-out negative, destructive thoughts & desires (Proverbs 4:23).

For important details, this sermon explains what the breastplate of righteousness is, why you need it and how to put it on; it’s easy (all Scripture passages are cited in the video for your convenience):

Related Topics:

Armor & Weaponry of God

Spirituality — How to be Spirit-Controlled Rather than Flesh-Ruled

Prayer—Communing with God

Your Thoughts RUN Your Life!

Spiritual Growth — The Four Stages

Spiritual Growth is Like Climbing a Mountain

Dealing With LUST

Sexual lust concerns out-of-control preoccupation in deed or thought with porn, fornication, adultery, sexual fantasy, as well as deviant practices, like homosexuality, pedophilia and bestiality.

If you’re not a believer in Christ, the first step to freedom from lust is turning to the LORD in repentance & faith (Acts 20:21 & Romans 10:9-10) wherein you’ll receive spiritual regeneration (John 3:3-6 & Titus 3:5). This means you’ll acquire the spiritual software necessary to overcome any sin bondage, not to mention the help of the indwelling Spirit.

If you’re a believer and you’re struggling with sexual lust, you’re not alone; many other Christians do too. I did at one time as well. The awesome news is that there’s freedom in Christ for everyone in bondage to lust, whatever its form! The sin of lust is similar to any other life-dominating flesh bondage — like alcoholism, out-of-control gambling, drug abuse, greed, hatred, fits of rage, gossip/slander, and so on — in that the antidote revealed in the Holy Scriptures is the same: The Bible offers a simple 3-point strategy on how to walk free from any sin, including a severe lust problem, wherein you tackle the issue on three fronts (1) mental, (2), physical and (3) spiritual. This proven 3-point strategy is detailed in this article.

Here’s a video version of the plan:

Related Topics:

Your Thoughts RUN Your Life!

Spiritual Growth is Like Climbing a Mountain

The Seven Keys to SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Spiritual Growth — The Four Stages

Beauty, Objectification and Lust

Are Homosexuals “Born that Way”?

How to Be a GIANT-KILLER

Would you like to be a giant-killer, like David, albeit in a spiritual sense? Of course you would. Let’s give the account of David and Goliath a fresh read and glean several gems of truth on how to be a giant-killer straight from the Scriptures… (scroll down if you’re already well familiar with the account)

Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah. ² Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. ³ The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

⁴ A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span [about 9 feet, 9 inches]. ⁵ He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels [about 125 pounds]; ⁶ on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. ⁷ His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels [about 15 pounds]. His shield bearer went ahead of him.

⁸ Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. ⁹ If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” ¹⁰ Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” ¹¹ On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

¹² Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. ¹³ Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. ¹⁴ David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, ¹⁵ but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

¹⁶ For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

¹⁷ Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. ¹⁸ Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. ¹⁹ They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”

²⁰ Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. ²¹ Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. ²² David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. ²³ As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. ²⁴ Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.

²⁵ Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.”

²⁶ David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

²⁷ They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

²⁸ When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

²⁹ “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” ³⁰ He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. ³¹ What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.

³² David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

³³ Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, ³⁵ I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. ³⁷ The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

³⁸ Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. ³⁹ David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. ⁴⁰ Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

⁴¹ Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. ⁴² He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. ⁴³ He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. ⁴⁴ “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”

⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

⁴⁸ As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. ⁴⁹ Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

⁵⁰ So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

⁵¹ David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.

When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. ⁵² Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. ⁵³ When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp.

1 Samuel 17:1-53

This account reveals 9 traits of a giant-killer as follows:

1. Giant-Killers Walk by Faith, NOT by Sight. The Israelite soldiers were “terrified” because they were walking by sight (verse 11). Their senses took in the data that Goliath was 9.5 feet tall, weighed over a thousand pounds with his armor & weapons and was utterly intimidating in manner & word. Their brains took in this information and moved them to flee. David, by contrast, didn’t respond this way because he was walking by faith, which means he was living out of the sixth sense (2 Corinthians 5:7, 2 Corinthians 4:18 & Hebrews 11:1). Thus David boldly faced the intimidating Goliath, even though he wasn’t a soldier and was barely more than a boy at about 17-18 years-old.
2. Giant-Killers Understand Their Covenant With God. ‘Covenant’ means contract. It’s an agreement between two parties with conditions. The LORD works with humanity through covenants. David understood this. After hearing Goliath’s arrogant challenge, he responded, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (verse 26). The reason David referred to Goliath as “uncircumcised” is because circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic covenant that the Israelites were under (Genesis 17:1-14) (They were simultaneously under the Mosaic covenant — Leviticus 12:3). David was pointing out that Goliath didn’t have a covenant with the Almighty whereas the Israelites did. As such, they need not fear this colossal warrior no matter how intimidating he was.
3. Giant-Killers Know When to Grow-UP. We observe this in David’s reply to King Saul after the monarch argued “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth” (verse 33). David’s literal response began with this statement: “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father” (verse 34 NRSV). Notice that David spoke of being a shepherd boy in the past tense even though he was tending sheep earlier that very day! In other words, David instinctively sensed that this occasion was going to be a turning point in his life and so he no longer saw himself — or spoke of himself — as a lowly shepherd boy; that was something he “used” to do. Sure enough, he graduated from being a shepherd boy to being Israel’s top warrior that very day! The lesson? When the Spirit moves upon you to let something go that links you to your past, particularly something that ties into your identity — how you & others perceive you — DO IT. Everyone grows older, but not everyone grows up. This is true physically and spiritually. There are Christians out there who are 20, 30, 40 years-old in the Lord, but they refuse to grow up spiritually and therefore are still in the child stage of spiritual growth. Giant-killers are not like that.
4. Giant-Killers Celebrate & Boast of God’s Power in Past Victories. David’s response to King Saul reveals how he had the great faith it took to take on Goliath: He said that when he tended his father’s sheep a lion and a bear attacked the lambs on two separate occasions and thus David struck the predators and slew them; he reasoned that, just as the LORD gave him victory over the lion and the bear when he boldly acted, so God would give him victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 17:34-37). We could relate this to us today: If you haven’t been tested with a situation where you needed $100 or $1700 and exercised your faith to receive it (Mark 11:24 & John 16:24), you’re not likely going to have the faith to receive $12,000 when it’s needed, or more. If you haven’t exercised your faith to receive healing for the common cold or back pain, you’re not likely going to have the faith to overcome the ‘Goliath’ of cancer. Those smaller items would be your ‘lion’ or ‘bear’ whereas the bigger challenges would be your ‘Goliath.’ Are you following? So I encourage you to praise God when you face those smaller things because God is allowing them in your life so that you can work your faith muscles, which will naturally prepare you for your ‘Goliath’ down the road.
5. Giant-Killers Are Led by the Spirit NOT by What Everyone Else is Doing. This can be observed in verses 38-40 when King Saul insisted that David wear full armor and use his personal sword in squaring off with the giant. But David wasn’t feeling it and so rejected the armor & sword. He didn’t care “what everyone else was doing” and went with what he had a peace about — using a sling-shot. We need to do the same if we want to conquer our ‘giants.’ Disregard “what everyone else is doing” and be led of the Spirit (Romans 8:14); “let the peace of Christ reign in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15). In other words, don’t do or say anything you don’t have a peace about doing, even if it happens to be the hip thang to do.
6. Giant-Killers Are Bold as a Lion and Willing to Risk Everything. What was at stake in David’s situation taking on Goliath? His life! In short, everything. If you want victory over your giants you must be bold and willing to take huge risks as well (Proverbs 28:1). Life’s a fight, FIGHT IT. And be willing to risk everything when the Spirit leads you. At the same time, don’t be a rash fool (Proverbs 19:2). Get tight with the Lord so you appropriately discern the leading of the Spirit as opposed to the misleading of your flesh (unrighteous anger, impatience, rashness, folly, etc.).
7. Giant-Killers Are eager to Obey With Violent Faith. Christ said that the kingdom of heaven is taken hold of and advanced by those with “forceful” or “violent” faith and diligence (Matthew 11:12). Yes, the “poor in spirit” possess the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3) but genuine meekness obviously includes bold tenacity, particularly when it comes to spiritual warfare, which is the example set for us by Christ himself in the gospels. So rise up in bold faith and don’t shrink back (Hebrews 10:39)! You’ll never outgrow spiritual warfare; you must simply learn to fight. That’s what this article is for – learning to fight, God’s way, so you can effectively slay your giants. The LORD’ll teach you how to fight in your superior covenant (Hebrews 8:6) just as he taught David how to fight in his (Psalm 18:34 & 144:1).
8. Giant-Killers Speak the Word of Faith. The Bible teaches that words have the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21) and Christ emphasized the power of speaking in faith (Mark 11:23). In the literal rendition of that passage the mighty Messiah stressed speaking three times as opposed to believing, which he noted once. So if you’re having trouble believing something biblical or something the Spirit wants you to get a hold of, start speaking it in faith, even if you’re struggling with believing it. Paul taught on believing & speaking too (2 Corinthians 4:13). Both Goliath and David understood this powerful principle because they both utilized it in their pursuit of victory, as shown in verses 41-47. Since Goliath was the champion of the Philistines for many years, he obviously had much success with this principle of believing & speaking. The difference between the two, however, is that David was in covenant with God while Goliath was not. This tipped the scales in the former shepherd boy’s favor and thus he beat Goliath even though — physically speaking — the chances for victory were minuscule. Do you want victory over the giants that surface in your life and threaten you & your loved ones? Of course you do. Then learn to speak God’s blessings & truths into the situation by faith; and then take action led of the Spirit (Romans 8:14).
9. Giant-Killers Realize That a “Goliath” is a Stepping Stone to a Better Season in Life. David’s encounter with Goliath was a life-threatening occasion, yet because David understood his covenant with his Creator and boldly walked in faith accordingly, this serious challenge ended positively by drastically changing David’s life for the good: One day he was a lil’ unknown shepherd boy and the next he was an acclaimed warrior of Israel (1 Samuel 18:5-7), not to mention he received the formidable reward promised by King Saul — a great financial prize, the king’s daughter in marriage and tax exemption for he & his family (1 Samuel 17:25).

For inspiring exposition on this topic be sure to catch this live sermon that features Scripture citations in the video for your convenience:

This article is available in book form as chapter 23 of…

• The print book is available here  for only $12.50  (303 pages)
• The Kindle eBook is available here  for just 99¢!

Both links allow you to “look inside” the book.

Related Topics:

How to Be a Modern DAVID against a Modern GOLIATH

Spiritual Warfare — Do You know What You’re Fighting For?

Spiritual Warfare — The Basics

Armor & Weaponry of God

Spiritual Development — The Four Stages

Spiritual Growth is Like Climbing a Mountain

Spirituality — How to be Spirit-Controlled Rather than Flesh-Ruled

Scriptural MEDITATION and Why It’s Important

When most people hear the word ‘meditation’ they automatically think of TM, aka Transcendental Meditation, but that’s not our topic here. We’re talking about biblical meditation.

Meditation comes straight from the Scriptures. Here’s a good example from the first book of the Bible:

He [Isaac] went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.

Genesis 24:63

The Hebrew word for ‘meditate’ in this verse means to muse. What was Isaac musing on since there were no scriptural texts at the time? Possibly a word from the LORD since God occasionally spoke to his servants back then, as is done to this day via the Holy Spirit. Or perhaps Isaac mused over his divine calling; or possibly he reflected in awe over God’s creation, including the magnificent starry panorama, which naturally reveals the Creator (Romans 1:20 & Psalm 19:1).

Here are a couple other examples of meditation in the Bible:

¹ Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

Psalm 1:1-3

¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
¹² Praise be to you, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
¹³ With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
¹⁶ I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

Psalm 119:15

The Hebrew word for ‘meditate’ in the latter verse is siyach (SEE-akh) which means “to muse, complain, talk (of).” The idea is that you’re pondering over something, reflecting on it; so much so that you speak of it, both to yourself and others when the opportunity presents itself. The fact that meditate can also mean “to complain” makes sense since, if you’re constantly complaining about something, it’s because you’re focused on it and therefore have been meditating on it.

This reveals that we can meditate on good things or bad things. Hence meditation is only healthy depending on (1) what you’re meditating on and (2) what ideology you combine it with.  A person that embraces LIEberalism, for instance, might meditate on something positive and it helps them to some degree, but then they combine it with loony Leftist ideology and so it’s a mixed bag in their life.

Likewise, a Christian could practice meditation and it blesses them to some measure, but then they allow hatred to take root in their heart – ironically through meditation – and it cancels out their positive meditation. The moral is that we all have to guard our hearts from negative things taking root and producing bad fruit (Proverbs 4:23).

Why Is Meditation Important?

Several reasons, but I’m only going to stress one here: When you meditate on something, you’re chewing on it (or stewing over it). The idea/thought in question is thus fed and it will grow in your heart, whatever it might be. Once it’s lodged in your heart through meditation you’ll live accordingly.

Consider, for example, meditating on a certain passage of Scripture or a biblical topic and the corresponding passages. One of the ways faith grows is by exposing yourself to the word of God (Romans 10:17). The specific word may come through reading the Bible yourself or through hearing a sermon, whether in person or via audio/video. The more you chew on a passage or topic – that is, muse over it, speak it – the more faith will grow in that particular area. For instance, if you want faith to receive a healing, then expose yourself to passages about faith & healing.

The only way a believer will practice the word of God or live in light of it, is if the word in question becomes a part of him/her. Otherwise they’ll hear the word or read the word and walk away not remembering it. James addressed this in the Scriptures:

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

James 1:22-25

So when you hear/read the word, the best way to ensure that you’ll practice it – or live in light of it – is by making sure you chew it and swallow it, which occurs via meditation. People who hear God’s word and don’t practice it or live in light of it do so because they never chewed it & swallowed it; they never meditated on it. As such, it never became a part of them. The Lord was in essence getting across this vital point when he quoted from the Old Testament:

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”

Matthew 4:4

Just as we need physical sustenance in order to live, so we need spiritual sustenance to walk in the abundant life we’re called (John 10:10). Christ said “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63 ESV). If you want to be filled with “spirit and life” it’s necessary to learn to chew the word of God you hear/read and swallow it so that it becomes a part of you.

For inspiring details on this topic — including examples of meditating on key passages, like Psalm 23 — check out this audio sermon video which cites all the relevant passages for your convenience:

Related Topics:

Your Thoughts RUN Your Life!

Heart – Is it “Desperately Wicked”? (It Depends)

Prayer—Communing with God

Praise & Worship—What’s the Difference? Why are they Important?

Does the Bible Support SLAVERY?

LIE-beral critics of the Bible claim that it supports slavery. Does it? No, Paul boldly included slave trading in a list of sins:

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. ⁹ We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers of mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers – and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine ¹¹ that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God,

1 Timothy 1:8-11

He also said this:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28

As you can see, there’s neither slave nor free person “in Christ Jesus.”

This explains why Paul encouraged his friend and fellow Christian, Philemon, to set free his runaway slave, Onesimus, when Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon. It’s not overtly stated, but obviously insinuated, e.g. “knowing that you will do even more than I ask” (Philemon 1:14-21).

The institution of slavery in the Roman world of the 1st century was a widespread, ironclad fact of life, and the New Testament’s instructions to slaves and owners must be viewed in this historical light.

Nevertheless, Paul’s instructions to slaves and masters in Ephesians 6:5-9 were utterly revolutionary at the time. The focus wasn’t to challenge the morality of the system but rather to transform people within the system from within; that is, in their spirits and hearts. Freedom always starts within and then proceeds without; and I don’t mean just freedom from conventional slavery. Trying to change people from the outside in, by contrast, doesn’t work because it’s merely a garnishment. This is why the Old Covenant that the Israelites had with God didn’t work—it was merely a set of rules to obey without inward regeneration. The New Covenant, by contrast, provides the necessary spiritual rebirth (Titus 3:5) and this is the main reason it’s a “superior covenant” (Hebrews 8:6).

While the priority of New Testament ministers was to transform people from within rather than tackle slavery head-on, Paul plainly instructed slaves:

Were you a slave when you were called (to the Lord)? Don’t let it trouble you — although if you can gain your freedom, do so

1 Corinthians 7:21

As you can see, the bible actually doesn’t support slavery in the least.

Add to this the fact that the greatest abolitionists of the 18th and 19th centuries were devout Christians, like William Wilberforce and William Lloyd Garrison.

As for the voluntary servants permitted amongst Hebrews according to the Torah, this wasn’t slavery as we understand it today. Individuals could sell their services for up to six years to repay debts or what have you; on the seventh year they were released, unless they loved their “masters” and wanted to stay (Exodus 21:2-6). As such, Hebrew “slaves” were actually hired hands and only became lifelong servants based on the desire of the servant (and the master).

What about Hebrews being real slaves? Notice how the LORD condemned this as evil outright:

If someone is caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite and treating or selling them as a slave, the kidnapper must die. You must purge the evil from among you.

Deuteronomy 24:7

What about real slaves from other countries who fled to Israel? Notice what the LORD commanded:

If a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand them over to their master. ¹⁶ Let them live among you wherever they like and in whatever town they choose. Do not oppress them.

Deuteronomy 23:15-16

Wow, that just blows the LIE-beral lie that the Bible supports human bondage, huh?

Furthermore, the Old Testament is clear about apprehending people and selling them as if they were property:

“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.”

Exodus 21:16

As you can see, stealing people and selling them as chattel was a crime with the penalty of death.

In light of all this, how anyone can misconstrue that the Bible advocates slavery is beyond me. In fact, Christianity’s all about FREEDOM from slavery and far more than just the conventional kind, as this verse shows:

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery

Galatians 5:1

The LORD wants every believer set free from the yoke of legalistic religiosity, which you can read about here, as well as free from the yoke of the flesh, which you can read about here.

Related Topics:

Bible—Is it Full of Contradictions? Does it Promote Slavery, Tyranny and Discrimination?

Women — Were they Considered Just Property in Bible Times?

Homosexuality is a Sin, BUT there’s Freedom through Christ

Hermeneutics — Proper Bible Interpretation

Christianity — Does it Weaken People or Empower?

Who Wrote the New Testament Books? Who Authorized them as Scripture Canon?

Is Name-Calling Ever Appropriate?

A 5-Minute Video on the History of Slavery (that LIEberals Don’t Want You to Know About)

What Did Christ Mean By “EMPTY” (“IDLE”) WORDS in Matthew 12:36?

In Matthew 12:36 the Lord said that people will be held accountable for every “empty” word they speak when they stand before their Creator. The Greek word translated as “empty” is argos (ar-GOS), which means “idle,” “thoughtless” or “unprofitable.” The various English versions of the Bible translate it as “empty,” “idle,” “careless” and so on, which you can observe here. What “empty” words was Christ specifically referring to?

To answer, let’s read the full passage:

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 12:33-37

Verse 36 naturally provokes the question: What words specifically does the Lord consider empty, careless or idle? Since Scripture interprets Scripture, other verses that address spoken words will help in answering the question, like James 3:2-12. (For helpful insights on the power of words, see this article & corresponding video).

It helps to grasp that Christ spoke in an ambiguous way at times to provoke those who cared enough — that is, those who have “ears to hear” — to seek for clearer personal answers, as shown in this article and this article.

So I encourage chewing on the various passages that address the power of words or personal confession and seeking the Lord to reveal to you what words you are specifically speaking that are empty/careless/idle. Let the Spirit guide you in the matter personally (Romans 8:14 & John 16:13) and keep in repentance if you miss it (1 John 1:8-9 & Matthew & Luke 3:8). Please know that “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1), but the Lord will hold us accountable for impenitent empty words at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Also keep in mind that the morality concerning the usage of any given word comes down to the intent of the heart of the speaker, including how s/he defines the word in question.

For instance, when I was 14 I was talking with my mother wherein I used a word that shocked her and she swiftly rebuked me. However, to me, the word simply meant to screw someone over; but, to her, it was vulgar and inappropriate. I was ignorant at the time of the word’s more literal definition. This factors into the equation when the Lord holds us accountable to the words we speak.

What about singing song lyrics? Is doing so speaking empty/idle words? Singing song lyrics would be speaking words someone else wrote and therefore wouldn’t spring from one’s heart, which is what the Lord is mainly concerned with in the above passage (verse 34 & Luke 6:45), so there shouldn’t be an issue with doing this, unless of course the lyrics are blasphemous or evil in nature (verses 31-32). And, if they are, why would you want to sing them in the first place?

Related Topics:

Gossip — What’s Wrong with It?

WORDS have the Power of Life and Death

Judgment Seat of Christ (the Judgment of Believers)

Why Was Jesus Sometimes Ambiguous?

Why did Jesus Answer Questions with Questions?

How God Sees YOU (video)

Photo by Brett Jordan

What IS Marriage? (and Related Topics)

Marriage was defined by our Creator at the very beginning of physical creation:

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Genesis 2:24

Christ confirmed this definition of marriage:

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ⁶So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Matthew 19:4-6

This definition is also conveyed in Mark 10:6-9. Paul confirmed it as well in Ephesians 5:31.

What we conclude from this is that marriage is a lifelong-committed relationship between a biological man and a biological woman, which makes them “one flesh” in God’s eyes. It’s a covenant between a man and a woman — a vital and enduring social contract (Proverbs 2:17). We observe this in the divinely-orchestrated marriage of Isaac and Rebecca:

Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Genesis 24:67

Notice that there was no wedding ceremony in the conventional sense that we understand today; the marriage was official due to the agreement between the two families and, most importantly, Isaac and Rebecca. The financial arrangements were established beforehand (you can read the whole account here). There was no minister or judge required to pronounce them husband & wife and no written document is mentioned. The couple and their families had a verbal contract, a financial agreement and Isaac & Rebecca’s decisive willingness.

The bottom line is that this is what a marriage is: A man & a woman agreeing to be united as man & wife — “one flesh” — as long as they live. It’s a lifelong commitment between a biological male and female (which automatically discounts the idea of same-sex marriage, i.e. “gay” marriage).

While being “one flesh” presumes sexual intercourse will occur, that is not the definition of marriage, as Joseph was married to Mary before consummation, as observed here:

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25

This makes sense because, if sexual intercourse was the sole definition of marriage — of being “one flesh” — then couples would no longer be married if they ceased having intercourse, such as older couples or cases wherein either husband or wife cannot have sex for one reason or another.

This biblical definition of marriage shows that a man and woman could legitimately marry in a remote location, such as if they were castaways on a deserted island or settlers in remote areas of the globe. But, obviously, they’d want to make it legal if/when they returned to civilization. Speaking of which…

Why Make Marriage “Legal”?

Answer: Because (1) believers are to be submitted to the righteous laws of the governing authorities (Romans 13:1-6) and (2) to avoid “all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV). The latter is important in order to be an effective witness to others (2 Corinthians 8:21).

The former is important because it reveals the couple’s willingness to submit to the community, which would include the state. Right before Paul gave instructions on marriage he instructed believers to “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21-33).

Another glaring reason to make one’s marriage legal is that marriage is the defining point of fornication, adultery and divorce:

1. Fornication is sex before marriage
2. Adultery is sex outside of one’s marriage
3. Divorce is the dissolution of marriage

When who is married and who is not married is not clear it leads to moral ambiguity and the corresponding lawlessness.

Is a “Common Law Marriage” Acceptable for Believers?

A common law marriage is a marriage wherein a couple mutually agrees to cohabitate as committed man & wife without a civil or religious ceremony, which should be distinguished from whimsically living together in fornication with no intent of commitment. The Lord distinguishes the two and cannot be fooled (John 4:16-18). Common law marriage is acceptable for believers in situations where there is no access to legal marriage, like if they’re stuck on a deserted island. The case of Isaac & Rebecca, noted above, is another example, but in their situation there was no state to acknowledge their marriage, although it was acknowledged by their families.

In modern day nations, however, there’s no reason not to make one’s marriage clear to society by making it legally binding. Even in cases where the state acknowledges common law marriages, believers should make their marital union more concrete for appearances sake so as not to be a bad witness, as noted above.

But let’s say the couple doesn’t want to get legally married because their taxes will go up or the woman will lose government assistance if she documents herself as married. If the couple does this, they are lying about their marital status to the government for reasons of monetary gain (greed). This obviously would not be a case of justifiable lying, as when the Hebrew midwives lied to Pharaoh to save the lives of male babies (Exodus 1:15-21). It is a shaky foundation on which to set a marriage, not to mention it reflects lack of faith in God’s provision for their new life together.

In situations where a couple rejects the traditional concept of a wedding – whether pronounced by a minister or a judge – and only have a relationship within the commitment of common law marriage, they are fully bound in marriage together. In other words, they are indeed married. But they have an issue with rebellion — bucking the system, thinking that they are above the law, disrespecting customs and traditions of their culture, dishonoring their families and community.

Yes, they are married. But what about submitting their matrimony to the fellowship of the community and the authority of the state? Submission is not a popular subject because the flesh doesn’t like to acknowledge or submit to someone else’s power. But submitting to one another and the governing authorities – physical and spiritual – is a Christ-like trait (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5 & Romans 13:1-6). So this is an issue of pride, not a marriage issue. Believing men & women who decide to be married should do the paperwork.

There’s another obvious problem with couples who refuse to make their marriage more binding through a ceremony & legal document: It smacks of “leaving the door open” in case their relationship doesn’t work out, which makes it easier to bail when difficulties inevitably arise. If either spouse chooses to abandon the relationship they have a readymade excuse: “Well, we weren’t technically married.”

Wedding Ceremonies Are Rites of Passage

While Isaac & Rebecca didn’t have much of a wedding ceremony (Genesis 24:67), we know more elaborate ceremonies took place because Christ’s first miracle took place at a wedding celebration in Cana (John 2:1-11). The idea of a written contract can be found in the apocryphal book of Tobit:

¹² Then Raguel summoned his daughter Sarah. When she came to him he took her by the hand and gave her to Tobias, saying, ‘Take her to be your wife in accordance with the law and decree written in the book of Moses. Take her and bring her safely to your father. And may the God of heaven prosper your journey with his peace.’ ¹³ Then he called her mother and told her to bring writing material; and he wrote out a copy of a marriage contract, to the effect that he gave her to him as wife according to the decree of the law of Moses. ¹⁴ Then they began to eat and drink.

Tobit 7:12-14 (NRSVA)

This simple “ceremony” consisted of the father handing his daughter over to the groom with his blessing and writing a contract regarding the family agreement, which was documented proof of their marriage. Is this not basically what takes place in weddings today?

While this is an apocryphal passage, it nevertheless shows that marriages were legitimized via written documentation in the 8^th Century BC, which is when the events of the book take place (721 BC). The book itself, however, was written somewhere between 225-175 BC, which means that Tobit shows that written marriage contracts can be traced back at least to the 3^rd Century, BC.

Whether the ceremony is elaborate like the wedding banquet at Cana or simple like this one or Isaac & Rebecca’s wedding (Genesis 24:67), it’s not the formality that makes the marriage real, but rather the intent and design of the bride and groom’s heart. Even in the event that a man & woman who decide to marry are stuck on a deserted island they would certainly have some kind of ceremony wherein they agreed to be married and thus committed to one another for life. For instance, enslaved people in the 1800s couldn’t legally marry, but that didn’t stop them from having a “jumping the broom” ceremony.

Whether elaborate or simple, the ceremony is a rite of passage wherein the reality of their new status is established and then commemorated in years to come. The couple and their community see this event – this date – as a turning point in their life journey, separating their prior singleness from their ongoing unity as “one flesh.”

Neither does the written contract make a marriage reality. The son of a friend of mine got married a few years ago in a state where you are required to have the minister — or whoever the officiator is — sign the marriage license application and then return the paper work to the county clerk; in a few weeks you’d receive the legal marriage certificate. Yet the couple went on their honeymoon the next morning and completely forgot about doing the paperwork until almost a year later when they finally got it straight. Does this mean they weren’t married for nine months? Were they “living in sin” for that period of time? Of course not. They were married the day they agreed to be united in holy matrimony. The written document has to do with the government legally acknowledging the marriage that already existed.

I remember a couple of old movie stars, like Kirk Douglas, making statements that they didn’t believe men can be monogamous. But this is a scapegoat to commit adultery or live in fornication. It explains why the bride & groom vow to be faithful to one another. In other words, yes, humans – and especially males – have a predilection for successive sexual/romantic partners and this is why it’s necessary for married couples to vow to be committed to one another till death do them part.

What’s the Purpose of Marriage?

The scriptural definition of marriage is: A man & a woman agreeing to be united as man & wife – “one flesh” – as long as they live (Genesis 2:24). But what is God’s reason for marriage? Simple: Social chaos would result from unbridled or casual pairings seeing as how the strategic underpinning which the family unit offers society would disintegrate. In other words, God set up the lifetime commitment of husband & wife – the marital covenant  – as the firm base for a healthy society. Show me a community where the family unit breaks down or is nonexistent due to fornication, unfaithfulness or the government’s encouragement and I’ll show you a lawless society with many glaring problems.

Just as important, the LORD instituted marriage as the means by which a man and a woman become “one flesh” in it’s fullest and most satisfying sense. Casual sex may have it’s allure, not to mention temporary fleshly satisfaction, but it results in death in one form or another since “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Nothing beats the ongoing joy and peace of a healthy marriage and family!

What About Polygamy?

While the LORD allowed Hebrew men to marry multiple wives for a couple reasons, polygamy is not God’s best for marriage, as clearly detailed in the beginning (Matthew 19:4-6). Polygamous marriages chronicled in Scripture suffered contention with the inevitable rivalry of the wives (e.g. 1 Samuel 1:1-8).

In the New Covenant, by contrast, God instructed that leaders in the Church should have but one spouse (1 Timothy 3:2, 3:12 & Titus 1:6), which was to be an example to the believers under them (1 Timothy 4:12 & 1 Peter 5:3). So, while the New Testament doesn’t outright forbid polygamy, it definitely encourages God’s ideal as originally stated in Genesis – one husband, one wife, till death do them part.

But why did the LORD allow polygamy in the Old Testament? A couple reasons come to mind: The world at the time generally consisted of patriarchal societies where females relied on their fathers, brothers and husbands for provision & protection. Thus marriage, even if it was polygamous, protected women from a life of poverty, prostitution or slavery. Polygamy also facilitated God’s Genesis directive to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28, 9:1 & 9:7) seeing as how husbands could impregnate other wives while one was pregnant/giving birth. This allowed men to have several children per year, as opposed to just one, and this was conducive to the increase & spread of humanity on Earth.

What About Divorce?

The Bible’s definition of marriage shows that it is meant to last until one of the spouses dies. “God hates divorce,” the Scriptures say (Malachi 2:16). The Mosaic Law only permitted divorce because of the hardness of the Hebrews’ hearts (Matthew 19:8).

That said, Christ acknowledged that unfaithfulness is grounds for divorce (Matthew 5:32, 19:9 & Luke 16:18). However, if the guilty spouse is genuinely repentant I encourage working it out and persevering. In other words, while divorcing due to unfaithfulness is permissible, it’s not mandated. At the end of the day, though, it’s up to the offended spouse in question and the leading of the Spirit.

Further grounds for divorce would be abandonment or impenitent criminal abuse:

But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.

1 Corinthians 7:15

Concerning abuse, the verse stresses that “God has called us to live in peace” in relation to the marriage covenant. Obviously this divine calling cannot be accomplished or maintained if one of the spouses is seriously abusive and unrepentant about it.

Every individual is unique and every marital situation is unique. So I always encourage seeking the Lord on what to do when your spouse is unfaithful or wickedly abusive. Obviously if the offender is stubbornly impenitent the marriage will not work out. As it is written, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3 NKJV).

Speaking of one spouse being stubbornly impenitent and this leading to the break-up of the marriage, consider the LORD’s judgment on the men of Judah:

“Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.”

Jeremiah 8:10

Since the men of Judah were foolishly unrepentant, God’s judgment was going to fall (keeping in mind that where God’s great mercy ends, judgment begins). This judgment would manifest partially in the LORD giving their wives over to other men. Chew on that.

At the end of the day believers are to be led of the Spirit (Romans 8:14) and do what they have a peace about doing (Colossians 3:15 & Philippians 4:7).

What About Remarriage?

If an individual divorces for one of the legitimate reasons noted above, s/he can remain single, which has its benefits according to Scripture (1 Corinthians 7:7,28,32-34), or remarry if led of the Spirit to do so. Obviously you don’t want to make rash decisions about marrying an individual.

My wife, Carol, divorced her former husband on the grounds of unfaithfulness on repeated occasions. The fact that he was a pathological liar didn’t help matters. The judgment of Jeremiah 8:10 came upon him (see the previous section). Led of the Spirit, Carol & I married and have been one-flesh for over 25 years as of this writing (the opening photo is us in 1995).

If someone divorces for biblically illegitimate reasons they’ll have to work it out with the LORD as far as staying single, remarrying their former spouse or possibly marrying someone else. It’s between them and their Maker. Do what you have the faith to do (Romans 14:23 & Titus 1:15).

Divorcing for illegitimate reasons is a sin, but nowhere does Scripture say that divorce is an unforgiveable offense. As with any transgression, the LORD will forgive us when we humbly confess (1 John 1:8-9) and God casts the sin into the sea of forgetfulness (Micah 7:19). Then you move on guided by the Spirit.

Anyone – including Christian servant-leaders – who imply that they never sin is a liar (Proverbs 20:9, Ecclesiastes 7:20 & 1 John 1:8).

Now let’s take a second look at…

What Is the Purpose of Marriage?

The marriage covenant between a man & woman has several purposes:

• Intimate fellowship with another soul – spiritually, mentally and physically (Matthew 19:4-6);
• Procreation;
• A legitimate outlet for sexual activity and the corresponding pleasure (Song of Solomon);
• Preventing the spread of immorality and the corresponding sexual diseases (1 Corinthians 7:2);
• And providing a strategic foundational sanctuary for your children wherein kids are lovingly brought up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

Yet there’s a deeper purpose as marriage is actually a type of God’s relationship with those of whom the Creator reconciles (Ephesians 5:31–32).

New Testament Instructions for Married Couples

Here’s what Paul instructed married couples by the Holy Spirit:

²¹ Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Ephesians 5:21-33

Any important decision in marriage should obviously be prayed about and discussed by the couple; then they should do what they agree to do since they’re “one flesh.” Interestingly, Abraham was the progenitor of the Israelites and the “father of faith” (Romans 3:27-4:25) and it was his wife, Sarah, who made the decision to acquire Hagar so Abraham could have children through her since Sarah couldn’t bear offspring at the time (Genesis 16). It was also her decision to exile Hagar & Ishmael (the latter being Abraham & Hagar’s child) after she became jealous. My point is that Abraham complied with both decisions (Genesis 21). Yet one of the spouses has to have the final say on a matter in cases of disagreement and that is, according to the Scriptures, the husband since he is the “head.”

You’ll note in the Ephesians passage that the husband’s headship isn’t an excuse for abuse. In fact the text exhorts the husbands to love their wives three times …

1. in a self-sacrificial manner as Christ loves the Church (verse 25)
2. as their own bodies (verse 28)
3. as themselves (verse 33)

Why should husbands love their wives “as their own bodies” – “as themselves”? Because a married couple is not two, but one. As such, what you do to your spouse, you do to yourself. Thus wives are instructed to respect their husband; if they don’t, they’re disrespecting themselves.

Should a Believer Marry an Unbeliever?

No. If a believer does this s/he will automatically get the devil as a father-in-law (John 8:44 & 1 John 3:10) and the couple will be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14).

In cases where one of the spouses of an already-married couple gets saved, the Scriptures instruct the believer to continue in the marriage unless the unbelieving spouse decides to abandon the union (1 Corinthians 7:15). Obviously the other two legitimate grounds for divorce noted earlier apply as well.

Closing Thoughts

The purpose of this article is to provide general scriptural instructions on marriage and related topics. The main purpose is to understand the biblical definition of marriage, which is a covenant — an agreement — of a committed relationship between a biological male & female, which doesn’t require a pronouncement by an official, whether a minister or judge, nor does it demand a written document for verification.

This should help the Church relate to and serve couples who — for whatever reason — haven’t (yet) made their marriages more legally binding in a conventional sense. This is not to suggest, of course, that every couple who’s living together is married; many are just living in fornication until they choose to leave at whim, which obviously is not marriage (John 4:16-18).

For believers, it’s wise to make our marriages legally-binding for the reasons noted above, including respect & submission to the community and corresponding authorities, which makes for a good Christian witness. This explains why a pastor might counsel a Common Law-married couple to make their marriage more legally binding by doing the paperwork, particularly if they want to join the assembly in question.

Beyond that, we should be careful about nosing into a couple’s marital details and simply take them at their word; after all, that’s what the LORD does (Matthew 12:36-37 & Proverbs 18:21). Such things are between them and their Maker. Let the Word of God and the Holy Spirit guide them, convict them, etc.

This article is also available in book form as a chapter in…

• The print book is available here  for only $7.26  (171 pages)
• The Kindle eBook is available here  for just 99¢!

Both links allow you to LOOK INSIDE the book.

Related Topics:

Why LOYALTY (Faithfulness) is Important

What’s the Secret of a Successful Marriage?

The Four Types of LOVE in the Bible

Women — Were they Considered Just Property in Bible Times?

What Does Love “Always Protects” Mean?

Nosiness and Manipulation (NOT Spiritual)

WORDS have the Power of Life and Death

Q&A on Solomon’s Song of Songs

“Holy Water” and “Saying Grace”

The Bible doesn’t say anything about “holy water,” but the concept would apply to anything we consume to live — which would include what we drink — and is relative to this passage:

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5    

This reveals the purpose of “saying grace,” which is:

1. To thank our Creator for the food & drink à la Matthew 15:36 & 1 Corinthians 11:23-25.
2. To consecrate it by the word of God & prayer.

‘Consecrate’ means to “set apart as sacred” or “make holy” — i.e. purify — which explains the English Standard Version’s translation of the text:

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5 (ESV)

So by speaking the word of God & praying over what you consume — that is, blessing it — you are by faith purging any potential impurities. Say, for instance, a restaurant is inadvertently serving contaminated food and everyone gets sick who ate that particular food except the believers who prayed over their vittles and actually believed. Another example would be if someone poisoned your food or beverage, like a guy slipping a knock-out drug in a woman’s drink.

This explains how a believer walking in faith could unknowingly drink poison and not be hurt by it (Mark 16:18).

Does this mean you have to pray over all foods & drinks just before partaking, including every little snack? You can, if your faith requires it (see Romans 14:23). Not to mention it’s a good idea to do so when you eat with others, especially publicly, for the sake of the other believers present, if not yourself. However, if you already have your “shield of faith” up you’re good to go as is, although you can certainly “say grace” to express thanks and as a positive confession or courtesy. To explain, consider when Paul was bit by a venomous snake:

After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. ² The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. ³ When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. ⁴ When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

Acts 28:1-6

Paul was already walking in a state of faith — and therefore had his “shield of faith” up — and, as such, suffered no ill effects when the viper bit him. Notice he didn’t drop everything and say a prayer or speak in faith. Why not? Because he was already walking in faith. It’s the same principle with partaking of food & drink: If the believer is already walking in faith he or she is covered when partaking of vittles and thus any impurities will not harm him/her.

Beware of the Legalistic “Saying Grace” Police

About a dozen years ago I was at a Christian assembly where I innocently picked up a cupcake in the lobby and proceeded to take a bite. A woman was nearby and she rebuked me for eating the cupcake without technically “saying grace.” This was a cheerless woman who always insisted on being called “Apostle Such-&-Such” (even though she wasn’t an apostle in the remotest sense).  She was not aware that (1) I was already walking in faith and thus my shield of faith was “up,” (2) the pastor had already prayed over the snacks earlier when the woman wasn’t present and (3) I was thankful for the cupcake even if I didn’t verbally express it on this particular occasion.

This shows that giving thanks & praying over foods/drinks can devolve into a Pharisaical custom wherein staunch legalists judge and condemn accordingly.

It goes without saying that we need to be careful to not allow the wonderful practice of giving thanks & praying over foods to become an eye-rolling legalistic ritual.

Related Topics:

Nonkosher Foods — Are Believers Free to Eat Them?

The Six Basic Doctrines of Christianity

Can Christians Drink Alcoholic Beverages?

The Issue of Eating Meat Sacrificed to Idols

Legalism — Understanding its Many Forms

Understanding HUMILITY

In this article we’re going to see what genuine humility is as opposed to false humility (Colossians 2:18-23), such as self-loathing or pretending to be meek. And then we’ll observe how humility is key to receiving God’s favor, i.e. grace.

This passage is a good starting point:

Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he [God] jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? ⁶ But he gives us more grace (charis). That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud

but shows favor (charis) to the humble.”

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4:5-10

Verse 6 stresses that God shows graciousness to the humble and is a quote of Proverbs 3:34, which Peter also quotes in his first epistle (1 Peter 5:5). As such, this truth is conveyed three times in the Bible, which means it’s something God wants to get through to us. It reveals a vital axiom about the importance of humility and how to unlock God’s favor (i.e. grace) in your life.

‘Humility’ in the Greek is tapeinophrosune (tap-i-nof-ros-OO-nay), which means “inner lowliness” or “lowliness of mind.” It’s not self-loathing or self-belittlement, but rather a healthy sense of one’s littleness in the grand scheme of things regardless of position, possessions or talents. It’s a modest opinion of oneself and describes a person who depends on the LORD above self. You could describe humility as an inside-out virtue that is naturally produced when comparing oneself to the Almighty Creator rather than to other people, which of course helps keep one from being a self-exalting, self-inflated blowhard.

Have you ever met someone who regularly brags on himself or herself? It’s a huge turn-off, isn’t it? If it’s a turn-off to you, how do you think the LORD feels about it? This explains the words of wisdom:

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;

an outsider, and not your own lips

Proverbs 27:2

Two good examples of humility in the Bible are Moses (Numbers 12:3) and David (1 Samuel 18:23). It goes without saying that God used these men greatly, which is why 3000-3500 years after their passing people all over the world still talk about them and their exploits, like us right now. They were mighty men—very talented individuals—but they were also genuinely humble, which is what attracted God’s favor — his grace — and explains why the LORD was able to use them so mightily.

Humility Attracts God’s Grace

God’s favor/graciousness/kindness is wonderful and he offers this grace to everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or location—which indicates that God has no favoritism—but the LORD does not give favor to the proud who are too proud or too stubborn (one way or another) to recognize it, let alone receive it.

Now someone might point out that Christ taught that God “is kind to the ungrateful and wicked” (Luke 6:35) and “He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). This shows the LORD’s general grace — kindness — toward fallen creation, which is intended to attract people to the Creator and his grace of salvation. Unfortunately, many proud souls disregard God’s general grace and scoff at the Almighty, even denying his existence; some palpably hate the LORD or any notion of an Almighty Maker (Psalm 14:1 & 53:1).

God is greatly patient with such people (2 Peter 3:9) and we’re called to intercede for them (Matthew 5:44), but if they stubbornly continue in their arrogance, hatred and unbelief—disregarding God’s general grace, not to mention any additional grace offered to them through the intercession of the saints—they’re not going to receive God’s grace of salvation. And, if they’re too stubborn to recognize and receive the LORD’s grace of salvation they’re certainly not going to grow in personal grace, like Jesus did (Luke 2:52) and Peter instructed us to do (2 Peter 3:18). Why not? Because—again—God opposes the proud, but gives his grace to the humble!

Humility—and the Corresponding Repentance & Faith—Is What Makes People “Worthy of the Kingdom of God”

The New Testament speaks of those “worthy” of the gift of eternal life. Notice for yourself from the very words of the Mighty Christ and apostle Paul:

Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. ³⁵ But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, ³⁶ and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.

Luke 20:34-36

Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

⁵ All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

2 Thessalonians 1:4-5

As you can see, Christ spoke of those considered “worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection of the dead” while Paul spoke of those “worthy of the kingdom of God.” In both cases they were talking about genuine believers worthy of the kingdom of God and the resurrection unto eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). The Greek word for ‘worth’ in each passage is kataxioó (kat-ax-ee-OH-o), which simply means to “deem worthy.” This of course does not refer to being deemed worthy of eternal salvation due to religious works or rituals (Ephesians 2:8-10), but rather being “deemed worthy” due to genuine humility characterized in repentance and faith (Acts 20:21).

Anyone who wants God’s grace of salvation, it’s free and you don’t have to work for it or purchase it, but it can only be received through humility; and humility is reflected in the willingness to repent and believe in response to God’s revelation, in this case the message of Christ. This is how you “obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:8) as opposed to disobeying the gospel of God (1 Peter 4:17). These kinds of verses send “radical grace” preachers into coronary because they hate the word ‘obey’ in conjunction with God’s grace of salvation. But obeying the message of Christ does not mean working for salvation or trying to buy it; however, it does mean responding with humility to God’s gracious offer of salvation—which is manifested in repentance and faith. Why? Because it’s humility that attracts God’s grace as opposed to pride which naturally repels His favor (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5 & Proverbs 3:34).

The Key to Growing in God’s Grace

If you want to grow in God’s grace — as we are instructed to do in the Scriptures  (2 Peter 3:18) — the key is humility, which means not being a pompous, self-praising, bloviating fool who thinks he/she is all that and a bag of chips. Paul put it like this: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3).

Two Kinds of Pride

There are two types of pride, one is bad and the other good, which can be observed here:

³ If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. ⁴ Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, ⁵ for each one should carry their own load.

Galatians 6:3-5

Verse 3 details the negative kind of pride wherein the individual is full of himself/herself. Those infected by this kind of pride revel in boasting and putting others down, which is arrogance. Gossip/slander is their favorite weapon since it allows them to destroy others behind their backs and poisons people’s minds against them.

This is contrasted by the positive kind of pride conveyed in the remainder of the passage characterized by the individual taking pride in doing a good job, which is a spirit of excellence (this includes taking pride in keeping a nice yard/home, properly raising children, etc).

These two kinds of pride correspond to…

Two Kinds of Wisdom

The earthly kind of “wisdom” is unspiritual, selfish and demonic whereas true wisdom is pure, peace-loving and godly. Arrogance has to do with the former and humility the latter. See for yourself:

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:13-18

Enough said!

Related Topics:

Is Christianity a “Relationship with God”?

GRACE — What Is God’s Grace? How Do You Receive It? How Do You Grow In It?

False Grace — “Hyper-Grace Cotton Candy”

Altars & Altar Calls and how they’re Relevant

The Six Basic Doctrines of Christianity

The Four Types of LOVE in the Bible

Spirituality — How to be Spirit-Controlled Rather than Flesh-Ruled