Archives For Exhortation

Two Biblical Greetings That Are Worth Using

February 22, 2014

I wonder if the importance of greeting someone graciously has much to do with the value of acknowledging his fundamental worth as a human being. If this view is correct, to fail to greet someone may well be to dehumanize him in a grievous way.

Scripture emphasizes highly the necessity of our greeting one another. Ruth 2:4 presents an instance where people greeted one another with two greetings that we would do well to consider and use more.

Boaz’s Greeting to His Reapers

Although Boaz was “a mighty man of wealth” (Ruth 2:2), he did not consider himself to be above greeting those who labored for him in his fields: “And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord be with you” (Ruth 2:4a). His greeting points to some truths worth noting.

First, Boaz displayed the fundamentally spiritual orientation of his thinking by focusing on the Lord even in greeting common laborers whom he encountered. Boaz thus made good use of his freedom and opportunity to speak of the Lord in the workplace!

Second, Boaz did not just speak impersonally about the Lord; he openly related the benevolence of his heart for his workers by declaring his desire that the Lord would be with them. Such a greeting from him as their employer no doubt would go a long way toward boosting their morale in the workplace and increasing good will between him and all these who labored together for him in a common cause.

The Reapers’ Greeting to Boaz

The reapers of Boaz responded to his greeting by answering him, “The Lord bless thee” (Ruth 2:4b). Their greeting to him shows some important truths as well.

First, like Boaz, they showed their spiritual mindset by making the Lord the focus of their greeting. Even though they were common laborers, they apparently knew of the Lord at least to the extent of freely invoking His name in their greeting.

Second, as Boaz did for them, so they communicated their desire for his welfare by expressing their wish that the Lord would bless him. Their response seems to have revealed their good relationship with him and their longing for him to prosper in the ways of the Lord.

The Value of Our Greeting One Another with These Two Greetings

Our genuine use of Boaz’s greeting, “The Lord be with you,” when we encounter other believers would help to sanctify all of our interactions with one another. We would thereby display our spiritual mindedness, focus on the Lord, and benevolent desire for our brethren.

Greeting one another with these words would also serve to remind us to be spiritually minded believers who make much of Jesus’ glorious promise to all His disciples: “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matt. 28:20). We would thus richly edify one another even in what we say in greeting one another!

As with our use of Boaz’s greeting, so there is great value to our using the greeting with which his reapers responded to him, “The Lord bless you.” By our using this greeting with believers who greet us, we further edify one another spiritually by communicating our focus on the Lord and our desire that He would prosper them in His ways.

Let us continually edify one another with these two biblical greetings that are worth using!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Exposition
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Does God Care How Healthy Your Lifestyle Is?

February 20, 2014

Scripture teaches that the proper reception of the words of God is to those who so receive them “health to all their body”:

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh (Prov. 4:20-22).

This amazing verse teaches infallibly that the health of a person’s entire physical body is affected by that person’s relationship to the Word of God. Thus, from the mind of the only wise God, we know that His Word is salutary for the physical health of the entire body! How brightly does the care of God for the comprehensive well-being of His own shine forth from this marvelous text!

When we consider that our present earthly bodies are corrupted by sin and will some day either be destroyed or be changed (at the Rapture), why does God even bother to speak in such terms about the health of this transient body? Such a statement probably seems at odds to the notions of those who espouse the view that health is just not that important of a spiritual or Scriptural issue.

Seemingly supporting that notion that only limited concern for the welfare of the physical body is appropriate is a Scriptural statement about the lowly belly (stomach, NASB):

“Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body” (1 Cor. 6:13).

In this verse, God explicitly says that He will some day destroy both the belly and the foods that go into it. Reasoning along the same lines, how many have concluded that the present earthly body in all its parts is not much more than something to be put up with until we get our glorified bodies?

Does God concur with such thinking? How would we know? Incredibly, under inspiration, Scripture records God’s concern for the stomach[1] of a minister: “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (1 Tim 5:23)!

Understanding the Power of First Timothy 5:23 Properly

Many do not appreciate the power of 1 Timothy 5:23, and a proper understanding requires a brief rehearsal of the nature of Scripture. Scripture teaches about itself that the will of man was not at all involved in its origination. Everything that is in the Bible is there by the will of God (2 Pet. 1:19-21). Scripture also teaches about itself that all Scripture was breathed out by God and is profitable for us to be righteous before God (2 Tim. 3:15-17).

Scripture teaches us what we need to know and do for the salvation of our souls. It also teaches us what we need to know, do, and be in every aspect of our lives so that we would fulfill all of our obligations to God and man.

Paul wrote to Timothy to teach him how he should conduct himself in the church:

“These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:14, 15).

Thus, this pastoral Epistle specifically teaches how a minister should carry out his ministry.

For us to understand the importance of 1 Timothy 5:23 properly, we must keep in mind that not one verse of this book is human thinking about proper ministry. Every verse teaches us what God has to say about ministry in the church.

That being the case, Paul’s statement to Timothy in 5:23 is striking. Under inspiration of God, Paul authoritatively directs Timothy, the pastor of the church in Ephesus, concerning his health, including the welfare of his stomach![2]

Paul relates that Timothy had a stomach problem and was frequently ill. Significantly, Paul does not merely note Timothy’s health problems—he commands Timothy to change his lifestyle for the sake of these health problems.

Specifically, Paul directs him no longer to continue drinking only water, but also to drink a little wine. That the purpose of this authoritative direction is clearly for the betterment of his health is plain from the words “for thy stomach’s sake“ (cf. NASB, “for the sake of your stomach”).

Thus, in this one verse of Scripture, God has recorded for all time in His eternal Word His mind concerning the physical well-being of the pastor of a church. He has also given us clear teaching about pastoral ministry from the example of how Paul ministered to his son in the faith, Timothy. Moreover, God has also plainly revealed his mind concerning changing our lifestyles for the sake of our health.

The Great Contemporary Importance of First Timothy 5:23

Were this one verse[3] of Scripture (1 Tim. 5:23) to be taken seriously, the health of many multiplied thousands of believing people would surely be greatly improved. If it be objected that applying this teaching to our lives should not be taken seriously merely because of the reference to wine, let us consider how many even today use medications with significant alcohol content, such as Ny-Quil and cough syrups, for the sake of their health, and without any apparent qualms concerning the propriety of such medicinal use of alcohol.[4]

Amazingly, God has recorded in His word that is forever settled in heaven His care for the stomach of a minister, a stomach that God Himself destroyed at the death of Timothy. This verse is not at all surprising if we take care to keep in mind the mind of God revealed in Proverbs 4:20-22. The God who spoke in Proverbs 4 of that which was “health” to the entire body is the same One who gloriously demonstrated His interest in such comprehensive well-being of His people by recording in 1 Timothy 5 one minister authoritatively confronting another concerning his health.

The God who inspired both Proverbs 4:20-22 and 1 Timothy 5:23 is the same God who also stated to His own, as encouragement for them not to fear, that His care for them extends even to every hair on their heads: “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:30, 31). Such care for the health of those whom God is watching over shines forth especially from Acts 27:34: “Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you” (cf. 27:24- 25, which indicates clearly the hand of God in the situation).

Thus, Scripture indicates the astonishing care of God for the health of His own. Yes, He cares for the health of the believer’s whole body, even his stomach, even for every hair, which all are destined for destruction; shouldn’t we likewise care for the health of our entire body?

Plainly, we should be concerned for the comprehensive well-being of the people of God. Like Paul did with Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23, ministers must minister to the people of God appropriate authoritative direction to change their lifestyles for the sake of their health.

Significantly, the terseness of the teaching in 1 Timothy 5:23 wonderfully suggests that why a person is in ill-health need not even be mentioned or perhaps even known for it to be appropriate for them to be exhorted concerning their health. Regardless of whether someone has health difficulties because of heredity, or as the result of accident or injury, or from unhealthy lifestyle, or from some other cause, 1 Timothy 5:23 still applies. If a believer’s health could be helped through some appropriate lifestyle intervention,[5] Scripture here strongly shows that they should do so for the sake of their health.

Interestingly, the specific teaching of 1 Timothy 5:23—that of no longer continuing in merely doing what one has been doing to date, but adding a practice to the life that would help one’s health—is exactly so often what is needed for the effective treatment of many health problems, especially lifestyle-related ones. Many who are suffering from ill health are doing so because of the omission of one or more of the well-established health-promoting lifestyle practices. Scripture indicates plainly in 1 Timothy 5:23 what is to be done in such cases—add to one’s life the health-promoting practices that up to this point have not been engaged in properly in the life!

Moreover, the teaching of 1 Timothy 5:23 especially indicates that those who have without full justification set aside authoritative direction from their Christian doctor or other qualified individuals concerning changing their lifestyles because of their health needs should amend their ways. Such behavior is plainly contrary to the mind of God, who would have them to change their lifestyles for the sake of their health.

Let us ask ourselves how many ministers and other Christian leaders are presently righteously caring for the health needs of the people of God by giving them authoritative direction concerning lifestyle changes for the sake of their health. How will they do so if they do not understand that Scripture teaches that they should do so? How can they do so effectively if they do not have a personal testimony of caring properly for their own comprehensive physical well-being?

Moreover, how will they do so apart from proper sufficient training concerning physical health of the body? What’s more, were they to do so, how many Christians would even be submissive to such direction when it is given?

Let us also consider how many parents are letting their children engage in unhealthy lifestyles, not wanting to take the trouble to confront them or thinking that God has not really spoken to such matters? In addition, let us consider how many spouses allow their spouse to go on living in self-destructive eating habits, wishing there were some way to get them to change before something terrible happens.

God Does Care How Healthy Your Lifestyle Is!

Let none who are facing any of the situations discussed above (or other similar situations) dismiss, make light of, or neglect the glorious teaching that God commands us to make lifestyle changes for the sake of our health (1 Tim. 5:23). Apart from a proper reception and observance of that teaching, what will we have left whereby to wisely minister to such needs of our loved ones: “The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?” (Jer. 8:9).

Only the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, is able to pierce to the innermost being of man and lay bare to him the true state of his heart before God (Heb. 4:12). In 1 Timothy 5:23, we have just such a wonderful “sword” that God will mightily use to quicken both us and our loved ones so that we all will change whatever lifestyle habits are hurting our health.

Only through a proper reception of the mind of God through the careful handling of numerous passages concerning health, etc. in Scripture could such proper ministry become a reality in the church, in our homes, in our schools, etc. By such hearing and obeying of what God says in those verses, including especially 1 Timothy 5:23, many more believers would experience the glorious promise set forth in Proverbs 4:10 (and elsewhere): “Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.”

May God help us to live properly in the light of His concern for our comprehensive well-being. O yes, He cares how healthy your lifestyle is—will you?

 

[1] “Stomach” in 1 Timothy 5:23 = “belly” in 1 Corinthians 6:13; for our purposes even though different Greek words are used, the reference is clearly essentially to the same thing.

[2] That this is only one verse in a book of six chapters concerning pastoral ministry should not lead us therefore to dismiss, make light of, or neglect the truth taught by God therein. Certainly, proper ministry is much bigger than merely the health concerns of the people of God. As this verse plainly shows, however, adequately ministering to the health concerns of the people of God is part of the ministry! Consider also how much time and money go into addressing the health issues of believers in a church, and therefore, how needful and valuable is authoritative direction from God concerning those issues.

[3] This verse is only one of several in Scripture that show God’s mind concerning comprehensive well-being of His people: Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 35:27; Proverbs 3:7, 4: 22, 14:30; Ecclesiastes 11:10; Isaiah 58:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 3 John 2.

[4] Proper treatment of all the Scriptural considerations concerning the propriety of contemporary use of alcohol by Christians is far beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say, the teaching in 1 Timothy 5:23 plainly indicates the medicinal use of a small quantity of wine in the specific setting that Timothy faced at that time. If the reason for this admonition stemmed from concerns for water quality, given the proper facilities available to us today for water purification, no such use of wine can be justified except in the most exceptional of circumstances. All things considered, this writer believes that Christians should abstain from all consumption of alcohol, except for legitimate medicinal use, including such preparations as noted above, which are to be used only in a limited fashion at those times when legitimate need exists. In any case, this verse gives no support whatever to social drinking as legitimate for believers. For differing viewpoints concerning the propriety of the use of wine in the observance of the Lord’s Supper by believers today, please consult appropriate works that deal with that and related issues.

[5] Potential concern for discerning properly what the appropriate lifestyle intervention(s) for any given health concern(s) is/are should not lead us to discount the teaching of 1 Timothy 5:23. For the vast majority of cases, proper attention now to any of the basic well-established tenets of healthy living, such as regular physical activity, healthy diet, sufficient rest, etc. that have not been adhered to in the past, will yield great benefits. For numerous people with health problems, one pertinent application of 1 Timothy 5:23 would be along the following lines: “No longer just serve in your church, at work, and at home, but also do a little regular physical activity.” The case for such advice being of benefit has been established through hundreds of studies for decades, including many recent ones that powerfully show the value of even a little regular physical activity. Consider especially that the case for regular physical activity is so strong that the Surgeon General has even issued an advisory report detailing the facts supporting such a practice. Keeping in mind that believers generally hold that smoking is ungodly behavior because of the damage to one’s health, it is striking that research has demonstrated more than once that a sedentary lifestyle is as damaging to one’s health as smoking, or even more!

See also Christian Health/Fitness Quotes I

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exhortation, Exposition, Health
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Let Us Fear and Serve God!

February 16, 2014

Genesis 39 records the remarkable testimony that Joseph had after he had been forcibly brought down to Egypt. From considering several aspects of his testimony, let us aspire to fear and serve God as he did.

Joseph’s Striking Testimony to an Egyptian Officer

In Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an Egyptian officer who was the captain of Pharaoh’s guard (Gen. 39:1). Although Joseph was alone in a strange land where he did not know anyone, the Lord was with him and prospered him greatly (Gen. 39:2).

Joseph’s testimony was so remarkable that his unsaved Egyptian master “saw that the Lord was with him” (Gen. 39:3a). His master even saw “that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand” (Gen. 39:3b)!

Moses does not explain what these statements specifically mean or how Potiphar saw these things. He does add that Joseph “found grace in his sight” and was exalted by him to be over all that he had (Gen. 39:4).

From the time that Potiphar exalted Joseph, the Lord blessed everything that Potiphar had in his house and his field (Gen. 39:5). Joseph’s exemplary service to Potiphar and the Lord’s incredible blessing on all that was his was thus a striking testimony to him of the goodness of God to him in spite of his being an unsaved Egyptian.

Joseph’s Sterling Testimony to Potiphar’s Wife

Potiphar’s wife took note of Joseph’s attractiveness and demanded that he commit adultery with her (Gen. 39:6-7). Joseph refused her immoral demand (Gen. 39:8) and testified to her of his fear of God by asking her, “How  . . . can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9).

Joseph showed that he feared God supremely and wanted to live a sanctified life for Him before others. Although his doing so would cost him greatly (Gen. 39:10-20), Jospeh remained steadfast in refusing her immoral overtures (Gen. 39:10) because he was determined to have a sterling testimony of fearing and serving God regardless of his circumstances.

Joseph’s Sustained Testimony of Excellence to the Keeper of the Prison

Although he was unjustly imprisoned (Gen. 39:20) because Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him of wrongdoing (Gen. 39:14-18), Joseph sustained his testimony of excellence before others because the Lord continued to be with him and bless him (Gen. 39:21). As Potiphar had done earlier, the keeper of the prison exalted Joseph “because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper (Gen 39:22-23).

Fearing and Serving God Regardless of Our Circumstances

Although Joseph unjustly suffered greatly, he did not allow his circumstances to turn him from fearing and serving God. He did not do so merely in his own strength or by his own determination and discipline—the Lord was with him (Gen. 39:2, 3, 21, 23), granted him favor with people (Gen. 39:21; cf. 39:4), and prospered all that he did (Gen. 39:3, 23)!

Jesus has promised to be with all His disciples always to the end of the world (Matt. 28:20). Because Jesus is with us, let us fear and serve God regardless of our circumstances, even as Joseph did!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exhortation, Exposition
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Let Us Bless the Lord Who Gives and Takes Away

February 13, 2014

Job experienced horrific loss and responded properly to it by saying, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return hither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). On a far, far lesser scale, I have recently experienced similar circumstances that have prompted me to be mindful of blessing the Lord who gives and takes away.

Substantial Savings on Prescription Medication

Because of a somewhat serious but controllable medical condition and because I have minimal insurance coverage, I have to spend a relatively large amount of money every few months on two prescription medications. No generic forms of these drugs are available, and it is essential that I not miss even one dose.

Recently, my doctor gave me a discount card from the makers of one of these drugs. Through enrolling in the discount program that this company offers, I was able to save more than 76% last week on a refill for one of these prescription drugs!

I rejoiced in God’s goodness and praised Him for providing this means for me to reduce so much the cost of this necessary medication! When this happened, I was also thinking that the Lord had blessed me in a special way that would help meet financial needs that I have so that I would have more resources to pay for other expenses.

Substantial Loss of Income Because of Bad Weather

Because of a very severe winter storm, however, I have had to cancel four classes this week that I normally teach each week. Not having those classes has caused me to lose almost exactly the same amount of money this week that I saved last week through the discount card on my prescription medication.

I Bless the Lord Who Gives and Takes Away

It is not coincidental that these two events have taken place in such a short span of time. Undoubtedly, the Lord is using them to teach me to trust Him more for meeting all my needs.

Although my experience with saving a fair amount of money and then losing almost exactly that same amount does not even begin to compare with what Job experienced, I am confident that the Lord wants me to learn to respond as Job did. With Job, I do bless the Lord who gives and takes away!

“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Let us bless the Lord who gives and takes away.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Testimony
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Have Mercy on Us, O Lord (Ten misercordia de nosotros, oh Jehová)!

February 11, 2014

From my regular reading in the Psalms in the Reina Valera, I have been struck by how many times the psalmists prayed for the Lord to have mercy on them. The phrase ten misericordia (‘have mercy’) occurs 19 times in 17 verses in the Psalms and 13 times elsewhere in 13 verses for a total of 32 times in 30 verses.[1]

Meditating on these verses provides us with rich instruction about how we should pray: 

  1. Psa 4:1 <To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David.> Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.R60 Psa 4:1 <Al músico principal; sobre Neginot. Salmo de David.> Respóndeme cuando clamo, oh Dios de mi justicia. Cuando estaba en angustia, tú me hiciste ensanchar; Ten misericordia de mí, y oye mi oración.
  2. Psa 6:2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.R60 Psa 6:2 Ten misericordia de mí, oh Jehová, porque estoy enfermo; Sáname, oh Jehová, porque mis huesos se estremecen.
  3. Psa 9:13 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:R60 Psa 9:13 Ten misericordia de mí, Jehová; Mira mi aflicción que padezco a causa de los que me aborrecen, Tú que me levantas de las puertas de la muerte,
  4. Psa 25:16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.R60 Psa 25:16 Mírame, y ten misericordia de mí, Porque estoy solo y afligido.
  5. Psa 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.R60 Psa 26:11 Mas yo andaré en mi integridad; Redímeme, y ten misericordia de mí.
  6. Psa 27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.R60 Psa 27:7 Oye, oh Jehová, mi voz con que a ti clamo; Ten misericordia de mí, y respóndeme.
  7. Psa 30:10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.R60 Psa 30:10 Oye, oh Jehová, y ten misericordia de mí; Jehová, sé tú mi ayudador.
  8. Psa 31:9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.R60 Psa 31:9 Ten misericordia de mí, oh Jehová, porque estoy en angustia; Se han consumido de tristeza mis ojos, mi alma también y mi cuerpo.
  9. Psa 41:4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.R60 Psa 41:4 Yo dije: Jehová, ten misericordia de mí; Sana mi alma, porque contra ti he pecado.
  10. Psa 41:10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.R60 Psa 41:10 Mas tú, Jehová, ten misericordia de mí, y hazme levantar, Y les daré el pago.
  11. Psa 56:1 <To the chief Musician upon Jonathelemrechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.> Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.R60 Psa 56:1 <Al músico principal; sobre La paloma silenciosa en paraje muy distante. Mictam de David, cuando los filisteos le prendieron en Gat.> Ten misericordia de mí, oh Dios, porque me devoraría el hombre; Me oprime combatiéndome cada día.
  12. Psa 57:1 <To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.> Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.R60 Psa 57:1 <Al músico principal; sobre No destruyas. Mictam de David, cuando huyó de delante de Saúl a la cueva.> Ten misericordia de mí, oh Dios, ten misericordia de mí; Porque en ti ha confiado mi alma, Y en la sombra de tus alas me ampararé Hasta que pasen los quebrantos.
  13. Psa 86:3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.R60 Psa 86:3 Ten misericordia de mí, oh Jehová; Porque a ti clamo todo el día.
  14. Psa 86:16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.R60 Psa 86:16 Mírame, y ten misericordia de mí; Da tu poder a tu siervo, Y guarda al hijo de tu sierva.
  15. Psa 119:58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.R60 Psa 119:58 Tu presencia supliqué de todo corazón; Ten misericordia de mí según tu palabra.
  16. Psa 119:132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.R60 Psa 119:132 Mírame, y ten misericordia de mí, Como acostumbras con los que aman tu nombre.
  17. Psa 123:3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.R60 Psa 123:3 Ten misericordia de nosotros, oh Jehová, ten misericordia de nosotros, Porque estamos muy hastiados de menosprecio.
  18. Isa 33:2 O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.R60 Isa 33:2 Oh Jehová, ten misericordia de nosotros, a ti hemos esperado; tú, brazo de ellos en la mañana, sé también nuestra salvación en tiempo de la tribulación.
  19. Mat 9:27  And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.R60 Mat 9:27  Pasando Jesús de allí, le siguieron dos ciegos, dando voces y diciendo: ¡Ten misericordia de nosotros, Hijo de David!
  20. Mat 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.R60 Mat 15:22 Y he aquí una mujer cananea que había salido de aquella región clamaba, diciéndole: ¡Señor, Hijo de David, ten misericordia de mí! Mi hija es gravemente atormentada por un demonio.
  21. Mat 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.R60 Mat 17:15  Señor, ten misericordia de mi hijo, que es lunático, y padece muchísimo; porque muchas veces cae en el fuego, y muchas en el agua.
  22. Mat 20:30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.R60 Mat 20:30 Y dos ciegos que estaban sentados junto al camino, cuando oyeron que Jesús pasaba, clamaron, diciendo: ¡Señor, Hijo de David, ten misericordia de nosotros!
  23. Mat 20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.R60 Mat 20:31 Y la gente les reprendió para que callasen; pero ellos clamaban más, diciendo: ¡Señor, Hijo de David, ten misericordia de nosotros!
  24. Mar 9:22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.R60 Mar 9:22 Y muchas veces le echa en el fuego y en el agua, para matarle; pero si puedes hacer algo, ten misericordia de nosotros, y ayúdanos.
  25. Mar 10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.R60 Mar 10:47 Y oyendo que era Jesús nazareno, comenzó a dar voces y a decir: ¡Jesús, Hijo de David, ten misericordia de mí!
  26. Mar 10:48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.R60 Mar 10:48 Y muchos le reprendían para que callase, pero él clamaba mucho más: ¡Hijo de David, ten misericordia de mí!
  27. Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.R60 Luk 16:24 Entonces él, dando voces, dijo: Padre Abraham, ten misericordia de mí, y envía a Lázaro para que moje la punta de su dedo en agua, y refresque mi lengua; porque estoy atormentado en esta llama.
  28. Luk 17:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.R60 Luk 17:13 y alzaron la voz, diciendo: ¡Jesús, Maestro, ten misericordia de nosotros!
  29. Luk 18:38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.R60 Luk 18:38 Entonces dio voces, diciendo: ¡Jesús, Hijo de David, ten misericordia de mí!
  30. Luk 18:39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.R60 Luk 18:39 Y los que iban delante le reprendían para que callase; pero él clamaba mucho más: ¡Hijo de David, ten misericordia de mí!

Let us learn from this wealth of scriptural instruction to pray regularly, “Have mercy on us, O Lord” (Ten misericordia de nosotros, oh Jehová)!

 

[1]  Ten misericordia is rendered as follows: “have mercy” [21x]; “be merciful” [9x]; “be gracious” [1x]; and “have compassion” [1x].

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exhortation, Prayer, Spanish
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On The Importance of Greeting One Another

February 8, 2014

In my 24 years of being a Christian, I have experienced many times how discouraging and even painful at times it is when Christian brethren have not extended to me even a simple friendly greeting when our paths have happened to cross. I have often left such encounters wondering why so and so seems to greet many other people warmly but does not do so with me.

Recently, having had this happen to me again has brought back to my mind just how important it is that we as believers graciously greet another:

1Co 16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.

2Co 13:12 Greet one another with an holy kiss.

Phi 4:21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.

1Th 5:26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

Heb 13:24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.

1Pe 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

3Jo 1:14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

This repeated, authoritative biblical instruction makes clear that we all have a vital responsibility to greet one another graciously, especially in the context of a local church.

When we are disinclined to extend such a greeting to someone that we have known for some time, we should examine our thinking and consider why we do not wish to do so. Especially in situations of interpersonal conflict between brethren in a church,  wariness of extending a greeting to another believer should signal to us further that our relationship with that fellow believer is not what God wants it to be and needs attention to restore proper fellowship among brethren.

I have failed many times myself to heed the vital scriptural instruction concerning greeting one another, and I am sure that the Lord wants to use my recent troubling experience to challenge me about my own need in this area. By His grace, I desire and purpose to strive to display this Christian grace more faithfully in the days to come.

May the Lord help us all to build up one another by greeting one another graciously, as we ought.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Interpretation
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Beware Endangering Yourself and Others through Music!

January 17, 2014

Although many believers think that it is not possible for them to endanger themselves and others through music if it has Christian words, careful attention to biblical revelation and other evidence concerning fallen spirits and their influences on human music proves otherwise. The following treatment of that revelation and evidence warns us to beware endangering others and ourselves through music.

Fallen Spirits and Their Activities

God is the only eternal Being (Ps. 90:2; John 1:1-2), and He created everything else that exists (Gen. 1:1; John 1:3), including all supernatural spirit beings (Gen. 2:1; Exod. 20:11; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 148:1-5; Col. 1:16). Supernatural spirit beings mentioned in Scripture include seraphim (Is. 6:2), cherubim (Gen. 3:24), four living creatures (Rev. 4:8), holy angels (Matt. 25:31), and evil spirits (Acts 19:12).

Because God is not the Author of evil (Gen. 1:31; cf. James 1:13), we know that the evil spirits mentioned in Scripture were created as holy spiritual beings  (Ezek. 28:14-15a; cf. Jude 6). At some point after their creation, they rebelled against God and became fallen spirits (Ezek. 28:15b; cf. Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4).

Fallen spirits are intent on denying God the glory that He alone is due from His creatures (Is. 14:12-14; cf. Col. 2:18; Rev. 9:20). They seek to harm as many of His creatures as possible and to bring about their destruction (cf. Matt. 8:32; John 8:44; Acts 19:12), especially humans (Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38; 1 Pet. 5:8).

Because the Father desires people who will worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24), we can be certain that fallen spirits want to prevent people from giving Him that worship. Undoubtedly, they do so continuously throughout the world either through preventing it entirely (2 Cor. 4:3-4; Col. 2:18; Rev. 9:20) or through corrupting it in as many ways as possible and as much as possible (cf. 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-3).

Fallen spirits have influenced humans to do evil things without their knowing anything about that influence (1 Chron. 21:1; 1 Kings 22:22; 2 Cor. 11:14). They have had this covert influence on both unbelievers (1 Kings 22:22; John 13:27) and believers (1 Chron. 21:1; Acts 5:3).

Fallen Spirits and Music in Scripture

The angels sang when God created the earth and everything on it (Job. 38:6-7). Angels sound trumpets (Exod. 19:16; Rev. 8:2) and heavenly spirit beings worship God, play harps, and sing praise to God and the Lamb (Rev. 4:8-11; 5:8-14). We know, therefore, that supernatural spirit beings, including fallen spirits, are musical beings (see this post for further explanation of this point.

Fallen spirits have observed and heard all the worship of heaven that has included music (Job 38:6-7; Ps. 148:2; cf. Is. 6:3). They know experientially what heavenly music that pleases God sounds like.

Fallen spirits have observed the activities of humans from the beginning of mankind (Gen. 3; 2 Cor. 11:3; cf. Job 1:7). They know exactly what music man has made that has pleased God (e.g. 2 Chron. 5:11-14).

Fallen spirits know about the godly instrumental music produced by a Spirit-empowered man that drove out an evil spirit from another man (1 Sam. 16:14-23). At least one fallen spirit, therefore, has personally experienced the spiritual power of such godly music (1 Sam. 16:23).

Fallen spirits have full knowledge also about the music that man has made that has not pleased God (e.g. Is. 5:11-12; Dan. 3:5-7, 10, 15). They undoubtedly played a major role in the musical activities of multitudes of people who were destroyed in the Flood because “every imagination of the thoughts of [their hearts] was only evil continually” (Gen. 4:21 cf. Gen. 6:5; see this post for a full explanation of this key point).

After the Flood, on a particularly sordid occasion, fallen spirits influenced people who had eaten meat offered to an idol in syncretistic worship of Yahweh to sing in a way that the Holy Spirit highlights by providing an explicit record of that singing (Exod. 32:17-18). Because that singing was produced by demon-influenced people (cf. 1 Cor. 10:20) who were idolatrously eating, drinking, and playing (1 Cor. 10:7; including ungodly dancing [Exod. 32:19]) in such an evil, uncontrolled way that even their enemies were ashamed of them (Exod. 32:25), we can be certain that their singing that was supposedly to Yahweh was evil as well.

Fallen Spirits and Dangerous Music

Given all that we know about the aims and activities of fallen spirits and about their full knowledge about music that pleases God and music that does not please Him, believers must not be at all dismissive about the role of fallen spirits in the production of ungodly popular musical styles (Eph. 2:2-3; 1 John 5:19). Rather, we have every reason to believe that fallen spirits have influenced and continue to influence as many people as possible to listen to and produce music that does not please God, especially in their worship of Him.

In fact, many popular musicians have testified in various ways that the source of their music has been supernatural influences from outside themselves.[1] Believers must not reject such testimonies—they must stay as far away as possible from any music, even if it has Christian words, when there is even the slightest possibility that fallen spirits have played a role in originating that dangerous music (see also Are Secular Testimonies about Fallen Spirits and Music Inherently Unreliable?).

Conclusion

Christians must reject (Ps. 1:1; Eph. 5:11) all music, including music with Christian words, that employs ungodly popular musical styles that evil humans have produced for explicitly stated evil purposes, such as rock music, because vital biblical considerations and sobering personal testimonies point to fallen spirits as the supernatural origin of those ungodly styles. Beware endangering yourself and others through music!

 

[1] The following quotes are from a website that I found by doing a Google search on evil spirits and rock music:

David Bowie: “Rock has always been THE DEVIL’S MUSIC. . .” (Rolling Stone, Feb. 12, 1976);

John Lennon: “I’ve sold my soul to the DEVIL.” (Ray Coleman, Lennon, p.256);

Little Richard: “I’m the Rock ‘n Roll singer that you heard about through the years. . . I was directed and commanded by another power. The power of DARKNESS. . . The power of the DEVIL, SATAN.” (Charles White, The Life and Times of Little Richard, pp. 205-206);

During a 1993 Oprah Winfrey interview, Michael Jackson, explained the reason for some of his filthy sexual gestures during his concerts: “It happens subliminally. IT’S THE MUSIC THAT COMPELS ME TO DO IT. You don’t think about it, it just happens. I’M SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM.” (The Evening Star, Feb. 11, 1993, p. A10)

—http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils%20in%20America/CCM/hip_hop.htm; accessed 1/17/14; 3:55 pm

I also found the following sources from that same search: Note the testimonies provided in point II of this web article (http://truediscipleship.org/Gtopics/general108.htm; accessed 1/17/14; 3:59 pm) and the many testimonies from rock musicians themselves in this article (http://www.inplainsite.org/html/voices_of_rock.html; accessed 1/17/14; 4:09 pm); see also the similar testimonies in a similar article (http://wayoflife.org/index_files/rock_musicians_as_mediums.html; accessed 1/17/14; 4:14 pm.)

Please note that I have not independently verified the quotes provided in any of these sources. I have no reason, however, to doubt their veracity, especially since several sources provide some of the same quotes.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In CCM, Discipleship, Exhortation, Theology
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Should Christians Not Heed What Secular Musicians and Music Experts Say concerning the Morality of Music?

December 14, 2013

A Christian recently advised me, “Don’t appeal to the authority of secular rappers or rock musicians: Appeal to Scripture.” He holds a view that many believers today hold about what sources of authoritative information are valid concerning the moral aspects of music. Is this view correct?

Two key Scripture passages answer this question by showing that both believers and unbelievers have validly assessed the shamefulness of people in various respects. The first passage records that both believers and unbelievers did so at a time when the sinfulness of God’s people even included their producing ungodly music.

Righteous Believers Validly Assessed the Ungodliness of Music Produced by Some of God’s People

The Israelites’ profound sinfulness in the Golden Calf incident included music that two righteous believing authorities recognized from a distance as being music unfitting for worship by God’s people:

Exo 32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

 18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

 19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

Although he was at a distance from the camp that did not allow him to know exactly what the people were doing, Joshua discerned that the composite[1] sound that they were producing was a rough-sounding noise of people who were wildly excited, a sound that apparently was quite similar to the noise produced by people engaged in (all-out?) combat. Moses, however, from the same distance that prevented knowing what the words being sung were, was able to discern accurately that the raucous and frenetic noise that these reveling people were producing was the noise of people who were singing.

Moses, therefore, was able to tell from a distance that these out-of-control people (Exod. 32:25) were wildly reveling people who were producing an ungodly sound that certainly was not the sound of Spirit-filled people singing godly music (cf. Eph. 5:18-19). Arriving at the camp, he saw that their reveling also included sensual dancing of such vulgarity that it (and the idol that he finally saw in person) incited him to righteous flaming anger (Exod. 32:19).

Moreover, we know that these people who were singing and dancing wildly were people who had partaken of meat offered to an idol (Exod. 32:6). Having partaken of that meat, these wildly singing and dancing people were people who were doing so after having come into direct contact with demons (1 Cor. 10:20).

These demon-influenced Israelites were thus engaged in an immoral “playing” (1 Cor. 10:7) while they were supposedly observing a “feast to the Lord” (Exod. 32:5). Although they may have thought that they were singing acceptably to the Lord, righteous Israelites who were not influenced by demons on this occasion validly assessed their great wickedness, including the ungodly sounding music that they were producing.

Both Joshua and Moses were able to discern the unfitting-for-divine-worship composite sound of their music from a distance that did not allow them to know at all what they were singing. Regardless of what the words were that they were actually singing, the sound of their singing from a distance was ungodly.

This passage, therefore, teaches us that righteous believers can make a valid assessment that music of people who are supposedly worshiping the Lord is ungodly by assessing the nature of the overall sound produced even by people who are singing words. As Joshua and Moses did, such valid assessments can be made without knowing what the lyrics are that the people are singing.

Even Ordinary Unbelievers Validly Assessed Their Shamefulness

Not only righteous believers, but also their unrighteous enemies validly assessed the great sinfulness of these uncontrolled revelers on this occasion:

Exo 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies.[2]

This text shows that Scripture records an instance when unbelievers could and did make valid moral assessments about unrighteous worship by God’s people (Exod. 32:17-19)! The people among the Israelites who engaged in the Golden Calf incident had became so openly sinful at this time that even their enemies were ashamed of them.

This passage is especially telling because it shows that a high-level leader among God’s own people sinned so egregiously on this occasion in how he allowed God’s people to get out of control that even the sinful enemies of God’s people plainly recognized that what they were doing was ungodly. Not only were they able to assess validly the immoral behavior of these people, but also they regarded their behavior to be shameful!

Moreover, the passage provides no indication that these who regarded the behavior of the Israelites as shameful at this time were expert authorities on various aspects of human morality. Rather, the passage shows that even ordinary unbelievers validly made these moral assessments about their unrighteous religious activities![3]

Apostolic Recognition That Unbelieving Experts Can Make Valid Moral Assessments

In agreement with Exodus 32, Titus 1 reveals that the apostle Paul held that unbelievers do have the ability to make valid moral assessments of unrighteous human behavior (of various types) by unbelievers (Titus 1:12). Moreover, Paul shows us that it is righteous for Christians to heed such assessments when they are made by unbelieving experts who confirm the believers’ own assessment of such unrighteous behavior (Titus 1:13; see this post for a full explanation of this key point).

Conclusion

Scripture shows that righteous believers can make valid assessments of purported worship of the Lord that is in reality ungodly behavior by believers whose religious activities include producing music that is ungodly (Exod. 32)! Amazingly, it even shows that such assessments of singing can be made without knowing what the lyrics are of such ungodly music.

Scripture also provides us with clear teaching that shows that unbelievers can make valid assessments of unrighteous human behavior both by God’s people (Exod. 32:25) and by other unbelievers (Titus 1:12). Moreover, it is right to heed and appropriately make use of such valid assessments (Titus 1:13).

Applying all this biblical data to the issues concerning music in our day, we learn that Scripture teaches us that Christians should heed the warnings of secular musicians and music experts who warn us about music that is immoral and unfitting for Christian worship (for example, see this brief testimony).

 

[1] Although the passage does not mention their playing any musical instruments, based on the available Scriptural data concerning human feasting (cf. Gen. 31:27; Exod. 15:20; Luke 15:22, 25; etc.), it is highly probable that they were. Either way, the term composite signifies the totality of the sound that they were producing, whether through singing alone or through both singing and playing.

[2] NAU Exo 32:25 Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control– for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies–; NET Exo 32:25 Moses saw that the people were running wild, for Aaron had let them get completely out of control, causing derision from their enemies; NIV Exo 32:25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies; NKJ Exo 32:25 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies); ESV Exo 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies). What all these translators recognize is that the people became profoundly and openly sinful at this time.

[3] Although the passage does not elaborate at all who these enemies were or what the extent of their knowledge of the Israelites’ sinfulness on this occasion was, we can be certain that what they knew about the ungodly reveling of these Israelites caused them to be ashamed of them.

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In CCM, Exhortation, Exposition, Theology
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Beware Dangerously Wrong Thinking about Your Life as a Christian!

November 23, 2013

I am concerned that various influences have affected many believers so that they are approaching their lives with dangerously wrong thinking. Here are two key false notions of which you should beware.

1. I am an ordinary person, so Satan is not going to bother with me. He only targets important people.

Apostolic instruction to all believers warning them about Satan shows that this is a very dangerous false view (Eph. 4:27; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9). Satan wants to devour every believer—you are one of his targets regardless of who you are!

2. I am a Christian and I have the Spirit in me. Satan cannot influence me to do wrong without my knowing that he is attacking me.

David was a believer who had the Holy Spirit upon him for the rest of his life after Samuel anointed him (“And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” [1 Sam. 16:13]). Yet Satan “provoked David to number Israel” (1 Chron. 21:1).

Neither 1 Chronicles 21 nor the parallel passage in 2 Samuel 24 provides any indication that David ever had any idea that Satan had influenced him to do so. In fact, it is unthinkable that David would have done what he did had he known that Satan was moving him to do so.

Something similar also happened to Ananias. He conceived a wicked thing in his heart (Acts 5:4), and his wife conspired with him to do so (Acts 5:2, 9). Luke reveals key information about what else happened to Ananias: “Satan filled [his] heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land” (Acts 5:3).

As with David, we have no indication in Scripture that Ananias knew anything about Satan’s filling his heart to sin against God. Being a Christian and having the Spirit in you does not mean that Satan cannot influence you without your knowing it!

Beware dangerously wrong thinking about your life as a Christian along either of these lines!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Exposition, Theology
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God’s Rebuke of Sensuality among Those Who Worship Him

October 2, 2013

Scripture is our only infallible source of information about God’s perspectives concerning people who engage in worship and the actual nature of that worship. In Ezekiel 33, He reveals to us vital principles about how He should be worshiped through His assessment of the presence and nature of the sensuality among those who worshipped Him at that time.

Among the Jews who were exiled in Babylon, there were those whose worship was not what it appeared to be (33:30-33):

Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD. 

 31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. 

 32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. 

 33 And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. 

God made known to Ezekiel that his fellow Jews were maligning him even while they were exhorting one another to come hear his ministry of the Word of the Lord that he was proclaiming (Ezekiel 33:30).

These seeming worshipers were intermingled with true worshipers and mimicked the worship of the latter. They came as the others did and sat before him as the rest of God’s people did (Ezekiel 33:31).

They listened intently to Ezekiel’s proclamation of God’s words (Ezekiel 33:31a-c), but the true nature of their supposed worship of God was revealed by their failure to heed God’s words (Ezekiel 33:31d). God exposed them as hypocritical worshipers who did not do what He said because although they professed great love for Him, they were actually motivated by their lustful hearts and their pursuit of personal gain (Ezekiel 33:31e-f).

God then called Ezekiel to perceive what was taking place in the hearts and minds of such people: “And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument.” (33:32). The Hebrew word rendered as “very lovely” (that modifies the word song) uses a word (‘Əgavah) that is used in a negative sense in Scripture for “sensual desire” that is “condemned” (Holladay, 264).

Ezekiel thus was to them like a song characterized by sensuality that was ministered by a person having a beautiful voice and playing a stringed instrument skillfully (33:32a-b). Implicit thus in this statement is these people’s appetite for sensual songs and God’s condemnation of that fleshly proclivity.

This statement revealed the essential problematic sensuality of these supposed worshipers of God. Because of that sensuality, God’s words did not profit them in bringing about obedience to Him in their lives, just as hearing a sensual love song sung by one with a pleasant voice accompanied well on an instrument does not.

Through this comparison, God was not condemning those who have lovely voices or can play stringed instruments with great skill–He is the One who gifts people with these priceless gifts. His statement indicts the people who were hearing Ezekiel’s ministry of the Word with the same fleshly orientation of heart as they would hear sensual songs.

Unquestionably, Ezekiel was not preaching a sensual message to them; he apparently then had an appealing, pleasant speaking voice, good vocal production, and great skillfulness in his speaking for God. These sensuality-oriented worshipers were drawn to these elements of his ministry, but they did not have a heart for hearing from God to do what He was saying through Ezekiel.

This account warns us that we must come to hear the ministry of God’s Word with a true and sincere heart to obey Him. To have such a heart to hear from God, we through the Spirit must mortify all manifestations of the sensuality that our flesh is irredeemably bent toward. Otherwise, even hearing a true prophet of God preach His words in His house will not profit us, and our worship will be spoiled by the same sensuality for which God rebuked those among His people who came with that ungodly orientation to hear Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry.

 

For help with issues concerning CCM, please see the many resources that I have compiled: Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exhortation, Exposition, Music
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