We Don’t Get to Make Demands

My studies, lately, have been through the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah. The people during the times of these prophets were notorious for trying to follow other gods, gods made by human hands with wood, stone and precious metals, while still offering lip service to the One True God. They would observe feasts and sacrifices, and yet slaughter their children to Molech and Baal, offer sacrifices and incense on high places. They would cast aside, abuse, beat and kill the prophets of God, and gather for themselves priests and prophets that built up their lifestyles. They would honor God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him.

Considering the state of things today, I don’t know if we’ve gotten very far in the Church age. Biblical literacy is down, people want to be built up and motivated rather than hear from God’s Word, and we gather for ourselves teachers who sooth our itching ears. If I examine myself by the word of God, and not just the texts I want to use to affirm myself, am I seeking God in Holiness? Am I desiring His grace and mercy? If I am honest, most of the time, the answer is no. What we do in the modern church is come in to the Most Holy Place, and make demands of God. We do not want to hear about our sin, we mention the cross, but we don’t want to take ours up and follow after Jesus. We avoid confrontation and persecution, and try and seek a comfortable life instead, blending in to the world that we have been called out of!

Loved ones, before a Holy and Mighty God, we do not get to make demands. We do not get to decide what to follow, and what not to follow. We must be after God’s holiness. Christ is our savior, yes! But we must also follow Him as Lord! We must seek after His Holiness, His Glory, and His fame, and we MUST be prepared for the consequences! A world that loves darkness will try and snuff out His light. Consider the Cross! They thought they were doing God a favor by crucifying Christ! And yet they were carrying out His will: that though He was killed, He went willingly, He laid down His life, and He took it up again. Therefore, I will follow Jesus, who died for my sins and rose again, laying my life down for Him, and following whatever He desires me to do.

1 Peter 3:8-27

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For

“Whoever desires to love life

and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit;

let him turn away from evil and do good;

let him seek peace and pursue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Romans 12

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.