OK, so this is a HUGE sacred cow in the body of Christ.   I haven’t fully wrapped my brain around this at all…  but what I see in scripture runs counter popular culture in the church.  Are all human beings doomed to be stuck forever in a cycle of sinning and needing to repent and be washed?    Based on scripture I believe that even in this we can be truly more than conquerors.

1 Corinthians 10:13 English Standard Version (ESV)
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Colossians 1:10-14 King James Version (KJV)
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;  11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;  12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins…”

Note the past tense …  we have already been delivered from the power of darkness

John 14:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Mark 14:37-38 ESV” And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? ³⁸ Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Galatians 5:24 King James Version (KJV)
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Matthew 16:24 King James Version (KJV)
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

1 John 1 King James Version (KJV)
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we hav…e seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;  2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)  3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.  5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:  7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

We have to pay very close attention to the verb tenses on this subject.   Absolutely, all have (past tense) sinned…  Zero debate.   Every single one of us needs Jesus to be made right with God.   The question we are exploring is how radically does Jesus change the landscape for us once we are saved and baptized.  This is really what we will be exploring.   I invite you not to aim at coming to a conclusive absolute answer, but just to consider what your new capacity is in Christ and then set your course accordingly.    Jesus never once lowered the bar, He simply empowers us to overcome and be more than conquerors against everything that comes against us.

Romans 8:36-39 King James Version (KJV)
“36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

1 John 2 English Standard Version (ESV) “2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

Romans 6:3-7 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin- 7because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Romans 6 KJV 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:  9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.  11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.  14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.  15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.  16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.    19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.  20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.  21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.  22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.  23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Galatians 5:24 King James Version (KJV)
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Genesis 3:8-  KJV” And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.  ⁹ And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?  ¹⁰ And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.  ¹¹ And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?  ¹² And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.  ¹³ And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.  ¹⁴ And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:  ¹⁵ And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.   ¹⁶ Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.  ¹⁷ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;  ¹⁸ Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;  ¹⁹ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Galatians 3:12-14 New Living Translation (NLT)
12 This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”[a]  13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”[b] 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised[c] Holy Spirit through faith.

Luke 10:19 King James Version (KJV)
“19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

We have power over all the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt us

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 King James Version (KJV)
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Romans 7:23-25 King James Version (KJV)
“23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

If the flesh has been truly crucified, as Jesus has empowered us to do (it is within our capacity to do so), then this means that the law of sin in my members has lost it’s power over me.  It is possible for one one to spiritual.  Stephen is perhaps an example of a man who truly was largely dead to self and willing to lay down his life for the Word he shared with others.

1 Peter 2:23-25 King James Version (KJV)
“23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:  24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.  25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

 

Romans 5:11-18 King James Version (KJV)
“11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Yet another walking the razor’s edge tension place in our lives.    We are commandment to love others as Christ loved us and yet not fear man or be dominated by the need for the approval of other people.

We have a whole topic devoted to one anothering so truly this is just barely catching a glimpse of the tip of the ice berg.   A word study of the phrase one anothering could easily and gainfully occupy several years of time.  I am going to hone in on one or two points only that are often overlooked or little practiced.

What does loving others as Christ loved us look like.   It must purely reflect the love that Jesus shows for us.    This is radically different than the actions and words that we often associate with the word love.

John 13:34 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
“34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

The Word LOVE represents so many different things to so many different people.   Let’s try to get some idea of what biblical love looks like and does, specifically how Jesus loves others as we are commanded to love them in the same way as He does.  So without ever losing sight of the verses we most readily associate with biblical love, let’s jump in.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a New International Reader’s Version (NIRV)
“4 Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor other people. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people’s wrongs. 6 Love is not happy with evil. But it is full of joy when the truth is spoken. 7 It always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It never gives up. 8 Love never fails…”

1st We love others by begin mindful of what tempts them or hurts their conscience.

1 Corinthians 10 NASB “28 But if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake; 29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.”

We are not our own.  We are not only accountable to God for what our conscience says on a matter but also the conscience of others.   This puts the responsibility on each of us to be tenderhearted and compassionate to how others perceive our actions.

Romans 14:13-20 English Standard Version (ESV) “13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.   20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.”

Practical applications:   

1. Our outward appearance is one of  the easiest and most commonly thing that we judged on.   As a new believer, I watched the women, especially those on the stage and those in leadership and followed their cues.     I was thankful and of course stunned when girlfriend approached me and asked me to reconsider my attire.    She let me know that men, especially those of shorter stature, might be tempted by my choice of clothing and that perhaps something more conservative would be helpful to them.  I had been in the world 30 years and dressed accordingly.  Had this brave sister not spoken up, I would have continued to dress inappropriately.  I now try to err on the side of conservative now especially when meeting with new people.   I want to glorify God in all that I do.  What I wear, what I eat, how I speak, what kind of car I drive etc.   I have heart it too  many times to not take note.   Many will follow the example and still others will judge harshly based on these things.   I often hear that people will not listen to certain teachers of the Bible simply because of the types of suits they wear, homes they own, cars they drive etc..   

Therefore, we should take care that we are mindful of the consciences of others in  whatever parts of our lives that are lived out publicly or that we share with others.  I will admit that I went through a “legalistic/zealously religious stage” where my own conscience was truly grieved by what I saw others do.  During that time, it was far more common for me to be told that I needed to relax my standards and that I should “live and let live” instead of being encouraged by other believers to continue to honour my conscience.   I have come to a more peacefilled season now where it is far easier not to take offense and simply to recognize that each one is walking out what they know to the best of their ability.  

Here are some things that God has convicted me on.   I do not share to suggest that you ought to do likewise, only to give some idea of some things I have bumped into.   

1.  As I mentioned, the clothes we wear as a family,
2. the decorations and outward appearance of our home inside and out, basically every space in our home that others may be exposed to.  Nothing in our home decor is sacred.    If something gives  somebody the wrong vibes, I purge the item.   This one can be tricky as we can be very sentimental over certain things or feel strongly obligated to keep them as they may be gifts from those we love.    We have been so bold as to let people know the types of things that we will not allow into our homes.  Our personal convictions are to keep no graven images or any item for that matter that were made to worship other gods in our home, we try to avoid all books, videos etc where magic is used by the good guys, and aim to avoid things that are ostentatious and extravagant.   We have received gifts over the years that we either simply declined (where the relationship permitted) or quietly disposed of afterwards where relationship did not.   It pains me to do so but it would pain me more to know that the object potentially offends God and if not God, then others who come into my home. 
3. the foods I eat, especially in public (we have several friends who follow the Old Testament food regulations and abstain from pork and shell fish etc.  At the moment they are more casual friends but if we were to fellowship with them intimately, I would likely purge our home completely in an effort to honour their consciences). 
4.  I do not drink alcohol as a general rule as I have two friends who are recovering alcoholics.    
5. The music we listen to and sing as well as the types of movies and entertainments we will participate in
6. Before reading this next point, please commit to reading the second part of this post, otherwise, there may be a temptation to judge my thoughts and actions, which I have based directly on scripture.    While there is no person that I believe is beyond God’s love, I do believe that there is a time based on scripture that we are not to fellowship with someone who is actively and unrepentently living in a sinful way.   I do make it perfectly clear in those situations that the separation pains me and that I long for our fellowship to be restored but that my own conscience does not permit me to fellowship while they are openly and actively participating in what the Word clearly forbids.   I am always hopeful and prayerful that they will turn and that our fellowship will be restored.  I am not judging them but also cannot be accomplice.    This brings me to the 2nd point.

A note to make about all of this…  What you do in private should of course reflect integrity and should glorify God to the uttermost.  There are verses about this too.   

2nd Correcting one Another/ Confronting One another for Sins is an Expression of Love

I must stress that there is a loving way to confront another and a very judgemental and harsh and unloving way to do so.    Perhaps something to tackle in another post.  Today I just hope to introduce this biblical reality and encourage you to dig more deeply.

Revelation 3:19-20 King James Version (KJV)
“19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.  20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

1 Peter 4:7-9 English Standard Version (ESV)
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

It may surprise us what it means to cover a multitude of sins.   New Testament wise it means to lovingly confront one who calls themselves a christian and exhort them to rightenousness.  And yes, there is certainly a time to overlook a trespass and forgive abundantly but all of these things work together and must be considered in light of the full counsel of God.   In my last post I highlighted the need to wash one another feet.   I do feel like the central part of discipling others is to be a sign post that always directs and points back to Jesus and the Word, and to impart and teach all that we know of the Word, in a spirit of love and gentleness.   The washing by the Word should be in other words are absolute go to.  I model this in our group meeting times.   I make it clear from day one that I will not correct or confront a sin issue I see in another person unless they invite me to do so.  However, for those who walk with me in intimate fellowship, they know that I will strongly exhort them to godliness and will confront sins that I see.    I personally have chosen to submit to all my brothers and sisters and Christ and welcome and encourage each one to correct me /bless me by taking the time and making the effort to help me see my blind spots as I have come to embrace these corrections as a helpful and necessary part of my growth.    It is my “yes Lord, wash my feet and any other part of me that has become soiled by my time in this world” as my hearts desire is to have no impurity or blemish separating me from my God.     Scripture says that teachers will be held to a higher standard, and I have come to recognize that these adjustments are necessary with the call that I have on my life.   There are times that we need to confront sin and enforce consequences when repentance does not follow instruction.   I personally believe this is essential for true fellowship, unity and growth within the christian community.  If we tip too far towards mercy and too far away from righteouness and become too tolerant, the yeast of the few quickly leavens the whole body.  If we tip too far towards justice and enforcing righteousness, especially outside of an intimate and strongly developped relationship of trust and love, we drive all away from the one who longs to wash them and adorn them as His spotless bride.

James 5:19-20 King James Version (KJV) 19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;  20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Matthew 18:15-20 English Standard Version (ESV)15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[a] in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

And yes, sadly this does mean that scripture calls us for times of separation from those who call themselves christians but refused to live in submission to God and His Word.   Many have never heard the Word and are simply living in ignorance of what it says.  I am not suggesting that we climb up on a high horse and start casting stones everywhere at all.     But these scriptures must be considered, we must prayerfully and lovingly take action to encourage all to godliness, and once all the other criteria have been met and they have truly come to a place of having had a chance to hear the truth and consider it accordingly, we do need to follow through on what scriptures tells us to do.  2 Timothy tells us how to approach those who are sinning.   

Please do take note that those in this position are opposing themselves, they are snared by the devil and are taken captive by him at his will.   They are not free, they are imprisoned and being used as a slave to darkness.  Their actions are not their own, but they are puppets responding to whatever strings the puppetmaster pulls.   They are often blind and deaf so no amount of begging, nagging, counselling, conversation, shouting, frustration, reacion on our parts will set them free from their bondage.  In fact, our ungodly responses could be deemed as casting stones at one who is imprisoned and incapable of fleeing.  Paul’s instruction to Timothy are worth noting as He is instructing him specificallly on how to help set the captives free.   It is not any more within our capacity to set them free then the Lord’s.   We can reveal to them the way of escape but at the end of the day the verses say that “they must recover themselves our of the snare” and must willfully choose to leave.  Our main prayers then shift not to “change them Lord” but “Oh merciful Father, help them to see and hear and perceive the way the prison they are in and the way out”.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 King James Version (KJV)
“24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;  26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

Do be so vigilant and aware that the strongman(men) holding them captive would like nothing more than to take you captive too.   Jesus instructs us to turn the other cheek and repay evil for good.   These are an essential part of the armour we must live in and put on daily to be effective warfare we are called to.    To respond in kind/react accordingly or as the behaviour warrants lands us right in the cell with them.   Whenever we stoop to that level, we ourselves have now been snared.  This is why it is so essential to not give place to the devil or let others have control over our actions.   

Galatians 6 NIV  “¹Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 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. ⁶ Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. ⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸ Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Psalm 69:32-33 English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
“32 When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.  33 For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.”

God never despises his people, He is forever listening for their cry and yearning for their freedom.     

The desire is never ever to judge or write off or condemn.   It is love that looks down the road and sees where that path leads and cries out “NO, Dear sister, Dear Brother, NO, that path ends in sorrow, pain curses and death, NO!!!”   This takes us right back to Deuteronomy.    As we love others, we join our voices with that of our Heavenly Father who beseeches us each to choose “Life and life more abundantly” so that we and our children shall live.      It is to see each one fully redeemed and restored and walking in the abundant blessings, peace and joy of the truth and beauty of God’s Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 5:1-12 English Standard Version (ESV)
5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.  3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.[a]  6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church[b] whom you are to judge?”

John 3:16-20 English Standard Version (ESV)
16 “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.”

Deuteronomy 30:17-19 English Standard Version (ESV)
“17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,..”

 

Walking the Razor’s Edge: The Tension Place between Radical Resistance/Intorance to Sin While Never Losing Track of Mercy/Grace/Love and Compassion Towards

 

The image that springs to mind is that of trapeze artists.    The goal is to swing through the air and do seemingly death defying stunts all the while knowing that there is a safety net which gives them margin to fall and be able to get back up and try again.

The sin-o-meter is very much a human concept and simply does not exist in the Word or heart of God.    All sin carries the same ultimate penalty of death.  There are no blue collar sins vs white collar sins.   There are no little sins that carry a smaller sentence.   God does not rate sin on a scale and punish people according to the magnitude of the offense.

The challenge is that most people do have this idea somewhere kicking around in their mind.    It is exposed by thought like “I don’t SIN…  Oh sure, I tell white lies as needed and I think it is perfectly appropriate to be creative when I fill in my tax forms, after all the government already takes more than their fair share of of my income.”    “Well, everybody “gossips”, “and surely grumbling and complaining every now and again is just normal right?”  ” I have every reason to be mad at him and treat him that way.  If you only knew what he did to me you would think he was getting off easy.”  “I am a very committed christian, I go to church every week, I sing in the choir and pray….  well, I haven’t read the Bible but that is not essential right?”   “I do exaggerate every now and again” “How can you raise children without lying to them every now and again”.

What these comments are revealing is that we typically label some kinds of sins as heinous (murder, bank robbing, sexual sins, etc) but label others as relatively benign and harmless.    God’s Word reveals that all sin ends in the same place.  Scripture plainly says breaking the law by stumbling even on just one point makes us guilty of breaking it all.   In other words, it is humanly impossible to walk righteously.    

James 2:10 NIV “10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The real definition of sin is the act of not listening to fully, not hearing completely, and not doing totally what God has commanded through His Word, but also through individual promptings.

Deuteronomy 9:22-24 King James Version (KJV)
22 And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the Lord to wrath.  23 Likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice.  24 Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you.

Deuteronomy 28:14-16 King James Version (KJV)
14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

Psalm 106:24-26 King James Version (KJV)
24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:  25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.  26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:

Jeremiah 16:11-13 King James Version (KJV)
11 Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;  12 And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:  13 Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favour.

Proverbs 6:16-19 16There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Job 36:12 KJV
“But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.”

Romans 3:22-24 King James Version (KJV)  “22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:  23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;  24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

When we sincerely believe that some “sins” are ok and not a big deal, we become complacent with sin and we give the enemy a foothold into our lives.   From there, he is perfectly positioned to tempt you even further.   

Ephesians 4:27-30 King James Version (KJV)
“27 Neither give place to the devil.  28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.  29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

Proverbs 14:12 New Living Translation (NLT) “12 There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.”

Habakkuk 1:13 King James Version (KJV)
“13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?”

If we really take the time to think about it, we will see that the first temptation of man was to eat fruit (forbidden fruit yes) but eating a few bites of something forbidden was bad enough for the fall of man and the earth to happen.   Jesus was also tempted with food as his first temptation.  If he had turned the stones into bread and eaten them, he would have sinned against God and been disqualified as the spotless lamb, all for a few mouthfuls of food.    Esau is another one who traded his birthright all for a bowl of lentil stew.    Sin would like nothing more than to pull the wool over our eyes and keep us complacent and indifferent to its presence in our lives.     

Hebrews 12:1 New Living Translation (NLT)
“12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

Philippians 2:14-16 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
“14 Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [[a]against God] and [b]questioning and doubting [among yourselves],  15 That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world, 16 Holding out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose.”

John 13:7-15 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
“7 Jesus said to him, You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later on.  8 Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet! Jesus answered him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with ([a]in) Me [you have no share in companionship with Me].  9 Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, [wash] not only my feet, but my hands and my head too!  10 Jesus said to him, Anyone who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is clean all over. And you [My disciples] are clean, but not all of you.  11 For He knew who was going to betray Him; that was the reason He said, Not all of you are clean.  12 So when He had finished washing their feet and had put on His garments and had sat down again, He said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you?  13 You call Me the Teacher (Master) and the Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is what I am.  14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher (Master), have washed your feet, you ought [it is your duty, you are under obligation, you owe it] to wash one another’s feet.  15 For I have given you this as an example, so that you should do [in your turn] what I have done to you.”

I believe the foot washing Jesus did was to show us that even after we are baptized, “has bathed needs only his feet washed” we still need to have our feet cleaned to take part of Him and His Kingdom.    This verse tells us we will have no part in Him if we do not allow him to wash us this way.   Jesus was speaking as love in the flesh, and we are commanded to continue on as He did and to wash one another’s “feet”.  Let us let him and do likewise.   My next post is all about loving one another as Christ loved us and ties into this one.

Isn’t it wonderful that our Heavenly Husband has given us His Word and is willing to wash us so tenderly and so utterly, adorning us with purity, innocence and righteousness to present us to Himself?

Ephesians 5:25-27 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her,26 So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, 27 That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless].

This week we talked about the danger of idolatry.   There are far too many verses about putting our trust in God to mention.  I do encourage you wholeheartedly to think about putting it on your to study list.  I  am going to springboard from two main verses for this post but do encourage you to dig deeper.

From Romans 1 :

^“18 For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress andhinder the truth and make it inoperative. ¹⁹ For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them. ²⁰ For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], ²¹ Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor andglorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and^[c]godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].  ²³ And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and repreented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles.  ²⁴ Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies a mong themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin], ²⁵ Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it).  ²⁶ For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one, ²⁷ And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another—men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own ^[d]bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences  and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.²⁸ And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome, ²⁹ Until they were filled (permeated and saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, iniquity, grasping and covetous greed, and malice. [They were] full of envy and jealousy, murder, strife, deceit and treachery, ill will and cruel ways. [They were] secret backbiters and gossipers, ³⁰ Slanderers, hateful to and hating God, full of insolence, arrogance, [and] boasting; inventors of new forms of evil, disobedient and undutiful to parents.  ³¹ [They were] without understanding, conscienceless and faithless, heartless andloveless [and] merciless.  ³² Though they are fully aware of God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them themselves but approve and applaud others who practice them.”

Proverbs 30:5 King James Version (KJV)
“5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

Over and over and over again we see this truth in the Bible.   God helps/protects/provides for/heals etc those who put their trust in Him.    These are conditional promises and they hang our ability and willingness to believe what He has said and what He has promised. 

Romans 4:19-25 King James Version (KJV)
“19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:  20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.  22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.  23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;  24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;  25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

Abraham gave glory to God by believing that God is faithful and would surely 100% deliver on His promise.   He did not fully understand how it would be fulfilled, but he 100% believed it would be.     He did not fall away, or get discouraged or derailed via unbelief.  Pause and REALLY think about these two keys that set Abraham apart and positioned Him to see the fulfillment of what God had promised Him.    Dear Ones, we have “very great and precious promises (2 Peter 1)”  that will bring the fullness of the Kingdom of God into our present here and now lives if we can live and believe as Abraham did.   Verse 23 and 24 tell us that these verses are given so that that we can know that this remains true for us today.

The central issue of idolatry is that the message it sends to others and to God is that we don’t really believe He is going to deliver on what He promised to do.     Many people have more confidence in Amazon (I used to say Sears) than they do in God.     They know that when they place their order, and pay the bill, their goods are going to show up.  And if they don’t for any reason, they can go back to the company and the Customer Service Department will resolve the issue.     This positions us to accuse the Father in our hearts, words and deeds of being a  faithless, exacting, harsh taskmaster.    This is the opposite of what He is worthy of.   If we perceive Him as He really is, then praising Him and thanking Him continuously for His absolute faithfulness and goodness follow.  Scripture tells us the “perfect love of God casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18).  Psalm 91 spells out the benefits of peace, proctection, health etc that come from abiding in Him.    

Matthew 6:31-33 King James Version (KJV)
“31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The danger of an idol (you can call it by any name) of anything else that has taken God’s place in our hearts as our source of provision for what He has promised to provide for us, is that our hope and trust is in that thing instead of God.  We may say with our mouths and pay lipservice to to God, but the real evidence lies in  our actions and words.  These reveal the truth of in whom we have put our trust.  Futility and frustration are inevitable as  these other  things cannot deliver.  Remember at the end of the day “human effort accomlishes nothing” and anything other than God will inevitably fall short and/or fail utterly.   BUT what they can do is crowd God out.   

Idols are not overly hard to spot.  They tend to be the last things we think about at night or the first things we think about in the morning.   If we are experiencing fear, doubt and unbelief, if we take the time to root out the source we will find a place in our hearts and minds where God is not sitting as Lord.    The places where we spend our time, resources, money and thoughts on… are an easy way to spot our idols.    Not all idols are positive.  Some are very negative.   It is very easy for us to put all of our hopes and happiness on people.   Even the most righteous man/woman can be an idol in our hearts if we seek their counsel, their wisdom, their influence above God’s.   Sometimes the people who we struggle with the most are really idols in disguise.    If only he/she would…, then I would be fine.    If our happiness is hanging on the actions, words or behaviors of another, we have seated them in a place of power and lordship over our lives.   They have the ability to manipulate and control via their approval or displeasure. If God is truly Lord in all areas of our life, we are truly free to accept others, to not be harmed by their sin issues and shortfalls, and to be steadfast in our faith.    Remember, we can only have one master.

Matthew 6:24 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be [a]against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon ([b]deceitful riches, money, possessions, or [c]whatever is trusted in).

Proverbs 29:25 English Standard Version (ESV)
“25 The fear of man lays a snare,  but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”

Galatians 1:10 English Standard Version (ESV)
“10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant[a] of Christ.”

The driving force behind all idolatry is the desire to bypass investing the time necessary into developping a thriving and abiding relationship with our God and submitting to Him as Lord of our whole life.   Wanting His blessings and benefits without satisfying our part of the equation.   The proverbial “magic pill” for all that ails you, the carrot hanging just our of our reach that never satisfies when we finally chomp down on it.    It positions us to view other people as obstacles in our path or opportunities/resources to leverage for our benefit.   Basically, we don’t get what we feel that we need/want and then act badly and then sadly, often justify our poor behaviour and attitude to insulate ourselves from all responsibility for the state we are in.    But if you look back to the beginning of the cycle, it all starts when we try to bypass the lawful means of our needs being met.   Life abundantly is THE destination for those who are willing to choose life and life abundantly through hearkening to and obeying the Word of the Lord.   EVERY other path ends in hell, death and destruction.  

To sum up plainly:

The fruit and blessings of the Kingdom are only assured in the areas where we have made Him LORD.   We therefore should not be shocked or dismayed at the absence of His benefits when we have excluded Him from so many parts of our lives.    We can easily be deceived by His mercy and goodness which falls on all of his creation..    BUT He has also promised that these will not last forever, while he is slow to wrath and patient in the hopes that all will repent and be saved, He is also perfectly just and has promised that each one WILL reap according to what He sows and is a slave to whoever they obey.   

James 4:1-3 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
4 What leads to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fightings) originate among you? Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members?  2 You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you seek], so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask.  3 [Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures.

2 Peter 3:7-15 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
“7 But God has commanded the present heavens and earth to remain until the day of judgment. Then they will be set on fire, and ungodly people will be destroyed. 8 Dear friends, don’t forget that for the Lord one day is the same as a thousand years, and a thousand years is the same as one day. 9 The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost. 10 The day of the Lord’s return will surprise us like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the heat will melt the whole universe.[a] Then the earth and everything on it will be seen for what they are.[b]11 Everything will be destroyed. So you should serve and honor God by the way you live. 12 You should look forward to the day when God judges everyone, and you should try to make it come soon.[c] On that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and everything else will melt in the heat. 13 But God has promised us a new heaven and a new earth, where justice will rule. We are really looking forward to that!”

Going back to the Romans verse at the very top….  Idolatry/putting our faith/hope/trust in something other than God IS the guaranteed place anyone who refuses to submit to God will land.   It is either God in the throne room of our lives or something else.    There is simply no inbetween options and no gray areas possible.   We were made to be the home of the Holy Spirit and to live with Him filling us every day.    When we evict Him, we leave a vacancy up and squatters are quick to jump in and take up residence.     Jesus is the answer, the Word is the means by which He has chosen to reveal Himself to us.      The Galatians verse I started with during our group  is the one I will end with here.    I have come to believe that the things listed in this verse are simply evidence that we have some squatters in our hearts.  They are evidence that a worldly/fleshly substitute has snuck in and stolen our hearts and trust away from our God.   How wonderful to know that as we read the Word, hearken to our God and submit to Him that we will see ” love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control;”  take up full time residence and that these other “squatters” will be fully driven out.  Isn’t it amazing and encouraging to know  that we can be restored to full measure, these “symptoms” of deficiency will surely fall away too.      

Galatians 5:19-24 English Standard Version (ESV)
“19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do[b] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

And just to clarify, I am not saying that people won’t ever be part of God’s solution, because they absolutely do and will play a role, and often a significant role.   But who you seek FIRST, where your hope is set, really makes a kingdom of difference.  Blessings.

 

Extra’s

For those interested in the 7 redemptive names I mentioned that God gave us through the wilderness journey and for those interested in the verses that talk about our need to put our trust in Him, see below.

from this blog:

https://onlyamustardseed.blogspot.com/2011/12/redemptive-names-of-god.html

The Seven Redemptive Names of God
In his redemptive relation to man, Jehovah has seven compound names which reveal Him as meeting every need of man from his lost state to the end. These compound names are:

Jehovah-Jireh
“the Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:13,14).
i.e., will provide a sacrifice.

Jehovah-Rapha
“the Lord that healeth” (Exodus 15:26).
That this refers to physical healing the context shows, but the deeper healing of soul malady is implied.

Jehovah-Nissi
“the Lord our banner” (Exodus 17:8-15).
The name is interpreted by the context. The enemy was Amalek, a type of the flesh, and the conflict that day stands for the conflict of (Galatians 5:17) the war of the Spirit against the flesh. Victory was wholly due to divine help.

Jehovah-Shalom
“the Lord our peace,” or “the Lord send peace” (Judges 6:24).
Almost the whole ministry of Jehovah finds expression and illustration in that chapter. Jehovah hates and judges sin (Genesis 2:1-5). Jehovah loves and saves sinners (Genesis 2:7-18) but only through sacrifice (Genesis 2:19-21). See also: Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 1:20.

Jehovah-Ra-ah
“the Lord my shepherd” (Psalm 23.).
In Psalm 22, Jehovah makes peace by the blood of the cross; in Psalm 23, Jehovah is shepherding His own who are in the world.

Jehovah-Tsidkenu
“the Lord our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6).
This name of Jehovah occurs in a prophecy concerning the future restoration and conversion of Israel. Then Israel will hail him as Jehovah-Tsidkenu—”the Lord our righteousness.”

Jehovah-Shammah
“the Lord is present” (Ezekiel 48:35).
This name signifies Jehovah’s abiding presence with His people (Exodus 33:14,15; 1 Chronicles 16:27,33; Psalm 16:11, 97:5; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).
Taken from the 1917 Scofield Reference Bible Notes

 

A bunch more verses that stress that there is a significant our part if we are to expect God’s help and protection in our lives.

Psalm 5:11 King James Version (KJV) “11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.”

Psalm 18:30 King James Version (KJV)
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

Psalm 20:6-8 King James Version (KJV)
6 Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. 8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

Psalm 34:8 King James Version (KJV)
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.  8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

Psalm 112:6-8 King James Version (KJV)
6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.  7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.  8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

Psalm 115:2-11 English Standard Version (ESV)
2 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.

9 O Israel,[a] trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.

Psalm 118:7-11 King James Version (KJV)
7 The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.  8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.  9 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.  10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

Psalm 52:1-8 King James Version (KJV)
52 Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. 2 The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.  3 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.  4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.  5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.  6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:  7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.  8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

Psalm 146:2-6 King James Version (KJV)
2 While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.  3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.  His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.  5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:  6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:”

 

Deuteronomy ESV  4:15-22  “Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, ¹⁶ beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷ the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, ¹⁸ the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. ¹⁹ And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. ²⁰ But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day.²¹ Furthermore, the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not enter the good land that the Lordyour God is giving you for an inheritance. ²² 

Deuteronomy 32:20-24 English Standard Version (ESV)
20 And he said, ‘I will hide my face from them;
I will see what their end will be,
for they are a perverse generation,
children in whom is no faithfulness.
21 They have made me jealous with what is no god;
they have provoked me to anger with their idols.
So I will make them jealous with those who are no people;
I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
22 For a fire is kindled by my anger,
and it burns to the depths of Sheol,
devours the earth and its increase,
and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.

23 “‘And I will heap disasters upon them;
I will spend my arrows on them;
24 they shall be wasted with hunger,
and devoured by plague
and poisonous pestilence;
I will send the teeth of beasts against them,
with the venom of things that crawl in the dust.

1 Samuel 15:22-24 English Standard Version (ESV) 22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” 24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

1 Kings 15:11-13 English Standard Version (ESV)
11 And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done. 12 He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron.

2 Kings 17 ”

7 And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods 8 and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced. 9 And the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. 10 They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11 and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the Lord carried away before them. And they did wicked things, provoking the Lord to anger, 12 and they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this.” 13 Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”

14 But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings[a] and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.

2 Kings 23:24 English Standard Version (ESV)
24 Moreover, Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the household gods and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.

Psalm 106:30-40 English Standard Version (ESV)
30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stayed.
31 And that was counted to him as righteousness
from generation to generation forever.

32 They angered him at the waters of Meribah,
and it went ill with Moses on their account,
33 for they made his spirit bitter,[a]
and he spoke rashly with his lips.

34 They did not destroy the peoples,
as the Lord commanded them,
35 but they mixed with the nations
and learned to do as they did.
36 They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to the demons;
38 they poured out innocent blood,
the blood of their sons and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
and the land was polluted with blood.
39 Thus they became unclean by their acts,
and played the whore in their deeds.

40 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people,
and he abhorred his heritage;

Isaiah 2 ” 6For you have rejected your people,
the house of Jacob,
because they are full of things from the east
and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines,
and they strike hands with the children of foreigners.
7 Their land is filled with silver and gold,
and there is no end to their treasures;
their land is filled with horses,
and there is no end to their chariots.
8 Their land is filled with idols;
they bow down to the work of their hands,
to what their own fingers have made.
9 So man is humbled,
and each one is brought low—
do not forgive them!
10 Enter into the rock
and hide in the dust
from before the terror of the Lord,
and from the splendor of his majesty.
11 The haughty looks of man shall be brought low,
and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled,
and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.

12 For the Lord of hosts has a day
against all that is proud and lofty,
against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;”

Isaiah 57 “Whom did you dread and fear,
    so that you lied,
and did not remember me,
    did not lay it to heart?
Have I not held my peace, even for a long time,
    and you do not fear me?
¹² I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
    but they will not profit you.
¹³ When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
    The wind will carry them all off,
    a breath will take them away.
But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land
    and shall inherit my holy mountain.