1 Timothy 3:15, "...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."
Author:skuntzman
Jesus Christ is my Savior and I have been born again (John 3:1-6; Acts 2:38). He gifted me with the love of my life, Anita. She blessed me with 2 awesome children, a brilliant daughter-in-law, and the 5 best grandkids in the world. Together, Anita and I are striving to introduce and bring people to a victorious life through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Apostolic Life Cathedral | April 9, 2023 | 7:00 PM
Matthew 26:1-2
(1) And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,
(2) Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
In this passage we see
The Christ – The Chosen – The Crucified
The Christ
Ezekiel 34:11-12, 16
(11) For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
(12) As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
(16) I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
An absolutely oneness view of the Messiah. He came Himself to save His people:
Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Ezekiel 37:24-25
(24) And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
(25) And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.
“…David shall be their prince for ever.” = God manifest in the flesh
1 Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
It was this Christ, this Messiah, This One True God in flesh, that gave Himself on the Cross for you.
The Chosen
John 15:15-19
(15) Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
(16) Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
(17) These things I command you, that ye love one another.
(18) If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
(19) If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Jas_2:5, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”
1 Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
Rev. 17:14, “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”
The Crucified
See paper: The Crucifixion Fulfills the Passover
Romans 6:6, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
Gal. 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Mat. 10:38, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”
Mat. 16:24, “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.”
The Christ – The Chosen – The Crucified
Ezekiel 36:26-27
(26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
(27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Apostolic Life Cathedral | April 4, 2023 | 7:00 PM
It is a breath of fresh air then you read a positive news report.
In ancient times, the city gate was the busiest place in the city:[1]
A place where the social, business, and legal interaction of the city took place
Where the Torah was read and proclamations were declared
Where justice was served
News exchanged and discussed
Local gossip spread
2 Samuel 15:1-6 (KJV)
(1) And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. (2) And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. (3) And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. (4) Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! (5) And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. (6) And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
2 Samuel 15:1-6 (NET)
(1) Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. (2) Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.” (3) Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.” (4) Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.” (5) When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him. (6) Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel.
Markets and trading centers flourished in certain gates in the city:
Nehemiah 3:1, “Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.”
Nehemiah 3:3, “But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.”
It was at the gates where prophets and priests delivered God’s admonitions and Divine pronouncements
Sovereign attention was attracted at the gate, because “there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”[2]
The most vulnerable place in the walls surrounding a city were the gates, which were well-guarded and designed to deter enemy soldiers.
Such a place of distinction would also be a place where any “new arrivals” would be seen, noticed and counted.
It was an honor for an elder to be chosen to sit at the gate of the city and viewed as a place of authority.
Lot, somehow, was an elder at the gate of Sodom where he was vexed with the wickedness of that city and his own compromises made there:
“And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;”[3]
Though vexed and compromised, Lot still had enough in him to recognize the angels of the Lord.
Those same angels were the means of Lot’s salvation from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorroh:
Peter tells us how that God “delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:”[4]
But the damage was done: his wife was dead and his two daughters, overcome by their situation reverted to what Sodom had taught them.
To “possess the gates” meant one possessed the city
Jesus spoke of the “gates of Hell” (Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”)
While we may not be privy to the dark counsels of Hell was have no worries when we have the Rock – Jesus Christ.
We are on a missional journey and Hell Cannot Stop the Church.
“To be within the gates” meant to be under the authority of the elders of the city presiding in the gates
Deuteronomy 15:7, “If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:”
The gates are a place where plans are made, tactics designed, strategies implemented, and counsel sought.
Absalom understood the importance of the gate and exploited that knowledge to turn the heart of the people from King David with an Evil Report.
It is the Evil Report, spread at your gate and attended to by you that defiles you.
Defile = to make profane, call common, defile, pollute, dirty, or unclean.
Jacob spoke of the “gate of Heaven” (Genesis 28:17, “And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”)
He called that place Bethel – the house of God.
You are Bethel today – You are the House of God and you have gates of access that to need to be well guarded.
Isaiah 33:15-17
(15) He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
If you Shun the Evil Report
(16) He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
(17) Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
Your ears, eyes and mouth are gates to either shun or share evil reports.
Your ear is a gate and listening to an evil report can defile you.
Evil Report: Distortion of Facts – Incomplete Facts – False Information
The wrongful motivation of an evil report causes the hearer to be defiled by drawing wrong conclusions based on that report.
Mat 15:17-20, “(17) Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? (18) But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. (19) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (20) These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.”
Dr. Joe Nelson of Parkersburg Bible College listed various ways an evil reporter operates:
A Whisperer – one who secretly passes an evil report:
Psalms 41:7, “All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.”
A Gossip (rumor) – magnifies and sensationalizes rumors of partial information:
Ezekiel 7:26, “Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.
A Slanderer – One who speaks to destroy credibility by using evil facts:
Numbers 14:36-37, “(36) And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, (37) Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
A Busybody – one who digs up evil reports and information with the express purpose of spreading them by any of the three methods above:
1 Peter 4:15, “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.”
Nelson taught that an evil report is motivated by:
Bitterness – reacting because of personal hurts
Rebellion – justifying an independent spirit
Deception – believing that the evil report is one’s “right” to give
Pride – wanting to exalt self
Guilt – justifying past actions or attitudes
Envy – desiring what others have (jealousy)
Evil Reporters often think that they are getting by: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).
5 QUESTIONS THAT WILL UNCOVER AN EVIL REPORT (DR. JOE NELSON):
WHAT IS YOUR REASON FOR TELLING ME THIS?
WHERE DID YOU GET THE INFORMATION?
HAVE YOU GONE DIRECTLY TO THOSE INVOLVED?
HAVE YOU PERSONALLY CHECKED OUT ALL THE FACTS?
CAN I QUOTE YOU IF I CHECK THIS OUT?
Defilement takes place when you receive an evil report and believe it to be true.
Our True Spiritual Battle is not with people, but with spirits that motivate people.
Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Spirits of lust, deceit, envy, rebellion, perversion, jealousy, pride…
God has elected not to tell us about the plans of these evil rulers & authorities of the unseen world.
He has not given us a seat at their gate listening to their strategies and wicked plans.
But we see the result of these evil authorities.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
(3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
(5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
(6) And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
How?
Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
You get to choose what you allow into your gate, what you heed, hearken, obey.
[1] **See Notes from Dr. Nelson’s Class & Lesson “Defilement: Absalom’s Curse on 7-13-2010**
My interest in Rollo May began when I read that he received training in divinity as well as psychoanalysis. At that time I began to think that he might have something to say that I’d be interested in. The more I read about May the more I was intrigued by his views. He makes sense on a number of issues that face our modern society. Although his book, Love and Will, was published in 1969, it is clear that most of the concepts remain accurate and can be applied to the twenty-first century. I found his ideas to be hopeful and focused on a bright future. While May spent many pages dealing with the anxiety, alienation, and the vacuous expression of society today, he ends his book on a positive note when he writes about how “we may embrace the future” (May, 1969). His book left me with the understanding that with a combination of love and will one can wrap their arms around the future without anxiety or loneliness haunting their days. With that in mind, the purpose of this paper is to give a brief history of Rollo May’s life, to recount the various concepts in existential and humanistic psychology that May is credited with defining, to briefly explain May’s views on love and will, and to discuss what I think is a key element missing in May’s aspect of love.
According to Paul Minnillo (n.d.), of the University of Georgia, “Rollo May introduced European existential thought into American psychology.” Minnillo (n.d.) explains the difference between humanism and existentialism by writing, “Humanists see people as basically good; existentialists see human nature as neutral. Whether the person becomes good or evil is a matter of personal choice. One can decide to be good or evil.”
While it is nice to know that May played such an influential part in the development of existential psychology in the US, it is needful that we take a closer look at May’s background before falling headlong into a discussion of contributions and definitions.
In a brief biographical sketch, Dr. C. George Boeree (1998), a professor of psychology at Shippensburg University, writes:
“Rollo May was born April 21, 1909, in Ada, Ohio. His childhood was not particularly pleasant: His parents didn’t get along and eventually divorced, and his sister had a psychotic breakdown. After a brief stint at Michigan State (he was asked to leave because of his involvement with a radical student magazine), he attended Oberlin College in Ohio, where he received his bachelors degree. After graduation, he went to Greece, where he taught English at Anatolia College for three years. During this period, he also spent time as an itinerant artist and even studied briefly with Alfred Adler.
When he returned to the US, he entered Union Theological Seminary and became friends with one of his teachers, Paul Tillich, the existentialist theologian, who would have a profound effect on his thinking. May received his BD in 1938.
May suffered from tuberculosis, and had to spend three years in a sanatorium. This was probably the turning point of his life. While he faced the possibility of death, he also filled his empty hours with reading. Among the literature he read were the writings of Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish religious writer who inspired much of the existential movement, and provided the inspiration for May’s theory. He went on to study psychoanalysis at White Institute, where he met people such as Harry Stack Sullivan and Erich Fromm.
And finally, he went to Columbia University in New York, where in 1949 he received the first PhD in clinical psychology that institution ever awarded. After receiving his PhD, he went on to teach at a variety of top schools. In 1958, he edited, with Ernest Angel and Henri Ellenberger, the book Existence, which introduced existential psychology to the US. He spent the last years of his life in Tiburon, California, until he died in October of 1994.”
While this seems to be quite a long excerpt it is necessary to point out the various influences combined in the mind of May that would eventually become part of his theory. When reading Love and Will (1969), it is easy to become overwhelmed by the vast amount of knowledge that May presents. He writes, quite capably, about a wide range of subjects, which include (but are not limited to) Greek mythology, Judaism, Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, Gestalt, William Shakespeare, Goethe, Dante, Hugh Hefner, Cezanne, Epicurus, Henrik Ibsen, and Soren Kierkegaard. This eclectic taste appeals to the philosophical nature, and yet he uses that knowledge to support a significant amount of his arguments. This would not have been the case if he had not had those years of travel, study, or sickness. At any rate, by the time May published Love and Will (1969) he was 60 years old and had gathered 6 decades of knowledge, experience, and wisdom.
Like many psychologists before him, May developed an assortment of key concepts to define his aspect of Existential psychology. It is important to note that while some of these are mentioned in Love and Will others are not. It is also important that we recognize that many of May’s ideas build upon those of earlier psychologists while taking on a definite Existential tone. The following are those concepts and definitions as briefly defined as possible.
Dr. Boeree (1998) points out the four nontraditional stages that May used in his Existential model:
Innocence — the pre-egoic, pre-self-conscious stage of the infant. The innocent is premoral, i.e. is neither bad nor good. Like a wild animal who kills to eat, the innocent is only doing what he or she must do. But an innocent does have a degree of will in the sense of a drive to fulfill their needs!
Rebellion — the childhood and adolescent stage of developing one’s ego or self-consciousness by means of contrast with adults, from the “no” of the two year old to the “no way” of the teenager. The rebellious person wants freedom, but has as yet no full understanding of the responsibility that goes with it. The teenager may want to spend their allowance in any way they choose — yet they still expect the parent to provide the money, and will complain about unfairness if they don’t get it!
Ordinary — the normal adult ego, conventional and a little boring, perhaps. They have learned responsibility, but find it too demanding, and so seek refuge in conformity and traditional values.
Creative — the authentic adult, the existential stage, beyond ego and self-actualizing. This is the person who, accepting destiny, faces anxiety with courage!
While May did use these stages to explain his philosophical view of Existential psychology, we need to be careful not to think of these stages as following a specific path like Sigmund Freud’s Psychosexual Stages or Erik Erikson’s Stage Theory.
According to Paul Minnillo (n.d.), “The following terms and concepts relate to May’s specific applications of existential philosophy to psychology:”
Human Dilemma: the fact that humans can view themselves as both the subject and the object at the same time. Humans can see themselves as an object to which things happen; we are continually influenced by stimuli presented to us (Skinner’s theory); whether we respond or not to the stimuli depends on our rationality (Rogers’ theory); our ability to self-relate is what distinguishes us from the rest of nature; “man’s ability to stand outside himself”; we can view ourselves viewing, a metacognitive skill.
Intentionality: the means by which the dichotomy between subject and object is partially overcome; all emotional and mental experiences must relate to (intend) object or events outside the person; the human capacity to perceive selectively and to assign meaning to objects and events in the world; the relationship between the thinking person and the outside world. Both the individual’s will (movement in a certain direction to fulfill specific goals) and wish (the imaginative playing with the possibility of future courses of action) are related to his/her intentionality. Intentionality, will, and wish are three of the most important concepts in May’s theory. Through these three cognitive constructs the person experiences his identity, exercises his freedom and senses his being.
Normal and Neurotic Anxiety: anxiety and freedom always go together. Anxiety is defined as the resulting response to anything that threatens our freedom. May’s definition of normal anxiety: “the apprehension cued off by a threat to some value which the individual holds essential to his existence as a self.” Anxiety is necessary for growth and expansion of self; moving forward into the unknown is anxiety producing, an unfortunate companion of freedom of choice. Healthy anxiety should be recognized and accepted as inevitable. Neurotic anxiety is the feeling that comes when one decides to conform, accept conditions of worth of others, and give up possible personal growth, all in the name of safety and security. Neurotic anxiety, leading to psychological stagnation and intense feelings of guilt, is the subject of therapy.
Normal and Neurotic Guilt: normal guilt comes when one doesn’t live up to his/her potential as a human being; it is part of the human condition, like anxiety; normal guilt can be used constructively when it is recognized and consciously reduced by appropriate action; neurotic guilt is the result of giving up and taking no risks for growth and expansion of self.
Values: what we deem important and meaningful. In infancy: love, care, nourishment; in childhood and adolescence: approval, success, status among peers and autonomy from parents; in adulthood: those which transcend the immediate situation in time and encompass past and future, extending outward toward the good of the community and the larger world; holding mature values is more important than satisfying those values, i.e. search for beauty and truth is more important that actually finding it. Without functional values, we are alienated from the world and lose our sense of identity, worth, and significance; there is a sense of helplessness and aimlessness….mature values allow a person to deal effectively with reality, to empathize with others, and to form meaningful interpersonal relationships, and to be future-oriented; without an adequate system of values, people depend on things outside themselves to indicate worth and significance—status, income, possessions, prestige.
Daimonic: from Greek, meaning both divine and diabolic; any natural function that has the power to take over the whole person—sex, eros, anger, rage, craving for power or achievement; may be either creative and healthy or destructive, or usually both. The desire to achieve is a kind of affirmation of self, but if it becomes an obsession, it takes over the whole person without regard for the person’s well-being or the well-being of others; all of life is a constant search for the optimal level of each of our personality traits.
Psychotherapy: the goal is to convert neurotic anxiety and guilt to normal anxiety and guilt; to help the client actualize his/her potentialities. What is the client trying to express by the presenting problems? To help the client find meaning in circumstances s/he would otherwise find meaningless or hopeless. Therapy should be an encounter between two selves coming together and sharing their existence; empathy for the client is a key ingredient.
Importance of Myth: May agreed with Jung that myths give expression to the universal truths of human nature, and guide human existence; these are narratives that make sense in a senseless world; myths provide universal themes to the individual regarding birth, death, love, marriage, good (Christ), evil (Satan), freedom, independence’ memory and myth are inseparable; our earliest memories become our personal myths, that influence our perceptions about the world, others and self.
Perhaps the greatest contribution that Rollo May gives us is his position on the five types of love. May begins chapter two of Love and Will (1969) with this paragraph:
“There are four kinds of love in Western tradition. One is sex, or what we call lust, libido. The second is eros, the drive of love to procreate or create – the urge, as the Greeks put it, toward higher forms of being and relationship. A third is philia, or friendship, brotherly love. The fourth is agape or caritas as the Latins called it, the love which is devoted to the welfare of the other, the prototype of which is the love of God for man. Every human experience of authentic love is a blending, in varying proportions, of these four” (p. 37-8).
After this paragraph May spends the next 139 pages dealing exclusively with sex and eros. He only mentions philia and agape two more times. However, May (1969) makes the argument that each type of love is progressive in nature. Thus, sex needs eros, eros needs philia, and “philia, in turn, needs agape” (p. 319).
The striking thing about this progression to me is the claim that each aspect of love is necessary for one to be fulfilled, and a person needs aspects of all four to reach that state of authenticity mentioned earlier in May’s creative stage.
For example, sex is purely lustful and completely about gratifying the body. There is nothing wrong or evil about sex (within marriage), but when the daimonic of sex overwhelms a person they begin to think only about their performance and this brings about alienation or anxiety, and could end in violence or some type of destructive behavior if left unchecked.
On page 40 May (1969) even mentions that in our own supposedly enlightened age there is “so much sex and so little meaning or even fun in it!” The reason for this is that people are more interested in the mechanics of sex than in the devotion of eros. May puts it better by writing, “We fly to the sensation of sex in order to avoid the passion of eros” (p. 65).
Why this flight from eros? May responds, “Sex can be defined fairly adequately in physiological terms as consisting of the building up of bodily tensions and their release. Eros, in contrast, is the experiencing of the personal intentions and meaning of the act. Whereas sex is a rhythm of stimulus and response, eros is a state of being” (p. 73). This ontological concept – “the science of being” – is what causes the escape from eros (p. 112). It is at this point of sharing our being with another where we learn what love is while experiencing love in its most vulnerable and unprotected state. May wrote that “love means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive – to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfillment, and an intensity of consciousness we did not know was possible before” (p. 100). Therefore, it may be this lack of courage (authenticity) which causes so many to run away from eros.
May reminds us that the act of love is unique because “man is the only creature who makes love face to face…looking at his/her partner” (p. 311). However, as “sex is saved from self-destruction by eros,” so eros is made bearable by philia (May, 1969, p. 317). According to May (1969), philia is being able to relax with someone else. It is the ability to be and to appreciate the being of that significant other. There is no requirement for action on the part of philia because it is simply accepting the companionship of someone you love to be with (p. 317).
Agape is needed by philia because it is that love which requires nothing in return. May (1969) declares that agape contains “within it the element of selfless giving” (p. 319). It is a spiritual love transcending the physical.
Since people need to be loved physically and spiritually, and not just one or the other, May pronounces, “In normal human relations, each kind of love has an element of the other three, no matter how obscured it may be” (p. 320). This means that in order for love to truly be authentic it needs will. According to Howard Friedman and Miriam Schustack (1999, 2003), May’s concept of will is effort and volition (p. 502). Thus, authentic love is a decision – a choice – to determine to love courageously and to cast aside those anxieties that hold us back.
The strength of May’s theory lies in its ability for each individual to experience their struggles with courage and to celebrate the uniqueness of their existence. As mentioned earlier, May’s form of psychotherapy gives the client the opportunity to express their problems to an empathetic therapist. This meeting then allows the client to face those daunting situations with the aid of another and to find meaning out of situations that seem to be bleak or pointless.
The weakness of May’s theory, in my opinion, is that he fails to adequately explain the role of the family in the types of love. There is another Greek word for love that he never mentions in his book. This word, storge, is defined by C.S. Lewis (1994) as that affection one finds among family members and is part of the “maternal instinct.” At any rate, Lewis (1970, 1994) calls storge the “humblest of loves” simply because it is there by virtue of one’s birth, or adoption, into a family. In my opinion, by ignoring the love that is found between family members, May misses a key ingredient in his theory of love. If I were to incorporate May’s theory into my own theory I’d add this final element of storge.
This question put a smile on my face when I read it because it reminded me of Paul Rudd’s final reply to Zach Galifianakis after he had asked him a series of uncomfortable questions on the comedy sketch/movie Between Two Ferns: The Movie:
ZG: “What advice would you give to a young actor who wants to hide his Jewishness as well as you have?”
PR: “I’ve never really tried to hide my Jewishness.”
ZG: “Jesus was Jewish and he didn’t hide it.”
PR: “No, he put it out there for everybody to see. He’s one of our best.”
ZG: “Are you practicing?”
PR: “No, I’m not a practicing Jew…”
Paul Rudd then says with a wry smile, “I perfected it.”
Makes me smile every time I watch that clip.
Unfortunately, perfection and religion are not always congruent terms. In fact, of the five times “religion” is used in the KJV it is only used positively one time and it is qualified with the adjective “pure.”
While we are working and practicing the command to “be perfect,” which is found eight times in the KJV, let’s also endeavor to perfect the “pure religion” James wrote about.
“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:26-27, KJV).
“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:26-27, ESV).
“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you” (James 1:26-27, NLT).
“Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world” (James 1:26-27, MSG).
Whenever an anointed man of God hits a nerve in individuals, or groups, when preaching, there is usually a positive or a negative response. We call this “being convicted,” or, simply, “conviction.”
We observe these opposing responses in two passages in the Book of Acts:
1. Those who respond positively – Acts 2:37, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
2. Those who respond negatively – Acts 5:33, “When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.”
One hears and obeys, the other hears and rebels.
One hears the message and desires to hear more from the messenger, the other hears the message and then seeks to destroy the messenger.
Unfortunately, whenever there is a desire to silence the voice of God’s messenger many actions take place that are often dishonorable and that was the way the unbelieving Jews acted towards Stephen.
His defense against the accusations of blasphemy towards God and the Temple shows us that he had an advanced understanding of Judaism and Christ that was on the cutting edge of Divine revelation.
Stephen hit a nerve with the unbelieving Jews of his day and they sought a way to shut him up.
Pastor and author Mark Copeland provides the following outline of Stephen’s Defense before the Sanhedrin:
STEPHEN’S DEFENSE (Acts 7:1-53)
A. GOD’S DEALINGS WITH ABRAHAM (7:1-8)
1. The call to leave Mesopotamia
2. The sojourn in Canaan
3. The promise of possession to his descendants
4. The covenant of circumcision
5. His descendants: Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs
B. THE PATRIARCHS SOJOURN IN EGYPT (7:9-16)
1. Joseph sold into Egypt, becomes governor
2. Jacob and his sons move to Egypt during the famine
3. The patriarchs buried in Canaan
C. GOD’S DELIVERANCE OF ISRAEL BY MOSES (7:17-36)
1. The children Israel in Egypt become slaves
2. The work of Moses, deliverer of Israel
a. Raised by Pharaoh’s daughter
b. Kills an Egyptian, but despised by his brethren
c. Flees to Midian where he lives for forty years
d. The Lord appears to Moses in a burning bush at Mount Sinai
e. Returns to Egypt, delivers Israel and brings them into the wilderness
D. ISRAEL’S REBELLION AGAINST GOD AND MOSES (7:37-43)
1. Moses is the person:
a. Who said God would raise up another prophet like him
b. Who spoke to the Angel on Mount Sinai
c. Who received living oracles to give to Israel
d. Whom the fathers would not obey but rejected
2. Israel is the nation:
a. Who turned back into Egypt in their hearts
b. Who pressured Aaron to make a golden calf
c .Whom God gave up to worship the host of heaven for 40 yrs in the wilderness:
1) They may have offered sacrifices to the Lord
2) They also worshiped Moloch and Remphan – cf. Amos 5:25-27
E. GOD’S TRUE TABERNACLE (7:44-50)
1. The fathers of Israel had the tabernacle of witness
a. In the wilderness, built according to the pattern shown Moses
b. Brought into the promised land by Joshua
2. They also had the temple
a. Asked for by David, who found favor before God
b. Built by his son Solomon
3. Yet the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands
a. For heaven is His throne and earth is His footstool
b. His hand has made all these things – cf. Isaiah 66:1-2
F. ISRAEL’S RESISTANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (7:51-53)
1. Stephen charges the council of resisting the Holy Spirit, as their fathers did
2. Their fathers persecuted & killed the prophets, and they killed the Just One
3. They received the law, but did not keep it
As Stephen ended his defense, the men present were convicted: “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth” (Acts 7:54, KJV).
This episode ends with the men stoning Stephen as he looks to heaven and sees a vision from heaven’s throne room while a young man named Saul watched over the coats of the men who stoned Stephen.
Many would consider Stephen’s defense and death a sign of failure, but I like to think that this event was a catalyst (a prick) for change in the life of Saul, who would later be called Paul and became the Apostle to the Gentiles.
Saul’s persecution of the early church might just have been his rebellion against the conviction of the message Stephen delivered.
How else could he drown out the voice of that first martyr of the way who lovingly forgave and sought God for the forgiveness of those complicit in his death?
Jesus knew that Saul was convicted, which is why He came to him on the road to Damascus, and, finally, Paul responded positively:
“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:3-6, KJV).
The best response to anointed preaching and conviction is: “Lord, what do you want me to do?”
So, if someone tries to destroy you for the Word of God you are preaching, or because you are simply obeying the Holy Spirit, don’t take it personally, they are not attacking you…they are attacking Jesus.
Because they’re attacking the message and attempting to destroy the messenger it is a sign of hope that they will eventually turn to Jesus and say, “Ok, Lord, it’s too hard and I can’t resist anymore, what must I do to be saved?”
God’s requirement for success is different from ours and on that last day of Stephen’s life God took a moment that appeared to be a failure and turned it into a future victory of eternal significance.
How do you respond when God’s Word preached by God’s messenger convicts you?
(13) And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
(14) And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
(15) And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Matthew 1:18-25
(18) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
(19) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
(20) But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
(21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
(22) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
(23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
(24) Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
(25) And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
“To know” and “to understand” are different from one another.
Many know the name of Jesus,
But they don’t understand the greatness of the Name.
Name refers to the fame, authority, report, honor, character and record of God.
In the Hebrew the Name was known as far back as Moses.
It was not the articulation of the Name,
But what He who had the Name would do.
In this passage, the LORD established His eternal name as a record and a memorial with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Therefore, He was also their God as the children of those patriarchs.
The “I AM THAT I AM” is the progressive revelation of the name.
It simply means that Jehovah,
the Self-Existent One who exists all by Himself,
has no beginning or ending,
and needs no other to validate His existence.
He is to you what you let Him be to you.
So, when you understand that Name you find that the Lord is everything we need:
He is our Salvation
Genesis 49:18, “I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.”
Psalm 3:8, “Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.”
Isaiah 12:2-4, “(2) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (3) Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. (4) And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.”
He is our Redeemer
Isaiah 49:16, “…and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.”
Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
He is our Saviour
Isaiah 43:11, “I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.”
Isaiah 63:8, “For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.”
Luke 1:46-47, “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”
This all deals with the work of God to deliver people from sin and harm by paying the price necessary for their deliverance.
This great salvation we have was bought with a price: 1 Peter 1:18-21
(18) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
(19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
(20) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
(21) Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
“…and thou shalt call his name JESUS:
for he shall save his people from their sins.”
“This is my name forever” refers to God’s record and fame, his authority and character,
But when Gabriel spoke to Mary the name he told her to name the child was a proper name.
That name, the name of Jesus, held within it all the fullness of the record, fame, authority, character and honor of the I AM.
Colossians 2:9-10, “(9) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (10) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”
You need to get a personal and continuing revelation of Jesus Christ.
His first responsibility was to “save His people from their sins.”
How? Immanuel = God with us.
The only way He can reveal to you the superiority of His name is through you daily experiences.
You will never understand how God works until you get to the place where you allow Him to work.
Then you will begin to understand His Name.
The name of Jesus is a continuous and increasing revelation of His greatness.
You may be struggling with you present circumstance and having a difficult time with the “why” of it.
It may be that this is what God wants for you right now so that He can reveal more of Himself to you.
God love you too much to allow you to stay static, stagnant, and motionless.
Now would be a good time to give Jesus the credit for all the good things in your life.
For example, “Thank you, Jesus, for keeping me free from sin all day long.”
The Lord has different ways that He reveals Himself to us continuously.
A prayer this morning: “Lord, I want a greater revelation about and of You.”
To say as Paul, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings…” (Philippians 3:10).
Salvation has come to this house
Luke 19:1-10
(1) And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
(2) And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
(3) And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
(4) And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
(5) And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
(6) And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
(7) And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
(8) And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
(9) And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
(10) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Notice: Jesus is the salvation coming to Zacchaeus’ house
V. 5 – Jesus said, “To day I must abide at thy house.”
V. 9 – Jesus says, “This day is salvation come to this house…”
_______
Acts 4:12 – there is no other record, fame, authority whereby you must be saved.
You need a name change.
Your soul has not lived until you get a name change.
This can only take place when you are baptized in the only saving name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Moses changed Oshea’s name to Jehoshua.
Joshua had a job to do and his name was changed to fit his job.
Thomas Jefferson is an historical and philosophical enigma. As a philosopher and member of the “American Philosophical Society”, he held many personal ideals privately that he did not voice publicly as a politician and official.[1] I believe that this is what Anthony F. C. Wallace meant in the preface of his book Jefferson and the Indians: The Tragic Fate of the First Americans, when he wrote, “Jefferson was at times a shape-shifter, articulating one policy in public only to execute another in private, or later publicly. In no domain of his life as a philosopher-politician-official do such dilemmas appear more conspicuously than in his relations with Native Americans.”[2] It seems evident by the many references in the book that Jefferson held a great fascination for the Indians, but his personal fascination seems merely cerebral in scope. Some could say that his handling of Indian affairs proved his ideas to be preferences rather than convictions. The purpose of this analysis of Wallace’s book is to show how Jefferson’s Indian ideology was often in sharp contrast to the reality of the various situations he found himself involved in.
Wallace gives credit to Jefferson for establishing “the federal policy of removal – involuntary or voluntary – as the solution for dealing with Indians who rejected “civilization” or waged war on the United States.[3] However, according to Wallace, when the Cherokees (who were at this time “civilized” by Jeffersonian conditions) were asking “to be made citizens” of the United States, (1808) “Jefferson put them off.”[4] Jefferson, at this time, was President of the United States and could have very well done the Cherokees this service, but his inaction shows a refusal to accept the Cherokee into “civilized” society.
After reading this book, I came away with the general understanding that Jefferson’s response to the Indians was more detached and cerebral than up-close and personal. In fact, Wallace points out that Jefferson’s main focus involved linguistics and their relationship to Indian origins.[5] Wallace called this “the advancement of the vocabulary project.”[6] Jefferson’s disappointing loss of several years work in this area is sure to have bothered him as testified to in a letter he wrote later to Benjamin Smith Barton.[7]
Jefferson “lamented” the extinction of so many Indian tribes and the loss of their languages, but he was responsible for the continued displacement and removal of the Indians from their homelands and helped to destroy their culture, history and even language.[8] He even espoused the doctrine that even if the Indians killed “some of us; we shall destroy all of them.”[9] Such ideologies only served to do publicly to the Indians what Jefferson privately lamented.
Wallace also informs us that Jefferson never really saw a true Indian community, only two “civilized” ones.[10] I wonder then how he was able to define what an “uncivilized” community looked like. He made conclusions based on other’s writings or conversations about such things, which detached his understanding from the realities of Indian life and left him with a romanticized view. Wallace wrote, “Thomas Jefferson’s views of American Indians were formed not just in the peaceful study at Monticello and in the halls of the American Philosophical Society. They were also fashioned on horseback, in taverns, and in legislative chambers….”[11] With that in mind, is it any wonder that Jefferson’s Indian policies were often philosophically laudable, but nearly impossible to practice?
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 mandated:
The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians, their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent, and in their property, rights and liberty, they shall never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity shall from time to time be made, for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them[12]
Wallace calls this ordinance Jefferson’s “legacy”, but while its aims seem altruistic, the reality of the situation was that the frontiersmen constantly attacked and encroached onto Indian land with the unspoken consent of a government that desired to have as much land as the states and its individuals did. Jefferson realized this and even wrote to his friend, and treaty commissioner, Benjamin Hawkins, that “two principles on which our Conduct towards the Indians should be founded, are justice and fear. After the injuries we have done them they cannot love us, which leaves us no alternative but that of fear to keep them from attacking us, but justice is what we should never lose sight of & in time it may recover their esteem.”[13] Sadly, the wrongs dealt the Indians have only been compounded upon one another since that time and we as a nation should be brought to task for our failure to deal justly with the Indians. Jefferson understood that in order for the United States to survive any retribution from the Indians we had to be more powerful and fearful than they, but he also realized the futility of such action and regretted its necessity.
I think Jefferson justified his dealings with the Indians by convincing himself that the “Indian way of life” was doomed to extinction.[14] By espousing such a view, he could alleviate any problems of conscience and continue to displace and remove the Indians from their homelands. Today such schemes and practices are knows as ethnic cleansing and cultural genocide, but in that time a very different ethic was involved and practiced by many men of note and historical importance, and Thomas Jefferson was not immune to the zeitgeist of his day.
It appears that in Jefferson’s mind the final form of happiness for the Indian would be their assimilation into the growing American culture (223).[15] It is unfortunate that he did not do more to facilitate in public what he espoused in private. As mentioned earlier, the Cherokees were the test for his private ruminations and he failed them. Jefferson misjudged the Indians as a whole. He felt that they would eventually die out or assimilate into what he considered “civilized,” but the “native resistance has never ceased.”[16]
We are beneficiaries today of a policy that was framed and instigated by a man who justified himself in order to build a new nation. In my opinion, the enigma of Thomas Jefferson is how he managed to initiate public policies that he personally knew went against his private philosophy.
[1] Anthony F. C Wallace, Jefferson and the Indians: The Tragic Fate of the First Americans, (Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press, 2001), 13.
(4) Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
(5) Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
(6) Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
(7) But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
(8) Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
(9) Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
(10) See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
Ancillary: Jeremiah 29:11
(11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Moses
He is walking one day along a path when he turns to inspect something he has noticed for some time, but never investigated…
A bush that burns but is not consumed…
There, in that holy place, he meets the I AM and receives a calling that changed his life and resulted in the formation of a nation.
Here, in the The Exodus, we meet God as Savior.[1]
400 years in Egypt have turned a small tribe of 70 Hebrews into a mighty tribe of 2-7 million.
They have become, through no fault of their own, a threat to Egypt and so the Pharaoh of that day, forgetting the salvation brought by the hand of Joseph, enslaves these children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Children of promise enslaved.
You know the story, Moses comes to Pharaoh and delivers the Word from the I AM, “Let My People Go.”
Refusals and plagues ensue until eventually the Egyptian ruler let’s God’s people go.
When they leave, they make a journey, over the Red Sea, on dry ground, and their enemies are never seen again – Water Baptism.
On Mount Sinai God gives Moses the Ten Commandments and these Hebrew descendants of Jacob become a nation and take on his new name – Israel.
The Law – The Torah – 613 Commandments containing “248 Positive Commandments (do’s) and 365 Negative Commandments (do not’s).” [2]
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17):
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image…
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain…
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Thou shalt not covet…
Then they travel the wilderness for forty years
Why? An evil report…
After those long years, God sends Moses to Mount Nebo where he views the Land Promise and dies.
Moses introduced Israel to God as Savior and as the God of their Exodus who brought them out of bondage and made them into a nation.
God has done that for you tonight, He has put into place a way for you to exit sin, addiction, bondage, wickedness and given you a new name and put you into a holy nation:
(9) But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (10) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
Israel rejoiced in this identity, but in time they lost sight of something important – Relationship.
They had the covenant, but they lost the relationship.
Jeremiah
Over the course of 800 years, from Moses and The Exodus to Jeremiah’s day, these Israelites had turned away from and back to Jehovah – their Savior – untold times.
They would fall away and God would allow an enemy to rise up to chastise them and they would repent.
They would backslide and same process would take place again…
It became a cycle that denigrated the relationship God wanted with them to mere ritual and religion.
Would you want a relationship with someone who treated you like that?
They were Religious, But Lost.
These covenant people would sin, eventually feel guilty, offer the required sacrifice, go on their way forgiven — until they sinned again.
They had covenant with God, but no companionship with Him.
Into this atmosphere of sin, repent, sin, repent, sin, repent, we are introduced to Jeremiah. God knew and had a plan for him before he was ever conceived by his parents:
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”[3]
That passage alone is a primer on God’s view on the sanctity of life…
Jeremiah then tries to get out of his calling, much like Moses before him, and he tells God, “I cannot speak: for I am a child.”[4]
And the Lord replied, Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.[5]
You see, Jeremiah had a job to do
While Moses introduced the people to God as Savior, Jeremiah’s job was to introduce Him as God the Judge.[6]
So, The Exile of Judah becomes the main message of this young prophet as he begins his prophetic ministry at the age of 20.
He sorrows, laments, grieves, lives in depression at times as he deals with the loss that he witnesses over the course of 40-50 years.
Why? Because somewhere along the way these covenant people lost sight of their relationship with God and simply did not follow Him
WHEN THEY DID FOLLOW HIM it was with mere formalism, religiosity and ritual.
They knew what to do, but not how to do.
“He that knoweth to do good…”
Jerusalem falls, the Temple is destroyed, all the best and brightest young men and women are gathered by the Babylonian king and sent into exile.
And adding insult to injury, every time Jeremiah would open his mouth to speak the Word of God he was horribly mistreated. He prefigures Christ as a Suffering Servant with both his lamentations and his mistreatment.[7]
He was mistreated, imprisoned, beaten, lied on and abused – FOR THE WORD OF GOD – by kings, prophets, friends and even family.
This “son of Hilkiah” could have been a priest, but God ordained Him to be a Prophet.[8]
As such, he was mistreated, to the point where he said, “O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:7-9).
In this environment of destruction and disappointment, heartache and hurt, fear and frustration, Jeremiah writes a prophecy of Hope and healing from the Lord (Jeremiah 29:4-14):
(4) Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; <<Marduk v. Jehovah = no match. Jehovah did this>>
(5) Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
(6) Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
(7) And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
(8) For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
(9) For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.
(10) For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
(11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
(12) Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
(13) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
(14) And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
Deliverance and return is on the way. Even for the Religious, But Lost
You who love and want a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus still desires to dwell in the midst of His people.
He still wants relationship with you.
The Danger of Religion is that you lose relationship with Jesus and become religious, but lost:
Repentance is not about confession to change, but you just want to relieve guilt.
Your clean robe of righteousness (bag of sins is full) becomes dirty with sin and you pray, “I’m sorry, Lord. Please forgive me.”
The routine of repentance has nothing to do with change, but in just “feeling” better.
You feel better now, since you confessed, you’ll be ok until you forget what the guilt felt like and then you sin again. Why not? Your robe of righteousness is clean now anyways (your bag of sins is empty now).
How can you maintain a relationship with someone who treat you like that?
God is not into religion, but He loves relationship![9]
The People of Judah has lost that connection of relationship with God. Their behavior towards one another and their worship of God was addressed by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:9-11):
(9) Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; (10) And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? (11) Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.
It appears that Jeremiah is listing the Ten Commandments in reverse order to show that God is more interested in righteous behavior (right relationship) than in covenantal position.[10]
How you treat your neighbor is more important and a more clear indicator of your relationship with God than if you are born again and speak in tongues all the time.
If you speak in tongues all day long and don’t know how to treat your neighbor right then you are Religious, But Lost.
“He is a God of completion, not competition.” –Harold Hoffman
Come to Jesus – Get to Know Him – treat each other right
It’s all about relationship
[1] Runck, Jared S. and David P. Johnson. (2017). Handbook on the Prophets. Weldon Spring, MO: Pentecostal Publishing House.
