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“Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” John 11:21
Somehow, Martha, in the midst of grief and confusion over the death of her brother Lazarus, assumed that this terrible tragedy would not have occurred if Jesus had only been there to prevent it. Even her sister Mary would echo this same lament (v.32). They had genuine faith in Jesus, but it became obscured by their feelings and preconceived notions of what Jesus should have done. Their understanding and trust were weak because of a vague understanding and knowledge of Jesus and His purposes. First see in Martha’s lament that she acknowledged Jesus to be absolutely powerful and good, but she allowed her own desires to rule her feelings rather than yield to Christ and His purposes. At no time did Jesus promise that He would prevent the death of Lazarus by His Presence. As such, she had faith, but it was not mixed with revealed truth. Earlier, she and her sister had sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was dying, no doubt intending for Jesus to come immediately. But instead of responding as they might have wished, He remained exactly where He was for two more days. He then revealed His purposes by saying, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of Man might be glorified through it” (v. 4). He also later told His disciples, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe” (v.14). Jesus had very specific purposes in mind that would come as a result of the death of His dear friend. Completely counter to Martha’s wishes, He would not be there. In fact, He intended for Lazarus to die! His death would be a means of glory for God and Himself, and it would also be a means of strengthening the faith of Martha, Mary and the disciples. Friends, is it not true that we too have preconceived notions of how God should act in the events of our lives and the world around us? When this happens, we’re driven by our feelings, not truth. We have definite ideas of what God should do and not do. This becomes evident when we’re quick to attribute those things we consider good to God, but if something contrary to our desire happens, we often say, “Well God allowed it”. As if to imply that somehow God stepped out of the way and was not there. Isn’t that the same as saying, “Lord, if You had been here, this wouldn’t have happened”? But has God ever promised us a life immune from grief, or difficulties? Has He ever said this world would be free of terrible tragedies? Yes, like Martha, we have faith in God’s ability and His goodness, but faith must rest on truth, God’s revealed truth. He never said He would spare you this illness, or this death of a loved one, or this depression, or any other affliction you may be experiencing. But God did say, “I am the Lord and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I the Lord do all these things” (Isaiah 45:6-7). He said, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways” (Isaiah 55:8), and “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Let us learn to subdue our feeble faith cry of “If only…” and instead submit ourselves to God’s holy and infinite wisdom and purposes for His children. Secondly, we can observe that Martha and Mary had very limited views of the Person of Jesus Christ. They knew Him as sent from God, but they still did not fully see Him as God Himself in the flesh. They somewhat superstitiously reasoned that Jesus must be bodily present in order to heal their brother, not fully knowing and believing that His divine powers reached beyond His physical Presence. They didn’t fully understand that His divine purposes went beyond their limited view and desires. Perhaps, because of His absence, they even thought of Him as cold and uncaring. But when Jesus finally did arrive at their home and was told of the death of Lazarus, we read these very poignant words: “Jesus wept” (v.35). Now they could see in Jesus the supremely compassionate and caring character of God Himself in His tears. Now they could see that God in the Person of Jesus is a “merciful and faithful High Priest… for in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:17-18). They would witness the life-giving power of God Himself as Jesus spoke “Lazarus, come forth!” They would come to know that Jesus used the death of Lazarus to strengthen their faith in Him as the One in whom “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Beloved, whenever we have distressed and distorted understandings of God’s purposes in our lives, the cause can rightly be attributed to our weak views and understandings of the Person and the work of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (14:9). And so, when we believers say with the Apostle Paul that, “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 3:20) in His dying for our sins, let us not separate this love and purpose from the love and purpose of God the Father Himself. Indeed, they are the same! And this is because “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Jesus said this of believers; “My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23). Therefore, as believers, we need never say, “If only you had been here…”. Jesus is God and is always with us in the Person of the Holy Spirit. We can be assured that all of God’s workings in our lives and the world around us are for His glory, for conforming us to Jesus Christ, and for the strengthening of our faith. We can know these things because God “has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
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“…I have many people in this city”
Acts 18:10 In this remarkable statement, our Lord confirmed to the Apostle Paul that there were those in the city of Corinth who had been chosen by God for salvation but had not yet been converted through the preaching of the Word. This is nothing less than a confirmation by God Himself as to His absolute sovereignty in man’s salvation, as well as His use of means in bringing it to pass. In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul quoted the prophet Joel by writing, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved”, but then added, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? …So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (10:13-14, 17). We see therefore that God ordinarily uses the simple preaching of the gospel as a means of bringing people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. But this same Paul also wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (2:13). Thus, in our natural fallen state, we are entirely unable to respond because we are dead to spiritual things. Paul confirmed this when he wrote about us that we are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). So how does someone come to receive the things of God? What hope is there that any will respond to the message of the gospel? Why even bother to preach? But the Apostle answered this question by stating, “… not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). Thus God, on the basis of His sovereign election, sends His Holy Spirit to regenerate, or bring alive those who are predestined for salvation such that they are not only enabled, but made willing to receive the things of God. This too occurs at a time of God’s choosing. And so our Lord could tell Paul “I have many people in this city”, but still use the means of Paul’s preaching to bring them to conversion. Now there will always be those who find this to be unfair on God’s part, but God has already stated, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion” (Exodus 33:19). And so Paul concluded, “Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens” (Romans 9:18). And yet, if one does not come to Christ at the preaching of the gospel, where does the blame lie? Does it lie with God? Never! You see God presents the offer of salvation sincerely. Jesus Himself said, “Come unto Me, all you who labor are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Therefore, when one refuses this offer, shall they blame God for not making them willing? No, the blame for their refusal still lies squarely on them! What about you? Do you pass off the blame on God for your refusal to come to Him, or do you now see your helplessness, and are you desirous of receiving His help? Jesus stated, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (7:7-8). And for you, who already know Christ, think what this truth of God’s sovereignty means to your impact on the world around you. Christ Himself charges us as Christians to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). And now, instead of looking to ourselves for the increase, we can now confidently rest in God for the results. And therefore, through all ages where God places a witness of Himself, God still speaks to His people and says, “I have many people in this city”! Have you ever thought this way regarding your town, or whatever town/city lies within the influence of your church? Shouldn’t we as churches be praying that God would give us a new vision for our outreach to the lost around us? There’s no room here for discouragement when we don’t see results, but only the command to get up and get to work! O Holy Spirit, stir mightily in our hearts at that we might have a very lively sense of these holy things. Revive us and lift us to a new sense of ministry and service. We depend entirely upon You for the strength and we give You the glory for all that You will accomplish through us according to Your sovereign purposes. In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen. For many, the prospect of a New Year, somehow, will usher in better things than the year that just ended. For them, it just has to be so! But what is this optimistic hope of better things to come based on? Feelings, politics, positive thinking? That kind of optimism fluctuates and is fleeting. It has no anchored basis for it. Others just see things getting worse: more debt, getting older, getting sick, or sicker, et al.
Optimistic and pessimistic outlooks are fundamentally tied to one’s worldview. Some see this life as all there really is with its ever-changing circumstances, and the roller coaster feelings of optimism and pessimism, but with no thoughts of an afterlife. Others have the hope of a “heaven”, a kind of default destination if you’ve lived a good life and have been doing the best you can. There was a woman who was paralyzed from her neck down with MS for twenty-plus years. Her loving, care-giving husband couldn’t understand why she, a good person, should suffer. She simply responded to him with, “Why not me?” Not fatalism, or stoicism. She was genuinely optimistic. For one thing, she knew her condition would finally end at her death. But there was more, much more. She had hope, a real hope, not a hope-so, but a firm hope based on a real abiding, God-given faith. She had that faith described In God’s word: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). For her and others, that hope was grounded in her Savior and Lord Jesus Christ who had come into this fallen world to do what was necessary in order for God to forgive sinners, and give them eternal life in the new heavens and new earth which Christ will usher in at His return. That sure hope enabled her to have a down-deep peace and joy, a real contentment. She embraced, as have others, the reality that, “…the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you… In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials… receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:3-9). In the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Mr. Douglas argued that the slave/no slave status of new states should be decided by the will of the people. A local newspaper columnist stated the same regarding the legalization of abortion; it should be determined by the will of the people. He correctly wrote that “a significant majority” favor legalized abortion. Therefore, for him, that settles the matter.
The faculties of our human make-up include the will, the affections, our physical body and the mind. It is the mind which informs the will such that it can, and often does change regarding a certain matter. However, this process can be, and often is, greatly affected by individual passions, prejudices and selfish interests. Earlier, this was the case in America regarding slaves who were regarded as mere sub-human property. This corrupted knowledge in the mind impeded the mind’s ability to correctly inform the will of many. The Declaration of Independence has no mention of slavery. It was feared that slave holding states would not sign it if it did. Interestingly, some slave holders knew slavery was morally wrong, but the potential loss of monetary profit outweighed doing the right thing. Greater knowledge has since changed the will of the public regarding slavery. Its practice is now considered a shameful period in our history. As such, is it wise to rely solely on the public will, or opinion in moral matters when it’s already been shown in the case of slavery to be everchanging and unreliable? For the 95+% of healthy baby/healthy mother situations, could it be that many who support abortion are perhaps influenced more by passions, prejudices, and selfish interests rather than moral considerations? Are there really moral absolutes? Dr. R. C. Sproul of Ligonier Ministries observed that many believe in God, but said the real question is, “Do you believe God?’ That question makes clear the main dividing line on the issue of abortion. God said through His servant Solomon, who’s gift of wisdom was legendary, that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). The Associated Press reported on 7/29 that VP Harris “built her early campaign around the theme of freedom.” Further, that her husband was one of the first “to trumpet that message… when he visited an abortion clinic.”
“Freedom message?” Was it to reassure the abortionists that their highly profitable business terminating human pre-born lives would not be restricted under a Harris pro-abortion regime? That her totalitarian administrative state, which liberals call “democracy,” would ensure unhindered abortion freedom? Or was his “freedom message” encouragement for abortionists to tell clients they’re free from listening to their conscience condemning the killing of pre-born children? The state will determine what’s wrong and right, not God. We all have a God-given conscience. Even those, “who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them” (Romans 2:14-15). Did he actually witness an abortion? “Abortionist Michael Freiman had what colleagues called ‘the touch’” with 1st trimester abortions. He observed another “skilled abortionist” to learn his 2nd trimester technique. But “‘then a small arm with a hand on it dropped into the surgical pan. A hand. It had fingers’… He suddenly thought about Nazi Germany” (The Story of Abortion in America, p.305). What if VP Harris and her husband actually visited a Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC) to see what really takes place. The Boston legislators who unanimously voted 1M tax-payer dollars for a declaration of war on CPC’s, women and the constitutional 1st amendment freedom of speech rights should go too. They would see pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, distribution of donated baby clothes, food, or other items to assist underprivileged mothers, counseling for women who’ve had abortions now fighting serious and debilitating physical/emotional/mental effects, and that CPC’s are licensed medical clinics with medical professionals. They would also see joyful mothers showing off their new babies they once considered aborting. Pro-choice? CPC’s help women make a fully-informed choice? A local newspaper columnist recently summed up what he believes to be “Christian teaching” as, “women-are-inferior-and-not-important.” This is a grossly misleading representation of true Biblical Christian teaching. He is essentially attacking a “strawman” which he has set up in order to justify his attack on what are ultimately the teachings of Christ Jesus Himself, who is the “Word” (John 1:1). As such, the whole Bible represents His teachings.
The true Christian teaching in Proverbs 31:10-31 demonstrates all by itself the high Biblical view of women. The woman described there is a wife, mother, business women, virtuous, not lazy, doing good, “extends her hand to the poor” (v.20), is wise, and much more. “Her worth is far above rubies” (v.10). Verse 30 is particularly worthy of note: “a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” Her fear of God is not characterized by terror, or dread, but is a holy fear, a reverential awe that is the result of acknowledging God as her Creator, who created her for the purpose of not only glorifying Him, but also to enjoy Him. As such, she loves God and doesn’t rebel against her place, or role in creation as a woman. She embraces it as a high calling. Women with this godly holy fear consider themselves to be particularly blessed with the gifts of child-bearing and nurturing. Interestingly, God has even designed into women at the time of the child’s birth a unique chemical reaction which stimulates those nurturing qualities. Mothers can testify to this as does “the science.” This “quest to keep women down” accusation is one more example of the left projecting what they practice onto pro-life adherents. Biological males in women’s sports, the muddling of the definition of a woman, as displayed when a SCOTUS Justice refused to provide a definition of “woman” during her confirmation hearing, are just a few examples of the left “keep(ing) women down.” In a ridiculous, nonsensical and insulting attempt to honor women, a liberal US Congressional chaplain not so long ago ended his prayer with the absurd “Amen and Awomen.” What? Newspaper Commentator Harry Litman rejected the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling that recognized frozen human embryo as children. Chief justice, Tom Parker, wrote, “Human life cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God, who views the destruction of His image as an affront to Himself. [Alabama’s Sanctity of Life statute] recognizes that this is true of unborn human life no less than it is of all other human life…”
But for Mr. Litman, the “critical question” regarding the embryo is “whether it is a human deserving of the rights and protections accorded to all of us…” He added, “A stadium full of theologians, philosophers, theists and politicians couldn’t come up with an authoritative answer to that question.” As such, he concluded that all should be able “to make their own decisions on a matter of the highest moral and practical import.” Essentially, he ruled out any acknowledgment of God as our Creator and that it is God who has accordingly established His created and moral order. And that’s the problem with his secular worldview, there’s no absolute morality. It’s a constantly changing construct, just opinion and self-serving pragmatism. Issues of gender, marriage, and sanctity of life are left to simply drift. God’s existence is known in creation: “His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). He’s also made known what is good or evil in His word, and to those who don’t know the absolute moral law, they “show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them” (Romans 2:15). As was pointed out in the court decision, the rejection of God’s moral order has consequences, the “wrath of God.” Mr. Litman and others who agree with him would do well to consider that, “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness… professing to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:18, 22). The progressive left continually tries to assert that the term “woke” is an innocent term, simply slang for one becoming aware of something in general. But the word has been hijacked by the left, now being used as a euphemism. The new meaning is that virtually everything has racial underpinnings.
A local paper columnist didn’t use the term “woke” in his recent column, but provided a perfect example of its new meaning by accusing Fl. Governor DeSantis of cruelty, hate and racism for describing “women seeking abortions as mostly women abandoned by the unborn child’s father (implying an unmarried mother).” He labeled that a “racism-tinged stereotype.” In reality, there really are many woman seeking abortions who are not married. But these women are from every category of “race”, not just one. I frequently see them arriving at the Attleboro abortion clinic. One study showed that more than 2/3 of women who’ve had abortions didn’t want to. Some of the younger women are often crying in the back seat of the car. For many, it’s not really their choice. Instead, they feel they have no choice, having been pressured, or even coerced by boyfriends, parents and even grand-parents, to abort the “unborn child”, as the columnist acknowledged them to be. Further, in an ironic and incredible statement of “projection”, he accused the pro-life movement of being “cruel to women physically, emotionally and morally.” Actually, Pregnancy Resource Centers, presently under a funded attack by the state legislature, regularly help post-abortion women with those very same and serious issues. After women are “escorted” by orange-vested volunteers to the Attleboro abortion clinic, and the abortion has been completed, no serious follow-up is conducted regarding the woman’s mental, emotional and physical health. For many women, it’s a lifelong painful and haunting memory. In the book, “The Story of Abortion in America”, Gwendolyn Brooks, first African American winner of the poetry Pulitzer Prize for her 1945 poem “The Mother”, was quoted as writing that “’abortions will not let you forget.” She was further quoted as having “heard in the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed children.” What about evil? Is it enough to simply place evil in our mental file cabinet under the category of the “mystery of evil,” and then just leave it at that? There certainly is mystery regarding evil. We can never fully plumb the depths of what God has revealed to us in His word regarding it. There are indeed “secret things” that God has not disclosed. We, in our present weak, partially sanctified and finite state would not be able to take it in. We see the presence of evil in the recent horrific events of this past October 7th, 9/11, the holocaust, et al, and other effects of evil’s presence in this world such as disease, seemingly arbitrary disasters, and the terrible suffering resulting from those disasters. For many, these things provide a rationale for not trusting, or believing in “a God” who would allow such manifestations of evil. Many true Christians recognize the presence of evil, but see these kinds of evil manifestations in terms of God only allowing them, but not actually sovereignly ruling, and over-ruling them. For them, there exists only a gargantuan spiritual struggle between God Himself and the “principalities… powers… the rulers of the darkness of this age… spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places,” (namely, Satan and his demons), where God is just slightly stronger and will ultimately prevail. Is it possible and permissible to dig further, and get Biblical answers to questions like: why does evil exist at all in God’s “very good” creation? Is creation no longer very good after the fall? Did God actually create evil? Does God use evil? Download the paper below to get a Biblical perspective concerning those very questions. 
A true believer may be fully justified before God, and yet not have, as John Owen put it, “the recognition and enjoyment” of the presence of the Holy Spirit resulting in assurance of grace and salvation. One very clear reason for this lack of assurance is a less than diligent pursuit of it. The Apostle Peter wrote, “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love,” to which Alexander Nisbet wrote, “The more of these a Christian attains to, the more shall be his clearness and certainty that he was from eternity chosen to life and is, in time, effectually called…” “Therefore,” as Peter continued, “Brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Peter 1:5-7, 10).
But another significant reason for a lack of assurance in believers is the tendency to measure their justification by their sanctification. They become like Peter who when walking on the water began to sink into the sea when he took his eyes off of Jesus. They forget that although a true believer is redeemed, justified and renewed, he is also a sinner, and remains a sinner as long as he is in this present world. Justification is a finished work which requires no effort or contribution on the believer’s part. There are no degrees of justification. The weakest believer is as fully justified as the strongest saint. Sanctification, however, is a life-long process, an incomplete and imperfect work. J. C. Ryle wrote that Christians who measure their acceptance by God “appear to expect that a believer may at some period of his life be in a measure free from corruption, and attain to a kind of inward perfection. And not finding this angelic state of things in their own hearts, they at once conclude there must be something very wrong in their state. And so, they go mourning all their days – oppressed with fears that they have no part or lot in Christ, and refusing to be comforted… If any believing soul desires assurance, and has not got it, let him ask himself, first of all, if he is sound in the faith, if he knows how to distinguish things that differ, and if his eyes are thoroughly clear in the matter of justification. He must know what it is simply to believe and to be justified by faith before he can expect to feel assured.” The Apostle Paul was in possession of assurance of grace and salvation as evidenced by his proclamation that for him, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain… for I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:21, 23). And yet, there appeared to be times when in looking at himself he could only say, “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells… for the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice… O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:18,19). The process of sanctification for the Apostle was a spiritual battle, a true conflict against the remnants of sin that remained in his “body of sin.” Paul went on to answer his own question by writing, “I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! …There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 7:19; 8:1). Having just written what he did in chapter seven, he was not implying that by being in Christ Jesus, he therefore never walked according to the flesh. He was an ongoing sinner and he knew it. He was essentially stating that his new life in Christ Jesus was such that he knew he was justified, and that another feature of his new life in Christ Jesus was his sanctification whereby he was able to work out his salvation with fear and trembling, to be diligent in making his call and election sure, and to walk according to the Spirit, because God was working in him both to will and to do for God’s good pleasure. Paul was able to see that his justification and his sanctification were two inseparable yet distinct features of his new life in Christ. By faith, he embraced Jesus Christ for pardon from sin, but he knew his Christian experience of sanctification would be one of spiritual conflict and struggle with all of its ups and downs. Peter’s exhortation to his readers to add to their faith virtue, knowledge, etc., was not with a view to setting an expectation that these characteristics would be perfectly realized in this life. His concern was that true believers not rest satisfied with only the beginnings of these graces. He was urging them to diligently exercise and improve them. He wrote, “Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you…” (2 Peter 1:13). This experience of the emergence and increase of these graces would serve to increase their confidence that they were true recipients of grace and salvation. However, one must, like Paul, be aware that the attainment of these graces in this life is at best incomplete, imperfect and often accompanied with sinful failure. One must not rely solely on a satisfactory self-examination for one’s confidence. We must be careful when we are only looking to the subjective evidence of our works and the fruit of the Spirit for certainty of grace and salvation. Christ is the objective basis for assurance. John Calvin wrote, “Indeed, if we should have to judge from our works how the Lord feels toward us, for my part, I grant that we can in no way attain it by conjecture. But since faith ought to correspond to a simple and free promise, no place for doubting is left. For with what sort of confidence will we be armed, I pray, if we reason that God is favorable to us provided our purity of life so merit it?” Indeed, may we by God’s grace be even more diligent to make our call and election sure. |
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