In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head

Heaping burning coals on another’s head, this phrase can be found in Scripture here:

Pro 25:21-22 – 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. 22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

Rom 12:20-21 – 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

What does the phrase mean?

I came across this phrase reading a blog article, and I kind of not see how the described scenario by the author was explaining the meaning of the phrase or could have lighted up the “now I got it” bulb of the writer.  This is NOT meant to put down that blogger whom I, from time to time, tried to be encouraging.

It is NOT negative!

Heaping burning coals on another’s head is NOT having a negative connotation.  It is NOT hitting back or taking revenge or “doing someone in”.  It is NOT doing a bad thing to another.  Whether you are reading the Proverbs text or the Romans text, it is clear from the 2 verses, in each case.

When one is hungry and you give him food to eat, or when he is thirsty, you give him water to drink, how can that be bad?  In the Proverbs, the 2^nd verse said that the LORD would reward you.  God would NOT reward you for your bad action, would He?  Then, if you are looking at the Romans text, the 2^nd verse said NOT to be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  In other words, such action(s) is(are) good, NOT bad, NOT evil.

 

From living tradition
From the way life went about for the Jews or people in that period and place, we can understand why “heaping burning coals on another’s head” is NOT a bad thing, but a good one!

In olden days (we can still find it at some, more remote places), people carried all sorts of things using their heads.  I was told by a missionary from Madagascar that bricks are being moved about by people (women, mostly), being carried on the heads, 10 or more bricks, each time!  Of course, most of us have seen pictures of water jugs or jars being carried on heads of people.

Now, in the holy land in those days, even fire braziers could be carried on the heads of people when there was a need.  Fire braziers were a “must have” in the homes, and fire was kept “alive” all the time to keep warm, etc.  When it was cold in the desert-land, it was cold, and people needed fire to keep warm. When it happened that the fire in the brazier died out in a home, a person might carry the brazier on his head over to his neighbor’s house and ask for some burning (live) coal.  If you were a generous or charitable (loving) neighbour, you would heap the burning coals from your brazier to the person’s brazier on his head, so that the person could bring the fire back home to warm the people who had lost the warm because the fire of their brazier had died out.  Of course, from there, you could also get the fire to cook your food, etc.  See, it was and is a good act, not a bad one.

The closest one to this, that I have lived out, is this: When I was a boy, I lived with my parents in a saw-mill.  In those days, much work was still manually done, and there were many labourers working on the processes of turning a log into wood and planks for building construction, etc.  Because there were many labourers and they stayed there, in the sawmill, too, and they needed to be provided with meals and drinking water, there was a common stove compound where the wood scraps were used as fuel to boil water and make meals.  There were several huge stoves there, and the fire was kept alive most of the day (except the night).

My father worked as a timber grader in the saw-mill; and there were other families in the sawmills, most were families of the office staff, although some of the labourers also had moved their families into the sawmill quarters.  The families, the mothers, they had to cook for their family to eat.  And the families were allowed to take the burning charcoals from those huge stoves that I mentioned earlier; and I would see and sometimes assisted my mother to take these live charcoals from the compound stoves to our own household kitchen stoves to cook the meals of the day.  We did NOT bring our kitchen stoves to the huge stove compound, though; what we did was that we would bring tin containers (“dustpans” in shape) made out of rectangular biscuit or oil tins (cut diagonally across, giving 2 triangular “dustpans”).  From the common huge stoves, we would use a common shovel to get the burning charcoals and heap them into the “dustpan” containers.  We would walk back home holding the “dustpan of burning charcoals”. When we reach home, we would pour the live charcoals into our kitchen stove, and mom could then have the fire to cook or boil water.  This would be a daily affair.  Oh, I could picture my childhood in the sawmill compound.  Oh, how time has passed me by!

Well, the sawmill company did a charitable thing – allowing everyone to access and take, on a daily basis, the burning charcoals, home for cooking, etc.  Otherwise, we would have to spend time starting and building a sustained fire for cooking or boiling water each time.

Now, there are of course, people who said that, nonetheless, when used in Scripture, of that phrase, it was NOT linked to that kind of tradition; I leave you to consider.

“Love-shock approach”

If you have looked close enough, you would have noticed the words, “your enemy” in the texts.  Enemies are expected to disagree, bicker, fight, hit at each other, plotting against each other, and even gloating at each other – these are normal attitudes and actions of people at enmity.

God’s exhortation to us, as approach, is always love (unto righteousness), if do, always do good, never evil. Instead of an eye for an eye, or evil for evil, we are exhorted in Scripture, to reciprocate in love; be good, be generous, and be charitable.

When people are in need, but they do NOT offend us or afflict us, we help them, through various ways; in doing that, we are practising love.  Such people are looking to love and charity, and we respond in that direction.  Such people are NOT our enemy; we do NOT need to “fight” them.  Such a person, let’s say, had NOT eaten for 3 days, and approach you for food, and you respond with giving over of your lunch pack.  There is no shock there, but it is that you have responded as what was wanted and expected by the person in need.  The person is NOT your enemy; you do NOT, NOT only do NOT help him, with his hunger, rob him of his blanket that he needs to keep himself warm, do you?! 

The above described one way of practising love - be charitable towards another, a neighbour or a stranger, even. 

Now, if you do NOT accept the origin of the phrase, “heaping burning coals on another’s head” has to do with the tradition of living as outlined above, you should be able to accept that it was referring NOT to a bad thing, but a good act, as outlined by me under the caption of “It is NOT negative!”  It is doing good; an act of loving-kindness, a practice of love.

Used on our enemy, it, “heaping of burning coals on another’s head”, is exhorting a more difficult kind of practising of love.  It is shocking, and it is a love-shock to your enemy that you would love him/her.

Jesus epitomised both love approaches

Jesus’ own life and ministry epitomised both kinds of practising of love.  Jesus, for example, prayed for people to heal them of sickness and free them from oppression.  Such people, they were NOT Jesus’ enemy; they were people in need, and Jesus healed them in practise of love, although it did glorify God the Father. 

On top of that, Jesus practised loving His enemy.  At the Garden of Gethsemane, for example, the enemy of Jesus came for Him to catch Him, and from that capture, Jesus was crucified.  The Apostle Peter fought back, cutting the ear of one of the enemy’s men.  Jesus did what the 2 texts of this article, is about: the enemy now has a need, the ear was cut off, and needed “fixing”; Jesus fixed the ear back, and healed it.  Jesus did contrary to what enemy would be expected to do to each other (I have explained what enemies were expected to do to each other, above).  I call this the “love-shock” approach of practising love.

This approach of practising love is difficult for the practitioner (part of “be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” {Matt 5:48}), for it goes against our natural tendency, but we are nonetheless exhorted to practise it, even directly by the Lord, Himself. 

Examples of such love-shock approach exhorted by the Lord, included: to turn the other cheek over, too (Matt 5:39; Luke 6:29), give the tunic, too, (Luke 6:29), and love your enemies, do good to them, bless them, and pray for them (Luke 6:27-28; also Matt 5:44).

Heaping burning coal on another’s head can be under the first approach, the simple moving out in love for another, a neighbour, or even a stranger; but it can also be employed in a love-shock approach, doing it on your enemy.

Romans 12:19 talks about vengeance-what!

Some of the people who are too quick to assume “heaping burning coals on another’s head” as a fight back or revenge, because they saw and focussed on the verse before, Romans 12:19.  Yes, Rom 12:19 talked about God does avenge, and we are to leave it to Him, but that does NOT mean that the common stance for us to take, is to have revenge, even through the Lord. 

The common stance was given in another verse earlier, in v18 – “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”  Yes, the most common stance for us, is to live at peace with everyone, and that includes our enemy.  It is NOT, “Ok, now Lord, whack the fellow!”  And the more excellent way is to love-shock.

What is the purpose of the love-shock approach?

It, love-shock approach, is out of this world, you-know, you crazy or what?!  It is out of this world; that I can agree with you, for the Bible said so. 

Scripture tells us that when we have entered into salvation, we are no longer of this world, although we are still in the world.  The ways that we are to live, since we are now God’s people, and of His Kingdom, are those of His Kingdom, and NOT those of this world; it is out of this world.  In other words, you and I don’t find it natural, but supernatural to do such love-shocks.  When we embrace and live out the ways of the Kingdom of God, we are being supernatural; and over time, we are to be naturally supernatural.  The thing to bear in mind is that, we can grow over time, and we are to grow in the right direction, over time, and so, be overcoming in the world.

What is the purpose of practising love?  Why are we to love; to love God, and to love our neighbours (which include brothers and sisters in Christ, and enemies, too!)?  Let’s say we leave out the “why” we love God, just to keep the article short, why is it that we are to love our neighbours?

Because we love God.  Because we love God, we love our neighbours.  God loves men - you, me, and she and he, and the one over here or there or everywhere.  That is the will of God; and so, when we love God, we share the heart of God; we should want to let God love (men) through us; that which is what He wants.  We are therefore, God’s vessels for extension of His love to men. Or, I always tell believers that we love men with the love of God, not with our own love!  Scripture said that our love, all of it, is to be devoted to God - we love God only, and no other, and we love Him with our all. 

Viewing it from the command perspective, God commands us to love, and so, we have to love, for to love Him, God, we are to obey His commands.  Jesus said those who love Him, obeys His commands, and those who obey His commands are the ones who love Him (John 14:15 & John 14:21).  Scripture said that the second (second greatest command), like the first (to love God with your all), is to love, to love your neighbours.  We have to love men, don’t we?!

Then, there is the “we have benefited from God’s love, and we would like other men to experience God’s love”.  The primary source of love is God, and it is He who loves, and we, He would like to love through, too.  So, it is NOT we decide who should be loved and who should NOT be loved.  Jesus said, if we love the loveable, and people who love you are loveable (unless you reject the love), what extra do you do, or what credit do you expect to receive?!  We are to love even the unloveables, like our enemies; we are NOT to pick and choose for God, indirectly, saying to Him, “This one, you can love; that one, you should NOT love or I don’t want you to love him/her!”  So, we can see, if we practised NOT, at all, love-shock approach, we are NOT training ourselves to be open to God’s loving freely, who He wants, through us. 

Jesus, in Matt 15:21-28, for example, used the word, “dog” on a Canaanite woman, yet in the end, Jesus still let love flowed out to the woman by doing as requested by the woman, healing of her daughter of demon-possession.  Was there really love-shock here?  The Canaanite woman did NOT really got a love-shock; she was expecting Jesus to help, and she gave Jesus an “faith-full” answer to Jesus’ questioning of why He, Jesus, should be addressing people who were NOT the children of God.  I submit to you, it was NOT just a matter of this healing/deliverance was recorded to show us that faith could draw God to heal, it was also to love-shock the disciples.  In other words, the occasion was also to teach the disciples that they must be prepared to act in love towards anyone God wanted to extend love (Before Jesus finally attended to woman, Scripture recorded that the disciples was wanting the woman be sent away).

Although in the above scenario of the Canaanite woman, Jesus’ agreement to deliver her daughter, did NOT appeared to have love-shocked the woman, it is possible that one of the purposes of love-shock approach of practising love is to bring the recipient to a position of humility, be contrite of heart, be filled with godly sorrow leading to repentance.  Perhaps, some of the disciples of Jesus did have that effect, realising that they were wrong to have simply brushed the Canaanite woman aside.

Also, I do NOT know about you, if you have some hang-up on this, it is up to you, but as far as I am concerned, I want more of God’s love, and when we practise love, we will experience more of God’s love. 

John 14:21 reads, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

We know that the 2 prime commands of God are to love Him with our all, and to love our neighbours.  Here, in the first part of v21, I have already said, Jesus said that those who obey His commands are the ones who loved Him, Jesus.  And in the commands, one of the 2 prime ones is ….. love our neighbours.  The 2^nd part of the verse said, (1) those (those who obey) would be loved by the Father God, (2) Jesus too, would love them, and (3) Jesus would show Himself to them. Do you want more of these?  If you want to be modest, and think you don’t want them or need them; well, I want them all, more!  And so, what must I do?  Obey the Lord’s commands, prime of which, is to love my neighbours.  In other words, I need to practise love.

God the Father showed it

It is possible that some stubborn people would NOT turn from their unkind or evil ways, when experiencing the love of God the normal way, receiving acts of kindness of love from people who are NOT their enemy, but love-shock can open people up to see God for whom He truly is.  God the Father showed it to us!

Are we NOT the enemy of God, in our fallen state?  So, what did God do; did He simply fought us, did us in, or plotted against us or gloated at us?  No, He did NOT do what we would expect, or did the common things we, in our fallen state, would do to our enemy; instead He heaped burning coals on our heads – He let His one and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross, so that through Jesus’ propitiation, we may be reconciled back to Him, and have eternal life.  Although we were at enmity with God, we still, like in the 2 texts, Pro 25:21-22 and Rom 12:20-21, needed spiritual food, and we needed the living water; God gave His Son to us as the food and drink. 

What did Jesus say about His body and His blood?  Eat and drink these (His body and His blood), in remembrance of what He did – that while we were at enmity with God (sinners), in an act of love, both the Father God and He, the Son, agreed to overcome the evil Man has done (in the Garden of Eden – The Fall), with good.  Jesus is the good, and the Good News.

Even if our enemy’s conscience, at times, is NOT pricked by our love-shock practice of love, and no repentance results, we are to still to practise that, so that we can be free vessel of God’s love flowing out to touch lives.  Did all men come to repentance and received in, the love-shock by the Father God (and Jesus, even)? No, NOT all accept Jesus.  When God still went ahead, why shouldn’t we?!

So, remember now, practise love, including shock your enemy with your love. Keep up the heaping of burning coals on another’s head!  It is love in action; good, and NOT bad or evil.

PS: It means you have forgiven?

To have heaped burning coals on another’s head = you have forgiven?  Some people link it to Lev 16, and Isaiah 6:5, in this regard. 

In Lev 16, the High Priest brought a censer of burning coals from the altar to before the most holy place (before God), and it was God who forgave. 

In Isa 6, prophet Isaiah, when given the vision of the throne-place, was highly conscious of his sinfulness (“Woe to me!”), and an angel took a burning coal from the altar and touched the lips of Isaiah, cleansing him. 

So, when you heap burning coals on another’s head, are YOU forgiving the enemy, and God will reward you (Pro 25:22)? Or, are YOU overcoming evil with forgiveness (Rom 12:21)? 

Although I am one of those who would take John 20:23, literally, to mean when I forgive my enemy (wrongdoings against me, NOT another), God would forgive that person, on my account (that I have forgiven),  I kind of feel it is too much of a round-about way of saying thing, if indeed, that is the intent of the text – that if we would feed our enemy or satisfy their thirst, it means we have forgiven the person.  In my view, forgiveness, need to be specifically done, first, in our heart, apart from any separate gestures.  The latter are only evidence of a state - that you have forgiven.  It is putting the cart before the horse, so to speak.  Does one get a reward, specifically, for forgiving; or is it we are commanded to forgive?  I think it is more like the latter.  Rom 12:21 is clear that it said to overcome evil with good.  Even though, forgiving is good, is the good here ONLY confined to forgiveness?  Probably NOT. 

My inclination is still that “heaping burning coals on another’s head means, “helping to bring the person (the enemy) to a position of seeing the error of his ways, and change”.  It is, it MAY bring …., and NOT it definitely would bring (there will be some who are stubborn and would NOT see the errors of their ways, despite whatever good you have done) repentance, but God honours your effort and heart-condition, and rewards you (Pro 25:22), and what you have done (seeing to the needs of your enemy) is good, loving-kindness, and likely to, NOT only confound evil, but also melt evil.

I know, some people linked it to Lev 16 and Isa 6:5, but still come to a similar conclusion that I have just expressed in the above paragraph; but really, I have felt no need of that linking (to Lev 16 and Isa 6:5) {too tenuous}, and could still arrive at the conclusion.  I believe the sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in us, helps, in spiritual understanding of the Word.

 

Anthony Chia, high.expressions

 

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Correctly dividing John 5:24

Erroneous exposition
Some believers use John 5:24 to justify their stance that, once saved is always saved, or that there is nothing to overcome anymore, once you have entered into salvation.  In fact, such phrase as “enter into salvation” has no place in their vocabulary, for to them it is either one is saved or one is NOT saved; to them there is no such thing as, to have entered into salvation and NOT saved at any point in time, regardless.  We will see what John 5:24 says:

John 5:24- "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

Over-simplistic

It is over-simplistic to take the verse to mean “when you heard the Lord’s word, and you believe the Father God sent Him (Jesus), you have eternal life that cannot be taken from you ever again and you will NOT ever be condemned anymore; you will never go into death (NOT 1^st death, but 2^nd death), ever again”.

Such simplicity is in the like of saying the phrase, in Acts 2:21, of “anyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved”, is meaning that anyone, really anyone, who calls out, “Lord, Lord”, the Lord must save him?!  Of course NOT.   It was NOT and is NOT simply saying anyone who calls out, “Lord, Lord”, he will be delivered now or forever saved (eternally saved).  We must understand the intent of the phrase (of Acts 2:21) was to say there was no distinction as to Gentiles or Jews when it came to salvation.  When we take this phrase as describing what is needed for salvation, you get the wrong belief system.  You get, “Yah-what, it said there, just call out to the Lord and the Lord must save you”; which is wrong.  No need to believe that the Lord died for you, and was sent by the Father God!  Cannot be, right?!

Context and intent

Firstly, contextually, the verse of John 5:24 was given to emphasise this: “to be in eternal life, one has to believe it was the Father God’s plan for salvation”.  The context was given us, in the verses preceding the verse, starting from v16.  The “mechanics” of salvation was given very simply, without elaboration. Instead of catching the intent that Jesus was stressing, the false teachers focussed on the mechanics (which was simply stated), and said that Jesus meant the mechanics of salvation was like that – once saved, always saved.

About the mechanics

The mechanics of salvation is this: let’s say, presently, we have a person, how does he get into salvation (I wouldn’t even want to use here, “how does he get saved?)?  He needs to hear the gospel (the “my word” there in the verse, for Jesus was talking about salvation, epitomized by His first sermon – “The Kingdom of God is near or at hand”).  It is really simply simplistic to imply that Jesus was saying all one needs in this regard, is just to have heard the gospel, like one heard the phone ringing.  The “hear” here, is definitely NOT hear as in “she hears the phone ringing, or hears a sound”.  From the overall counsel of the Word, the “hear” here, although here, being New Testament, was in Greek, the equivalent Hebrew word is “shema”. 

Shema can be having meaning along the full spectrum, from hear, as in, hear a sound or door bell, to listen, to listen to comply, to listen to grant.  And so, God may NOT listen to you, but He hears you; in both instances, shema may have been used.  Here, in our verse, hear is “hear with due consideration and understanding”, the furthest end of the range of meanings of the Greek word used.  I would say that perhaps, it was still short; it is closer to “hear, understand and agree with” the gospel.  When one agrees with the gospel, it would include agreeing that it was and is the plan of the Father God unto salvation (John 3:16); in other words, the person needs to believe the Father God sent Jesus.

Mere hearing is enough; cannot be!

People who insist, John 5:24 gives the full mechanics of salvation, would then argue it is wrong to get people to say the Sinner’s Prayer or to get them to put their hands up, or to come down to the sanctuary front, and say that he/she wants to accept Jesus as his/her personal Lord and Savior, for the simple reason that all it said of the person is to hear the gospel, and believe the Father God sent Jesus.  I ask a simple question: Does one really believe an old hanging bridge will hold, if he will NOT walk across?  So, one believes, and he will NOT put his hands up, or speak it out, or confess it to another?  Jesus did NOT say any of these, because He was NOT focussing on the mechanics of salvation; He was emphasizing it was the Father God, the God whom the people purportedly believed (the Father God was the God the Jews then knew), who has sent Him, and so He, Jesus, was there, doing those things, including miracles, that the Pharisees were angry about.

So, now, this person whom we are having here, hears the gospel, understands it, and agrees with it, and believes God (the Father) had sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us (John 3:16), and he shows it or affirms it or confesses it, he crosses over from death to life.  We will look in a little while, in more detail, what is meant by “he crosses over from death to life”?  I want to say a little more on what it takes to be saved.

Following Jesus is necessary

In Jesus’ own words (John 10:27-29): 27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

We can see Jesus gave us a few conditions to stay saved.  We are saved at the point of entry into salvation; thereafter until we die (physically), we have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12).  I will list the conditions (contained in v27) below:

1.      We got to listen to His voice:  “My sheep listen to my voice”, said Jesus.  Do you listen (NOT just hear, but listen) to His Word, and the Holy Spirit, who is His Spirit?

2.      Jesus knows you:  “I know them”, said Jesus. It is NOT we know Jesus (“know” here is NOT “know about” {like you know about the President, but you don’t know him}, but know, as in I know him, for we grew up together and have been close), but that Jesus knows us.  Actually, we cannot know another, if the other does NOT know us!  In Scripture, at Matt 7:21-23, we also read that Jesus said that NOT all who call Him “Lord, Lord”, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven; in verse 23 (of Matt 7), Jesus said, “'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”  You have to ask yourself, if Jesus knows you (NOT about you, but knows you)?

3.      We know Jesus:  I just said, “knowing” is a two party-thing.  Jesus knows you, and you also need to know Jesus.  How have you get to know Him?  Have you spent time in His presence?  Have you spent time studying His Word?  Have you spent time being led by His Spirit (the Holy Spirit)?  Have you spent time walking and working Him (following and serving Him)?

4.      We need to follow Jesus: “They follow me”, said Jesus (in John 10:27).  In the Matt 7:21-23 text (mentioned in point 2), Jesus added that it is ONLY those who do the will of the Father God who will be admitted to the Kingdom of Heaven.  In Luke 6:46, Jesus said: "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? Doing the will of the Father God and doing the will of Jesus, is of course the same, for Jesus only does the Father’s will.  And it is we have to do the will of God in our lives, if we want to go to be with Him in Heaven, when we have passed on.  Now, what does it mean to “follow” someone?  What does it mean to follow Jesus?  It simply means we have to obey Jesus and do as He wants us to.  The Lord tells us what He wants us to do, in His Word, so, do you obey His Word?  The Lord tells us what He wants us to do, by His Spirit (the Holy Spirit), so, do you obey the Spirit and be led by the Spirit?  Are you following Jesus, or are you only having said He is your Saviour?  Is salvation without the Lordship of Christ Jesus?  Fat hope, if you think you can have salvation without having to hold Jesus Christ as your Lord!

It is after Jesus has mentioned the above (in John 10:27), that in the verse following (v28), He said “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish…”

Brother Anthony, how about, it was said in the John 10 text, that Jesus said, no one could snatch us from His hand or the Father’s hand?  Yes, repetition (cannot be snatched from His hand and the Father’s hand) is an emphasis.  My answer is simple:  If you listen to Jesus, if Jesus knows you and you know Jesus, and you follow Him, yah, no one can snatch you from God’s hand; but if NOT, well, it depends! One thing that people tend to forget is that we are still with volition, if you will it, to follow another or evil, that’s NOT snatching!

What is “crosses over from death to life”?

What does it mean, “he crosses over from death to life”?  Death here cannot be referring to physical death, or the life, physical life, for a physically dead person cannot hear, can he, he cannot understand, can he, and he cannot agree, can he, at least NOT in the same way, we who are alive, can!  So what does it mean?  Actually, the verse did leave us a clue; it has this in it: “he will NOT be condemned”.  The “condemned” here, in the verse is NOT just a general condemnation with a wide meaning; it is having the meaning of damnation, and damnation in religious understanding is “condemned to Hell”.  But of course, it has NOT happened yet, being in Hell, I mean, when one is damned; it is to take place in the future. 

The Biblical understanding is that, until one comes into salvation, he is already damned; only that he is NOT yet in there, Hell, that is.  Death, Bible tells, can be referring to the 1^st death which is the physical death or the 2^nd death which is “be thrown into Hell (or lake of fire of Hell), and remain there (be tormented there))”.  So, one common way of putting it, until one enters into salvation, he is “legally” dead; it is only a matter of time, before he will be thrown into Hell and remains there forever. 

Practically, it is only the 1^st death that is separating one (non-believer, for example) from the 2^nd death.  The non-believer is NOT in Hell solely because he has NOT yet died (there may still be a time lag after 1^st death before he goes there – Hell).   So, when he has heard the gospel, understood it, and agreed with it, and (so), believed that it was the Father God’s salvation plan, and wanted it, his “legal” penalty of death is squashed (squashed because Jesus paid for it).  So, in the last bit of the verse, we read that the person has crossed over from death (damnation) to life.  He is no longer bound for Hell or 2^nd death, and so, he is back on the life track. 

From damned previously to NOT damned, NOT can never be damned!

Because the death is not the physical or mortal death, the life referred to, is NOT the mortal life or earthly life, which the person is always having; otherwise he can’t hear, can he, can’t believe, can he (at least, NOT in the same way as we who are having earthly life, do).  So, you see, it is the damnation that has been removed, and so, it said there, that he will NOT be condemned.  It is NOT he will NOT ever be condemned again, but it is he has crossed over from death to life, and so, he will NOT be condemned or he is no longer condemned, from he was condemned previously.

From bound for Hell (eternal death) to bound for Heaven (eternal life)

We saw it already, Jesus said that the person crossed over from death to life; and that life is NOT the earthly mortal life that is being referred to.  So, what is it referring to?  The death in Hell or 2^nd death is one where one gets thrown into Hell and remains there and be tormented there forever.  Remember, Jesus talked about crossing, so, on the one side is the everlasting torment in Hell (called death {2^nd death}), the other side is the opposite – everlasting joy in Heaven (called life {eternal life}). 

There is still, the time has NOT yet come

Just as for 2^nd death, unless one enters into salvation, it is only a matter of time, in the time continuum that one gets there, Hell; similarly when the person crossed over to life, he is in eternal life, but he is NOT yet there in Heaven.  Does the person have eternal life or eternal death, upon entry into salvation?  The answer is eternal life.  That is what the verse said, when one effectively entered into salvation, he has eternal life or in eternal life, even though he is NOT yet reaching there – Heaven. 

Jesus finished His race, overcoming; you and I, in it (the race), but NOT yet (finish)

The person is now “legally” alive, as opposed to previously, legally dead.  There is nothing said, that implies or suggests that the line between death and life cannot be re-crossed over again!  It does NOT say or imply “Once saved is always saved” nor that once you crossed over from death to life, you have overcome all things or the world, even as Jesus Himself had done so – overcame the world.  It is He, Jesus, has overcome, but we, IN HIM, should be able to.  Without IN HIM or THROUGH HIM, I doubt anyone is able.

Nowhere in Scripture is there a saying, without a shadow of doubt, that says, once you entered into salvation, you will 100% get there – Heaven.  People need to understand (1) what gets them to be “legally” dead, in the first place, (2) what is the meaning of redemption, and (3) there is NOT, one time of reckoning given in Scripture, but more than one.

Sin was what got us there, be legally dead.  Yes, the Original Sin did us in, so to speak; but if we go back to Adam and Eve, it was their sinning that got them and us, the Original Sin.  Scripture also said that the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23).  So, when Adam and Eve sinned, they had to face the consequence, unbelievers when they sinned, they had to face the consequence; it cannot be right, that when we, believers, sin, it is of no consequence!  Nowhere in Scripture, it is stated that the wages of sin after entry into salvation is NOT death or of no consequence.

Redemption means to restore to the original state.  The original state was that Adam and Eve were of no sin, but if they sinned, they would have to face the consequence.  With God freely pardoning us for the Original Sin, and setting us back to the state of Adam and Eve were, and so, you and I cannot still exclaim “unfair”; at the same time, we want only the good part, but NOT the same responsibility of NOT sinning, which Adam and Eve were having?! There is no reason to think that the full works, including the responsibility NOT to sin, do NOT kick in.

If you die immediately upon entry into salvation, yes, I can agree that you probably get to Heaven.  If NOT, then there are more times of reckoning, and they included our time of death, and the end-time judgment.  The point is that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life at our entry into salvation, and we have to ensure that at our death, our names are still in.  My understanding from Scripture is that, names can be blotted out from the Lamb’s Book of Life.

If I die now, I am saved, and I go to Heaven

I say that, “If I die now, I am saved, and I go to Heaven”, yet it is NOT once saved, is always saved.  Are you confused?  The explanation is faith. 

I don’t know what I will do or will NOT do, in the future.  I can only believe what I will do or will NOT do.  My future is NOT a completed movie that will NOT change; what I will do or will NOT do, have NOT happened; and if I now can see into my future, say at 3 years from now, what I see, and what I will see from 3 months later, at the same point in the future (it will be 2 years and 9 months), it can be different.  Why can it be different?  Simply, it is I am being worked on, by the Lord, and hopefully, I grow and mature under the refining fire of God. 

Our future is NOT fixed or static.  For example, 5 years ago, assuming you could look into the future, and you saw today, you would sin, you would backstab your best friend and colleague.  Yet, today may pass without you doing that very sin of backstabbing your best friend and colleague!  How come? In the 5 years leading to present time, you could have matured to the extent you would no longer succumb to jealousy or whatever that would drive you to sin against your best friend and God. 

Of course, it can go the other way round, you did NOT see that backstabbing 5 years ago, but today, you backstab your best friend and colleague!  Because you did NOT grow in the faith, and got ensnared by evil. 

So, today if I say I will NOT backstab my best friend and colleague 5 years from now, I am going by faith, after self-examination. Scripture said in 2 Cor 13:5, that we ought to be self-examining ourselves (all the time) to see if we are still in the faith. 

“If I die now, I am saved, and I go to Heaven” is my faith statement, after self-examination.  I will go to Heaven if I die now is my belief and faith, yet still, it is God decides if I really go or NOT, to Heaven.  It is, I believe my name is still on the Lamb’s Book of Life, NOT blotted out.  In actuality, whether or NOT, my name has been blotted out or NOT, the Lord is the one who decides; I can only obey Him, follow Him, serve Him, and love Him, to the best I can.  It is, I am bound for Heaven, NOT to Hell, and I do my best according to the Word, led by the Spirit, to stay on the course, carrying myself in every way justifying my faith in believing if I die now I am saved, and I go to Heaven.  But judgment ultimately belongs to God; I make it or NOT, is based on His assessment, NOT mine. 

Those who argue that it is once saved, always saved, they are saying that once you entered into salvation, you are saved, and even God cannot stop you from entering Heaven.  It is you are saved, regardless; regardless what you think, do, or would NOT do, since entry into salvation; no amount of sinning or denying the Lord can keep you from Heaven; God can NEVER condemn you anymore!    This, God did NOT promise in Scripture. 

Anthony Chia, high.expressions
 

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Who are the overcomers?

For this series, we want to dwell in some depth, the subject of overcoming and overcomers.  In Scriptures, such overcoming may at times be translated as conquering and conquerors.
 

Part I – Overcomers are the ones pursuing a life of overcoming to the end

There are many things we may face, to overcome or conquer.  Examples, included a) physical things like lack of resources – money, materials needed, even workers or labourers; b) afflictions and calamities like there has been a tsunami disaster, a hurricane strike, a disease epidemic outbreak; c) negative or devastating emotions like depression, overwhelming sorrow, feeling of unloved, and aimlessness; d) combination of any of the above and more; e) the world, as a catch all; and last but NOT the least, f) death!

Yes, you read it right: f) reads death!  Are you surprised to see such a thing that we are to overcome or conquer? 

You are surprised when you are thinking of physical death.  I am NOT referring to physical death, for although one may be able to overcome physical death for a season, there is just no way for one to overcome that, forever. 

Even if it were possible to go into repeated suspended animation (go into long sleep), what kind of life is that,  every time you are not in it, you still age; no one can escape that.  All of us will die, physically. 

Now, I minister in the area of divine healing, and I have seen miracles, and God healed people, yet, all will die one day (unless you are translated or taken up; and even that, you are no longer living physically on the earth), that I know – that all will die one day, and I accept that.

So, the death here, is NOT referring to physical death, but the eventual death or the death after physical death.  In the Christian’s faith terminology, the physical death is known as the 1^st death, and the 2^nd one, the eternal death or final spiritual death (I add the word, final, although some people don’t, because some also use spiritual death on the unregenerate men (those not yet entered into salvation). 

Scripture does refer to the unregenerate man as dead (John 5:24 for e.g.); what does it mean?  The first thing that we have to believe, is that a man’s spirit lives forever, in the sense that it (or he or she) does NOT become nothingness.  It means the spirit does NOT die into nothingness like in the case of the physical man (dies a physical death).  The physical man dies into nothingness (we are NOT talking about His soul or spirit (Man is tripartite, body (physical), soul and spirit – to understand this, you have to read my Tripartite Man article, here).  The physical man (body) is from dust, and Scripture tells us, upon death, the physical man (body) becomes nothingness, for it returns to the ground (or dust).  But the spirit of a man does NOT vanish into thin air, so to speak.  It will always exist; when one dies physically, the spirited soul (spirit and soul), either goes to Heaven to continue with eternal life, or goes to Hell, and continue to exist (still eternal, but we normally no longer refer to the existence as eternal life but as eternal death). 

Some people use (it is acceptable, I suppose) the word, “legal” to describe these states.  The unregenerate man is “legally” dead, in the sense that he is already damned (or condemned to Hell).  It is to be noted that the man is NOT really dead, in the physical sense of nothingness, but that he is as good as dead, in the sense that unless his status is changed, he is going there, death, and that death is the eternal death or to exist in the lake of fire of Hell.  So, we need to know that there is, that dead, that has just been explained, and there is the condition of the spirit. 

As a condition of the spirit which exists forever, for the unregenerate man, his spirit is very weak indeed, due to its separation from the source of life, God; but the spirit of the unregenerate man is NOT completely dead, like the person is without a spirit anymore.  We won’t object to the saying that the unregenerate man is spiritually dead, for indeed the spirit of the man is no longer capable of discerning spiritual thing or matter, and needed the Spirit of God to come into the picture. 

When the unregenerate man is regenerated or born again, the Holy Spirit or Spirit of Christ quickens the man’s spirit – from “like dead”, very weak, it is vivified; also to note is that, quickening is on the same existing spirit of the man, NOT a new spirit is given him.  And it is NOT before entry into salvation, a man (or the unregenerate man) is without a spirit, or that the man was NOT Tripartite until he becomes a believer or is born-again.  

So when a man is born again, 3 things changed: 1. The person’s spirit is quickened (at the least, given the capacity to discern spiritual matter, enough to understand the Gospel basic message, of Jesus was sent by the Father God for salvation), his spirit understood the basic Gospel message, and he chose to believe; 2. The damned status of the spirit-man is lifted, and that is what John 5:24 was referring to – from (legal) death to life; and 3. God puts His Spirit (or {the same} the Holy Spirit or {the same} Spirit of Christ) to indwell the man.

Many of us are consumed by this, and rightly so, that we overcome the long-run eternal death.  However, to reach that, our faith need to be found to have overcome all the onslaught of what the world we are still living in, may throw at us, including all the above listed items, including the catch all, “world”. 

Many, under heretic teachings, are adopting the stance of: all it is needed to overcome eternal death, and so, able to live forever – eternal life, is simply to accept Jesus Christ as one’s Savior, FULLSTOP.  Such believers have received in, the fallacy of “when you have believed, you are a believer with the meaning that you have overcome and you are an overcomer; that is all there is, to salvation”.  Yes, you become a believer, but that is NOT all there is, to salvation. Such believe that once you are saved, you are always saved, regardless.  So, to such, there is no such issue of overcoming being of any spiritual significance in connection to issue of eternal life or avoidance of eternal death. 

Some even simply adopt the idea that “to those who overcome, …”, in Scripture, like in the various texts in the Book of Revelation, is just another way of saying “a believer”!  Such over-simplification only leads to heretic belief system.

I am NOT saying “legally” a believer is NOT an overcomer, just like we do NOT normally say a believer is NOT alive but still dead (that would be inconsistent with John 5:24).  From being ”legally dead”, upon entry into salvation, your status changed to “legally alive”.  This is one moment of reckoning, but Scripture gives more than one moment of reckoning.  There is the time of physical death or 1^st death, and there is the Judgment Day.  Similarly, we call a believer, a saint, and a non-believer, a sinner, for using the same terminology, there is a change of “legal status” from being a sinner to a saint, upon entry into salvation.  Leaving the final judgment to God, I would only call a saint who sins, a dirty saint; I would not call him a sinner all over again.  God can call him a sinner, but I should NOT, unless I hear from God.

Is “legal status” enough?

No, the simple reason is that there is more than one moment of reckoning.  Because we live on (unless you die immediately after entry into salvation), our critical moment of reckoning is the moment of death (physical death or 1^st death).  And so, we have to live out our “legal status” until death.  The Father God applied it to Jesus, and the same we are subject to.  Jesus was righteous and sinless, and He had to live it out, living a life of overcoming, before He got back to Heaven, into fullness of glory the Father God has prepared for Him.

I give us a simple metaphor: Suppose US of A would admit any man to be her residents, except one found guilty of a crime on a list, and topping the list is murder.  You are a man outside of US of A, and there came a time, you were accused of murder.  You were innocent, and indeed you were found innocent, after investigation.  Were you still eligible to go and stay in US of A, upon being acquitted?  Yes.  Are you now, still eligible to be a resident of US of A?  Yes.  Next month, are you still eligible?  Depends!  How come depends?  If tomorrow you murder someone, you will be a murderer, and that will make you no longer eligible.  Because you are NOT yet going into US of A today when you are innocent, you need still to be innocent when it is time for you to go into US of A to take up residence.   In other words, you need to live out your innocent status until the time of reckoning; meaning you need to pursue a life of overcoming, of NOT committing crimes on the list (Of course, I am NOT saying a believer would never sin, but there is “remedy” for that, in 1 John 1:9).

I know I have NOT quoted many scriptures in this part I of this series.  We will look at many scriptures pointing to “we have to live out what we are, to be who we are” in subsequent parts of this series. 

Have you wondered where people get this idea that once you are a believer, you have already overcome the world, and life of overcoming is non-issue?!  Or what scripture was used to support the saying that “to those who overcome, …” was just another way of saying “a believer”? 

It is from 1 John 5, and more specifically, 1 John 5:4-5; and we will look into this, in the next part, Part II.

 

Anthony Chia, high.expressions

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The Holy Spirit is the peace – John 14:26-27

John 14:26-27 (NIV) - 26 But the Advocate {G3875 – paraklētos = Counsellor, Helper, Intercessor, Strengthener, Advocate, Pleader}, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Different translations use different word for G3875 – parakletos.  In the above passage, my own preference is that, Counsellor is the more appropriate word.

What does this passage teach us?
1.            After Jesus’ death and resurrection, the era that we are all in, He no longer would walk the earth like He used to, as a man; in His place, the Father God would send the Holy Spirit to us.

2.            So, the God with us - Emmanuel, did NOT end in that era when Jesus lived and died; God with us, continues through the giving of the Holy Spirit, to be with us.  The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of Christ or Jesus, so, in actual fact, although Jesus was no longer with us, as a man, He continues to be with us, by His Spirit – the Spirit of Christ or the Holy Spirit. 

3.            Jesus was the Helper/Counsellor for the disciples of that era when Jesus walked the earth.  In the same way, the Holy Spirit is the Helper/Counsellor to us all; only that this Helper/Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, is NOT in the form of a man, but of spirit.

4.            We have to listen to the Holy Spirit.  In those days, the disciples had to listen to who?  Jesus, their Helper or Counsellor.  For us, who do we have to listen to?  The Holy Spirit.  Jesus made it clear that the Holy Spirit would be the one to teach us all things (of the Faith), and would remind us (of the same). 

Listen to the Word or the Holy Spirit?  The Holy Spirit is always in agreement with the Godhead, and so, He does NOT contradict the Word or Jesus. He would also never contradict God the Father.  John 16:12-15 said this:

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The Holy Spirit does NOT invent truths on His own; He hears from the Godhead and tells it to us; He takes from Jesus, and reveals it to us; He knows the mind of God (1 Cor 2:11), and so, can accordingly, instruct or help us.  He would only speak the truths.  The truths are always the same, the truths of the Holy Spirit are the truths of Jesus, and are the truths of the Father God.

5.            The Holy Spirit is given or sent in the name of Jesus.  Jesus made it clear that the Holy Spirit would be sent by the Father God (upon His [Jesus] leaving [resurrection]) in the name of Jesus.  In other words, one goes, another comes, but the latter comes in the name of the former.  What does it mean?  It means you don’t get the Holy Spirit unless you have embraced Jesus.  We have to accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour (enter into salvation, we say), before, and at which point, the Holy Spirit is given to indwell us (Eph 1:13-14).  All believers have a deposit of the Holy Spirit in them.  It is NOT some has, and some has NOT. 

The disciples then, had Jesus; the difference was that some of the disciples listened to Jesus more than the others (one, Judas Iscariot, was often NOT listening).  Just as Jesus did NOT then disown Judas Iscariot, and cast him off, the Holy Spirit is still with those who did NOT always listen to Him; only that those who do NOT always listen, may be more vulnerable to be ensnared than those who listen (it does NOT mean a believer cannot be apostate, but one does NOT get disowned easily).

6.            The Holy Spirit is the peace Jesus gives to us. 

Now, there are those who interpret v27 in such a way as to say, Jesus took His peace and gave it to the disciples; and for us, He has done the same – took His peace and given it to us. Such then went on, to say, if you do NOT feel the peace, it is you have let your heart be troubled or you are afraid – that is the trouble (with you)!  Such also said, if you failed both – let your heart be troubled and you are afraid, you are “dead meat” – no peace-lo!  Support citations included these verses: we are to guard our heart (Pro 4:23); we are NOT given a spirit of timidity (2 Tim 1:7) (these 2 texts are of themselves, no problem, of course).

On the contrary, the revelation I have, is peace is NOT had, that way.  Peace is NOT had like: You are troubled, and you are afraid, for you have, say, did something wrong, like you bribed a government official, and the entire process was video-recorded by someone with a smart phone, and I now, give my peace to you, and you can be at peace.  Neither is it that, the day before, I met you and I gave my peace to you, and so, despite what you have done (wrong), you can never be out of sort (NOT at peace), and never be afraid. 

On the surface, such a preacher purportedly said that it is NOT God’s fault - that it is NOT that, the peace God gave, does NOT work; but such has wrongly taught the ways of God, insulted God even (that, God’s righteousness is that way).  In addition, such also introduced unwarranted mystery into the ways of God, bringing confusion even, to people – “imagine, he can still stay at peace and NOT be afraid (having done a wrong); ah, how come I can’t!”  Please-lah, if you have done wrong, you are supposed to be out of sort, or lose peace, and be afraid, until …… 

It is funny when such teaching comes from the mouth of overly grace preachers who kept banging on grace and no works, and then, said  things do NOT work out for you because you have NOT done this (NOT let your heart NOT be troubled) or have done that - be afraid).  There is a part we have to play, alright, but it is NOT simply you NOT let your heart be troubled or be NOT afraid, regardless!

When we, and it is right for us to, read vv26 & 27 together, the peace, Jesus was referring to (that He said He was giving to the disciples then, and also to us, now), is the Holy Spirit.  The peace of Jesus is the Holy Spirit, which is also His Spirit (Spirit of Christ), and so, it was correct for Jesus to say, “Peace I leave with you (after introducing the Holy Spirit in the preceding verse [v26]).  My peace I give you (Holy Spirit is Jesus’ peace, and is His Spirit).”  Was it wrong for Jesus to say, “I do NOT give you as the world gives.”? Jesus was absolutely justified to say that, because (1) the world cannot give you the Holy Spirit; (2) the world does NOT give by grace, which Jesus did and does; the world demands merit (the Holy Spirit is given us, by grace); and (3) the world does NOT give peace by following the desires of the Spirit, for desires of the world (flesh-gratifying), and the desires of the Spirit are contrary (Gal 5:17).

The desires of the Spirit are to please God, and the Spirit is already given us, indwelling every believer; and if we listen to the Spirit (or be led by Him), we will have the peace – the peace, in and of the Spirit.  Now, the Holy Spirit is indwelling every believer, but the question is whether each of us is allowing Him to live through us, working His desires, which are to please God, through us.  Only when that happens, that the peace, in and of the Spirit, becomes ours.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).  Through Him we are reconciled with God.  Yes, with reconciliation with God, we have peace.  Yes, Jesus gave us peace that way, if we believe and trust in Him that His works wrought us reconciliation with God.  When we were yet reconciled, we have NOT true peace, because we were “out of sort” with God, and we are out of sort with God, firstly because we were NOT cleansed of our state – the sinner state, and secondly, the propensity to sin, got the better of us, and we had sinned, and those (filth)needed to be dealt with, and thirdly, our mind and heart were NOT set to resist sins, and be inclined to embrace holiness, and thus, the righteousness of God.  In other words, having been reconciled with God, moving forward, we need to be in agreement with God, still. No one can give you true peace if you want NOT to be in agreement with God, even when you are a believer.

In His earthly ministry, Jesus was always with peace; how do explain that peace of Jesus?  Consistent with what is explained here concerning the Holy Spirit is the peace, Jesus’ peace comes from the Holy Spirit, comes from agreement with God, and comes from a life of wanting to please God – doing God’s will.  Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit (at His water baptism), before His earthly ministry.  The Holy Spirit is the one who knows the mind of God (1 Cor 2:11), and Jesus was full of the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father God, and consistent with what Jesus said - that all that belongs to the Father has been given Him (John 16:15; John 3:32-35), the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) was given Him, Jesus; and so, it was correct to say that the Spirit of Christ is the same Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit  (For full exposition of this, read “Are these the same, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of Christ?). The Holy Spirit is peace, for He is always in agreement with the Godhead and He always acts to please the Godhead, and so, when we listen to the Holy Spirit (or be led by Him), we too, would be in agreement with God, and please God, and have peace.

7.            To stay in the state of peace, we have to listen to the Holy Spirit or be led by Him.  This is already explained above  - point 6.  When 1 Cor 2:16 said that “We have the mind of Christ”, where is this mind of Christ?  No, it is NOT our mind is now replaced by the mind of Christ; the mind of Christ is in the person of the Spirit of Christ or the Holy Spirit.

8.            Know the right thing, do the right thing, and then rest in Him, and you need NOT be troubled, of heart or be afraid.  Jesus was telling His disciples ahead of time, so that with right knowledge, understanding, and doing the right things, His disciples could rise above the fleshy tendency to be insecure and afraid, when uncertainties would confront them subsequently. 

This “NOT let your heart be troubled, and be NOT afraid” is as simple as that; NOT to be expounded to the tune of “I am superior to you-le, I can maintain peace and NOT be afraid, regardless; you cannot-le!” or “I told you so-what, you let your heart be troubled, and be afraid – that is the problem (with you), you got to tell yourself, NOT to be troubled, of heart, and be NOT afraid, regardless.  I told you many times-right, why can’t you just do it – don’t let your heart be troubled and don’t be afraid!”

Through these words of Jesus, we are to understand that despite Jesus is NOT with us, in person, as a man, we are NOT without His counsel through the Holy Spirit or His Spirit, which the Father would give to indwell anyone who would come into salvation.  Jesus has lived as a man, and He can empathize with us, and knows what is that which is precious to the well-being of a man – peace.  Jesus would give the means to that (peace), and that means is the indwelling Holy Spirit.  When we be led by the Holy Spirit (no wonder He is called our Helper/Counsellor), we will have the peace, in and of the Holy Spirit.  When we have knowledge of this, and do the right things (practise righteousness) and then rest in Him, we need NOT be troubled, of heart, and need NOT be afraid.

In simple terms, it is heretic teaching to tell people they can get the state of their heart NOT be troubled and be NOT afraid, simply by “psycho-ing” themselves with “My heart is NOT troubled, and I am NOT afraid”, when they are NOT doing or going to do what is/are consistent with the desires of the Holy Spirit (which is the same as the desires of God or the Lord or the Word).

Peace (G1515 – eirēnē) is having shades of meaning; and one of it, is this - felicity.  What is felicity? It is the state of blissfulness or blessedness.  This state obviously includes tranquillity (or peace) and joy.  So, in Scripture, peace could include joy; and we also find joy being associated with the Holy Spirit or that both words were used together with the Holy Spirit.  For example, Romans 14:17 – 18 … the kingdom of God is about righteousness, and peace and joy of the Holy Spirit, and those who serve God in this way, please God, and find agreement with men.  This text of the Book of Romans is therefore, one of the most important indications of how a Christian life is to be lived. 

Matt 6:33 gives us the saying to seek first, God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and this Romans text further tells us who is the bearer of (having) God’s righteousness, and how we live out that righteousness.  The Holy Spirit holds the key; when we let Him, the Holy Spirit, lives through us, have His ways in us, His peace and His joy will be ours, and our lives would be pleasing to God. 

What about the Word?  Yes, the Word is key, too, but the Word turns rhema by the Holy Spirit.  I venture to say, the difference between general legalistic OT obeying of the laws and commandments of God, and the NT obeying of the laws and commandments, which is still commanded, is that the latter is heeding the Word, in and through the Holy Spirit.  The contrast is that the motive of the Holy Spirit is always the same – loving and pleasing God (there is always love of the Holy Spirit for God, for within the Triune God, there is perfect love of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit in manifest).  The NT call of obedience to laws and commandments is “loving and pleasing God” based.

A simple metaphor – felicity is had when one is loving and pleasing another.  In fact, felicity is had for both the giver and the receiver of such manifest affection.  Isn’t right, when you love someone and manage to please the person, you (the giver) are very happy, and the person (the receiver) would be very happy too! It is “no sweat to live on bread and water alone”, in such a state, goes the common love-saying, is it not?  What more, your lover is the El Shaddai!

Before we end, let me talk a little more about the scenario of “But I am in a difficult situation, with uncertainty, trial and tribulation even, can I still be with peace?”  The point is that Jesus was telling the Disciples ahead of such.  In other words, it was so that the Disciples would be of peace when the time (bad time) came.  So, what was said was NOT just meant for swell circumstance!

There are those who argue there is NOT a single thing a believer need be bothered about (well, the same people could still be telling, you should NOT let your heart be trouble or be afraid! Is that NOT doing something; how contradictory!); God would automatically take care of everything, and voila, you have peace (if you believe it so – automatic and voila!).  Just say your Sinner’s Prayer (to enter into salvation), and just bask all the way, in grace, and peace (and joy) is yours and NOT leave you!?  No.

You will NOT get caught in lousy circumstances, bad times, difficult times, afflictions, trials, persecutions?  No, there is no such promise of easy and swell life all the way, till you pass on.  Live life as you like?  No, you cannot; please, liberty in Christ Jesus, does NOT mean you can do what you like!  We can get into nasty situation due to our fault, including sinning, or we can get into the same, through no fault of ours (someone stabbed you in the back, for example); what do you do, in difficult situation and in the uncertainty of the situation?  You begin to be trouble of heart, and afraid; losing peace, what do you do?  Do nothing, like they tell you?  No.

When you have walked into a deep quick-sand (as a metaphor), do you do nothing?  No.  Yah-what, people say, to do nothing, don’t move.  You can do that, do nothing; given enough time, you will still go under, under your own weight!  I am NOT going to teach people how to get out of a real deep quick-sand, but there are things you could do and should do to get yourself out (shift to buoyancy posture for example, is one thing to do; you don’t know what that is, just ignore!).  Now, can you do nothing?  You can, if you know someone is on hand to help you or you are expecting someone to come by. So, what must you do when you are in deep shit!  Call on God (or Jesus) or the Holy Spirit.  It is NOT you do nothing, there is a thing all of us can do, and that is we pray, and ask for Divine Help.  Phil 4:6 reads:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Phil 4:6).

You need to do that.   And if you get into the deep shit, because you are in disagreement with God, His Word or His ways, you got to reflect on that; repent, confess, and ask God for forgiveness, and with a humble and contrite heart, ask God for help.  One just cannot demand God to help while insisting he is right and God is wrong; and that he would still do whatever that had caused him to be in the deep shit, in first place, when he gets out!  People like to claim verse 7, without taking verse 6 above.  Phil 4:7 reads:

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7).

If you don’t get right with God, that peace of God which you received at your conversion, just is NOT sustained.  Can it be refreshed? Yes, but if you are NOT going to get back right with God, or NOT wanting to be led by the Holy Spirit, you are hampering it.  Sure, God is love, and there is grace of God, but God cannot be mocked, the love of God for men is love unto righteousness (`ahab love), and the grace of God is NOT for us to profane, and men’s volition is NOT meant to be over-written by God all time.  For all of these, one needs to gain understanding, and meditate on them to appreciate how they all bear on our living on earth.

Anthony Chia, high.expressions

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