Some Thoughts on Christian Zionism

A lot of Christians are talking about Israel right now, and for good reason. Among these discussions is the idea of Christian Zionism. What is Christian Zionism, and is this an idea that we should support? There are many people who know much more about this than I do, but I do think this is a topic that we should learn about and consider carefully because there are some concerning implications.

In this article, I want to briefly look at the definition of Christian Zionism, then I want to look at some scriptures that are used in favor of this idea and scriptures that are used to oppose this idea. From there, I will share my own concerns about this teaching and do my best to conclude with some thoughts that can help us refocus on what matters most.

What is Christian Zionism?

According to my understanding, Christian Zionism is a religious and political stance held by many Evangelical Christians in support of the return of Jewish people to Israel, which was accomplished when the State of Israel was established in 1948.

This support seems to hinge on a couple of ideas. First, there is the idea that Jesus will not return until the Jews return to Israel and the third temple is built. Secondly, there is the idea that Israel are God’s chosen people, so as Christians, we should be supportive of them because failure to do so would offend God.

Scripture Used to Support Christian Zionism

Scriptures used to support Israel as God’s chosen people:

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3).

In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates (Genesis 15:18).

For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth (Deuteronomy 7:6).

Scriptures pertaining to Israel before the return of Jesus:

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (Daniel 9:27).

 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15).

 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:20-28).

And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth…And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified Revelation 11:1-3,8).

According to the teaching of Evangelical Dispensationalists, after Jesus returns and “raptures” the church, Israel will recognize Jesus as their Messiah and the nation of Israel will be restored. Scriptures that are used to support this idea include:

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn (Zecharaiah 12:10).

And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.  And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me (Jeremiah 33:708).

Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God (Ezekiel 11:17-20).

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Romans 11:25-29).

Scripture Refuting Christian Zionism

The first scriptures that I would use to refute Christian Zionism are many of the scriptures that are used to support it. Misuse of these scriptures comes from a lack of understanding of the New Covenant that was brought about by Jesus Christ. Lord willing, I will write more articles looking at all these scriptures, and I will link them here. I already wrote an article on Genesis 12:2-3:

Additional Scriptures Against Christian Zionism

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God (Romans 2:28-29).

They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, if ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, we be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:39-43).

And think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore, every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire (John 3:9-10).

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee (Revelation 3:9).

Why I Believe Christian Zionism is Problematic

First, I want to say that I don’t personally have a problem with Israel’s right to exist peacefully. I also do not hold any antisemitic views of hatred of the Jewish people in general. I will write more on that in the next section. However, I am concerned about Christian Zionism. Here is why:

Whoa to You Who Desire the Day of the Lord

The first reason is how overly zealous Christians are about the return of Jesus. The scriptures state that the “day of the Lord is darkness and not light.” Because of false Dispensationalist teachings, many Christians believe that they will be “raptured” before the tribulation, so they have no concern about it. Instead, they want to force the time of the end to come so that Jesus will return and take them away.

I understand that we want Jesus to return, but at what cost? Do we really want to be the cause of such days of darkness—days that usher in the coming of the false Christ and much suffering and persecution of Christians? This lack of patience is something that the scriptures warn us about.

Confusion About End-Times Prophesy

Many Christians seem to forget that Jesus will not come until there is a falling away and the Son of Perdition is revealed. There is much talk about Jesus returning anytime now, and it concerns me that lack of good teaching regarding the “end times” will lead many to believe that the false Christ is actually Jesus.

Blind Loyalty Despite Ungodliness

The United States’ Christian Zionist stance is an excuse for much bloodshed, supposedly in the name of God. Jesus said that “many will kill you, thinking they do God’s service, but this they will do because they have not known the Father nor me.” The nation of Israel is largely secular, and this is not a godly nation by and large.

Are we supposed to support Israel no matter what they do, simply because many believe that they are God’s chosen people? The people of God will do as God does—not as Satan does—which is to “kill, steal, and destroy.” To do the work of Satan in the name of God seems more to me as those who “say they are Jews and are not but do lie.”There are many Jews and Messianic Jews who do not support what their nation is doing, and we should rememeber this as well.

Christians Are Israel. Yet, Boast Not Against the Branches.

As Christians, we were grafted into the Olive Tree, which is Israel. All who follow the One and True God are Israel, and those who follow the One and True God acknowledge and worship the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Christians are the Israel of the New Covenant, and this is not an Israel that is confined to one geographical region or race. In Christ, we are all the children of God.

However, as Paul instructed us, we should not “boast against the branches.” They were cut off because of their unbelief, and we stand by grace through faith. Many Jews have converted to Christianity and many more will continue to convert, so we should always hold a place for them to do so. We do not hate or persecute them or anyone else for that matter. We do not “despise the patience of God that leads us to repentance.”

Also, it is worth stating that there are many in the State of Israel who do not condone the actions of their leaders. We should never condemn an entire group of people because of the wickedness within their governments. This goes for Palestinians as well. We do not want to be condemned because of the actions of our government, so we should extend the same grace to all people.

Remember Who the Real Enemy Is

As Christians, we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness in high places.” Satan and the spirits of devils are the real enemy. We should not hate people, and we should always remember that our brothers and sisters in Christ are found all over the world, including in Israel, Gaza, and Palestine. The destruction caused by all war is unfortunate, and we should pray for all people. We should pray that Jesus reveal Himself to many, and we should pray for all our fellow servants who are persecuted.

By and large, everyday people are caught up by various forms of propaganda, and they do not know what they are doing. By and large, most people are not eager for war and destruction. It’s the elites in power who are doing the real harm.

It seems like the United States government wants to play all sides, creating and funding terrorist groups on one hand while funding those who fight them. They do the same within our nation, so why should we think it’s different abroad? They perpetuate propaganda on both the “left” and the “right” so that we are so busy fighting one another that we do not stand against them.

It seems that all things happening in our world are a means to a globalist end, and I don’t think anything is as it seems. We should be very careful about what we believe and what we are willing to support. Remember Jesus who did not “judge by the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears, but with righteousness shall he judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.” Jesus is the Truth, and we need Him to guide us through all the lies, confusion, and treachery.

Remember Who the Real Object of Our Loyalty Is

As Christians, our first loyalty is to Jesus Christ. How would He have us to handle ourselves in this time? We should never be eager to side with any movement that perpetuates lies about their opponents to cause division and to justify the slaughter of many. We should do our best to be at peace with all people, to preach the gospel, and to keep ourselves humble by remembering that we are sinners who need to be forgiven. We cannot join with anything that is “drunken with blood” or that would cause us to be as those who are “smiting their fellow servants” or else we will be cut off ourselves.

There is so much that could be said and written about this topic. I’m not very educated in political matters, and I’m still trying to learn about the ideas written about here. However, in my conscience I felt it necessary to attempt to address the idea of Christian Zionism, and I would like to spend more time on it because of the reasons stated above. If you have any thoughts that you’d like to share, please leave a comment, or email me at kindlingtruth@hushmail.com.

Must-See Interview with Palestinian Christian

I know this is a few weeks old, but I had to share. Please watch this if you think that Christians should always support Israel. A Jew is not one outwardly, but inwardly. Christians are the true Israel in spirit and truth because the former was cut off because of their unbelief. Chrisrian Zionism is modern-day support of “those who say they are Jews and are not but lie,” and this doctrine is a deception of Satan. More to come on this doctrine, Lord willing.

Also, pray that the antisemitism bill does not pass in the Senate. Look into it if you have not. It is very anti-Christian and certainly unconstitutional. We already have laws in place to protect against discrimination. We should never hate or persecute or discriminate. Period. That is not what this misleading bill is really about. Also, more on that to come, Lord willing.

Considering Proverbs 12:5-7

The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand (Proverbs 12:5-7).

These three proverbs go together. Proverbs 12:5 lays the groundwork for an important truth about the righteous and the wicked. Proverbs 12:6 provides additional detail about a specific righteous and wicked action, and Proverbs 12:6 describes what happens to those who participate in these actions.

Let’s see how we might break all of this down and consider these proverbs from a present-day Christian perspective.

In Proverbs 12:5, it states that the thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels, or we could also say directions or guidance, of the wicked are deceit.

As Christians, all of our counsel—or direction and guidance—should be based on Christian values as put in place by Jesus, the Apostles, and all who faithfully follow in their footsteps. We have many sound counselors in the faith that can help us navigate life’s challenges in a way that is acceptable to God.

Without this guidance, we are prone to doing things our own way and not God’s way. If we are able to do things God’s way, then this is an act of God’s grace toward us. There is nothing good that we have that did not come from God, so it’s good to always remember this first before we start thinking about the ways of “the wicked” because we are no different without Jesus.

We don’t want to be like the Pharisee that self-righteously said, “I thank you, God, that I am not like other sinners and this tax collector,” but rather, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (Luke 18) However, it is still true that the counsels of the wicked are deceit. Jesus is the Truth, and any guidance that is not of Him is going to have some measure of deceit in it. How sad it is for those who follow in these ways instead of the ways of God.

Proverbs 12:6 states that the counsel of the wicked is violence. What does it mean to “lie in wait for blood?” We could think of a predatory animal, like a lion, who is crouched down in the tall grass, waiting for an opportunity to pounce on its prey. Satan himself is described as a “roaming lion, seeking who he may devour.”

How many people are consumed by such counsel today? We can look at all the war happening right now, which is nothing short of massive tragedy that many are all too eager to get onboard with. Many within the U.S. government cheer with blood-curdling cries of delight as they fund the slaughter of many, lining their pockets with their dollars of death.  War is profitable, not just financially, but as a means of controlling many through fear. Plus, if we are all fighting against one another, then we can easily forget who the real enemy is.

Of course, Satan is the real Enemy, but is not this hungry lion filling himself happily with all the blood that is being shed—even bloodshed in the name of some holy or righteous cause, so called? Any time war is made, it is made by dividing people into categories that can hate one another. If there is no hate, then they simply fabricate it by creating straw man arguments of exaggerating faults, twisting words of the “enemy” to change its meaning, and accusing people who do not support their bloodbath as being evil themselves. All of these are tactics of the Enemy. It is called, triangulation.

“The mouth of the upright shall deliver them.” Christians, we should do what we can to deliver mankind from their blood thirst.

Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, to turn the other cheek, and to bless those who curse us. He says, “let he that is without sin among you cast the first stone.” God also says, “vengeance is mine. I will repay.”  One of the greatest temptations of this time is to forget these lessons. Instead of trusting in and waiting on the Lord, we can easily become consumed with all the hatred that the Enemy is breathing out into our world—hatred that unhealed hearts easily become corrupted by, and we ourselves can easily be tempted by as well because of the hatred toward Christians that is steadily rising.

The scriptures say that in the last days the “love of many will grow cold because iniquity abounds.” As Christians, we should first keep our own hearts guarded. No matter how much iniquity abounds, and no matter how much we are hated, we remember Jesus and all the faithful who followed him. We don’t repay evil for evil, but overcome evil with good—and this is how the upright shall deliver them.

We speak the truth in love, declare the gospel of Jesus Christ that forgives sinners and brings mankind back into a loving and transformative relationship with our Creator. While the wicked wage war with the flames of man’s self-righteous hatred, greed, envy, and pride, we wield the flames of Truth—the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God—bringing people hope in a time of despair, truth in a time of lies and confusion, and peace in time of much suffering.

We do so knowing that without Jesus, our end would be death, and many are so deceived by the counsels of the wicked that they are headed straight to their doom. We do not have to condemn them. They are already condemned. Lord have mercy!

Proverbs 12:7 states that the wicked are overthrown, but the house of the righteous will stand. Jesus will judge the earth, and He says that the “meek (self-controlled) shall inherit the earth.” Jesus is the cornerstone and the Apostles are the foundation of our spiritual house made of many Christians who will shine forth the truth of His Kingdom, and this house that is built on a rock will stand no matter how deceptive the words of the Enemy and his followers will be.

A false savior makes his appearance before Jesus returns, and he flatters to such an extent that even we Christians will be tempted to worship him. He will seem so good and wise, bringing an end to all suffering. This ultimate wolf in sheep’s clothing will deceive many, and his counselors will do his bidding, leading many astray. Then, he will turn on many, including the Great Whore, and all who do not worship him are hunted to be killed. We Christians who are alive in that time will not escape this because Jesus does not return until the end of this time, but by the faith and power of God He keeps our hearts and minds steady in Christ Jesus—and we will live in the house of the Lord forever—but those who follow the ways of Satan will be no more.

This article is part of a bible study series, Considering the Proverbs. The purpose is to consider present-day events from a Christian perspective and to offer practical lessons that we can apply to ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.

Previous Post Within This Series: Considering Proverbs 12:4—A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

In Revelation, the letter to the Church of Philadelphia deals with keeping the Lord’s patience faithfully, and the letter to the Church in Smyrna encourages all who suffer for the sake of Jesus and His gospel. These are the two churches in Revelation 2-3 who are not rebuked, so we want to align ourselves with these lessons. The remaining 5 are rebuked, and we can consider our own weaknesses when reading these letters so that we can be strengthened and more in-line with all who will take a stand for Jesus now and in the future, which is the purpose of These Things Saith He, to the best of my limited ability and grace of God given.

The Parable of the Rich Fool

The Parable of the Rich Fool is found in Luke 12:16-21. Below is the parable and surrounding context that provides an explanation of this parable. The meaning seems straightforward, but we will see if there is anything worthwhile to add.

13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you (Luke 12:13-31).

Meaning of the Parable of the Rich Fool

In the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus speaks about a rich man who has more than enough. So much so, that his current barn is not large enough to contain all that he has. So, he decides that he will build a bigger barn, and since he has more than enough, there is no need to continue working. He will simply sit back and enjoy his abundance.

According to the wisdom of this world, this seems like a reasonable idea. However, God calls this man a fool. Why is he a fool? He is a fool because the man trusted in his riches, but he was not rich towards God, and that very night the man would die.

If we trust in the securities of this life, but are not rich toward God, then we are truly poor. We are poor because when we die, we will truly die. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Without Him, it does not matter how much we have in this world, because all of those possessions do nothing to save a person’s soul from death.

Jesus goes on to teach that life consists of more than our earthly possessions. Jesus understands that it is in the nature of man to look to the securities of this life, but we should instead look to God for our security by seeking Him first and trusting in Him. When we put God first, then He will provide our daily needs, but when we put our earthly needs first, then our very soul is depraved of true life from He who is Life.

Is there anything further that we might consider from the Parable of the Rich Fool?

On the global sphere, this makes me think of the current idea of “build back better.” There are some who want to tear down the current orders of our society globally, supposedly for the betterment of all people. However, what they really want to do is build a new barn of their own and fill it with the riches of the masses, who they will surely leave in complete poverty unless they go along with the program.

Be assured, that it does not matter how much they enrich themselves, because they are truly poor in the things of God. If they succeed in this for a time, and we suffer as a result, then we can rest assured that the riches that God gives are everlasting and cannot be taken from us. Jesus says that the “thief breaks through and steals” our earthly riches, but they can do nothing to steal what Jesus gives us. In-fact, the more they take from us in the world, the more we grow in Him as our faith is made stronger. All things that the Enemy plans as an evil is used for our good. We can trust in this.

What else might we consider, as it pertains to us Christians?

What things in our lives might be the same, symbolically speaking? What is our barn, and what are we filling it with? What are we looking to as a means of security that makes us feel as if we have everything we need, and in so doing, we are unable to see how much we lack?

This can apply to many things. We might apply this in terms of our pursuit of financial security, but that’s not the only way we can look at this.  

We can also apply this to our sense of spiritual security.

As we “seek first the Kingdom of God,” we should never consider ourselves to be full. We could look at the barn in terms of ourselves, as those who are the temple of God. We never want to think that we have enough wealth spiritually, then decide that we can now sit back and take our ease.

There is always more to gain. There is always more growth as we are conformed to Christ.

Both of these ideas can be considered in light of what the Spirit says to the church of the Laodiceans.

The Spirit says, “you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and know not that you are poor, blind, and naked.” Jesus instructs them to “buy of me, gold tried in the fire that you may be rich, and white raiment that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness is covered, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, so you may see.” He also says that they should be zealous and repent, He rebukes those He loves, and He is standing at the door ready to speak with us.

This teaching goes directly against any type of prosperity gospel preaching. This also goes against ministries that measure their success in terms of financial or social prosperity, especially when done to the exclusion of sound Christian teaching that builds people up in fruitful faith that encourages real transformation of the believer—transformation that is ongoing and should never be neglected.

Jesus says, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” If we are poor in spirit, then we never claim to have enough. We are always hungry and thirsty in sense of our intense need to be filled by God. We never want to get to a place of staleness and stagnancy. Jesus also says, “blessed are those who hunger and thrist after righteousness, for they will be filled.”

This is not to say that we are always looking for something new and different. There are core aspects of our Christian faith that remain sure no matter what, and they do not change.

However, this is to say that on a personal level, we are always growing spiritually. Even if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we need more from Him always. Even if we have a good relationship with the Father and the Son, we need to become more receptive and more obedient. Even if we are active and serving our fellow servants and the world at large, there is more that we can do.

We should never simply “take our ease” in regard to our faith. It is true that Jesus is humble, and His ways are not overly burdensome. Jesus says, “take my yoke upon you, for my burden is easy, and my yoke is light.”

He makes a way for us to do all things, but this also means tearing us down and rebuilding us in some capacity—not just once—but over and over again. We are crucified with Christ, and we are raised in Him. This does happen when we enter into the faith truly, as symbolized by our baptism. However, though we only need one baptism, the process of dying and rebirth are continual. The baptism is the beginning of our new life, and a demonstration of this commitment to die to all others gods, including the god of the self, and to seek Jesus so that we can live.

So, let’s not ever be complacent, thinking that we have everything that we need. On one hand, we do have everything we need. We have the promises of Jesus that are sure and can be trusted in. Yet, so long as we are living, let us keep pushing on in the faith, seeing the work of the Lord done in us more and more, and when we die, we will not be fools but wise.

This is part of a series of articles discussing the Parables of Jesus. You can visit the link for quick access to more articles within this series.

Previous Article Within This Series: Parable of the Money Lender and Two Debtors

This idea as it pertains to the Church of the Laodiceans is discussed in the online book, These Things Saith He.

This article originally appeared at thelordalone.com. Feel free to share.

How to Obey Jesus Christ

As followers of Jesus Christ, we should want to live our life in a way that brings honor to Him. However, it doesn’t take long before we see our limitations.

How do we obey Jesus when we feel powerless to do so?

There are many approaches that we might take, and there are many approaches that people have taken. Sometimes these approaches become legalistic dogma, and sometimes not. Sometimes these approaches lead to the kind of righteousness that the Lord really wants, and sometimes not.

Which way is the right way?

Jesus says that He is The Way. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” Jesus also says that we cannot do anything on our own. He says, “I am the vine and you are the branches. Just as the vine cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, no more can you unless you abide in me.” We want to abide (live) in Jesus, and we want Jesus to abide (live) in us.

This sounds wonderful, but what does this look like?

We can read our bible and we can pray. These are good starting points. We can learn about how Jesus wants us to live from the scriptures. We can go to Him in prayer, confessing our sins and asking Him to send the Holy Spirit so that Jesus lives within us.

However, there is something that I have found that seems to get in the way. Myself.

It does not seem to matter how much I read the bible, listen to bible studies, acknowledge my sin, and pray to God in faith that He can change me; if I am not willing to get out of His way, then little is going to happen.

Jesus says, “take up your cross and follow me.” He also says that He is as a rock, and “whoever falls on this rock will be broken, but on whoever this rock falls, he will be ground to powder.”

Filling myself with a lot of scripture and praying often does not do anything to really change me if I am not dying to myself. I have to die so that the Spirit of God can fill that space. When He fills that space, then the things that we want to do come more naturally. Then, there is more that needs to die.

It is the dying to self that is the hard part, and this is where we bear some responsibility. We do this in faith, so that He can do the work of rebuilding us. We willingly fall on the Rock. We willingly let go of our egos and our need for self-gratification. We willingly learn to rely on God and not on ourselves and others. If we are willing and at the same time not willing, then we seek Jesus to make our will stronger. We coorporate with Him in this, and eventually our will is going to conform to His.

We are naturally double-minded. James said that a double-minded person cannot expect to receive anything from God. We have to be willing to truly die to the things that are barriers between us and God. We might fight the same issue of double-mindedness for a long time, but if we keep praying about it, then we will die to that thing and the Spirit of God will live there instead.

How do we get away from our double-minded nature? We do so by adopting a state of mind that is connected with God though Jesus Christ.

How do we connect with God?

Learn to connect to Jesus through quietness and prayer. Seek His presence and experience the grace of God first-hand. Once you find that space of His presence, you will know because He reveals things to you in a way that speaks to your spirit. It’s hard to describe. Do what you can to empty yourself of what you think you know about God and what you think you know about yourself. Simply listen and receive. Keep doing this until God answers you. When He does, ask that He keep meeting you in this place of prayer and that He will teach you whatever truth He needs you to know.

It’s okay and good to talk to Him too. Tell Him about all your troubles and accept the will of God for your life so you can find relief from your fears. Ask Him to show mercy to the people who cause you upset, so you can find relief from resentment and unforgiveness. Ask Him to use you as a means of leading people to Him—but this will require dying so that He can live inside you.

Once you find that place of God’s gracious presence, try to find that place again. Maybe you do this once a day for a while. Maybe twice a day. The goal is to eventually take this place with us wherever we go. This is what it means to walk with God. We are ever-mindful of Him, and more than that, our minds are being transformed so that our perceptions are His perceptions. This allows us to naturally obey Him more and more.

Yet, even as our perceptions become His, we see our sins more clearly yet again. So, we die yet again. We “die daily” in-fact, as Paul the Apostle said. We will never be fully in the presence of God until we are raised from the dead, and we might never live in perfect obedience until then. However, we need to accept that if we really want to obey God, then this is only possible with Jesus and His Spirit, and His Spirit cannot live in us if we are in His way.

So, the process of dying and rebirth are continual. Day by day. We are in pain and sorrow over our sins, and yet we are full of joy because of the mercy and power of the Lord. We are suffering because of the sins of the world, and yet we are full of peace, knowing that suffering makes us more like Him and one day our suffering will bring us to where He is. We have times of fear, then we are comforted. We struggle with doubt, then we see that our faith is made stronger.

He can and will do all things through us, and we want to obey Him because to obey Him is to know Him and to know Him is to live and to bring living things to others for His glory. There’s always more for us to gain, and there is always more that needs to die. Let’s always get better at walking humbly with the Lord. “As many as walk after the Spirit of God are the sons of God.”

Considering Proverbs 12:4

A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones (Proverbs 12:4).

What is the meaning of Proverbs 12:4 from a Christian perspective? What does it mean to be a virtuous woman, and how is this as a crown to the head of our spouse? The word virtue in this context comes from a Hebrew word that means strength, and a crown symbolizes honor. We can assume from the context that the strength she has is strength in doing what is right, and in so doing, her husband flourishes.

Compare this to the opposite. A woman who is of a weak character does not bring honor to her husband, but shame, and this shame hurts him at his very core. You can’t do much if you have rotten bones, and we might imagine how having an unrighteous spouse can bring you down.

There are two ways that we might consider this proverb. First, we can apply this to marital relationships in this life. Second, we can apply this to our relationship with Jesus Christ, who we are espoused to in a symbolic sense as we wait for His return.

As for the first, women can consider the type of wife that they want to be. We want to be wives that add value to the lives of our husbands, like the woman we read about in Proverbs 31. We want to be productive, hard-working, faithful, and morally upright.

As for the second, we as Christians can consider the value that we want to offer Jesus Christ. We want to be virtuous—strong in doing the right things, standing up for the right things, and bringing honor to Jesus through a life that makes Him look good. We can’t be weak-willed in righteousness, compromised in character, and we can’t be afraid to do to what we are called to do, even if it means persecution and death. Our faithfulness is a crown of glory for our Lord.

Unfortunately, many of us have brought shame to Jesus at some point, but if we truly trust in Him and if His grace is for us, then we will grow in virtue, and we will bring honor to Him. So, if we have brought Him shame, we don’t need to lose hope. Rather, we can turn to Him for forgiveness and perhaps find even greater determination—greater virtue—toward doing what He wants us to do.

We want to be among those who are “called, chosen, and faithful.” Truly, the grace of God is what makes all the difference, and His work is perfect. Trust in Him. You are His work, but as His work, He works to bring you into His will, and this causes you to submit to Him and see that work done. We cooperate with Him because that is what being faithful entails.

Noah didn’t just sit back when God called him to build an ark, stating that if God wanted the ark, then God would build it. No, Noah built the ark as an act of faith, knowing that God would soon judge the earth. By faith, we build our lives up on the Rock of Jesus Christ through a life that is obedient to Him, so when the dragon casts “water as flood” after us, we will not be moved—but the whole earth will eat up the lies that he speaks.

This article is part of a bible study series, Considering the Proverbs. The purpose is to consider present-day events from a Christian perspective and to offer practical lessons that we can apply to ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.

Previous Post Within This Series: Considering Proverbs 12:2-3 – A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved (Proverbs 12:2-3).

These two ideas of the faithful woman and the unfaithful woman is a theme that we see in the Proverbs. There is the “strange woman” and there is also a woman of virtue. This theme can also be found in Revelation.

Revelation details the attributes of the faithful church and the unfaithful church. In the online book, These Things Saith He, I discuss my belief that modern, Western Christianity is in danger of becoming the Great Whore who will worship Satan, because they do in part already, and there are attributes of her that we can see already. However, we can “come out of her” and into a faithful relationship with Jesus. He will forgive us, but as He said to the woman taken in adultery, “Go and sin no more.”

Woe to Me if My Faith Depends on Man

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

Our faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. This is something that the Lord is helping me with, and I am truly thankful.

I’m coming to realize just how little I know about many things. Some family members of mine are converting to a form of Christianity that I know little about. I’m trying to learn, and in learning, I’ve been exposed to whole new areas of Christian theology that I knew nothing about.

At first, this began to shake my faith. It shook my faith because I was afraid that my loved ones were being led astray. It shook my faith because I wondered if I was the one who was astray. It shook my faith because when I asked someone I trusted for help concerning this, I got no answer. So, I felt totally alone in trying to deal with this all-new territory.

I’ve always said that we don’t know anything as well as we should, including myself. The more we know of God, the more He becomes a mystery. However, while I remain humble and open to correction, it bothers some that I don’t let go of my core beliefs more readily.

It seems to me that many arguments within the various churches come from a mind of knowing. If we had the mind of ignorance, then we would not divide over issues of disagreement. It is the blind loyalty, that mimics enlightenment, that causes so much accusation among believers. It is this blind loyalty that keeps me from joining any institution of Christian religion.

It upsets me so much to learn of yet more areas of contention, and it upsets me that in my questioning and unwillingness to simply yield could cause me to be ostracized from people I love. Yet, I am not one who is unfamiliar with the zeal of the convert and how that can cause us to deal with others in an unloving and impatient way. So, I can deal with it. I just hope this is not permanent—and it seems that for those who join with Christian establishments, this does become a permanent form of separation. I have never removed myself from Christian fellowship because I disagree with them. It’s the other way around. I pray that is not what will happen in this case, but I am thankful that my faith is not in men, but in God.

Woe to me if my faith depends on man!

Woe to me if my faith depends on what others say about the bible and the disputes we have because of our interpretations.

Woe to me if my faith depends on loyalty to and acceptance by other churches and other Christians.

Woe to me if my faith depends on friendships in the faith seemingly forsaken.

Woe to me if my faith depends on the conduct of man, as I let their sins against me cause me to refuse my cross and instead become full of anger, fear, resentment, or despair.

I thank God that my faith is not dependent on any of these things. I am willing to say that I know very little indeed, and I am also willing to say that I have extreme caution in joining others who claim they know. Woe to you who say you see, for your sin remains!

My faith is not in the bible, though it informs my faith.

My faith is not in man, though they build me up—either by adding to me or by taking away things that need to die.

My faith is not in a single church, because all who serve Jesus in truth are His church. Does that mean I will never join a church? That remains to be seen, but if I don’t, then no matter who forsakes me, in forsaking me, Jesus will all the more hold me up!

My faith is in demonstration and power of the Holy Spirit Who I have received and continue to receive, the promises of Jesus who says that He will complete His work in me, and through my faith, I will not be condemned. I have faith that Jesus is with me, even if everyone else seems to be against me—and for His sake, I will not do to them what they do to me. I will remain teachable, loyal to Jesus alone, and my faith and peace only comes from Him.

Woe to me if my faith rests on anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ!

Parable of the Moneylender and the Two Debtors

The Parable of the Moneylender, also called the Parable of the Moneylender and Two Debtors or The Parable of the Moneylender who Forgives Unequal Debts, is found in Luke 7. The parable is short, only consisting of two verses. Here is the parable and some surrounding context:

38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace (Luke 7:38-50).

Meaning of the Parable of the Moneylender and the Two Debtors

The meaning of the Parable of the Moneylender and the Two Debtors is straightforward on the surface. Those who are forgiven of much love much. Sometimes, it is the most sinful people who have the strongest love for Jesus and the most powerful testimonies.

Whether we are thinking about our own unworthiness or whether we are tempted to judge the unworthiness of someone else, this parable provides comfort and correction through the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

Though her sins were many, her love and faith in Jesus saved her from condemnation. This should be our natural response to the saving mercy found in Jesus Christ. Of course, we cannot literally do as this woman did, but her actions can be applied to us symbolically.

Just as she cried at Jesus’s feet and wiped His feet with her tears, so can we throw ourselves at His mercy with a proper attitude of contrition for our sins. Just as she kissed and anointed Jesus’s feet, so can we serve and honor Jesus from a place of humility.

As another scripture states, “love covers a multitude of sins.” The love of Jesus toward us is such that no sin is too big for Him to forgive, and as we grow in our ability to love as Jesus loves, we too will learn to forgive, even the unforgivable.

However, forgiveness is not something that anyone should take advantage of. The way we react to the forgiveness we receive reveals a lot about our character—and whether we really love Jesus or not.

For many, the love and forgiveness that we receive from Jesus causes us to grow in our loyalty and love for Him, and our desire to serve Him in humility—just like the woman in the parable. However, for some, receiving forgiveness can become a kind of loophole for continuing in sin.

Have you ever encountered these two extremes in your own life?

Have you ever forgiven someone of something serious, and they loved you all the more for it? Have you ever forgiven someone of something serious, and they lost respect for you, thinking that they could do anything to you and get away with it? Which attitude should we have towards Jesus, and towards those who forgive us in general?

As Paul the apostle wrote, “should we sin more so that grace can abound? God forbid.” Or should we “count the blood of the covenant, wherewith we are sanctified, an unholy thing, and do despite to the Spirit of grace?” No.  

If we do not respond to Jesus’s forgiveness with love, humility, and service, but instead with disrespect and disregard, then how should we expect to be received by Jesus?

If we have the right attitude towards Jesus and the incredible mercy that He has shown us, then His sacrifice covers all our sins. He will lead us also, showing us what it means to live out our faith, take up our cross, follow Him, and grow in our ability to obey Him in humility.

Does this mean that we never sin? No, but it does mean that we never accept sin as being acceptable, and if we do sin, we take this seriously and we go to Jesus to help us do better with faith in the work in us that He promises to do.

Even as a committed Christian, there could be times when we mess up or sin in a big way. Though we never make excuses for sin, I know from first-hand experience that these instances can help us grow in our dedication to Jesus and provide us with greater strength to face our cross in faith.

His love for us is incredible, and His mercy never fails. However, because we love Him and would never take advantage of Him in a way that we would not want others to take advantage of us, we will have the right response toward His love and mercy.

If we think we are taking advantage of Him, then we can confess this. Lord willing, He will show us great mercy and forgiveness for this severe sin, and as a result, we will love and serve Him more fervently than ever before.

This is part of a series of articles discussing the Parables of Jesus. You can visit the link for quick access to more articles within this series.

Previous Article Within This Series: Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

The mercy of Jesus is truly incredible and empowering. Though the Great Whore is judged and will be judged, those of us who have been as her can “come out of her” and find forgiveness. Just like the woman who was taken in adultery, we can find mercy, but as Jesus said to her, “Go, and sin no more.” This idea is discussed in the introduction portion of the free online book, “These Things Saith He.”

This article originally appeared at thelordalone.com.

Blessing Those who Bless Israel?

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3).”

I’ve heard Christian preaching today to this effect, stating that we should support Israel, and if we do not support Israel, then we are cursed.

For the last few years, I have not been very informed in politics. I’ve been focusing on writing “These Things Saith He” then doing the video discussions. I listen to some political commentary, but not enough to really understand the complexities of the recent wars and to form a solid opinion for myself.

After I completed the book and video discussions, I wasn’t sure what to focus on next, so I went back to what I was doing before with the Proverbs and Parables series. I do want to continue those, but I think it’s also time to speak about other things that are happening in the world—and most importantly—the way some within Christianity are talking about them.

I have heard some Christian preaching lately that greatly concerns me. Because of this, I will spend some time becoming more familiar with current events and their history, and I will spend some time listening to Christian preaching concerning them. Even in my ignorance of the politics, I knew that the preaching was wrong, and I am thankful that the Holy Spirit can speak to me despite my ignorance.

For starters, back to the scripture mentioned in this post:

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:2-3).”

Is this a statement that we should apply to the nation of Israel today? Political alliances aside, should Christians have a spiritual alliance with Israel, regardless of what they do?

Like I said, I need to learn more about what has been happening, but I know that Christians in Gaza are being killed by violence and starvation. Does God bless this? I would say not.

The above scripture is not a blank check of approval and blessing for Israel. Obviously. There were many times described in the scriptures when God was not pleased with them, and He sent trouble their way.

The True Blessing for Israel

The real takeaway from this scripture that we should focus on is the promise that in Israel, all families would be blessed. What is that blessing? That blessing is the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It is in Jesus that all nations of the world were brought together in one under God, and in Him, we have the greatest blessings of all: forgiveness of sin and the promise of adoption and everlasting life.

Those who follow Jesus are blessed, and those who bless those who follow Jesus are blessed. Those who curse those who follow Jesus are cursed—because they follow Satan. Following Satan is the curse of all mankind. We are all cursed if we do not believe in the Son of God and serve Him.

If we follow Jesus, then we should not support mass murder of Christians, or mass murder of people in general. I believe that being war hungry and blood thirsty is one of the key attributes of the Great Whore. For the most part, I have focused on this spiritually, pertaining to ways we destroy one another in the faith with our accusations, divisions, and slanders. I knew that a literal interpretation would one day be true also, and I wonder if this has something to do with allegiance to Israel—where the false prophet will one day make his entrance, claiming to be God.

I’ve heard a few recent discussions from poorly informed Christian political commentators about the return of Jesus. They say it will be soon. It could be soon, but “that day will not come unless there is a falling away first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction.” He will “sit in the temple of God, making a show that he is God.” Are people going to think this is Jesus?

We need to be careful about our alliances. As Christians, our allegiance is with the Kingdom of Jesus Christ,—and He will bless those who bless us and curse those who curse us—if we are really serving Him and not some false version of Him.

There are many false versions of Him in Christianity already, which is a large part of why I wrote These Things Saith He. Now, I fear it might be time to start preparing for and speaking out against other false christs.

If we want to bless the nation of Israel, then we need to turn them to Jesus by preaching the gospel and remembering where our true loyalty should be. We could also bless them by reminding them of their history, and although God made that statement about blessing and cursing, this is not a blanket statement that can be used to justify evil.

God is not mocked.

Why do people always do this to God’s promises!? Christians take the promise of salvation as a blank check for sin (not all, but many), and Israel and their supporters take God’s promises as a blank check for genocide (not all, but many). Drunken with blood the whole lot of them, and whores of Satan who are just begging for him to come so they can worship him, whether they know it or not. Lord Jesus, wake people up so they can seek you and know who you really are and what you are really about, and turn away from foolish, false leaders.

No, My Articles are Not Plagiarized. 

I never copyright my material, and I never intend to. I believe that what God gives should be shared freely. I understood a long time ago that this might mean that other people get credit for the work that I do, but I never worry about it. The only person I want credit with is Jesus, and if my work can be shared to help others, then that’s good.

However, when my work starts popping up other places and my work is not attributed to me directly, then this understandably might make some wonder if I am plagiarizing or if others are plagiarizing me.

I was contacted by Crossmap.com a year or more ago, asking for permission to repost my articles. I gave written consent, and as far as I could tell, nothing came of it.

Turns out, they gave Bibleportal.com consent to republish their posts. So, some of my posts are showing up on both Crossmap.com and Bibleportal.com. I have no problem with this.

I never expect a big ministry, nor do I expect any recognition from man. I’ve had my work and the understanding God gave me used by people before, and the way I see it is that any good thing we have is His anyway, so we don’t have any real claim to it. His reward is what we want–to honor Him and to be honored by Him. It’s no big deal, but for the sake of others who are wondering, I made this post to acknowledge this.

However, I will probably start adding a sentence at the end of my articles, stating that this post originated at thelordalone.com, just to have a reference point, and if something gets changed in the exchange of my work, there is a way back to the original.