No, I am not talking about the guitarist of U2 here. Neither am I
meaning what Anthony Robbins can claim to give you, if you buy and heed
his advice. Nor am I
elaborating on negotiating a way down a sharp, steep
ridge. Or promoting a brand of razor blades for that
matter. No, what I am
referring to is something paramount to a Bible believer in
attaining his edge in his walk through the minefields of this present
world. Or running
the gauntlets of Satan's snares of attraction and distraction.
There is no other way than by rightly dividing the word of truth.
It's so true
... a sharp sword
equates to good discernment! Meaning, we need to be constantly
looking at
maintaining the
spiritual edge, which is vital in all facets of our pilgrim walk.
To the contrary, a blunt sword is not
worth using at all,
because like a blunt tool it can do more damage than good, and the
reason
there is such a lack of discernment among many so-called Bible
believers. In my early years while doing an apprenticeship, I was
told by my boss about the ineffectiveness of using a blunt tool and how
a blunt tool could never be used as an excuse by a good tradesman for
poor workmanship. In other words, the onus is on the tradesman to keep and
maintain his tools at all times. For the "workman that needeth not to be ashamed" ... is the cutting edge that
counts; where truth and
error, darkness and light, sound doctrine and spiritual delusion
are clearly
defined! This can only be achieved by continuing in the written
word,
treating it as our daily ration, our one and only final authority in
all things, and rightly dividing it. Not to forget of course
... doing it!!
You've heard it before and I'm going to
quote it again ... "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any twoedged sword"! Did you get that ...
sharper than
anything the great Caesars could produce, which would equate today to
diamond edged cutters and laser technology, or any other hi-tech
precision.
Furthermore, do you know how many times the line "
edge of the sword" is mentioned in scripture? Answer ...
thirty three times
(I just counted it)!!
Is it coincidence that this is the historical life span of our Saviour
Jesus of Nazareth? Why is that I wonder? Let us be
reminded here that Jesus sliced all of history in two, into what is
acknowledged and now standardized as BC (before Christ) and AD (after
death). Not to forget to mention the division of the Bible into two books, the
Old and New Testaments. Or God's agreement between His people,
the Old and New Covenants. How
powerful is that!? Furthermore, did not Jesus say that He came to send a sword?
Following are two examples at opposite poles to each other, of how the
Lord will use the edge of the sword and how important the sword is in
scripture, as it dissects and defines truth and sound doctrine to a
tee. The first example is to do with what the
Lord requires of His children in how they execute obedience towards His
will. You should see quite clearly here how the Lord will not
settle for anything less than utter and total obedience towards His
word. The very reason the sword was to be used right to the utter
end, without sparring anything outside the Lord's will. The
following is one of many OT scriptures that metaphorically apply to NT
saints in their application of taking their sword to what is good or
bad, dear or vile, sentimental or repugnant, in bringing down all that
is a hindrance to their inheritance in Christ
Joshua 6:21. "And they utterly destroyed all that was in the
city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass,
with the
edge of the sword."
In contrast to this, God shows the consistency of His nature by using
"the edge of the sword" in another forthright manner, when the tide has
turned and God's children are found doing the opposite to what He requires and
commands. The next verse will prove this to be so, in how the
Lord
is against
His children when they choose to rebel against His word. This way
punishment is re-directed
away from His (or His children's) enemies and to His own people in this
instance, due
to their disobedience or partial obedience towards His word.
Furthermore, the enemy which was once the conquered foe under the saints feet, can now be
turned around and used as a sword of judgement against His people who have "slidden back by a perpetual backsliding":
Jeremiah 21:7. "And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver
Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as
are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the
famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the
hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life:
and he shall smite them with the
edge of the sword; he shall not spare
them, neither have pity, nor have mercy."
Notice how I used the word 'partial' before in regards to
obedience? This is because 'partial obedience' is
disobedience. The very reason we find verses like the following
... "to obey is
better than sacrifice"! "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice;
and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings"! "He hath
shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of
thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy
God". As James
chapter one clearly points out ... that we are to be a doer and
not just a hearer of the word.
Oh how religion deceives and man loves and embraces it, as it will turn
the legitimate sacrifice, or the offering for sin, into the end
product,
confusing it with its original intention of being just a means.
This is achieved by sugar coating and glossing the Old Covenant service into a beautiful
ceremony. Or by reinventing a similar version to the Old Covenant version and blinding
the priest to what the whole simple process was in
place for, in the first place. Such clever deception and
treachery! A pattern which continues post Old Testament, in the forms of
other systems of service (as I just explained) replacing grace and truth.
Moreover, because religion is the act of 'window
dressing' the simplicity of legitimate service into something
sophisticated,
showy and appealing, and not what it was actually there for in the
first
place, pride takes over as man becomes pleased and proud about his own
"righteous" efforts and what he can come
before the Lord with. Or convey to those with itching ears.
God's answer in turn ... "unto Cain
and to his offering he had not respect"!
At the end of the day
... who cares if someone is a gifted orator, mastered in the arts
of oral projection and homiletics, and well learned in
hermeneutics? Who has the ability to sway an audience one way or
another by his superb delivery of eloquent oration! Or being
acute and slick enough to turn biblical service into a smooth running
business venture, making merchandise out of 'the numbers game', and
turning "revelation" into bucks. This is nothing to
do
with having the spiritual edge because it is nothing to do with
truth. However, it is everything to do with celebrating man's
brilliance or the human intellect, or egocentrism and pride, and the
way man can cleverly mastermind away around the cross.
No wonder
Romans 11:29 says, "For the gifts and calling of God are without
repentance." Because a gift is merely that ... a
gift! That's
all! It has nothing to do with self-creation because it comes
from the Maker in the first place and can either be groomed and honed
by the
receiver for good or evil. Just because a person can paint a good
(beautiful) picture, or write a good (beautiful) poem, or produce and
sing a good (beautiful) song, does not mean this person is a good
person or beautiful in the sight God, does it? Here's something
to consider from Ezk. 33:32 in regards to having the appearance of being a
beautiful performer, which means nothing in the end if you are not
doing what God says:
"And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a
pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy
words, but they do them not."
May I also add, there is a dangerous
repercussion to pay when one gambles with the gift and makes a bigger
thing out of the gift (whether physical or spiritual) above the
Giver. Or uses what is holy as a play thing or turns it into a viable business. Furthermore, it is
only an asset to God at the end of the day when it is
surrendered
through brokenness. Anything outside of this (the cross) becomes a
spiritual liability and stumbling block, as the flesh is exalted and
opposed to the purpose of God. No wonder the Lord handed the
Charismatic Movement over to total foolishness, as it used the gift
instead of God using them through the gift. The result was
shambles, as it manifested gross behaviour and a spectacle of madness,
in the name of 'signs and wonders' and laughing and shaking
revivals. Not only did the movement end up with a blunt sword but
a
bladeless sword; with nothing to thrust at, just hot air, or those who
would try and expose their folly. A sobering, up-to-date example of what can happen when God decides to hand someone over.
Moreover, due to
pride taking over (which goes very much hand in hand with religion)
Cain turned on Abel just as the children of the bondwoman cannot handle
the simple and innocent faith of the children of the free woman, and
will turn on them too. You won't have to cut these folk off by the
way, because they are not open to reason, but because they won't waste
any time
cutting you off, when you sincerely and scripturally try to
correct them. Especially if they are either in it for the bucks
or for the limelight, or both. Or, at the other end of the scale,
if they happen to be into personality worship and look to the pulpit for revelation and not the Lord.
It is quite clear from scripture how God will turn froward towards
those that are His, because they have turned froward towards Him (2 Sam. 22:25-28; Ps. 18: 24-27), and
turned back to man's wisdom above God's. Or exchanged a love for the
truth for a lie. The very reason that punishment and judgement
are greater to those that
name the name of Christ (but in turn do counter wise) than those who do
not
claim to know Him in the first place. The very reason the Lord
will turn on those who turn on Him (or even His own - the apple of His eye).
God was
very
gracious in giving His New Covenant children the Old Testament as an
example,
where we can learn about what He does with His people when they turn
against Him. This is obvious with all the dealings with Israel of
the flesh. They killed the prophets, and when the Lord thought He
would go the extra mile for those He loved by sending His very own
Son, they killed Him too. Therefore, the Lord was very righteous,
fair and just when He took His kingdom from Israel and gave it to the
new accompany of believers made up of both Gentiles and Jews, who turned (or
returned) to Him on the grounds of what His Son accomplished at
Calvary. To the contrary, warning was given, then executed,
when it was not heeded to, as Luke 21:24:
"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."
Sound all too familiar? Yes, the sword does have a double
edged purpose in more ways than one
and the sword Bible believers (the true biblical Christians) pick up is
none other than than the written word of God. According to
Hebrews 4:12 it is quick and powerful ... meaning it is alive,
active and powerful enough to penetrate and divide. Ephesians
6:17 makes it clear that it is
the sword
of the Spirit. Meaning, the Spirit without the word does not have
an edge. The Spirit needs the word to be active, alive and
powerful, giving it that edge. Just remember ... by placing
the letter S (representing the Spirit) in front of the word 'word' (S-word)
you get Sword! Yes, the Spirit by itself is ineffective and blunt
unless it is honed by the edge of the word!
Furthermore, the
sword we bare and live by is both a two (doubled) edged one. The
reason ... firstly, it cuts asunder the division between the soul
from the spirit. Meaning, it separates false devotion (what man
sets up in his mind) from a spirit that is willing to serve God.
There is nothing so powerful enough to discern the difference between
soul and spirit as the two are so close to each other that only a
spiritual dissection through the word can define the two. That's
why religion flourishes without true discernment.
Secondly, the sword cuts asunder the division of the joints and marrow, right to the bone.
Meaning, the word of God cleanly defines everything in us that holds
everything together (joints), from what makes us click to the inmost and essential parts (marrow),
even to the thoughts and intents of the heart. Nothing else can
accurately do this, and be right on the button, all the time.
I mentioned before about using a sharp sword to have
discernment.
Many today like to call themselves a 'discernment ministry', or 'end
time prophet', or 'watchman', or something fancy with a religious ring
to it, giving it the appearance of authority or having the sharpened
edge. I say ... get
real! Be biblical! If you are being word based and cross
centred in all
your endeavours to keep the faith, then you will have discernment
anyway, and it will be Bible based and Holy Ghost inspired
discernment. Not
just a second-hand "truth" or "concept" borrowed from a fellow
religious
professional at a seminar or camp retreat. Or off some "Christian"
celebrity's DVD. Nor just a title or credential plucked out of
the
sky to bandy around and
make yourself sound important or "called", and give you licence to
lord it over other people's faith. Scripture is clear
about allowing others to praise you (Pr. 27:2), but to never promote or praise
yourself.
It is the height of conceit to make out you are someone
more "spiritually" important than someone else. The whole
emphasis in the New Testament is to be a servant first and allow God to
raise you up (if it is His will) in His timing, and not by your own
mechanisms. Nor
by someone's agency or another prominent personality who is willing to
exchange back slaps and shared pulpits, and be network buddies of
convenience. There are no one's waves to ride in this department,
just jagged edges to be cut off by the edge of God's word.
Jesus foreboded the use
of religious titles and Paul NEVER called himself
The Apostle ... just
an
apostle.
In the same context of a "prisoner" or a "servant" "of Jesus Christ or
"the Lord" (minus any capital letters). Man separates apostle, or
teacher, or prophet from the word servant, just in order to invent
or justify religious rank. "The least of the apostles" was Paul's
opinion
about himself. Or the "less than the least of all saints",
sincerely and genuinely, because of the circumstances to what God had
raised him out of. This was basically the circumstances of being
the
chiefest of sinners, where Paul (as Saul) was a Jewish
terrorist of the highest order, who burgeoned, murdered and dragged
innocent woman and
children out of their beds at night, off to interrogation and
torture, because the believed Jesus was the Christ. All in the
name of religion. The likes of what the Nazis did to the Jews
only a
generation or two ago.
Later on, this Jewish religious zealot is found
in the book of Acts being one of
the very people he once ruthlessly opposed and persecuted. What
tremendous
grace
and mercy, and such a wonderful salvation!! How could Paul
exalt and puff out his chest in such a humbled and mellowed state like
this,
where
the Lord had brought him down, and could be the only one to take him
up? At this point in time everything was against his physical
survival by the officials and own kinsmen, as well as being accepted
and embraced by those he had brutally tired to eradicate.
Even the unlearnt apostles never gave themselves titles or made a
thing of human credentials to justify their "clerical" or "ministerial"
position. There is simply no such thing as
Pastor Blogg, or
Saint
Smith, or
Bishop
Jones in the NT. Prove me wrong? However, there are elders who
have earned the respect and responsibility of others by servantry,
maturity, experience, and proving that they are trusted elders in the
midst of
those they have grown up with, and proven to be faithful to. If
men
demand your religious loyalty or come as a spiritual proxy, or deem
themselves with more authority than you through ecclesiastical rank
... refuse
them! Furthermore, if Jesus said that we were to be just brethren
(brothers) then why not just
BE
brothers and cut out the nonsense (or trying to prove something)
... eh Brother Tom, Brother Dick, and Brother Harry!?
Here is another great distraction to the faith and way to blunt
your sword: Oh, how I get correspondence all the time from folk complaining because everyone is
turning against Israel and how we should be supporting them as a
nation, as good concerned Christians.
I have no qualms supporting Israel in need but not in politics, as we
should do when any country is in need, without
politics. The reason ... we should not show
partiality to any party, because how are we going to win anyone to the
gospel by favouritism? The Arab needs Jesus just as much as the
Jew, or anyone. Both parties need to drop "an eye for an eye" and
retribution for
the new commandment! In the end ... Israel will be blessed,
just as Egypt and Syria etc. will be blessed in the next (new)
millennium. This is
why we do not preach a political or social
gospel, but
a spiritual one in order to get folk spiritually born again, not
politically reformed or socially renewed. Being born again is
nothing to do with changing your ideology, social status, being
reformed, turning over
a new leaf, making resolutions, or being spiritually enlightened (to
what). It is also not a Gentile becoming a Jew by conversion, as
it is neither a Jew becoming a Gentile by conversion. Being born
again is nothing short of an individual dying to his own life and
rights to take on God's life and rights.
There is only one true second birth and it has got
absolutely nothing to do with Satan's counterfeit ... the New Age
movement. There is no way
anyone can be reborn outside the Spirit of God. It can only be
done with a personal encounter with the biblical and historical Lord Jesus
Christ. This
is word based and what the Holy Ghost will confirm, make real, and seal
you with. As Christians, we have been entrusted with the ministry
of reconciliation (the good news) because the cross has destroyed the
partition of ethnic, political and religious segregation and enmity between each other.
Take note please: Through the cross there "is neither Jew nor
Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor
female: for ye are
all one in Christ Jesus."
Trying to prop up a regime or approve of the way a
nation is choosing to go is not scriptural (whatever course history
takes, because it has been set in motion anyway). This is the
end result for anyone who claims God, but deliberately and hypocritically
goes against Him and what He stands for and commands:
Num. 14:43: "For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there
before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away
from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you."
It's that basic! Israel is in
its
position because it has turned its back on God when God (after sending
His prophets) sent His Son, who in turn was rejected also. Reject
Christ, and you reject His Dad. It is that simple! Accept
God's Son and then God accepts you into His family. There is no
other way to find favour or be reconciled back to your Maker. Why
complicate this and change the gospel into something that will
convenience man and re invent God? If we are
depriving someone of the gospel for the sake of social or political
acceptance, then we are denying them the pearl of great price, and
denying them their Redeemer.
If Christendom, or the West,
or Israel are in deep quandary and find it utterly
impossible to fight and win against this new entrenched enemy, namely
Militant Islam, then maybe they need to take a good look at themselves
and seriously and honestly ask why. However, they won't (as a
whole that is) because "broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat". Man would rather choose
the
wide road above the narrow way. He won't turn also on the
grounds
of
pride (which is the crux of the whole matter). Simply because
they think they have the solution somewhere at hand, whether it be
through political stealth or military might. If these things are
exhausted then they can always capitulate and fall back on a "saving
face" exercise called diplomacy. There are no other avenues to
take outside the cross, which is God's one and only remedy of
course. As I said before, what has (or is happening) to Israel is
in the hands of God and there for the church's benefit and example of
what NOT TO DO ... "and
not after the doings of Israel (2 Chr.
17:4)." It works like this, as 1 Cor. 10:11-12:
"Now all these things happened unto them
for ensamples: and they are
written
for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are
come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed
lest he fall."
If God raises up a sword against those that are doing wickedly
using His name in the process, as we see the way God is using the evil of Militant
Islam today as a sword of judgement and chastisement, then it does not matter how much more might and
sophistication the West, or America, or Israel, or any coalition, or an alliance can muster. You can't
win, because you are fighting against God Himself, and there is no
solution to be found outside repentance. Therefore, the door is
closed shut in this situation.
Getting back to diplomacy ... the Lord has closed the door
here also. Diplomacy is man's way of making amends, burying the
hatchet, socking deals, and trying to get on together by not really
dealing with the nitty gritty ... sin! As I explained
before ... there is only war or diplomacy left outside the cross,
if man wants to try and solve anything. Which will only be a
temporary band-aid anyway. Man can never be reconciled to each
other in the true sense unless he is first reconciled to God, which of
course means on God's terms (dependant on what we do with His Son Jesus). Trouble is ... there is a rock
of stumbling in the way. The NT calls it the cross! Without
it, the Christian cannot have an edge and the gospel he portrays and
tries to communicate is blunt and pointless. Paul had the edge and makes it clear to his brothers in Christ:
"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."