A False Balance and a Wrong Focus

Do we even consider our actions? Do we examine our zeal for God? Do we have a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. We know that a false balance is an abomination. Preachers hit sodomy and the homosexual movement with both barrels, but we never consider other abominable sins.

We know we were sinners. Do we now hide the fact that we are still men of flesh. There is none righteous. It’s only his righteousness. All of it. You don’t get credit for any of it. It’s Christ in you the hope of Glory. We pick on one or two sins that God calls abominable, and ignore the rest?

Preachers often make these few group of sinners separate from other sinners so they can have someone to always preach on. We lack understanding when we do such things. Christ died for sinners and the ungodly. Just because you are saved, sanctified and street preaching does not make you any less of a sinner as the person you are preaching at. Preachers are not excluded from sin because they are so bold as to preach against it with such imbalance.

There are a multitude of sins in the bible which God considers abominable. But we only preach on a few of our soapbox abominations. Paul said there were men, that their works were disobedient and abominable and unto every good work reprobate. It was the works that were abominable and disobedient. It was the works that were reprobate in Titus 1:6

Consider these scriptures before we proceed.

A false balance is an abomination to the Lord.

When pride cometh them cometh shame.

The desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of the wicked is wrath,

An hypocrite with his own mouth destroyeth his neighbor, but through KNOWLEDGE, the just shall be delivered.

He that is VOID of wisdom, despiseth his neighbor, but a man of UNDERSTANDING holdeth HIS PEACE.

Where no council is the people fall,

They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord.

The merciful man doeth good to his own soul, but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.”

Do you know what is significant about these verses? These are all from Proverbs 11 which contains “he that winneth souls is wise”. It takes wisdom to attempt to partake in the delivering of the soul. Wisdom will lead to the proper applications of boldness and not the other way around.

Boldness or zeal. They profiteth little when not mixed with wisdom or charity. Men often run to Acts, to show that the New Testament is all about preaching Christ boldly, in the open air but they ignore the thrust of what those men were preaching and how they were preaching.

2 Corinthians 12:21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

Paul the apostle was humbled to treat them in this way. There was humility with his hardness. If you are not being humble when you are bewailing, or lamenting the lost, you are doing it in your own power. Men who are comfortable being rude, scornful, barbarous are doing it in the arm of their own flesh.

What gives us such authority to where preachers incessantly run to Acts 4 and 5, where we see Peter's; We ought to obey God rather than man for cruel, disrespectful behavior? Who was being addressed? Who was being grieved, and cut to the heart in Acts 4 and Acts 5? The high priest, and the Sadducees. Those who had a form of God. The religious. That is when the boldness was showing up. In matters of the law and Christ these men were bold, critiquing thousands of years of the law and tradition, which was at that time, a dissolving system of religion. The emphasis was transitioning to Jesus Christ, the power was being transferred to Christ followers, the apostles, and disciples of the Lord.

The Sadducees were losing their hierarchy, and the accepted traditions that were being taught for doctrines of man, were now being threatened. The BOLDNESS was against the religious zealots. The boldness of Peter and John was evident in the sense that they were unlearned in the law, and ignorant men, and fisherman talking to Scribes and Priest of the Synagogues and Temples. They were preaching truth with power and conviction. Neither is their salvation in any other! This was not just a BOLD statement to the high priest or Sadducee of the day. This was heresy to the Pharisee and Sadducees of Christ day.

They did not want it to spread further. Acts 4:17 -18, But that it spread no further among the people. It is the same trick with any religious hierarchy today concerning many other traditions we do. When mens positions and salaries are threatened among the people, they want it to spread no further.

Don’t speak or teach anymore in his name. The message from Peter in Acts 5, “we ought to obey God rather than man”, is not a passage intended by the holy Spirit to be used to disrespectfully and unashamedly stand and proclaim truth. Peter spoke these things prior to Paul, and prior to Acts 15 and Romans. Paul says it a little differently. Peter and Paul are near polar opposites in many ways. This is important to understand when approaching the fact that they held different ministries or Apostleships.

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

This doesn’t sound like Peters sentiment. Peter’s true statement about not fearing man but obeying God is a core principle seen throughout the entire word of God. It is not an excuse to be uncivil, or disrespectful in our boldness. Our actions on the streets that bring down the police departments or civil servants to argue with Christians should be examined in this light. Our actions in the pulpits send people away in disbelief at some shocking statements made just because we have knowledge and supposed authority to make it. This is not the light we are supposed to be. Peter, the one who said the very thing that many men misinterpret, went on many years after to say this;

I Peter 2:11-25

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul. This is the only place in scriptures this phrase shows up. We are strangers and pilgrims. Our fleshly lust can war against the soul. We always look at “lust” as sexual. Fleshly lust, that wars against the soul can be a myriad of things. We should be careful not to lust for anything in the flesh. Not just the opposite sex or lustful thoughts of a physical nature. Recognition. Possessions. Persecution. Preeminence. Vain Glory, Pride. Envy. Covetousness. Measuring. Comparing. Filthy lucre. Chief seats. Men can lust for these things.

Then they will use deception to obtain positions and lies to keep them. They will lie to others to justify there conduct, and soon they will begin to believe their own lies. Then their way becomes the standard practice that is followed and adopted among those around them. This is the path of deception. And what better place to find it then among the religious and the Christian. The deceived Christian can do a much more eternal damage in reproaching Christ then a lost man.

Peter continues;

12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

Which they shall behold. This is our over all appearance and conversation of life. This almost seems contrary to Peter in Acts 5. In 2 Peter, he says to suffer for well doing and to take it patiently even! We ought to obey God rather than man has been twisted by some, along with our nations documents to give Fundamental Christians basis to rebel, and spew whatever dogma they see to be sound doctrine. Our society of laws in our nation is for a lawful people. Pagan or Christian.

Where in any of these biblical passages do we see cause to argue with civil servant officers who have more detrimental crimes to stop then fighting over rights with a street preacher. That same right we misuse for or freedom of speech, we forget these men are ONLY enforcing laws. It’s not as if they can have a personal preference on the matter. They didn’t make them. Agree or not, police have a duty to uphold and enforce the law. I have witnessed men argue, ridicule, provoke to arrest, and create such a scene that several cars and policeman had to come only to back up there fellow officer, which is also their duty. Now they are busy in our matters of carrying on our great commission, wasting time on us.

We are so selfish. We are so deceived. We say we care for the lost, but our actions show that we would rather cause confrontation, and give many unbelievers another opportunity to reproach Christians and Christ. We must have decision, and if they decide to cuss and reject, more glory for us and blood off our hands.

Jesus, Peter and Paul stood before authorities, the same as OT characters did. They all acted differently according to their special appointments of God. When men act in such manners as portrayed above, they truly believe they have a special call that no one else has. They believe they have license to be lawless.

Peter continues;

16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

You know why most confrontational, fire breathing preachers don’t like these scriptures? Because these verses go directly against the spirit of the prophets. This is not the manner of the prophets we see here. The prophets were standing against wicked Kings and Queens of their day, preaching what God told them to preach. They had no charity or understanding about them. The prophets and the fruits of the spirit? Are you kidding me? They often didn’t even understand their own messages themselves. Men will just explain this away as a contextual passage about servitude, but they can’t do much with Peter in the next few verses.

You cannot carry on with your rhetoric without dismissing and rejecting these scriptures. Not only the good and gentle, but also the froward! For this is thankworthy! Are you a servant or a master? Peter finishes:

20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.