“Blessed are the Undefiled” #1753

1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart! 3 They also do no iniquity; They walk in His ways. (Psalm 119:1–3, NKJV)

Divine spiritual blessings are given the “undefiled.” (The word means to be “entire, complete, sound,” Strong’s, BDB.) They are undefiled (sound) in the way – they “walk in the law of the Lord” (v. 1). Does our obedience matter to God? Most certainty! (Disobedience is sin, and defiles our souls, 1 Jno. 3:4; Jas. 4:8.) We are not saved by Christ without obedience (Heb. 5:9; Mk. 16:16). The “undefiled” are not such because they have never sinned, but because their life is directed by the law of the Lord (Rom. 3:23). His testimonies are kept with a whole heart that seeks God and keeps His declarations (Matt. 6:24, 33). Does whether we understanding God’s word matter to God? Most certainly! (We must understand the word of God to obey it, Acts 8:30-38). That the undefiled “do no iniquity” reminds us of 1 John 3:6, “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him” (cf. vss. 4-10). Both passages describe practicing righteousness and practicing sin. Does it matter to God whether or not we sin? Most certainly! Righteousness, not sin, must rule the Christian’s life (Rom. 6:14-18). We do not say we “have no sin,” we repent and confess it when we do (1 Jno. 1:8-9). Thus, we refuse to walk in sin. Instead, we will walk in His ways, practicing His truth (1 Jno. 1:6-7).

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“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” #1744

34  Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35  And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36  Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:34–36, NKJV)

The Fourth of July. Across the land, parades, picnics and fireworks celebrate America’s Independence Day. How many will pause and ponder this paradox: While living in a free country, most are not free at all. By committing sin, millions and millions of Americans (and billions around the globe) are enslaved to sin (Jno. 8:34). Liberty from a tyrannical king’s domination is cherished and celebrated in America. Yet, sin’s tyranny over the soul is more brutal and more enduring than any oppression by an earthly dictator. Are you genuinely free today? The Son of God can free you from the bondage of your sin. How? Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jno. 8:31-32). The apostle added, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17-18). Believe, obey, and abide in the word of Christ to be truly free (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-42). Freedom from sin is a victory we celebrate every day (Rom. 6:14, 17, 22-23; 1 Cor. 15:57). (Revision of Sword Tips #802)

The Great Physician #1736

31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luke 5:31–32, NKJV)

Jesus did not have to look far to find people sick in sin, since every person He met was a sinner (Rom. 3:23). Jesus not only diagnoses sin and its corrupting nature, but as the Great Physician, He is also the remedy of this deadly malady. His death is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Jno. 4:10). God, who is great in love, moved with mercy and sent His Son as the Savior of the world to seek and save the lost (1 Jno. 4:14; Matt. 18:11). The Great Physician calls sinners to be healed of sin. Similar to our physical doctors, Jesus has a prescription for sinners to follow to be healed of sin, namely, repentance (Lk. 5:32). We cannot “just believe” and be healed of our sins (Jno. 12:42-43). We must change our hearts – repent – and follow the will of God (Matt. 7:21-23). Christians must do more than diagnose the sin around us, we must also help sinners learn about the healing remedy for their lives – Jesus Christ. The gospel of Christ, when believed and followed, heals the soul and equips us to live now and eternally (Rom. 1:16-17). We must do more than show sinners their sin. Like the Great Physician, we must also show sinners how to call on Jesus and be healed (Acts 2:21, 37-41).

Severe Repentance Escapes the Suffering of Hell #1729

28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:28–29, NKJV)

Jesus said the place sin begins is the heart. The heart is the mind, the seat of our intellect, will, emotions, conscience, and volition. “Lust” means to “set the heart upon,” to “long for” (Strong’s Concise Dictionary of Greek NT Words, I:31). In the heart, lusts (and plans to fulfill them) are contemplated, formulated, and postulated before they are practiced (Jas. 1:14-15). The mind is also the place where lusts can be regulated, resisted and refused (Jas. 1:16; 1 Cor. 10:13). Jesus used exaggerated language in vss. 29-30 to describe the extent of the repentance required to remove the source of sin and escape the suffering of hell. Repentance changes the heart so that the lust to sin no longer has a place to reside within us. To repent of our sins we will have to surrender things very dear to us in order not to perish in sin. (The removal of an eye or a hand illustrates the severe nature of repentance.) We will not see the profit of severing our connection to the sin in our hearts as long as our lusts are more precious to us than eternal life. Giving up sin is a small price to pay to escape the everlasting punishment of hell.

The Sin of Lust Leads to the Sin of Adultery #1728

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27–28, NKJV)

Sin, including the sin of adultery, begins in the heart. The actual sin of adultery puts lust into action. That is, adultery is the physical action of a lustful heart (Heb. 13:4). The sin of lust occurs in the heart, and it leads to the sin of adultery, which is committed with the body and against the purpose of the body (1 Cor. 6:18). Lust and adultery are two distinct sins, with one leading to the other. (This is similar to hate in the heart and murder – two sins, with one leading to the other, 1 Jno. 3:14-15.) Some say today’s passage justifies putting away a spouse who has committed a lustful action (such as viewing pornography). Viewing pornography is certainly a sin of fleshly lust, but it is not the sin of adultery (Gal. 5:19; Col. 3:5-7). (One can lust without committing adultery, but one cannot commit adultery without lust being in the heart.) We cannot redefine adultery to include pornography, and then legitimize putting away a spouse for the cause of pornography. Viewing porn and committing adultery are distinct sins. Viewing porn is lewdness, uncleanness, evil desire, and sinful passion. But, it is not the sin of adultery. Let us help people repent and repair the damage done to their marriages by pornography. But, let us not sanction divorce and remarriage for the cause of lust (pornography), and call it “for the cause of fornication” (Matt. 19:9).

“Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace” #1713

13 Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; And from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. 14 They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. (Jeremiah 6:13–14, NKJV)

Jerusalem and Judah were headed for destruction in the days of Jeremiah. Covetous hearts – greedy for power and wealth – guided both prophet and priest to speak falsely to a population that loved to have it so. These religious charlatans “healed” the spiritual ailments of the people with superficial dressings. They proclaimed “peace, peace,” even though hostility toward God and men ruled the day. Even now, religious leaders, with many followers, preach messages that fail to heal men’s soul – even as those souls rush headlong toward eternal ruin. Messages of peace that tolerate immorality are proclaimed. “Peace” is advanced at the expense of divine truth. (Indeed, evil is called good, and good is called evil, Isaiah 5:20.) Jeremiah’s warning remains relevant, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it’” (Jer. 6:16). No peace can exist where sin reigns. Changing its definitions and ignoring its reality reveals hearts that are greedy for selfish gains, not selfless hearts devoted to the Almighty.

“All that is in the world” #1675

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17, NKJV)

The universe is an arranged system of celestial bodies we call the cosmos. Here, John speaks of another world or “kosmos” – the system of evil that is in opposition to God and His will. This arrangement of evil – the world – consists of the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (v. 16). The god of this world, the devil, uses these three avenues to deceive and entice souls to their eternal demise. At least one of these three elements is at the heart of every sin and false doctrine that exists. Cleverly disguised as pleasure, success, fulfillment, joy, and self-satisfaction, and many other things, Satan uses them to lure people away from God. The world offers a counterfeit love. We must love God genuinely. That means we must not love the world. It is fading away, but life everlasting is for those who do the will of God.