Multiple Raptures? (Part 3 of 4)

The asserted differences consist of:

1. In the Rapture, believers meet the Lord in the air (1 Thes 4:17); in the Second Coming, Christ comes to the earth with His saints (Rev 19:14).

The Greek verb for “meet” is apantēsis, used when VIPs made a formal visit, and a welcoming party went out to meet and escort him back to their city or house. This word occurs three times in the NT, the other two being:

1. Mt 25:6 But at midnight, there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.
2. Acts 28:15 And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us. And when Paul saw them, he thanked God, and took courage.

In Mt 25, the wise virgins were ready and returned to the wedding feast with the bridegroom. In Acts 28, the brethren came from neighboring towns to accompany Paul to Rome. So, my interpretation of 1 Thes 4:17 is those believers went to meet the Lord in the air, then returned with Him to earth. It was one single event, not two separate incidents.

2. The Rapture is before the Tribulation (1 Thes 5:9; Rev 3:10); the Second Coming is after (Rev 17-18).

First, what do the passages say?

• 1 Thes 5:9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
• Rev 3:10 Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
• Rev 17-18 Please refer to the Bible.

Pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and pre-wrath supporters claim that “not destined us for wrath” and “keep you from the hour of testing” imply that believers will be removed or raptured before the tribulation or wrath. That is one possible assumption. Another interpretation is that God will keep believers safe even as they go through tribulations all around them, as when the Lord made a distinction between Israel and Egypt during the ten plagues (Ex 8:22, 9:4, 26, 10:23, 12:13). The latter is God’s pattern, not the former. Throughout biblical and church history, God protected and delivered His people, not by removing them from the scene, but as they underwent trials.

• The Rapture is God delivering believers from the earth (1 Thes 4:13-17, 5:9); the Second Coming is God taking away unbelievers to judgment (Mt 13:41-42, 24:40-41, Rev 19:20-21). I will cite only those Rapture verses not already quoted above. The Second Coming passages are listed in full.

• 1 Thes 4:13-15 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this, we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
• Mt 13:41-42 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Mt 24:40-41 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.
• Rev 19:20-21 And the beast was seized and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

The Second Coming verses indicate God judging unbelievers, the Antichrist, and the false prophet, but do they prove that it is separate from the Rapture? My answer is NO. The difference in focus is easily explained by the respective context. In 1 Thes 4, Paul was comforting the Thessalonian Christians who thought the dead in Christ had missed the resurrection and were grieving over them. So, his emphasis was on explaining the sequence of the Rapture, not the details of Christ’s return. In Mt 13, 24, and Rev 19, Matthew and John were describing the end times and final judgment, so the focus was on the Lord judging the unbelievers.

What I find surprising, however, is that supporters of the separate incidents missed “the sign of the Son of Man.” As I have demonstrated, this can be none other than resurrection. In other words, the resurrection and rapture of Christians take place when Christ returns to judge the world, and the two are simply two sides of the same event!

(To be continued)

Opportunity after Death?

Q. Does the following passage mean those who died in sin before Christ also had a chance to receive salvation when Christ preached to them after He died?

• 1 Peter 3:19-21 After being made alive, He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. Only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water. And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not removing dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.

1. No. First, who are the “imprisoned spirits”? Some link this to:
2. Eph 4:8-9 Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and gave gifts to men.” (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?

They proposed that after His death but before His bodily resurrection, He descended into Hades and preached to the OT saints waiting there for His resurrection, then led these “captives” and ascended on high. However, the text clearly stated that the imprisoned spirits were those who were disobedient in the days of Noah, not OT saints, nor anyone who died in sin before Christ.

Others link them to:

• Gen 6:1-5 Now, it came about when men began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful. And they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever because he also is flesh. Nevertheless, his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
• 2 Pet 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
• Jude 1:6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,

They proposed that the imprisoned spirits were either fallen angels (“sons of God”) who did not keep their own domain and took human wives (“daughters of men”) or the spirits of wicked men who did evil continually. Either way, they cannot be generalized to mean all who died in sin before Christ.

Secondly, the Greek word for “made proclamation” is “kēryssō,” to proclaim after the manner of a herald, not “euangelizō,” to bring good news. There is no need to assume the Lord preached the gospel to them. It could be to announce judgment or condemnation.

Third, the Bible clearly teaches that there are no second chances after death to receive salvation:

• Heb 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
• Lk 16:26 And besides all this, between us there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ There is no crossing from Abraham’s bosom to Hades or vice versa.
• Rev 20:12, 15 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. … And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
• 2 Co 6:2 for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—

Each person will be judged according to their deeds after their death. All opportunities to repent and be saved are in this life. There is no second chance to cross over after death.

Jeremiah Prophecy

Q. In Jeremiah 25:15, God gave the cup filled with His wrath to Jeremiah and asked him to make all the nations drink it, and Jeremiah did just that. In v 28 God said they must drink it. Is this all figurative or did Jeremiah go to all the nations mentioned to warn them God’s punishment was coming?

I interpret your question as consisting of two parts:

• Is the cup of wrath literal or figurative; and
• Did Jeremiah warn the nations of the coming judgment?

First, the cup. The full phrase “cup of the wine of wrath” appears three times in the Bible:

• Jer 25:15-16 For thus the Lord, the God of Israel, says to me, “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. They will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.
• Rev 14:10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
• Rev 16:19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.

A similar expression “cup of anger” appears twice in Isaiah:

• Isa 51:17 Rouse yourself! Rouse yourself! Arise, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk from the Lord’s hand the cup of His anger; The chalice of reeling you have drained to the dregs.
• Isa 51:22 Thus says your Lord, the Lord, even your God Who contends for His people, “Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of reeling, The chalice of My anger; You will never drink it again.

It is not a literal cup, as God is spirit and does not have physical hands, and real cups do not bring swords (Jer 25:16). It is a symbol of God’s wrath or anger against Judah and the nations by punishing them with wars.

Second, did Jeremiah warn the nations? Yes. Did he GO to warn them? No, not in the same sense as Jonah going to Nineveh to warn them. Let me elaborate.

Jeremiah was called to be a prophet to the nations, not just Judah:

• Jer 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.
• Jer 1:10 See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.

He was obedient to God’s calling, but he did not have the freedom to travel to other nations throughout the 40 years he served as a prophet. Jeremiah prophesized during the reigns of five kings in Judah:

• Josiah – from his 13^th to 31^st year. During these 18 years, Jeremiah was free to travel but spent most of his time warning his countrymen about their idolatry and social injustice.
• Jehoahaz – 3 months;
• Jehoiakim – 11 years. Jeremiah was restricted and cannot go into the temple (Jer 36:5), so he dictated his warnings which his disciple Baruch wrote on a scroll and read to all the people. This was eventually read to Jehoiakim who cut the scroll and burned it. Jeremiah was opposed by the king, priests, and false prophets and could not travel.
• Jehoiachin – 3 months;
• Zedekiah – 11 years. Though Jeremiah could not go to the nations, God has His way for Jeremiah to declare His warnings:
  • Jer 36:2-4 thus says the Lord to me— “Make for yourself bonds and yokes and put them on your neck and send word to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the sons of Ammon, to the king of Tyre and to the king of Sidon by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. Command them to go to their masters, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters,
  • Jer 36:8 “It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence,” declares the Lord, “until I have destroyed it by his hand.

When messengers from the surrounding states came to meet Zedekiah, Jeremiah put a yoke on his neck as a visual demonstration and asked them to pass the message to their kings – whoever does not submit to Nebuchadnezzar will be destroyed.

Babylon was used by God as an instrument to punish Judah. The warning to them was delivered by Seraiah:

• Jer 51:60-62 So Jeremiah wrote in a single scroll all the calamity which would come upon Babylon, that is, all these words which have been written concerning Babylon. Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, then see that you read all these words aloud, and say, ‘You, O Lord, have promised concerning this place to cut it off, so that there will be nothing dwelling in it, whether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation.’

So my conclusion is that Jeremiah did warn the nations, just not by himself going.

Future Judgment or Present Application?

Q. Is the teaching in Luke 19:26 “to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away” referring to the future when judgment happens? Does it apply in the present world?

A. The idea in Lk 19:26 is found in several passages in the Gospels:

• Mt 13:12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
• Mt 25:29 For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
• Mk 4:25 For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
• Lk 8:18 So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.

Whether it refers to future judgment or the present depends on the context. In Lk 19, Jesus told His disciples the parable of the ten minas because they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately (Lk 19:11b). So the context tells us that it refers to a future judgment. This also applies to Mt 25:29 in the parable of the talents. The passage follows the parable of ten virgins and precedes the judgment of sheep and goats, both of which refer to a future judgment.

However, for Mt 13, Mk 4, and Lk 8, the context is why Jesus taught in parables. He was explaining the principle behind exercise, habit, or usage. Those who show interest, are open, and are sensitive to spiritual truths will be given more and get more out of the parables. Those who are not keen will lose even the superficial knowledge they think they have. This is true in physical training. Muscles that are used become stronger;  muscles that are not used grow weaker. Others call this the principle of momentum, which works both positively and negatively. In all these cases, it applies in the present. So, interpret the passage in the light of the context.

Longevity of Man?

Q. God had made human lives to be 120 years before the Flood in Gen 6:3. Why is it that men still live so long after the Flood (e.g., Gen 11:10-23, at least up to Serug)? I notice they continued to decrease in life span from generation to generation.

A. First, what does the text say?

· NASB95 Gen 6:3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

Second, what does it mean? You interpreted “his days shall be 120 years” to mean human life span, which is what some contemporary translations have done, e.g.:

· CJB Adonai said, “My Spirit will not live in human beings forever, for they too are flesh; therefore, their life span is to be 120 years.”

· CEV Then the Lord said, “I won’t let my life-giving breath remain in anyone forever. No one will live for more than 120 years.”

· ERV Then the Lord said, “People are only human. I will not let my Spirit be troubled by them forever. I will let them live only 120 years.”

Other versions include EXB, GW, GNT, ICB, ISV, MSG, NCB, NCV, NLT, and VOICE.

The problem with this interpretation is that, as you have noticed, Noah’s descendants lived much longer than 120 years for twelve generations, e.g.:

· Shem: 100+500=600 years, Gen 11:10-11;

· Arpachshad: 35+403=438 years, Gen 11:12-13;

· Shelah: 30+403=433 years, Gen 11:14-15;

· Eber: 34+430=464 years, Gen 11:16-17;

· Peleg: 30+209=239 years, Gen 11:18-19;

· Reu: 32+207=239 years, Gen 11:20-21;

· Serug: 30+200=230 years, Gen 11:22-23;

· Nahor: 29+119=148 years, Gen 11:23-25;

· Terah: 205 years, Gen 11:32;

· Abraham: 175 years, Gen 25:7;

· Isaac: 180 years, Gen 35:28;

· Jacob: 147 years, Gen 47:28.

It was not until Joseph (110 years, Gen 50:22, 26) that men’s longevity dropped below 120 years. Now, would God say something He does not mean? Of course not!

Next, let us note the context:

· Gen 6:1-2 Now it came about when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

· Gen 6:5-7 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the Earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”

The problem was the sons of God (fallen angels) taking wives from the daughters of men and engaging in prohibited sexual union. The cause was Noah’s and prior generations. The punishment was the blotting out of man. If Gen 6:3 refers to shortening man’s life span to 120 years, then the punishment would extend to generations not even born and have not contributed to the problem, which would be unjust.

Accordingly, an alternative interpretation is that the 120 years refers not to man’s life span but to the period God gave warning to Noah’s generation to repent or face the consequences. This meaning was chosen by The Living Bible:

· Then Jehovah said, “My Spirit must not forever be disgraced in man, wholly evil as he is. I will give him 120 years to mend his ways.”

This would be fair and conforms to God’s stated principle:

· Deut 24:16 Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin. Also, 2 Kings 14:6b, 2 Chron. 25:4b.

· Ezk 18:20 The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

Lastly, let us deal with an objection based on:

· Gen 5:32 Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

· Gen 7:6 Now Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of water came upon the Earth.

Some critics assumed that since Gen 6:3 is between Gen 5:32 and 7:6, there were only at most one hundred years for God’s Flood warning, not 120 years. However:

· Gen 6:8-9 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.

Could God have pre-determined to punish mankind in Noah’s 480th year, 20 years before the birth of his sons? The text did not say, but it is a possibility. This is a solution with fewer difficulties, and my position is based on all available biblical data.

Return of the Soul?

Scan from color transparency

Q. – Is there such thing as “return of the soul” after death according to the Bible? If so, where in the Bible can I read to for more insight? Do you personally believe in it?

A. No, there is no such thing. It is not biblical. I do not believe in it. Some have misinterpreted the Bible to justify their belief in this, e.g. Saul asking the witch at Endor to summon Samuel’s spirit in 1 Sam 28. I have answered this and related questions on the subject:

Where do we go when we Die?

Where Do We Go When We Die?

Contacting the Dead:

Contacting the Dead

Mediums & Spiritists

Mediums and Spiritists

The plain answer from Scripture is:

• Heb 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.
• Rom 2:6-8 [God] who will render to each person according to his deeds: ⁷ To those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; ⁸ but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath, and indignation.
• Lk 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.

After we die we face judgment where our eternal destiny will be decided. Those who trust in God and obey the truth will receive eternal life and everlasting bliss in heaven. Those who disobey and reject Christ will receive tribulation and distress in hell. There is no crossing over from either side to the other – no returning to earth to visit loved ones, nor is there a second chance to “try harder” next time. These are all wishful thinking on the part of man-made religions to give false hope to followers. Do not fall for them.

Lot

Q. Was Lot the most misunderstood individual in the Bible?

A. I have not seen any surveys on Lot, but he does not enjoy a good reputation. The Old Testament record is not flattering:

• Gen 13:10-12 Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. According to Eastern tradition, Abraham as Lot’s uncle has the right to choose first, which he graciously offered to Lot. Lot did not honor his elders by refusing and chose what seemed best to him, settling in the cities of the valley.
• Gen 14:12 They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, for he was living in Sodom. Lot moved from the cities of the valley to Sodom and was captured.
• Gen 19:8 Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as they have come under the shelter of my roof.” To protect his guests is good, but what father would offer his daughters to the men of Sodom to be raped and abused?
• Gen 19:14Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.” But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. Lot’s sons-in-law are not righteous, otherwise, they would have been spared based on Abraham’s plea in Gen 18. But for him to appear jesting to them does not speak well of his usual behavior, had he been normally a man of his words.
• Gen 19:36 Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. Lot got drunk and impregnated both his daughters, giving rise to the Moabites and Ammonites, enemies of Israel.

The picture is not a pretty one, as the Bible is very candid in describing biblical characters, warts and all. However, the New Testament assessment is surprising:

• 2 Pet 2:7-8 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men ⁸ (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds).

There were no hints in the OT, but three times Lot is described as righteous, tormented by the sensual conduct of unprincipled and lawless Sodomites. On that note, you might conclude that we had misunderstood Lot. I am not sure about “the most” misunderstood part, as there are other heroes of the faith of mixed, questionable character. That’s why we are admonished in:

• 1 Co 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts, and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

Hypocrites

Q. One of the reasons why my husband refused to believe in Christ is that there are so many hypocrites in the church. They are two-faced, acting very pious in church but no different from us when they are in the marketplace. This really puts him off Christianity. I know we’re not to judge but how should I respond?

A. This is one of the main hurdles hindering people from receiving Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior – the inconsistency between what they proclaim and what they do. First, I want to point out that not only is this a problem to many unbelievers, it is an issue with the Lord Jesus as well. Of all the people He chastised, He reserved the most severe rebuke for the hypocrites. In Matthew 23 alone, He pronounced “woes” to the scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites eight times. Read them for yourself in Mt 23:13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27 and 29. The Lord is full of compassion and merciful towards sinners, but He disliked hypocrites the most.

Secondly, why should it surprise anyone to find hypocrites in church? Many people assumed, wrongly, that everyone in church should be holy. While it is true that those who are in the universal Church, the Body of Christ, are separated unto God and made holy, this is not necessarily the case in the local church. The Lord Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mt 9:13; Mk 2:17; Lk 5:32), so it is natural to find sinners in church until they come to know God personally and repent. Even after a sinner repents, sanctification (being made holy) takes time. We don’t expect everyone who confess faith in Christ to be a “saint” (in our common usage of the term) instantly. You may see flaws in a person’s life and look down on him, but maybe compared to where he had been, he had already made great progress, so don’t be so hasty in our judgment.

Third, closely related to the above, not everyone who professes to be a Christian is necessarily a genuine follower of Christ. In the parable of the Tares and the Wheat, the Lord’s enemy (Satan) purposely sowed tares (darnel, a weed resembling wheat) among the wheat. The devil sowed the sons of the evil one to confuse people and to cause the sons of the kingdom to stumble, but their separation will be in the time of the harvest at the end of the age, not now. So, the hypocrites you see may not be Christians at all; they are tares, not wheat, but people assume they are Christians and their behavior give Christians a bad name.

Fourth, the One who examines us is the Lord:

• Rom 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 
• 1 Co 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

Judgment belongs to the Lord alone. We are in no position to judge our brother or those outside. We don’t know the things hidden in darkness, nor the motives in men’s hearts, only God knows. So, don’t try to usurp the Lord’s role as judge.

How should we respond, besides withholding judgment and praying to leave the matter in the Lord’s hands?

• Gal 6:1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

“Any trespass” would include hypocrisy. So, if you consider yourself spiritual, our responsibility is to restore the trespasser in a spirit of gentleness. Let me borrow from

• Mt 18:15 If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

The context is a brother sinning against you, but the principle is the same. Confront and warn the hypocrite in private. If he listens and repents, good for him. Even if he does not listen, good for you, because you have warned him. It’s a difficult task, but that’s the job of mature Christians, not just pastors.

Lastly, don’t be hypocritical yourself. The essence of hypocrisy is saying but not doing, so do what you say:

• Mt 23:3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.
• Mt 5:37 But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
• Jas 5:12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.

Parable of Unforgiving Servant (2 of 2)

(Continued from yesterday)

Yesterday we saw that forgiving everyone is not a condition for salvation. Today we explore what our Lord meant by Mt 18:35.

1. Immediate Context. The subject of the immediate preceding text, Mt 18:15-20, is about dealing with sin in the church. The parable of the unmerciful servant then follows, and is concerned about forgiving my brother or sister who sins against me (v 21, 35). The text is therefore targeted at Christians, not unbelievers seeking salvation.

2. Wider Context. There are several passages that talk about something similar:
• Mt 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
• Mt 6:14-15 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Also Mk 11:26)
• Lk 6:37-38 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Mt 6 and Lk 6, the Sermon on the Mount, are about Jesus teaching His disciples, in the hearing of the crowd. In particular, Mt 6:15 and Mk 11:26 talk about “your heavenly Father”. So all the parallel passages including Mt 18:35 address Christians.

3. Principle. The principle behind these verses is reciprocity – the measure you use will be measured to you. This principle is taught in other Scriptures which aren’t even related to forgiveness:

• Prov 21:13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
• Mt 7:1-2 Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
• Jas 2:13a because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.

This is an application of the Golden Rule – Mt 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. God deals with us using the same rule He gave us.

For example, Jacob took Esau’s birthright and blessings. God gave him a taste of his own medicine via Laban, who deceived Jacob by giving Leah instead of Rachel to be his wife, and cheated him by changing his wages 10 times (Gen 31:7). When Israel sinned by idolatry, God gave Israel over to the pagan nations whose gods they worshipped. However, His intention was not to utterly destroy them, but to chastise them so that they will repent. As a result of the exile, they eventually did return to one true God by the time of Christ.

So, when God had mercy on us by forgiving all our sins, and we don’t forgive our brothers and sisters from our heart, He will use our own measure on us, which is poetic justice, so that we will come to our senses and repent. His goal is to restore us, not destroy us. I think your relative knows God’s righteousness but not His compassion and grace. Mercy triumphs over judgment (Jas 2:13b), and we should all learn that. Hope this helps.

Principles of Judgment

Mini-series on Rom 1-5 continued:

Q. In the Last Judgment, how will God judge people? What criteria will He use? Wouldn’t He favor His chosen people?

A. There are 9 principles of judgment given in the first half of Rom 2:

• v2 God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.
• v3 do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
• v5 storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed
• v6 God will repay each person according to what they have done.
• v11 For God does not show favoritism.
• v13 those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
• v16 God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

1. Based on truth. In earthly courts there are wrong judgments because they are based on evidences which might be faulty, and witnesses who might lie. They also depend on the rhetoric of the lawyers, not necessarily truth. But there will be no wrong judgments before God, because God is omniscient and knows all truth.

2. No escape. Nobody is exempt – unbelievers before the Great White Throne, and believers before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Rom 14:10, 12 For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

3. Cumulative. Not only will no one escape, everything will be accounted for. The unrepentant will be storing up wrath against themselves. What now seemed like God overlooking things is only apparent. All will be reckoned with.

4. According to what was done. This one everyone recognized as fair. Everybody is responsible for what he/she has done, not what others accuse them of, or mere intentions.

5. No favoritism. In this world there is bias, discrimination, inequality, nepotism, unfairness. But not when God judges. God is impartial and favors no one. He is absolutely fair.

6. Based on obedience. Some complain that God is not fair by selecting Israel as the chosen people. They certainly had the privilege of hearing God’s law. However, it is not those who hear, but those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Knowing the law will not benefit you, but will in fact increase your penalty if you knowingly disobey.

7. No secrets. People keep secrets because they feel ashamed of who they really are, or what they have done. However, according to the parable of the sheep and the goats, the general judgment will be public, not private. There will be no place to hide.

8. Through Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself, whom many have rejected, will be the judge. Jn 5:22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.

9. According to the gospel. Although judgment is according to what was done, to show that all fell short of the glory of God, no one will be declared righteous on their own merit, because all have sinned (Rom 3:23). Only those who believe in Christ will be saved. Jn 3:38 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

When you truly understand how God will judge, the only wise response is to cast yourself at God’s feet and beg for mercy. Not to do so is utter arrogance and foolishness. Think it through and act accordingly.