Christ Jesus was the first to preach the gospel; as it is written, “After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.” (Hebrews 2:3-4) So Christ first preached the good news apart from His death on the cross, for He preached the gospel while He still yet lived; saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15) Then He made atonement for sins on the cross, inaugurating the new covenant in His own blood.
Yes, He prophesied about His death many times, but no-one understood Him, and it was a cause of sorrow unto His disciples. So what then is the gospel? What is the good news which Christ first came to preach? Yea, it is the gospel of faith. He healed many because of their faith in Him; saying at one time, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 7:50) And again another time, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." (Luke 8:48) And again, "Stand up and go; your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:19) And, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." (Luke 18:42) So a person’s faith made them well by the grace of God, and they received salvation, the forgiveness of their sins.
And when Christ was displeased, was it not because of the people’s unbelief? As He says, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" (Matthew 8:26) And, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31) And again, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you?” (Matthew 17:17) For the root of every disobedience and sin is unbelief; as Christ says, “Concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;” (John 16:9) And the apostle says, “Whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)
Furthermore, testifying that the Father sees every secret thing, Christ preaching faith, says:
“When you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (...) But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (...) But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:3-18)
For believing the Father sees every secret thing, we put away deceit, insincerity, and impure thoughts, because, although these are hidden from the eyes of man, they are seen by God. But the wicked says, “God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it." (Psalms 10:11)
And furthermore, testifying that the Father has created every living thing, Christ says,
"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? (…) And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.” (Matthew 6:26-29)
"Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)
For “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3) And God’s creation is a teacher unto us who have eyes to see and ears to hear; as it is written, “Now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you.” (Job 12:7-9)
Also, according to faith, Jesus taught, "Give, and it will be given to you.” (Luke 6:38) For who do you know, who believes God has given all things, even eternal life to come, yet is stingy with earthly goods which perish? And Jesus taught, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.” (Luke 6:37) For who do you know, believing God has not judged our sins nor condemned us, but rather justified us by faith in His Son, forgiving us of all our trespasses — which are many — yet does not forgive petty faults and condemns his neighbor, not pitying him? As He also says, ”If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” (Matthew 6:15) For such a man has departed from the faith, forgetting that he has been washed from his former sins. (See also 1 John 3:17 and 1 John 4:20 about love in truth)
And finally, Christ preaching faith says, "Everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) For who do you know, believing God justifies men through the testimony of Jesus Christ, will not speak of Him before others? As the Psalmist said, “I believed, therefore I have spoke.” (Psalm 116:10) As the apostle Paul defines the gospel: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."” (Romans 1:16-17)
And if it is by faith, then it is according to grace; as it says, “This reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace.” (Romans 4:16) And, “If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.” (Romans 11:6) And because of His grace, we are gracious — for He makes us righteous through His righteous act. As it says, “We love, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) And love fulfills the entirety of the law. So God makes us just and right and perfect through His Son, through what He did for us, and through our faith in His perfect work. “Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;” (1 John 3:7) Yet I have shown in this brief study how a man is truly righteous through faith in Jesus Christ, for He imparts righteousness to us through faith. And I have shown that the gospel is the revelation of faith which Christ first preached; and how faith, apart from works, is accounted as grace; but sincere faith produces works from a good conscience and a pure heart.
I will show through the Scriptures and through experience how wickedness is deceptive; for it makes itself appear good, but is bad; it is sweet at the start, but bitter in the end.
Example 1: “Though evil is sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue, Though he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth, Yet his food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him.” (Job 20:12-14)
As it says, “Evil is sweet in his mouth And he desires it and will not let it go, But holds it in his mouth.” Even though, “His food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him.” But if he had the end in mind, he wouldn’t desire it in his mouth; for then he would know the sweet taste is fleeting, although it is a good taste, a good feeling — fleeting. But because it “is sweet in his mouth” he holds onto it “And he hides it under his tongue.” Likewise, does not wine go down so smoothly and sparkle in the cup? Yet “At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things. And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast. They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink." (Proverbs 23:32-35) Wine’s beginning is quite pleasant, and its sight is like a star in the sky which sparkles. Can something that goes down so smoothly and tastes so good be so evil?
Example 2: “For the lips of an adulteress drip honey And smoother than oil is her speech; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps take hold of Sheol.” (Proverbs 5:3-5)
For the adulteress speaks pleasant words and looks nice; she is “Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. She is boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home; She is now in the streets, now in the squares, And lurks by every corner.” Yes she looks nice; and she takes hold of a passerby, “So she seizes him and kisses him And with a brazen face she says to him: "I was due to offer peace offerings; Today I have paid my vows. Therefore I have come out to meet you, To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you. I have spread my couch with coverings, With colored linens of Egypt. I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with caresses. For my husband is not at home, He has gone on a long journey; He has taken a bag of money with him, At the full moon he will come home." (Proverbs 7:10-20) For colored linens of Egypt are pleasant to the eyes, and myrrh, aloes and cinnamon smell quite well. Like a flower her bed lies, She looks like a lily of the valley; Yet she is a fierce lioness, She drinks the blood of the slain like a lion. And she says, “I was due to offer peace offerings; Today I have paid my vows,” so she lures with religion and makes it “feel” even more right. Is not religion well? But he who commits adultery slays himself. The “One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.” (Ecclesiastes 7:26)
Example 3: "Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant." (Proverbs 9:17)
Although it’s “sweet” and “pleasant”, nevertheless it is “stolen” and “secret”. It may feel good in the mouth and taste good to the taste buds, but is it good? It may be secret to man, but “There is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.” (Job 34:22) A man in the dark cannot see; he needs to use his hands to “feel” his way around. So everyone who is darkened by folly must trust in their feelings, for they do not have the light within them. The woman Folly, she may sound good and she may appear good through her religion, but is she virtuous? And although evil tastes sweet in the mouth, it is not sweet. If it is sweet, it is sweet only for a moment; for “the fleeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25) are deceptive. Sin is pleasurable for a moment in time, but its happiness is not forever — it feels good for a little while, but “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) The same way it comes, the same way it goes: its pleasure comes instantly and flees just as quick! And leaves you chasing it for another bite.
Thus, how sin starts isn’t consistent with how it ends — the only consistency is that it comes quickly and vanishes quickly! Its inception is sweet and pleasurable, but its end is bitter poison. As it says, “The lips of an adulteress drip honey,” and “Smoother than oil is her speech;” then it says, “In the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.” Then in the other case, “Yet his food is changed To the venom of cobras within him.” And again it says, “At last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper.” So evil is deceptive in that way: it appears one way, but is truly something else; it feels good at the start, but bitter in the end. So how it makes us feel is very much enjoyable for a moment; but the beginning isn’t the same as the end — how it appears isn’t how it actually is. A fish isn’t lured by bait on a hook unless it’s desired; a bird isn’t caught in a cage without food. So if we’re led by our own sight and our own feelings, we are endanger of being ensnared into a trap.
For this reason we shouldn’t do what is right in our own sight: for our own sight leads us astray. As Israel was led astray; they did what was good in their own sight during the time of the judges. As it says, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25) And they resembled Sodom; and they looked like Gomorrah (Judges 19-20). But when Job maintained his own righteousness before God, he spoke and said, "If my step has turned from the way, Or my heart followed my eyes,” (Job 31:7) or, "If my heart has been enticed by a woman,” (Job 31:9) or, “If (…) my heart became secretly enticed;” (Job 31:27) he said these things because he did not trust what his eyes seen nor what he felt, but what was right in God’s sight. He walked by faith, not by his own sight; he lived by the Spirit, not the flesh; his joy was in the Word, not his own thoughts. If we live in the flesh, we will live by what we feel in the flesh; but if we live by the Spirit, we’ll live by every word that comes from the mouth of God — the Truth.
Jeremiah seeing this said, “I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23) For salvation does not come from within a man, that is to say, within the flesh, but through the death of the flesh; which the apostle writes saying, “If you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13) For true circumcision is “in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.” (Colossians 2:11) So Christ puts off our flesh, so we may live by the Spirit. And since the flesh is removed as our covering, we “worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” (Philippians 3:3) For if we live by the flesh, we will walk according to the sensual desires of the flesh, but if we live by the Spirit, we have no obligation to the flesh, to satisfy its lust.
Furthermore, the way of salvation does not start in a wide open place, but its start is a narrow gate; as Christ says, "Enter through the narrow gate.” (Matthew 7:13) Without question there is pressure and affliction when passing through a narrow place; yet how it begins isn’t how it ends — it begins narrow but leads to a wide open place. For the bitter comes before the sweet. As Christ says, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9) Now the one who comes in by Christ, although He is the narrow Gate, will “find pasture” which is the wide place, the place of freedom.
And contrarily, "The gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” (Matthew 7:13) For the ones who take the broad way take the freedom and the comfort and the ease now; but “While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3) For what feels good now is bad later, and what feels bad now is good later. As it says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 16:25) So his way is pleasing to himself, but the end is death. Only through Jesus Christ is there escape, for He is the Narrow Way; as He said, ”I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)
And for these reasons we don’t follow our own heart, for "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Will it not even flatter ourselves in our own eyes? For don’t we bias ourselves? As it says, “For it flatters him in his own eyes Concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it.” (Psalms 36:2) Does not the heart make mighty boasts, even in something as unknown as the future? This is why it says, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.” (James 4:14-15) And regarding the thoughts of the heart, it says, “If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;” (1 Corinthians 8:2) for what do we truly know? But wisdom says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) And, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26)
Did not Eve sin because she “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise” (Genesis 3:6)? If she lived by the Spirit, she would not have sinned; instead she lived by what she saw and what was a delight to the flesh; for the fruit was desirable and a delight to the eyes and good for food; yet, “sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) And this is the bitter end we live with today — is not death a bitter end? What about David who sinned with Bathsheba? He saw the woman bathing and “the woman was very beautiful in appearance.” (2 Samuel 11:2) Yet he brought a great sin upon himself and gave reason for the enemies of God to reproach. And since his conscience smote him, he tried to cover his fault and killed Uriah; but as a man of God, he later confessed his sins to God and received forgiveness (Psalm 51).
Is this not what Jesus meant when He said, "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” (Luke 6:21) For the one who seeks fleeting pleasure now will have everlasting disgrace then. As He says again, "Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.” (Luke 6:25) As the prophet says, “Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants?” (2 Kings 5:26) So the one who mourns now, and is grieved for his sins, will have joy at the Lord’s coming; but the one who stifles conviction, which momentarily cuts the heart, will not be happy at the end of the age; for already they “have their reward in full.” (Matthew 6:5)
Speaking further about the sorrow of sin and contrition of the heart, Solomon says, “Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.” (Ecclesiastes 7:3-4) And regarding painful rebukes and discipline, it says, “It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:5) For “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Hebrews 12:11) For “The end of a matter is better than its beginning.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8) As the law also says, "In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end.” (Deuteronomy 8:16) For hunger does not feel good in the moment, but to be proved in the end is a lasting reward; as the LORD says further, “‘I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Among the examples of such men who followed the Spirit were the apostles; for although they were in prison and their feet were in stocks, they “were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;” (Acts 16:25) For although in the flesh their bodies were imprisoned, they had freedom in the Spirit. And they received the blessing which Christ spoke about: “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.” (Luke 6:22) For although they were opposed, hated, and insulted, their refuge was in God; for although they walked in the flesh, they lived in the Spirit. So thus, the flesh is momentary pleasure, but the Spirit is everlasting life; the flesh can be had now, but eternal life is at the end of the age; the end is better than the beginning, for the end is replaced by nothing. The latter is greater than the former; for the new covenant comes with far more glory than the old.
For this reason it is good to discipline your child; for “Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.” (Proverbs 23:13-14) Although he is struck with a rod, which feels quite bad, but in the end, he will be saved from Sheol. The unwise do not understand this, that is why it says, “Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.” (Proverbs 27:22) Nevertheless, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.” (Proverbs 22:15)
Now for the final example: “Desire realized is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.” (Proverbs 13:19)
If it is abominable for a fool to turn away from evil, then he loves what is evil and hates what is good; as it says of the fool, “You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right.” (Psalms 52:3-4) For our feelings and desires have been corrupted within us. What then should we do? How can our desires be made right within us? “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” (John 3:19-20) But its in overcoming ones fears and coming to the Light that a man finds favor with God. If a man never comes to the Light, he will never have salvation from his sins and be made right with God. But this is what Christ came to do: to be Light in the world, that everyone who comes to Him may be saved.
And this salvation is salvaging: making the corrupt good, the LORD God straitening what is crooked, so that our emotions can be helpers unto us. For this reason Jesus, “The author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) For Christ endured such hardship for a moment, so that we may share in His glory and sonship in the end; as it says, “The LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:10-11) As it says, “He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days,” for Jesus was raised from the grave and made many sons of God. He lived by the Spirit and disregarded His own flesh, even to death, and received a crown of eternal glory. He put on momentary affliction and received a glory everlasting.
Speaking further about the work of Christ: Jonathan, the son of Saul, was cursed by his father because he ate a little bit of honey with the edge of his staff; although his eating was sweet and brightened his eyes, it was sin because his father made an oath: “Cursed be the man who eats food today.” (1 Samuel 14:28) So his eating was sweet, yet it resulted in being bitterly cursed. Then when lots were cast to determine who sinned, the people were spared, although they ate meat with blood which is forbidden by the law. And again, when the lot was cast between Saul and his son Jonathan, Jonathan was taken, even though Saul sinned previously on multiple occasions. So Jonathan was determined to have sinned for only tasting a little bit of honey. So the people had sinned, but innocent Jonathan was determined sin by God — for the lot is determined by God. So because of his father’s oath, he was determined to be sin.
Now, speaking of this allegorically: we are the people who have sinned; yet God determined Jesus sin instead of us, although He never sinned. He was innocent, for He is the good Word, and from Him men “taste and see that the LORD is good.” (Psalms 34:8) But the curse was laid upon Him because of His Father’s oath: as it is written, “He who is hanged is accursed of God.” (Deuteronomy 21:23) But by the grace of God, He tasted the bitterness of death for us; and through Him, we are delivered. As it is written, “One lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat.” (Leviticus 16:8) And to this purpose: that we would live for the LORD as His beloved sons, through the Spirit of His Son, for Christ did not remain in the grave (just as Jonathan did not die, but was spared by the people’s oath), but He was raised to life by the power of the Holy Spirit.
So Christ’s death has become sweetness unto us — as it was also told allegorically through the judge, Samson. For Samson tore a lion with his bare hands and he came back and behold! Bees had made honey in the carcass of the lion. And Samson ate and gave some to his parents. Then he told of this in a riddle: "Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet." (Judges 14:14) So, taking this allegorically, through the bitterness of Christ’s death came the sweetness of life. And the Eater of sacrifices is God, for men offer sacrifices to God as food on the altar. But through God came a sacrifice for us to eat: Christ Jesus. As it says, “Out of the Eater came something to Eat”. And Jesus is the Rock prophesied about — and who is stronger than the Rock? And He was struck and out came sweet water for us to drink: as it says, “Out of the strong came something sweet.” From the sweet came the bitter, and from the bitter came the sweet. For we were once deceived by sin whose wages is death, but Christ died for us to rescue us from sin and death, to bring sweet tidings of the Good News of grace and peace, to make atonement for our sins through His own blood, and to justify us before God by His resurrection from the dead.
So then, since we have been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, we ought to yield our members as servants of righteousness to God. And yield our bowels, which formerly craved evil, ought now to move with compassion for our brethren, withholding not bread from them who are in need. And our hearts, having been filled with the love of God, ought now to move us to do good works which are profitable to all men. And our consciences, which were formerly dead and devoid of conviction, now ought to affirm to the truth and testify to the truth with a spirit of gentleness. For our hearts have been made flesh by the circumcision made without human hands: the circumcision of Jesus Christ. Through the knowledge of the truth, He has sanctified us unto Himself as a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. And having seen Him with the eye of our understanding, we have trusted in Him and yielded ourselves to Him for the saving of our souls; for He who is trustworthy said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die." (John 11:25-26)
So therefore, looking forward to the coming of the day of the Lord, we patiently endure hardship and persecution and affliction; for in that day, God will wipe every tear from our eyes. Speaking of that day, it says, “The virgin will rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together, For I will turn their mourning into joy And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow. I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people will be satisfied with My goodness, declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 31:13-14) So Christ’s coming will change our momentary affliction into everlasting joy. As Christ likewise spoke before His crucifixion: "Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy.” (John 16:20) And as an example, dear brethren, in the days of Mordecai, remember the affliction the Jews underwent; yet God changed for them the day of mourning into rejoicing and joy, a day of slaughter into a day of retribution; as it says, “Those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.” (Esther 9:22) As the apostle Paul also writes about this: “After all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8)
The same God who created the clean and the unclean animal, separated them, as He did in the beginning. As it says, “God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:4) In calling the light “good," it is implied the darkness is bad. Now, just as the priest declares a leper clean or unclean, God declares what is clean and unclean. It is evident, He is the creator the clean and the unclean, the good and the bad. And when the Christ came into the world, those who were declared unclean, were made clean by the spoken Word; as He says in one place, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matthew 8:3)
Noah, a man of God, was commanded to take for himself two of every animal, male and female, entering into the ark. Now, no law at the time was given which called an animal unclean or clean. However, Noah did as God had commanded him, and even sacrificed seven of each clean animal to God. Similarly, Abel brought to God firstlings from his flock. So we see that nature speaks concerning which animals are clean and unclean even apart from the law; otherwise Noah could not have separated them; but when the law was given, God’s law revealed which animals were clean and unclean.
Concerning these animals, it is written that Noah “sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth.” (Genesis 8:7) The same raven, and “every raven in its kind,” (Leviticus 11:15) God declares unclean in the law. However, the dove which he let loose, “found no resting place for the sole of her foot, so she returned to him into the ark, for the water was on the surface of all the earth.” (Genesis 8:9) And the dove is reckoned as clean. For the raven, although there is no place for rest, would rather toil in the air than to submit back to the rule of Noah; however, the dove returned back to the home from which she came and found rest in submission to Noah.
As it says of some men, "Wine betrays the haughty man, So that he does not stay at home. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, And he is like death, never satisfied.” (Habakkuk 2:5) And some women, “She is boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home; She is now in the streets, now in the squares, And lurks by every corner.” (Proverbs 7:11-12) Furthermore, it is written of Jacob, the patriarch, and Esau: “When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents.” (Genesis 25:27) And did not the rulers of Israel refuse to come to find refuge in Christ?
Without question, to call someone a fox, as Jesus did to Herod, as He said, ”Go and tell that fox,” (Luke 13:32) or to call someone a dog, a cat, a mouse, or a pig, is insulting. For these animals are unclean; God created them to show man “that they are but beasts." (Ecclesiastes 3:18) For we die like beasts, as some resemble beasts, unclean or clean. As the proverbs say, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire." (2 Peter 2:22) With such unclean animals devils wish to inhabit them, so do not resemble them in the slightest. Furthermore, the apostle Paul in his wisdom says, “For it is written in the Law of Moses, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING." God is not concerned about oxen, is He?” (1 Corinthians 9:9) So men should see their ways in the animals.
Furthermore, wisdom says, “Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8) For Solomon “spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals and birds and creeping things and fish.” (1 Kings 4:33) For by the wisdom God gave him, he understood God’s creation, and explained it. These are written for our instruction and increase our faith concerning His Son, Jesus Christ: “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5), “the Lamb of God!" (John 1:36)
Concerning more about the birds, the Scriptures say the great owl, white owl, heron, and bat are unclean. For they are awake at night and rest during the day. They are nocturnal. As Job speaks of those who are like them, ”In the dark they dig into houses, They shut themselves up by day; They do not know the light. For the morning is the same to him as thick darkness, For he is familiar with the terrors of thick darkness.” (Job 24:16-17) But as for the songbirds, there is no mention of them being unclean. For they wake early in the morning and sing songs unto the Lord and praise Him for the light of the day! As the Psalmist writes, “In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” (Psalms 5:3) “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I wait for Your words. My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word.” (Psalms 119:147-148)
As for the other birds, the hawk, the eagle, falcon, raven, and buzzard, and all other predatory birds; the Scriptures speak as follows: concerning Saul, Samuel spoke, "Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but did fly upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?" (1 Samuel 15:19) For these birds swoop down upon prey and drink down blood; just as certain men swoop down upon spoil. They are not hesitant to do violence for gain. “For they eat the bread of wickedness And drink the wine of violence.” (Proverbs 4:17) Just as it says about the eagle, “His young ones also suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he." (Job 39:30)
And the ostrich, who “God has made her forget wisdom, And has not given her a share of understanding.” (Job 39:17) She runs swiftly, yet she runs in vain. And she resembles the Pharisees, who “have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.” (Romans 10:2) And just as the ostrich does not care for her young, “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.” (Matthew 23:4) For even their own proselytes they did not care for! "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?” (Ezekiel 34:2)
And concerning the vulture, unlike the eagle, falcon and raven, these do no labor for their kill; but they lie in wait to plunder, having done no work for it. Among these are the Amalekites, who “met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God.” (Deuteronomy 25:18) And another time, these wicked Amalekites raided Ziklag and took much plunder, as it says, “Without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way.” (1 Samuel 30:2) For David and his men had left the city naked; so Amalek swooped down to plunder their cities without working for their spoil. These the LORD hates, as He commanded Saul, king of Israel, to utterly destroy them.
Now, as for the other animals; God has given precepts on how to classify them: clean or unclean. But as for the birds, there are no such precept given for classification. Furthermore, we are not even told which birds are considered clean; but we can clearly tell which ones are clean by the ones that are unclean: if it is not unclean, then it must be clean. Among these are the turtledove and the pigeon, as they were given for sacrifice to God. Furthermore, when the Song writer says to his lover, “My dove, my perfect one, is unique;” (Song of Solomon 6:9) it was not an offensive saying, but one of endearment. And in another place, “As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated always with her love.” (Proverbs 5:19)
As for the classification for four-footed beasts, it says, “Whatever divides a hoof, thus making split hoofs, and chews the cud, among the animals, that you may eat.” (Leviticus 11:3) These are clean. For just as a cow ruminates the cud, a man meditates on the deep things of God. As Isaac “went out to meditate in the field toward evening;” (Genesis 24:63) but it is not a man who hears the Word of God alone who is clean, but the one who hears and obeys the Word. In the same way, a beast is not clean unless he chews the cud and splits the hoof.
Concerning splitting the hoof: although he walks among the children of men, his feet cling to the Way of Christ, following after Him. His feet depart from the way of sinners; as David says, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” (Psalms 1:1) Then it says, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.” (Psalms 1:2) For even if a man is virtuous, but He does not believe, he is unclean. Or if he believes, but is “a forgetful hearer” (James 1:25) and not “an effectual doer” (James 1:25), “Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14) He is unclean.
Furthermore, the creatures among the sea, “These you may eat, whatever is in the water: all that have fins and scales, those in the water, in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat.” (Leviticus 11:9) But the unclean do not swim with fins, but they are crafty in their locomotion; likewise they use trickery and deceit, craftiness, to traverse through many waters. They make gain through flattery and deceit; they are smooth tongued. “Empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.” (Titus 1:10-11) Among these is their lord, Leviathan, who dwells in the depths; the ancient serpent, “More crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.” (Genesis 3:1)
But with the clean, they control the least-most of their members, the tongue, and make subject their whole body as well; “No lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.” (Revelation 14:5) And the righteous clothe themselves with the “THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,” (Ephesians 6:14) for protection against the day of evil; just as scales of armor are for a warrior or scales are for a fish in the sea. So the righteous clothe themselves with Christ, finding refuge in Him. With the wicked, it is not so; he says to himself, I “will never see mourning.” (Revelation 18:7) And tells himself, “We have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.” (Isaiah 28:15) So these hide in dark depths and expose themselves only when devouring prey. Their homes are with the eels, with slippery creatures, those with tentacles, fangs, and claws. Watch out! They do not see their need for righteousness and safety from the wrath which is to come. Their supposed ease is a trap! Their refuge is darkness; they have no faith; they proclaim, “No God”, and “The LORD does not see us.” (Ezekiel 8:12)
And, “Whatever crawls on its belly, and whatever walks on all fours, whatever has many feet, in respect to every swarming thing that swarms on the earth, you shall not eat them, for they are detestable.” (Leviticus 11:42) That is, those that crawl on their belly, whose head is in the earth, those whom the apostle wrote: “Whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:18-19) For these move not by the Spirit, but on their own bellies they traverse the earth. Their appetites move them, and they “growl if they are not satisfied.” (Psalms 59:15) Their mind is set on the earth; their hands are not stretched forth to heaven, but in the dust, they search for temporal riches. They haste after earthly things and are diligent for things that are not worthy. “For their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood. ” (Proverbs 1:16)
Furthermore, “All the winged insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you. Yet these you may eat among all the winged insects which walk on all fours: those which have above their feet jointed legs with which to jump on the earth.” (Leviticus 11:20-21) For these with jointed legs, when in danger, always seem to leap from the earth in prayer to God and find escape in time of danger. They are constantly looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus, “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” (2 Peter 3:12) Whereas the ones who do not leap in times of trouble show their godliness is a farce, a means for gain; they quickly depart from the ways of righteousness when things get troublesome; and show no regard for the coming of the Lord.
I warn anyone who reads these things and makes a law of them: believe in the Son of God. For He makes you right so that you may do right. He justifies you so that you may be sanctified. Without His Work, you can do nothing. He justified you freely by His grace, by shedding His blood on the tree. He died for you. He was raised from the grave. Your righteousness is by observing Him.
Regarding all the unclean animals, it says, “They are detestable things to you, and they shall be abhorrent to you; you may not eat of their flesh, and their carcasses you shall detest.” (Leviticus 11:10-11) For we ought to separate from such men that resemble these animals. (See Biblical Separation Drawing) For “These, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong.” (2 Peter 2:12,13) That is why it says: “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.” (2 Corinthians 6:17)
Otherwise, in their fellowship you will depart from the living God; as it says of Solomon, whose wives led him into idolatry, although he was very wise: “When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” (1 Kings 11:4) “For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14) For his foreign wives turned his heart away from the LORD, from light to darkness, from righteousness to lawlessness; he sacrificed to demons. And the separation of God’s people was spoken against him for abandoning the God of his father, David; and as a result, the kingdom of Israel was split: Israel and Judah.
It also says of Jehoram, king of Judah, “He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did for Ahab's daughter was his wife, and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.” (2 Chronicles 21:6) For he had Ahab’s daughter for a wife, the daughter of Jezebel. If we follow after evildoers, making alliances in fellowship with them, we will be also punished with them. “Do two men walk together except they agree?” (Amos 3:3) As it says, “Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, But those who keep the law strive with them.” (Proverbs 28:4) As the LORD God said to Israel concerning the Canaanites who inhabited the promised land, who were exceedingly wicked sinners: “You shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them.” (Deuteronomy 7:2) And the apostle says, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.” (2 John 1:10-11)
Furthermore, did not Jehoshaphat king of Judah do wickedly by allying himself with Ahaziah, son of Ahaz, king of Israel? (2 Chronicles 20:35) And the prophet Eliezer prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, ”Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” (2 Chronicles 20:37) And both their ships which they were building were destroyed; so he shared in the punishment of the wicked. As another prophet, Jehu, spoke, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD and so bring wrath on yourself from the LORD?” (2 Chronicles 19:2) For he also helped his father, Ahab, and went out to battle with him and endangered his own life. As the Proverb says, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Proverbs 13:20)
Did not Eli sin greatly when he did not rebuke his sons for transgressing against the LORD? As the LORD said, “I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them.” (1 Samuel 3:13) So he shared in their sins and died the same day of his sons, because he sided with his sons rather than the LORD. As it is written in the law, “You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him.” (Leviticus 19:17) “You shall warn them so that they may not be guilty before the LORD, and wrath may not come on you and your brethren. Thus you shall do and you will not be guilty.” (2 Chronicles 19:10)
Or what about Ahaziah, king of Judah, who “also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.” (2 Chronicles 22:3) For “He did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.” (2 Chronicles 22:4) So in the day of the LORD, Jehu came against the house of Ahaz in the fierce wrath of the LORD, and Ahaziah was also struck dead because he visited Jehoram the son of Ahab, and ministered to him while he was sick (2 Chronicles 22:8); he helped the wicked and was killed with the wicked. If a man who is a friend of the world, makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4), then how much more is he made an enemy who befriends whom the LORD hates? But these things are put forth that we wouldn’t follow in the same footsteps as these men.
Therefore, as the angel says, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” (Revelation 18:4-5) In the light of these Scriptures, it is no wonder the Lord Jesus says, ”Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39)
Did not Joseph hate his own brethren when he brought a bad report of them to his father? As the blessing he received says, "The blessings of your father Have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; May they be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of the one separate among his brothers.” (Genesis 49:26) Or what about Levi? “Who said of his father and his mother, 'I did not consider them'; And he did not acknowledge his brothers, Nor did he regard his own sons, For they observed Your word, And kept Your covenant.” (Deuteronomy 33:9) For they did not neglect the command: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.'” (Exodus 32:27) And they obeyed.
Or what about king David, did he not hate even his own wife when he spoke against Michal, daughter of Saul? For she spoke against him when he danced before the LORD with all his might. But Michal did not see that David danced before the LORD because she had no faith; and she said, "How the king of Israel distinguished himself today! He uncovered himself today in the eyes of his servants' maids as one of the foolish ones shamelessly uncovers himself!" (2 Samuel 6:20) And David chose the LORD over his own wife and spoke, “I will be more lightly esteemed than this and will be humble in my own eyes, but with the maids of whom you have spoken, with them I will be distinguished." (2 Samuel 6:22) And Michal bore no children.
And what about David’s commander Joab? He sinned by shedding the blood of war in a time of peace; he killed Abner, the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, although he sought peace with David. So David spoke this curse against Joab: "May it fall on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and may there not fail from the house of Joab one who has a discharge, or who is a leper, or who takes hold of a distaff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread." (2 Samuel 3:29) Because David loved righteousness more than the fellowship of man, even his own commander. His voice calls out with Job’s voice: “I call to the pit, 'You are my father'; To the worm, 'my mother and my sister’;” (Job 17:14) For he was estranged from his own and separated from sinners; and later, removed Joab as commander of his army.
Or what about king Asa of Judah, did he not hate even his own mother? As it is written of him: “He also removed Maacah, the mother of King Asa, from the position of queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah, and Asa cut down her horrid image, crushed it and burned it at the brook Kidron.” (2 Chronicles 15:16) As the Christ said, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26) As it is written: “Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12:48-50)
“And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:59-60) “Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home." But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62) For Elisha did not look back when Elijah threw his cloak on him; but “he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.” (1 Kings 19:20-21)
The Lord has called us to live in peace; for God is the God of peace. For this reason, we pay taxes; as Jesus says, “However, so that we do not offend them…” (Matthew 17:27) Again, He says in another place, “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." (Mark 9:50) Then concerning a husband and wife, He says: “What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." (Mark 10:9) Furthermore, the apostle says, “God has called us to peace.” (1 Corinthians 7:15) And, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” (Romans 12:18) And without doubt, when peace is not possible, contention and quarreling is present; and the only way for peace in such a case is separation. The LORD God is the God of peace, so His children are peace-loving and peacemakers. When Christ was not welcome in a village of the Samaritans, He did not go (Luke 9:51-57); and when He was asked to leave the country of the Gadarenes, He left their region (Matthew 8:34). Know that this is the way of the Lord.
Although our enemy’s “teeth are spears and arrows And their tongue a sharp sword.” (Psalms 57:4) And “I am for peace, but when I speak, They are for war.” (Psalms 120:7) And, “His speech are smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.” (Psalms 55:21) Let not their evil subdue you; but be on your guard! “Let them curse, but You bless; When they arise, they shall be ashamed, But Your servant shall be glad.” (Psalms 109:28) So do not answer reviling with reviling, but give a blessing when they curse you. “The wise in heart will be called understanding, And sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.” (Proverbs 16:21) For “The heart of the wise instructs his mouth And adds persuasiveness to his lips.” (Proverbs 16:23) And, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24)
So whatever you do, remain in the grace of the Lord Jesus and be at peace with one another. Make not yourself a friend of the world, for “whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) Strive not against God, for who can succeed? Are we stronger than He? Do not resemble the fathers in the wilderness, but submit yourself to God and obey Him as a son. [“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.” (Acts 7:51)] And do not offer yourself as servants to the flesh, for the Spirit is in opposition to the flesh; as it says, “The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” (Galatians 5:17)
It is needful to understand who is speaking; as it is written, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE.” (Hebrews 3:15) For if the voice is the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, we ought not to resist Him; as it says, “DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.” (Hebrews 3:15) But the Pharisees resembled their ancestors when they resisted the Holy Ghost and stifled the Holy Spirit of God; and they were rebuked sharply by Stephen — he said to them, ”You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.” (Acts 7:51) For they resembled their ancestors who in the wilderness strove with God for forty years; as it says, “AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.” (Hebrews 3:15) “For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?” (Hebrews 3:16)
However, if the voice speaking is the devil, we ought to resist him; as it says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) And when it is temptation to sin, it says, we ought to resist to “The point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.” (Hebrews 12:4) For we ought "To refuse evil and choose good” (Isaiah 7:15) to the saving of our souls. And this we choose daily — as Christ says, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23) When He says, “He must deny himself,” it means to deny his own desires; and when He says, “and follow Me,” it means do the will of the Lord, to set our feet to His path and fellowship with Him, to do what is right in His eyes.
For God desires willing souls to choose Him, setting our own will to His will, our own feet to God’s Path, our own eyes on what is right in His eyes; as Jesus says, "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.” (John 7:17) But conversely, the devil takes men “captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:26); for who do you know who willingly serves the devil? For who we follow, we are led by them to a destination; and the eternal fire "has been prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41) But there is no end to those who follow Jesus; as it says, “The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17) For the destination of the Way is eternal life, but the path of folly is death.
And we, the sons of men, are betwixt the two — and worse yet, we dwell in the kingdom of this world, whose ruler is the devil. These two are in enmity with each other, as the flesh is in enmity with the Spirit, and the Spirit, the flesh. The power of the enemy abides in the flesh, whereas the power of God, the Spirit. “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” (Galatians 5:17) Just as in a tournament two opponents execute their will against each other in order to overcome one another, so it is, a war is waged between the flesh and the Spirit, the devil and God, and these are opposed, one against another, as enemies. The kingdom of this world is against the kingdom of God; as it says, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
Now, God is more powerful than we. For who can strive against Him and succeed? “We are not stronger than He, are we?” (1 Corinthians 10:22) Or “Who resists His will?" (Romans 9:19) Although man strives against God, He has promised: “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." (Genesis 6:3) As it is written by David in the Psalms:
“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the East is from the West, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer. But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts to do them. The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.” (Psalms 103:8-19)
When he says, “He will not always strive with us,” he takes into account God’s promise; as He promised, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.” As Jesus preached, "I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” (Matthew 5:39) And without question, the Preacher does what He preaches. As it is written of Him: “While being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” (1 Peter 2:23) For the Christ did not retaliate under oppression; as Isaiah foresaw, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)
And He underwent such opposition from sinners that we would ”Cease striving and know" (Psalms 46:10) that Jesus is God. For the Lord forgives our iniquities, He justifies us through His own blood. He did not strive against sinners, but became the propitiation for our sins. And through His offering, God’s wrath was appeased and His anger has ceased; as it says, “He will not be angry with us forever.” For "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” But He gave us life from His death, healing from His pain, forgiveness from His punishment. He has dealt with us in goodness for our evil and showed unto us His incredible kindness in that, “While we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6)
So now, He speaks, “I have sworn that I will not be angry with you Nor will I rebuke you. For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken," Says the LORD who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:9-10) For “He remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passes and does not return.” (Psalms 78:39) As it says in the promise, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh.” (Genesis 6:3) So being but flesh, we ought not to strive against God; but humbly accept the Word implanted which has power to save. For He has promised, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.”
“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30-31) For previously, it is written that God overlooked sins; as He says, "These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.” (Psalms 50:21) So now He has given us His truth so that we would repent, for the Day of Judgement will come when God will strive with those who strive against Him. As it is written, “Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; Fight against those who fight against me.” (Psalms 35:1)
“The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Christ, saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!’ He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.” (Psalms 2:2-4) For although men strive with Him, He scoffs, “For He sees his day is coming.” (Psalms 37:13) So the Lord allows men to strive with Him, as He allowed Jacob; and He makes His power known through them. For Jacob wrestled with God, and he even prevailed. For God made Himself weak willingly; but in a moment, the Lord touched his hip and it was dislocated. The Patriarch strove with God for His favor; but the wicked strive against Him for provocation. So the Lord lets men strive, but on that day they will not prevail; as it says, “You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.” (Psalms 2:9)
But “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) For the Lord “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4) “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17) And remember, “You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.” (James 5:6) For He says, ”This is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:40)
There are seven books the Catholics hold to: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, 1 Maccabees, and 2 Maccabees. They also include additions to the Book of Daniel and Ester. There is much wisdom in these books, and a few questionable teachings which I discuss below:
The first vein that runs throughout the seven books is the idea that “almsgiving delivers from death”. As it says: “To all those who practice righteousness, give alms according to your circumstances, my son, and do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor. Then the face of God will not be turned away from you.” (Tobit 4:6-7) But the Canonical scripture confirms, “He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered.” (Proverbs 21:13)
Then it continues, “Act according to what you have, my son. If you have much, give alms from it; if you have little, give alms in accordance with what you have. Do not be afraid, my son, to give alms. You will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against a day of need.” (Tobit 4:8-9) But the Canonical scripture confirms, “For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.” (2 Corinthians 8:12) And, “One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed.” (Proverbs 19:17)
Then the contention enters: “For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into the darkness. Indeed, almsgiving, for all who practice it, is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High.” (Tobit 4:10-11) Then it also says in another place, “Prayer with fidelity is good, and almsgiving with righteousness is better than wealth with injustice. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold, for almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own enemies.” (Tobit 12:8-10) And again in another place, “Store up almsgiving in your treasury, and it will rescue you from every disaster.” (Sirach 29:12) And, “Kindred and helpers are for a time of trouble, but almsgiving rescues better than either.” (Sirach 40:24)
In the Scriptures, almsgiving, or charity, is mentioned by the Lord Jesus, specifically its purging effect. “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness. You foolish ones, did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.” (Luke 11:39-41) For love and giving are very closely related; almsgiving is how love is expressed. For, “Whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17)
This is seen clearly in the King James rendering of 1 Corinthians 13 when Paul speaks about love: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5) So even in the etymology, love and charity are intertwined. Furthermore wisdom testifies, “Ill-gotten gains do not profit, But righteousness delivers from death.” (Proverbs 10:2) And, “Love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.” (Proverbs 10:12)
Now we know throughout history this concept has been twisted and corrupted by the Catholic church to sell the forgiveness of sins, redeeming the dead from hell, and the like; but if this is done with these non-canonical texts, it is done with the canonical texts as well, “which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16) Although the Word of God is true, almsgiving without love does not prosper; as it says, “If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3) But rather, “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Now, there are things written in the Apocrypha which promote generosity to the dead: “Give graciously to all the living, do not withhold kindness even from the dead.” (Sirach 7:33) And even more explicitly, in the second book of Maccabees, a practical case is written:
“On the next day, as had now become necessary, Judas and his men went to take up the bodies of the fallen and to bring them back to lie with their kindred in the tombs of their ancestors. Then under the tunic of each one of the dead they found sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. And it became clear to all that this was the reason these men had fallen. He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a purification offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection. For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.” (2 Maccabees 12:39-45)
I find this topic interesting in light of these scriptures: “What will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?” (1 Corinthians 15:29) And, “For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:6) Then in another place it says, “In which also He [Jesus] went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.” (1 Peter 3:19-20) These texts have always been puzzling to me. Perhaps they mean what they say? But I am not about to say that.
Furthermore, about giving, the text are explicit: do not give alms to sinners. “Give all your surplus as alms, my son, and do not let your eye begrudge your giving of alms.” (Tobit 4:16) As the covenant of Moses says, “All fat is the LORD'S.” (Leviticus 3:16) And regarding the eye, Christ speaks on giving, “If your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” (Matthew 6:23) Then the text in Tobit continues, “Pour out your food and your wine on the grave of the righteous, but do not give it to sinners.” (Tobit 4:16) Again, back to the topic of doing kindness to the dead, we see: a kind deed done for the dead. Truly, if the dead do not rise, then why do anything for the dead? If this is a true thing, then it is very gracious on God’s behalf to accept an offering for the dead. Nevertheless further revelation is needed here.
Also, on giving to the righteous and not giving to the wicked, the book of Sirach preaches,
“Do good to the devout, and you will be repaid—if not by them, certainly by the Most High. No good comes to one who persists in evil or to one who does not give alms. Give to the devout, but do not help the sinner. Do good to the humble, but do not give to the ungodly; hold back their bread, and do not give it to them, for by means of it they might subdue you; then you will receive twice as much evil for all the good you have done to them. For the Most High also hates sinners and will inflict punishment on the ungodly. Give to the one who is good, but do not help the sinner.” (Sirach 12:1-7)
Although hard to swallow, the Psalms are clear: God hates the wicked. As it says, “The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.” (Psalms 11:5) And, “You destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.” (Psalms 5:6) However, Sirach rings an alarm for another reason: for our well-beloved scriptures say, “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the LORD will reward you.” (Proverbs 25:21-22) So giving to the wicked, assuming your enemy is evil and you are good, is encouraged.
Furthermore, Jesus spoke concerning our enemies (Luke 6:30-35, Matthew 5:43-48); but Christ was not revealed at the time of the writings of the Apocrypha; but when Christ came preaching faith, He held the people to a higher standard: "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44) So it was a common saying during those days to say, “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.” But for a New Testament believer, we love as Christ loved us, and King David practiced this: “They repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom. I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.” (Psalms 35:12-14) And He loved us while we were His enemies, while we were sinners.
Another thing I discovered in one text in the Apocrapha: the idea of life before life. As it says, “As a child I was naturally gifted, and a good soul fell to my lot, or rather, being good, I entered an undefiled body.” (Wisdom 8:19-20) I am not sure what is meant by this. And another thing which surprised me: table etiquette. As the Catholic scriptures say, “Be ashamed of breaking an oath or agreement and of leaning on your elbow at meals.” (Sirach 41:19) I guess our parents were always right. And the wickedness of idolatry, surprised me; as it says, “For the idea of making idols was the beginning of sexual immorality, and the invention of them was the corruption of life, for they did not exist from the beginning, nor will they last forever.” (Wisdom 14:12-13)
These are the things which personally had me on edge in my reading, things which were different from Scripture. Thinking more about them, I think they settle in with the rest of Scripture, except making atonement for the dead; in that case, I gave Scripture which I thought may allude to that. The amount of things which were especially insightful and wise to me were found in the books of Wisdom of Solomon and Sirach. Tobit and Judith were records of historical events in history of two exceptional people: Tobit and Judith; they were both filled with the spirit of wisdom and I personally believe them. There are some puzzling things in these two writings which I personally don’t discount as happening. 1 and 2 Maccabees were also historical books and showed the breakaway of some Jews and the faithfulness of others during tyranny. There are no mention in these book about Purgatory: the Catholics just made that up using Canonical writings.