A Problem with Illegitimacy

I have a problem with illegitimacy.  More to the point, I have a problem when the tag or label of illegitimate is applied to children born out of wedlock.  I ask, "What is illegitimate about these babies, children, teens, and young adults?"  The marital circumstance of their parents perhaps was not ideal, and may have been nightmarish for the Mother, but please let us not impose a label on the child!

As so often I do, I ask you to join me in the Bible for a closer look at how illegitimate the word illegitimate is when describing children conceived and/or born to a couple not married at the time, or ever for that matter.

Let's begin with Psalm 127 . . .
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." (v.3)

Psalm 139 . . .
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (vv.13-14)

Jeremiah 1 . . .
Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (vv.4-5)

Matthew 19 . . .
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (vv.13-14)

__________

Well, this is fairly easy to follow isn't it?  Children are a gift from God. The Psalmist says a heritage, and the fruit of the womb (babies) is a reward.  We learn that God knew us before we were born from just a plain reading in Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1.  And the value of children in the ministry of Jesus is evident in the verses from Matthew 19.

How can a child be considered illegitimate if God knows they're going to be born?  Maybe the circumstances of their conception fall under the heading of sin (sex outside of marriage / fornication). Okay that's scriptural, but it is not an indictment of the baby!  Perhaps the parents are not married when the child comes into this world; it happens.

The Bible tells us that, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue...." Unfortunately it is used to bludgeon the spirits of little children by labeling them bastards and worse.  They are caused sometimes irreparable harm by the thoughtless comments, accusations, and harsh words directed at them, and in their presence, by adults.

Additionally they suffer verbal blows from other children who parrot their parents' own ignorant rants.  The worst of it may occur from the non-verbal daggers thrown their way as they are shunned, ignored, or minimized for no other reason than the facts surrounding their birth. This is sinful behavior directed at the defenseless, and the practitioners of it should be ashamed.

Please be careful, ladies and gentlemen.  Be careful of the little children, the tweens, the teens, and young adults whose parents were not married when they were born, and/or who were born into a single parent house.  Be careful in how you speak of them and to them, and to whom you speak regarding them.  These little ones are gifts from God, deemed worthy of this life by God's matchless love, grace, and eternal plan.

Scripture tells us they are fearfully and wonderfully made. It tells us they are God's workmanship and are wonderful, and according to Jesus, the kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.

Fearlessly,
JD

Jesus Was Not Forsaken

Years ago I sat in a church service listening to a sermon on the crucifixion of Jesus. When the preacher got to Jesus crying out, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me,” he said God the Father had, in fact, turned His back on Jesus because God’s eyes are too pure to look upon sin.  He was quoting from Habakkuk in the Old Testament, and from the New Testament we learn, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us….” (2 Corinthians 5:21)  So God, unable or unwilling to look upon sin turned away prompting Jesus to ask the heartbreaking question.  That's the explanation I heard from the pulpit that morning.

At that point, having never heard this preached, I thought what a deep message that is!  The exact 'body language' of God at the moment Jesus cried out His question isn’t even in the Bible, but it seemed to explain the concept of Jesus feeling forsaken; an infinitely holy God would not or could not look upon the amalgamation of all of the sin of the world, past present and future, as embodied at that moment in His Son, Jesus. Wow . . . .

The next time I heard the crucifixion preached, and the minister included the reference to God turning his back thus causing Jesus to cry, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me," I was less moved, frankly.  The time after that, even less moved, and something new was birthing in my spirit and it began to grow every time I heard the explanation for the forsakenness Jesus seemed to feel so deeply.  What was growing, and bubbling up in my spirit and soul was complete disagreement with what I heard coming from the pulpit both in God turning His back, and in Jesus actually have been forsaken by His Father, our God in Heaven.

We grow up believing that everything we hear from a preacher's mouth is the truth; I certainly had.  Because of the esteem in which we normally hold a Preacher, and the fact that their job is to disseminate the Word of God, we do typically take at face value what we hear preached.

In 1999, I briefly met Dr. Myles Munroe at a meeting of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce, and had an opportunity to hear him speak.  The point of a message he delivered one evening during the course of the conference was a warning to adhere to Scripture, and to be wary of teachings which, A) Use Scripture out of context; B) Ignore Scripture; C) State as fact that which cannot be found in Scripture, or D) State as fact that which cannot be supported by Scripture.

His message spoke to me that night and gave me a passion for knowing what the Bible says - what it really says, or can be taught with confidence. So let's circle back to the body language of our Father in Heaven at Calvary, and examine what the Bible does, or does not, actually say . . .

1. Although Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John do not mention our Father God being present, we learn from our study of Scripture that He is omnipresent, and aware of all happenings and events on this earth (ref. Psalm 139).   Furthermore, Jesus states factually that He and the Father are one, notably in His prayer as recorded in the 17th chapter of the Gospel According to John, and from this we understand Jesus and God the Father are one in spirit, responsibility, intent, love, and concern; two-thirds of the triune Godhead.

2. There is another place in Scripture where the question, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me," is asked and that is in the 22d Psalm.  It is the cry of David.  History tells us that David was on the run for his life and hiding from King Saul.  The deep anguish he must have felt during this very trying time can certainly be heard in his question to God.  But his question begs two others, and they are, "Had God forsaken David?" and "Has God forsaken anyone?"

3. Following up on the 2d note, I wondered about the whole topic of forsakenness.  After all, we hear in our mind the words of God when He is quoted throughout Scripture, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  Yet we learn, when searching Scripture, that God has indeed forsaken, and we learn what the amazing circumstances must have been.

Please read the following passages:
Deuteronomy 31:17
II Chronicles 12:5
II Chronicles 15:2
II Chronicles 24:2

We find in each of the instances recorded in Scripture that God has forsaken a person or group of people only after He Himself has been forsaken by the person or group of people.  This is the testimony of Scripture.  The translation I have used to compile this list is the New American Standard Bible.  It is widely accepted as the most accurate of the 'formal correspondence' (or word-for-word) translations, and so as authoritative as I have in my possession.

4. Now we can answer the questions asked in Note 2.  David had not forsaken God and yes, God did forsake certain people and/or groups.  As to the most important question, and that is regarding David; he was on the run for his life from Saul yet never lifted a hand to kill his pursuer, but instead protected Saul whenever possible. Truly he was demonstrating love and respect for his enemy echoing words which would come from the lips of Jesus centuries later, "Love your enemies (Matthew 5:43-48)."

Scripture does not teach that God forsakes those who follow His will, and so we can say confidently that David was not forsaken of God.  Buy why the indictment of God from David's own lips (Why hast Thou forsaken me?)?  As we read the 22d Psalm we see clearly that David felt God was not near and seemed absent. In his distress he felt alone and overwhelmed by his circumstances.  It was as if he had been abandoned (forsaken) by God, and he recorded his deeply felt hurt and disappointment.

5. There are two things worth noting in the two instances where the Bible records, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"  First we need to understand the identity of the man asking the question.  First was David, who was just a man, but a man after God's own heart (I Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22), and Jesus, our Messiah, born in the flesh as a man, yet clearly accepting His deity and the knowledge that He is God (John 8:58, et al.).

6. In personal conversation, David does not refer to God as Father, and in personal conversation Jesus does not refer to His Father (our God and Father in Heaven) as God.

7. God does not sleep (Psalm 121:1-4), yet Scripture records that the incarnate Christ grew weary and rested (Mark 4:38).

8. God is Spirit (John 4:24), and would not hunger yet our Lord, Jesus certainly broke bread with any number of men and women during His human existence (Matthew 9:10; Mark 2:15-16; Luke 22:10-15).

9. Jesus clearly understood the call upon His life (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45), and that was to die that we might live.  Yet the humanity of our Savior could not be overlooked even in the Garden of Gethsemane when He said, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." Matthew 26:39

What I have come to realize or suspect is that many otherwise devout and well-meaning men and women of God have defaulted to a convenient line ("God turned His back on Jesus") because of one passage in the Old Testament taken out of context and then turned into doctrine.  Let’s take a look at the one and only passage which is quoted to explain preaching to a congregation that God turned His back on Jesus while He agonized as the sacrificial Lamb of God.

The Prophet Habakkuk states near the beginning of the book named for him, "Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You can not look on wickedness with favor."  The implication in the sermons stating as fact that God turned His back on Jesus while He was dying on the cross and became sin (II Corinthians 5:21) is that this verse from Habakkuk applies to God and therefore to Jesus on the cross.  It does not.

Habakkuk was writing at the time the Babylonians were becoming the dominant power in the region, and Israel, in her rebellion and wickedness, is about to be conquered and chastened by a people desperately more wicked than they, and a people absolutely without the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Habakkuk's observation, "Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favor," is one of incredulity!  He is in utter disbelief that God would use the pagan Babylonians (Chaldeans) to course-correct the chosen people Israel. Interestingly, context is ignored when this verse is taught from the pulpit as the cause and fact behind the anguished cry of our Lord on the cross.

The entire 13th verse gives context, "Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously?  Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?"

In an examination of the plain text where does one find our Lord Jesus?  Is He evil?  Did He deal treacherously?  Did Jesus swallow up those more righteous than He?

Let's look at another passage to demonstrate the practicality and importance of context in Scripture.  We all have heard, "You shall know the truth and the truth will make you free (John 8:32)."  But upon closer examination how many people do we all know who share our head knowledge about the truth of who Jesus is?  How many people do we know who profess to believe in God?  And how many of these people are anything but free?  Context, as in Habakkuk, tells us to look at the complete thought and not just a sound bite.

The entire thought John was conveying is quoted, "So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”  Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:31-36)

The truth we come to know when we study the Word of God will make us free.  It is abiding in Jesus which will set us free, not just a knowledge of what the truth is. His audience knew of the truth of the law (Abraham’s descendants), but not the truth which could only come from abiding in the words of Jesus. Context is hugely important!

Finally let's look at a passage of Scripture which gets little to no airplay because it seems to be a blatant contradiction of Jesus' own words, and the clear dictate of Scripture.  It is Jesus speaking, as recorded in the 14th chapter of Luke, "Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, "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 14:25-26)  Yikes!

What could Jesus possibly have been saying?  Is this gospel?  Are we to begin hating folks so we can be His disciples?  Absolutely not!  A comparison is being drawn (as was the case in Habakkuk).  Looking at intent and context we realize Jesus is using His words to define the depth of our devotion to Him.  We are to draw closer to Him than even to those we hold most dear on this earth, because He is our Lord and Savior.  There should be no comparison as He is worthy of our greatest love; that which is given with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength (Luke 10:27).

An understanding of context tells us now that the fragment of Habakkuk 1:13 is not authoritative in understanding why Jesus felt forsaken.  It certainly does nothing to lend credence to any statement which claims God turned His back on Jesus!

The King James Version translates that first thought in Habakkuk 1:13 as 'look upon evil' rather than 'approve of evil'.  The question then is, "Can or cannot God look upon evil?"  We know in His holiness that He most certainly would never approve of evil and we have already asked ourselves to consider whether or not Jesus was evil (likened to the Babylonians).  Was the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), evil?  Were the lambs sacrificed in the Old Testament evil or were they substitutionary, taking on the sins of the children of Israel?  Obviously, neither the Lamb of God, nor the spotless lambs in Old Testament times were evil.

So looking upon evil is the last domino to fall in the reliance upon the first line of Habakkuk 1:13 as proof that God turned His back on Jesus.  Did God look upon evil in Job 1:6-12?  Consider the narrative . . .

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?  Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face." Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord. (Job 1:6-12)

Ten times in the New Testament, Satan is described as the 'evil one' for surely he is.  Four of the mentions are direct quotes from Jesus.  Are we to assume the dialog in Job between God and Satan occurred with God unable to look squarely into the face of His former archangel (the evil one), a being He had created?  If so, there is no mention of it.  And the consideration of such an event borders on the ludicrous!

During the time when Satan personally tempted our Lord Jesus are we likewise to assume that Jesus was unable to look right into the face of His tempter when he said, "Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”  Jesus is God, ladies and gentlemen. Scripture gives us no indication that Jesus, in any way, shrank from His dominance over sin and the evil one by having to turn His back. The prophetic word in Genesis regarding the descendant (seed) of Eve was that the head of the serpent (Satan) would be bruised by the heal of the seed (Jesus). Genesis 3:15.

So what is the conclusion of the matter?

I have no doubt Jesus deeply, sincerely, and painfully felt forsaken and abandoned at the moment He took on the sin of the world in our place.  He was our substitute and sacrifice for sin.  This is the clear, unambiguous testimony of Scripture.  The word excruciating which describes the unimaginable pain Jesus endured on the cross comes from the same root as crucifixion - the method of our Lord's death.

His humanity, which prompted the sorrow and tears He shared with Mary and Martha for Lazarus, was overwhelmed at the moment his body of flesh was weighted down with what lay before Him.  We see it when He asked of His Father to let the cup of suffering pass from Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.  So it is not the anguished cry of our Savior which I question.  Not at all!  He said it, and I believe the humanity in Him which required rest and food felt the full brunt of the unimaginable physical, emotional, and spiritual agony when He took on the sin of the world at Calvary.

My belief, which I hold to be bolstered by a proper and thorough study of Scripture, is that the humanity of Jesus caused His anguished cry.  I do not discount the possibility that He uttered the cry in fulfillment of the prophecy in Psalm 22.  But, as with David a thousand years before, God had not forsaken Him.  There is absolutely no support in Scripture for any belief that God turned His back on Jesus, or even that God had forsaken Him.  Scripture teaches us that it is obedience which is better than sacrifice (I Samuel 15:22), and Jesus was obedient unto death (Philippians 2:8). He was within the perfect will of God, and therefore could not have been and was not forsaken by God.

Our Savior is worthy of all of our praise, all of our honor, and all of our obedience.  Our Father in Heaven is faithful and will never leave us nor forsake us.  He sees our sin, ladies and gentlemen, and when we are His we can rest assured that although we are blind to His presence He has not left us, and He has not forsaken us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:38-39

Fearlessly,
JD   

Speaking with Eternity on the Line

Most of the speaking opportunities with which I’ve been blessed have been before secular audiences.  There is always an uplifting theme, this is the crux of my messages after all, but a declaration of my faith in God is typically not mentioned.

When I tell audiences, “You can be better than you’ve been, and do more than you’ve done,” it is sometimes received as an affront to their character, accomplishments, education, or life’s journey, but that is never my intent.  As I continue to deliver my remarks all audience members come to an understanding that their lives are meant to count for something larger than a job, career, keeping a roof overhead, or staying in shape through diet and exercise.

In a purely secular (ecumenical? humanistic?) setting everyone can appreciate the question I asked back in 2008, “Why am I here?”  Certainly most have pondered, if only for a moment, that age-old question of our existence on this earth.  What I convey to all audiences is the truth that this question has an answer, and we can know it…with certainty.

In my book, ‘Be Known for Your D.E.E.D.S.’ I relate my own progression through the truth of unique existence, inherent design, and specific passion.  There is a certain ignorance in society (and some societies) when it comes to God’s every day work in our lives.  Ignorance, by the way, is not a bad word; neither is it an insult.  It is a statement suggesting lack of knowledge in a given subject area.

I am bold enough to declare that I possess a rudimentary understanding of God’s love for us, and this knowledge has opened my eyes to, among other things, how blessed we are in the U.S., how amazing the earth’s distance from the sun really is, mankind’s dominion, and why the cycle of life on this planet ensures our continued existence.

When called upon to speak in churches, or to audiences comprised mostly of Christians, I am able to swing for the fences, to coin a phrase.  I can get to the heart of the matter, and express the Father’s will concerning the ‘why’ of our being, and further His agenda for the building of His kingdom (Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven…).

‘Be better than you’ve been, and do more than you’ve done’, finds its home in the hearts of men and women who embrace the big picture of life, and the very uniqueness of their own lives.  Minds begin opening to the truth of unique, inherent design when I state the very simple fact, “There’s a reason there aren’t six billion doctors on the planet. We don’t all want to be doctors.”

Speaking with eternity on the line means I will convey God’s truth about our lives, and the importance of living for a purpose beyond our immediate needs.  The folks who adhere to the humanitarian aspects of other faiths, volunteer for philanthropic causes, or earnestly try to ‘pay it forward’ each day, are modeling that piece of God He has provided, though often are unaware of its source.

What I present to audiences is the truth God has blessed me to know, to live, and to share.  He opens doors for me to enter in with the message of higher calling, higher achievement, and higher living.  Destiny is on my lips for all to hear.  I do not hide my faith in Christ.  I do not shrink from being fully persuaded faith in Christ alone is the key to receive all this life, and the one to come, has to offer.

I speak knowing eternity is on the line.

Fearlessly,

JD

Always Be Both

Plato was both, as was the Apostle Paul, and these are but the most famous.  Each of these men was mentored, and gave of their time to be a mentor themselves.  It is vitally important that we endeavor to be both mentee and mentor.

I suggest mentee first because we don’t know what we don’t know until we come across someone who, in fact, does know.  While we may think we have all the answers, it will become apparent when we begin the quest for our mentor that there are yet questions we have never contemplated.

Plato was mentored by Socrates and he, in turn, mentored Aristotle.  The Apostle Paul was most famously mentored by Jesus of Nazareth and then he mentored Timothy.  The impact of these relationships in thought and belief has resonated and echoed through the centuries.

The impact of greater eternal significance is, of course, held by Paul who was miraculously discipled by Jesus, the acclaimed Son of God.  You may disagree on this point as that is your option, but nevertheless the impartation of wisdom was advanced in world-altering ways.  It is the attainment of wisdom we must earnestly pursue, and then a willingness to share our discoveries.

Have you a mentor?  I have been blessed to receive mentoring from close friends, business associates, fellow speakers, and even thought leaders whom I have never personally met (Jim Rohn, who passed away in 2011).  I routinely call upon them for advice and wisdom as to how they conduct their affairs, manage their time, and live the life they purpose to live.

Making myself available to others, being a mentor, is likewise fulfilling, but also educational.  Two things must run concurrently in our lives:  Learning and Breathing.  They should continue together until our breathing gives way to eternity.

To the extent possible we must make every effort to be both mentee and mentor while learning and breathing are operable.  Find that person or those individuals who have been where you seek to go and learn all you can about how best to prosecute this life.  But also be open to the addition in your life of people who wish the same from you.

Always be both, and marvel at the enriching impact your life will have.

Fearlessly,

JD