Jesus' Enemies Accuse Him

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and ‘sinners’ ” (Matthew 11:18–19).

In this passage, Jesus accuses His enemies of perversion and that there is no way to please them. John the Baptist was very strict and ascetic in his lifestyle, and that offended them, so they said John was demon possessed. Jesus, on the other hand, was relaxed and joyous in His lifestyle, and they charged Him with being a glutton and a drunkard.

Was Jesus a glutton? No. Was He a drunkard? Of course not. Then why did people accuse Him of this? Because Jesus scandalized those people who had reduced the things of God to superficial matters. Sadly we see this very thing all too often today. For too many Christians, religion is a matter of a list of dos and don’ts that are not found in the Bible.

Why did they call Jesus a glutton? Because He went to the feasts and ate. Why did they call Him a drunkard? Because He went to weddings, and even provided wine for one marriage feast (John 2:1–11). Imagine today if a minister went to a wedding and drank champagne. He would probably get into trouble. But what if he brought several cases of champagne to the wedding feast? He’d probably be crucified!

They were offended with Jesus because He went to taverns. He ate dinner with tax collectors, crooks, and prostitutes. If ever guilt by association could have destroyed a man. it would have been Jesus of Nazareth. We need to face this if we are going to have a biblical understanding of Jesus.

This does not mean Jesus wants us to go out and embrace worldliness and participate in sin. Not at all. Jesus was sinless, but He went to sinners and dealt with them where they were. He came to seek and to save the lost.

Jesus ran the risk of being seriously misunderstood in order to minister to people. Sometimes being faithful to Christ means risking our reputation, but Jesus tells us, “Blessed are you when people … falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me” (Matthew 5:11). Let us make sure, however, that if they are speaking evil of us, they are indeed doing so falsely. Be prepared for opposition, even from within the church.

Who "Thinkers" Say Jesus Is

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning" (John 1:1–2).

Previously I wrote about who men have said Jesus is, who Jesus Himself claimed to be, and who the Father said Jesus is. Today we want to look briefly at who Christian philosophers and theologians have said Jesus is.

The oldest philosophical question is the problem of unity and diversity. What is this problem? It is the problem of understanding how all the diverse aspects of life hang together. The ancient philosopher would ask, “Is there any rhyme or reason to all this? How do all these things fit together? How are we to make sense of all these different parts of human experience?” In other words, they were asking the question, “Does life make sense? Is there any ultimate coherence in life?”

The very word universe is composed of uni from unity, and verse from diversity. It expresses the idea that all the diverse things in existence are related to one another, and are united in some sense.

The Christian answer addresses this issue in two ways. First, Christianity calls attention to the doctrine of the Trinity, that God is both one and three at the same time. Ultimately, the unity and diversity of all things find their resolution in God Himself.

But beyond this, however, the Christian sees that the Word of God is the reference point for all creation. As John puts it, “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3). Now, the idea of an abstract reference point for the universe was not new to the ancient world, but the teaching that this reference point is a person was radical. How do we make sense out of the diversity of life? By having a personal relationship with the person who gives unity to all things.

The Christian has no need to shrink from the most profound philosophical questions. For centuries, Christian philosophers have taken on secular thinkers and shown the truth of biblical religion. Yet, the most profound philosophical question has the most simple of all answers: a personal relationship. Every Christian walks daily with the cosmic Christ, the Person who gives meaning to all life. It is before the face of Christ, the Word of God, that we find coherence, not only in the universe but in our daily lives.

Who Does the Father Say Jesus Is?

"The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet” (Psalm 110:1).

Psalm 110:1 is quoted more often in the New Testament than any other Old Testament text. In it, we see the name God has called Jesus: Lord.

The first time the word LORD appears in this verse it is in all capital letters. This means that in the original Hebrew we have the word YHWH, Yahweh, or Jehovah. This was the personal name God had called Himself when He appeared to Moses. By way of contrast, the second word Lord in this verse is the Hebrew word Adonai, which means “master.” Psalm 110 was something of a puzzle to the Jews, because they understood that it had been authored by King David. It would have been simple if the psalm had been written by one of David’s servants, for then it would mean that Yahweh had been speaking to “my lord David, the king.” Since it was David who wrote the psalm, however, it was David’s Lord to whom the LORD was speaking. This implied that there was a King higher than David, whose kingship had been established by God the LORD.

What had puzzled the Jews was made plain in the New Testament. At the baptism of Jesus and at His transfiguration, God spoke and said, “This is My Son … Listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:5). Here God made it plain that Jesus was the Lord of all men, even of King David.

How does God look at Jesus? As the One to whom He has given all authority, and as the One God commands us to obey. As Paul put it in Philippians 2:9–11, “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” What is that most exalted name that Jesus has been given? It is Lord.

“King of Kings and Lord of Lords”—that is the name given to Jesus Christ by God His Father. It is the name before which we are to bend the knee in humble submission and obey His every commandment. Is that how you see Jesus? There are many today who intentionally downplay the Lordship of Christ, compromising His authority over us. Today, ask the Father to give you a submissive spirit, one which delights to live under Christ’s authority.

Who is Jesus?

The title of Jesus reveal something of His identity and they also give us a hint as to the meaning of His activity. Though we may distinguish between person and work, we must never isolate one from the other.

No title captures His work more completely than the title Savior. The believers of the early church bore witness to this when they used the sign of the fish as their cryptic signal of recognition. The acrostic formed by the letters of the Greek word for “fish,” ixous, spell out: Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.

God Himself named Jesus as an infant. Jesus means “the Lord saves” or “the One through whom the Lord saves.” Thus Jesus’ own name carries within it the idea of savior. His titles—Logos, Messiah, Son of Man—all indicate Jesus’ qualifications to be the Savior of men. He alone has the credentials to offer atonement, to triumph over death, to reconcile people to God.

Here is where the relevance of Jesus crashes into our lives, bringing crisis in its wake. Here is where we step over the line of detached scholarly investigation into the realm of personal vulnerability. We argue endlessly over matters of religion and philosophy, about ethics and politics—but each person must ultimately face the personal issue squarely: “What do I do about my sin?”

That I sin and that you sin is debated by none save the most dishonest of men. We sin. We violate each other. We assault the holiness of God. What hope do we have in such dreadful turmoil? We can deny our sin or even the existence of God. We can exclaim that we are not accountable for our lives. We can invent a God who forgives everybody without requiring repentance. All such avenues are established in delusion. There is but one who qualifies as Savior. He alone has the ability to solve our most abysmal dilemma. He alone has the power of life and death.

Jesus, of course, had many other titles and all of them tell us who He is. Contained in them, however, is a thesaurus of insights into what He did. His person and His work meet in the drama of life.

Who Does Jesus Say He Is?

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all people, nations and men of every language worshiped him”

(Daniel 7:13–14).

The expression “Son of Man” as a title for Jesus Christ occurs about 80 times in the New Testament. Almost without exception it is found on the lips of Jesus Himself. It was His favorite name for Himself.

Most Christians naturally think that the expression “Son of Man” refers to the humanity of our Lord, while the expression “Son of God” refers to his Deity. When we look at the Bible, however, we find something else.

The key passage to understanding the term “Son of Man” is in Daniel 7. There Daniel sees a divine figure coming on the clouds of heaven. This is a reference to the glory cloud of God Himself, the cloud that appears so often when God appears. Clearly, the person approaching on this cloud is divine.

This Person is called the “Son of Man,” and He is the Father’s agent to rule and judge the world. The principal role of the Son of Man is judge. The Ancient of Days calls on the Son of Man to bring judgment. He comes to earth from the Father, evaluates the situation, reports back to the Father, and participates with the Father in judgment. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus spoke of the “crisis” or judgment of the world. By saying that He was the Son of Man, Jesus was saying to the Jews, “I didn’t come from Bethlehem. I came from heaven. I have come to judge.” It was time for all men to make up their minds whom to serve.

In Acts 7 we read of the stoning of Stephen. As he died, Stephen saw heaven opened and the Son of Man standing next to the Father. He saw that the One who is judge of all was also standing as his advocate and defense attorney. Do you understand that Jesus acts both as your judge and defense attorney? For many it is difficult to conceive that He could perform both roles. The Good News of the Gospel is that the Christian can embrace the Son of Man as judge, because we know that He has taken upon Himself the penalty for our sins, and that we are declared righteous before God in Him.

Who Do Men Say Jesus Is?

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:15–16).

From time to time Jesus would pull back from His public ministry and go to a private place to spend some time alone or with His intimate disciples. It was on one such occasion that Jesus asked His friends, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13).

The disciples replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16:14). John the Baptist was one of the most famous men of the day. The Jews had a history of prophets, but for 400 years, since the time of Malachi, there had been none. Suddenly, however, a new prophet had appeared. John had stirred up a great deal of interest, and then was executed by Herod. Because of Jesus’ miracles many, including Herod himself, thought He was a resurrected John.

The last prophecy of the Old Testament had been that Elijah would come in the last days to prepare the way for the Messiah. Because of the ministry of John, many people were stirred up to look for the Messiah. They knew of Jesus’ work and miracles, but since Jesus had not publicly claimed to be the Messiah, they thought perhaps He was Elijah.

Jesus then asked His men who they thought He was. Peter, speaking for them all, declared that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. The word Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah. It is not part of Jesus’ name, but rather is His title: Jesus the Messiah.

How did Peter know this? Not from his own wisdom, but because God the Father had revealed it to him (Matthew 16:17). Jesus then congratulated Peter, conferring upon him a divine blessing and a new name.

People were uncertain of Jesus’ true identity in His own day, even as now. If you know who Jesus really is, it is not because of your own wisdom, but because God Himself has shown Him to you. How well do you know Jesus? Would you like to know Him better? There is only one way, and that is the same way you came to know Him to begin with: God must teach you. Ask the Father today to teach you more about Jesus, as you study His Word.

The Means of Grace

The apostle Paul declares, “By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). Where does this faith come from? How is this gift of God imparted? The answer of historic Christianity is that it comes from God and by the means of grace that Christ has appointed in His church. All the ordinances, or things commanded by Christ (Matt. 28:20), are in view in this answer, but the primary means is the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, “which are able to make thee wise unto salvation” (2 Tim. 3:15). David extols the saving power of the Word, declaring that “the law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul” (Ps 19:7).

There is no conflict between faith in the sovereignty of God and use of His appointed means to obtain what He promises to us. As God, the Holy Spirit is free to work when, where, and how He pleases, with or without the use of means. Nevertheless, the means of grace are commended to us by the very fact that the sovereign God commands us to use them.

A distinction must be made between the kindness of God shown to all creatures, by which He showers good gifts upon all mankind, just and unjust alike, and that special or saving grace imparted only to God’s elect. The Bible affirms, “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Ps. 145:9). However, “he sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them” (Ps. 147:19–20).

Scripture’s uniqueness as a means of grace lies in its very nature: “The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword … a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). However, because of the unbelief, ignorance, and darkness of our fallen, corrupted hearts, the Holy Spirit alone makes the reading and preaching of the Word effectual as a means of grace, using the Word to enlighten our darkness, working faith in our hearts, and enabling us to receive Christ as Savior and to serve Him as Lord.

Other means of grace are subordinate to God’s Word. Holy baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the Word of God made visible to confirm the truth of God’s promises to us. Prayer is a means by which those promises are invoked by believers, to “obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). Praise is a means by which God’s grace, the Word of Christ dwelling in our hearts, is poured forth in thanksgiving to God as we sing the “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” included in the canon of Scripture at the direction of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18–21; Col. 3:16).

We must never attribute efficacy to the means themselves and the bare use of them. The water of baptism cannot wash away sins. The bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper are not and cannot become the life-giving flesh and blood of Christ. A man’s Christianity is not to be measured by the number of sermons he has heard or prayers he has recited. It is possible to do all the right things without a believing heart: “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). Even so, those who believe that God has instituted these means of grace make diligent use of them.

The church must give first place to the sound preaching of the Word. Her members should hear such preaching with faith and submission, desiring to know, believe, and obey the will of God revealed therein. The sacraments should be administered only in conjunction with such preaching, and must be received in faith by all who would profit from them. To pray effectively, our minds must be filled with the truth of God’s Word. To praise acceptably, our hearts must be filled with the Word of Christ and with the Holy Spirit.

Christ's Sending of the Holy Spirit

"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth." (John 16:12–13).

Just as Moses called the people together on the plains of Moab to pass his mantle to Joshua, so Jesus calls His disciples to the Upper Room and explains to them that the Spirit will come to take His place. This notion of “dynastic succession” is all-important in understanding the events of the Day of Pentecost. Jesus, enthroned on high after His ascension, was sending the Spirit to continue His work.

Why does the King James Version call the Holy Spirit the Comforter? Is it because He comes to comfort us when we are distressed? No, that is not the reason. In the English of that time, “comfort” was understood to come from two Latin words, cum and fortis, which meant “with strength.” The Spirit is called the Comforter because He comes to strengthen us in all that we do.

In John 14:16, Jesus had said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” If the Spirit is “another Counselor,” who is the first? Jesus Himself. The actual Greek term translated counselor is parakletos, and refers to an "attorney" called alongside to help.

Here we see that Jesus was saying, “I hold the title Paraclete. I am your Defense Attorney. I am the One who stands beside you. But I am leaving, and because I am leaving I’m going to send you another Paraclete. And I will be with you always, even to the end of the age. How am I going to be with you? By the presence of this One whom I will send to you.” It is the Spirit who makes Christ present to us, and us to Him.

How do you account for the seeming weakness within the church and in many individual believers? Is God selective in granting His power for righteous living; is the Spirit impotent to perform His ministry; or are believers negligent in appropriating the power made available to each of us? Read the opening chapters of Acts to see how the Spirit was unleashed upon the church with power.

The Ascension of Jesus Into Heaven

"But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:7)

I don’t think that the Christian church has ever fully believed what Jesus says in this verse. I’m sure we don’t really believe it today, unless you're blessed to be in a tradition that emphasizes the mediatorial reign of Christ. Jesus was saying this, “It is better for you that I leave.” Let us briefly look at three reasons why this is so.

The first benefit lies in where Jesus went. He went to the right hand of God and took His seat of cosmic authority. He went to His coronation and investiture. It is because He ascended that He became King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Christ is now reigning as the King, and the kingdom has begun. Even though we don’t see the kingdom in its fullness now, it is no less real today. You and I are children of the King, and that should strongly influence how we move through this life. This would not be so if Jesus had not gone away.

The second benefit lies in the fact that Jesus entered into the heavenly Holy of Holies, the very presence of God, as our High Priest. There He intercedes for us perpetually. If you are a Christian, Jesus is praying for you right now. You have an advocate at the throne. It would not be so if Jesus had not gone away.

There is, though, a sense in which Jesus is with us still. This is because the third benefit of His ascension lies in the fact that He sent the Holy Spirit. There is a sense in which Jesus had to ascend to heaven before He could send the Spirit to endow His church with power. It would not be so if Jesus had not gone away.

Do you really believe what Jesus said in John 16:7, that it is better for you that He be in heaven? Perhaps these are new thoughts to you. If so, jot down these words on a slip of paper: Ascension, coronation, intercession, power. Take it with you and think during the day of the tremendous blessings that come to you from our Lord’s ascension.

The Exaltation of Christ

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:5–6).

When we consider the exaltation of Jesus, our mind usually jumps immediately to the Resurrection, but actually the exaltation of Jesus begins earlier. According to Isaiah 53:9, after Jesus’ death, He was assigned a grave with the wealthy. Normally, the body of a crucified criminal would be taken down and dumped into gehenna, the garbage trench outside Jerusalem, where a fire was kept burning to reduce the waste of the city.

Instead, however, the disciples interceded with Pilate and obtained permission to bury Jesus in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a man of wealth and high social status. Not only that, but Jesus’ body was ministered to with costly oils and spices and carefully wrapped for the tomb. These events were the beginning of His exaltation.

But important as these events are, they pale before the glory of the Resurrection. I say that the Resurrection was “radical” because the word radical comes from the Latin radix, meaning “root,” and the Resurrection gets down to the very root of what the Christian faith is all about.

It is radical because it means that the work of redemption is finished. It is radical because it means that a new world has begun. How is this so? Isaiah 53:9 states, concerning Jesus, that “he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” In other words, Jesus had committed no sins, and thus it was impossible for the grave to hold Him.

When God raised Jesus from the grave, it was His public vindication. It meant that He had committed no sins and thus did not deserve to die. Why, then, did He die? It could only have been for the sins of others. Why was He raised? It could only have been because His work was finished. The Resurrection, thus, publicly proclaims that God has been satisfied, and redemption has been accomplished.

The supreme exaltation of Jesus Christ was accomplished by God raising Him from the grave. But as we have seen, others were also credited with exalting Him. Paul tells us that we will all exalt Him at the last days (Philippians 2:9–12). Take time now to think back over this past week and recount how you have exalted Christ in your words and actions.

Why Study the Bible?

If we press people for a reason for not studying the Bible, usually they say, “Frankly the book bores me to death.” This statement reflects not so much an inability to understand what is read as a preference for what one finds interesting and exciting.

R.C. Sproul tells a story of how this idea of boredom and Bible study came home to him one year when teaching. He writes,

Several years ago when I was hired to teach the Scriptures at a Christian college. The president of the institution phoned me and said, “We need someone young and exciting, with a dynamic method who will ‘make the Bible come alive.’ ” I had to swallow my words. I wanted to say, “You want me to make the Bible come alive? I didn’t know that it had died. In fact, I never heard that it was ill.”

No, we can’t make the Bible come alive for anyone. The Bible is already alive. It makes me come alive. When people say the Bible is dull it makes me wonder why. Biblical characters are full of life. There is a unique quality of passion about them. Their lives reveal drama, pathos, lust, crime, devotion, and every aspect of human existence. There is rebuke, remorse, consolation, practical wisdom, philosophical reflection, and, most of all, truth. Perhaps the dullness some experience is due to the antiquity of the material. How does the life of Abraham—lived so long ago and so far away—relate to us? But biblical characters are real. Though their life settings are different from ours, their struggles and concerns are very much like ours.

God’s plan of redemption is for the whole of His creation. Redeeming people, however, becomes the major focus of the Scriptures as they reveal His plan of salvation. What could be more exciting than to read of the conversion of people facing concerns that are essentially the same as those we face today?

Try studying some of the major biblical figures. Suggestions of those with a vitality of life and faith are Abraham (Genesis 12–25); Jacob and Joseph (Genesis 25–50); Ruth; David (1 Samuel 16–1 Kings 2); Nehemiah; Paul (Acts 9–28). Choose one person to study and ask yourself the following questions as you read:

• What common desires, experiences, hopes and relational problems do I share with this person? 
• Was their coming to faith similar to mine? How was it different? 
• What were the major events of this person’s life, and how did God use them to develop their faith? How has God done that in my life? 
• How did this person influence others for the faith? How can I?
• If I could speak with this person today, I would most like to discuss ____________ .

The Bearer of the Curse

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

In our day a curse is regarded as superstitious, but in biblical categories it has a different meaning. The curse in the Old Testament refers to the negative judgment of God—the opposite of blessing. When God gave the covenant to Israel, He listed the curses and blessings, the punishments and rewards, to be dispensed to the faithful or unfaithful (Deuteronomy 28).

In the Bible, blessedness means to be able to come near to the presence of God. The closer you come to a face-to-face relationship with God, the more blessed you are; and the farther you are from God, the more cursed you are. Thus, the curse of God was to be removed from His presence altogether, to be utterly cut off from Him.

John’s Gospel opens with the statement, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” The word translated with implies “face to face.” Originally, the Son of God was face to face with God.

When we read of the passion of Jesus, two things stand out. First, Jesus was judged by Gentiles. He was sent out of the covenant community of Israel into the realm of those who were strangers to the covenant. Second, according to the law, a man who was hanged on a tree was cursed (Deuteronomy 21:23).

When Jesus bore the punishment for our sins, He experienced God’s curse and rejection. In spiritual torment He cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Why? So that He might die that we might live.

At the Cross we see the truest picture of the horror of our sin. Reflect on that for a few moments, and then thank God that Jesus was willing to undergo the curse on your behalf. As you ponder both the physical pain and the spiritual anguish which Jesus, the eternally Beloved Son and Innocent One, experienced, use a hymnal to read or sing several of the stirring hymns about the Crucifixion.

Brief Thoughts on Charlottesville

I shared the following impromptu remarks yesterday in worship following the Lord's Supper and before my sermon.

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (JOHN 12:12–19)

"The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” (John 12:12–13).

The first thing the crowd shouted was “Hosanna!” As they shouted this word, they waved palm branches and laid them in His path. The word hosanna was shouted as we cry “Hurray!” today. Beyond this, however, hosanna was a word that referred to a palm branch. Palm branches were symbolically associated with peace, particularly with peace that results from a crucial victory. When they waved palms and shouted “Hosanna” at Jesus, they were celebrating an anticipated victory over the Romans that they expected their Messiah to achieve.

Jesus did indeed come to defeat someone, but it was not Rome. Rather, the warfare to which Jesus committed Himself was a cosmic warfare against all the powers of sin and evil. The liberation He came to bring was not simply freedom from Rome, but freedom from sin and Satan.

Secondly, they shouted “Blessed is the King of Israel, who comes in the name of the Lord!” They were not just celebrating a king; they were indicating that this King was coming in the name of God. In saying this, they were using the vocabulary that was reserved for the Messiah, the One who would restore the kingdom to Israel.

Certainly Jesus was the King who had come to bring the kingdom of God, but the people did not understand. They were filled with political expectations, and this explains why these same people later shouted “Crucify Him!” Instead of leading them to victory against Rome, He had meekly submitted to Roman arrest and trial. He had not lived up to their expectations and they were bitterly disappointed.

It is easy to think that our greatest problems today are political problems. But the Bible teaches that man’s problem is sin, and the solution is redemption and sanctification. Christians should be active in society and in politics, but we must always keep first things first. How about you? Would you have been disappointed in Jesus?

"A Call to Separation" By A.W. Pink (1886-1952)

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14-18) 

This passage gives utterance to a Divine exhortation for those belonging to Christ to hold aloof from all intimate associations with the Ungodly. It expressly forbids them entering into alliances with the unconverted. It definitely prohibits the children of God walking arm-in-arm with worldlings. It is an admonition applying to every phase and department of our lives—religious, domestic social, commercial. And never, perhaps, was there a time when it more needed pressing on Christians than now. The days in which we are living are marked by the spirit of compromise. On every side we behold unholy mixtures, ungodly alliances, unequal yokes. Many professing Christians appear to be trying how near to the world they may walk and yet go to Heaven. 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together.” This is a call to godly separation. In each dispensation this Divine demand has been made. To Abraham Jehovah’s peremptory word was, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house.” To Israel He said, “After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.” (Lev. 18:3) And again, “Ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation which I cast out before you.” (Lev. 20:23) It was for their disregard of these very prohibitions that Israel brought down upon themselves such severe chastisements. 

At the beginning of the New Testament we are shown the forerunner of Christ standing outside the organized Judaism of his day, calling on men to flee from the wrath to come. The Savior announced that, “He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” (John 10:3) On the day of Pentecost the word to believers was, “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” (Acts 2:40) Later, to the Christian Hebrews Paul wrote, “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp.” (13:13) God’s call to His people in Babylon is, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4) 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together.” This is God’s word unto His people today. Nor does it stand alone. In Rom. 16:17 it is said, “Mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them.” In 2 Tim 2:20 we read, “In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use.” 2 Tim. 3:5 speaks of those “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof,” then it is added, “from such turn away.” What a word is that in 2 Thess. 3:14, “If any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him.” How radical is the admonition of 1 Cor. 5:11, “Now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such an one no, not to eat.” 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together.” We are fully persuaded that it is disregard of this commandment, for command it is, which is largely responsible for the low state which now obtains so generally among Christians, both individually and corporately. No wonder the spiritual pulse of many churches beats so feebly. No wonder their prayer-meetings are so thinly attended; Christians who are unequally yoked have no heart for prayer. Disobedience at this point is a certain preventative to real and whole-hearted devotion to Christ. No one can be an unshackled follower of the Lord Jesus who is, in any way, “yoked” to His enemies. He may be a truly saved person, but the testimony of his life, the witness of his walk, will not honor and glorify Christ. 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together.” This applies first to our religious or ecclesiastical connections. How many Christians are members of so-called “churches,” where much is going on which they know is at direct variance with the Word of God either the teaching from the pulpit, the worldly attractions used to draw the ungodly, and the worldly methods employed to finance it or the constant receiving into its membership of those who give no evidence of having been born again. Believers in Christ who remain in such “churches” (?) are dishonoring their Lord. Should they answer: “Practically all the churches are the same, and were we to resign, what could we do? We must go somewhere on Sundays,” such language would show they are putting their own interests before the glory of Christ. Better stay at home and read God’s Word, than fellowship that which His Word condemns.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together.” This applies to membership in Secret Orders. A “yoke” is that which unites. Those who belong to a “lodge” are united in solemn oath and covenant with their “brother” members. Many of their fellow members give no evidence of being born again. They may believe in a “Supreme Being,” but what love have they for God’s Word? what is their relation to God’s Son? “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3) Can those who owe their all to Christ, both for time and eternity, have fellowship with those who “despise and reject” Him? Let any Christian reader who is thus unequally yoked get from under it without delay. 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together.” This applies to marriage. There are but two families in this world: the children of God, and the children of the devil. (1 John 3:10) If, then, a daughter of God marries a son of the evil one, she becomes a daughter-in-law to Satan! If a son of God marries a daughter of Satan, he becomes a son-in- law to the devil! By such an infamous step an affinity is formed between one belonging to the Most High and one belonging to His archenemy. “Strong language!” Yes, but not too strong. And oh the bitter reaping from such a sowing. In every case it is the poor Christian who suffers. Read the inspired histories of Samson, Solomon, and Ahab, and see what followed their unholy alliances in wedlock. As well might an athlete, who attached to himself a heavy weight, expect to win a race, as a Christian to progress spiritually by marrying a worldling. Oh what watchfulness in prayer is needed in the regulation of our affections! 

“Be ye not unequally yoked together.” This applies to business partnerships. Disobedience at this point has wrecked many a Christian’s testimony and pierced him through with many sorrows. Whatever may be gained of this world by seeking its avenues to wealth and social prestige, will but poorly compensate for the loss of fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Read Prov. 1:10-14. The path which the disciple of Christ is called to tread is a narrow one, and if he leaves it for a wider road, it will mean severe chastenings, heart- breaking losses, and perhaps the forfeiting the Savior’s “Well done” at the end of the journey. 

We are to hate even the “garment”—figure of our habits and ways—spotted by the flesh (Jude 23), and are to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) What a searching and sweeping word is that in 2 Cor. 7:1, “Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” If any occupation or association is found to hinder our communion with God or our enjoyment of spiritual things, then it must be abandoned. Beware of “leprosy” in the garment. (Lev. 13:47) Anything in my habits or ways which mars happy fellowship with the brethren or robs me of power in service, is to be unsparingly judged and made an end of—”burned.” (Lev. 13:52) Whatever I cannot do for God’s glory must be avoided. 

“For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?” How explicit and emphatic are the terms used there! No excuse whatever is there for failing to understand the terms of this exhortation, and the reason with which it is supported. “Fellowship, communion, concord, part, agreement” are so plain they require no interpreter. All unions, alliances, partnerships, entanglements, with unbelievers are expressly forbidden to the Christian. It is impossible to find within the whole range of Holy Scripture plainer language on any subject than we have here. “Righteousness, unrighteousness; light, darkness; Christ, Belial”—what have they in common? What bond is there between them? 

The contrasts presented are very pointed and searching. “Righteousness” is right doing; “unrighteousness” is wrong doing. The unerring and only standard of right doing is “the Word of Righteousness.” (Heb. 5:13) By this alone is the Christian’s life and walk to be regulated. But the worldling disregards and defies it. Then what “fellowship” can there be between one who is in subjection to God’s Word with one who is not? “Light” and “darkness.” God is light (1 John 1:5) and His saints are “the children of light.” (Luke 16:8) But the children of the Wicked One are darkness” (Eph. 5:8) What communion, then, can there be between members of families so dissimilar? “Christ” and “Belial”—what concord can there be between one to whom Christ is everything, and one who despises and rejects Him? 

“For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” How blessed is this! First, we have the exhortation given, “Be ye not unequally yoked together”; second, the reason adduced, “for what fellowship bath righteousness with unrighteousness ?”; third, the inducement proffered. This is a divine promise, and it is striking to note it is a sevenfold one: 1) “I will dwell in them,” 2) “and walk in them,” 3) “And I will be their God,” 4) “And they shall be My people,” 5) “And I will receive you,” 6) “And will be a Father unto you,” 7) “And ye shall be My sons and daughters.” 

“I will dwell in them,” is fellowship; “and walk in them,” is companionship; “and I will be their God,” is relationship. First, in them, then for them; and “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31) “And they shall be My people,” is ownership, acknowledged as His. ‘And I will receive you,” means being brought to the place of experimental and conscious nearness to God. “And will be a Father unto you” means “ ‘I will manifest Myself to you in this character, and impart to your hearts all the joys of such.” “And ye shall be My sons and daughters” means, that such godly separation from the world will afford demonstration that we are His “sons and daughters.” Compare Matt. 5:44. 

“Saith the Lord Almighty.” This is the only time the divine title “Almighty” is found in all the twenty-one Epistles of the New Testament! It seems to be brought in here for the purpose of emphasizing the sufficiency of our Resource. As another has said, “Let any Christian act on the command of separation given in 2 Cor. 6:14-17, and he will find his path so beset with difficulties and so tending to arouse the hostility of all, that if his eyes are not kept fixed on the Almighty God who has thus called him out, he will surely have a breakdown.” But let it be noted that these promises are conditional, conditional on obeying the preceding exhortations. Yet if the heart lays hold of this blessed inducement, then obedience to the command will be easy and pleasant.