God the judge

Recently I was asked to expound Romans chapter two. My studies and meditations may be a blessing to someone:

       This chapter has a significant change from chapter 1.  In that chapter is described the wrath and anger of God against all wilful rejection of the knowledge of God. That leads to a downward spiral of spiritual and moral decay.

      Chapter two changes from ‘them’  to ‘you’. Not now speaking of the profligate prodigal, but to the self- righteous older brother. This section is not about feelings but rather ‘JUDGEMENT’. In fact the key expression is GOD’S JUDGEMENT  - see verse 2, 3, 5, 29 with 3:19.

      This first paragraph addresses those who choose to sit in God’s judgement seat, condemning others to justify themselves. The Lord Jesus identified this problem in the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector. One said “I am not as other men are...”

Education, religion, morality, generosity  etc are helpful, but give no exemption from the judgement of God.

       Verse 4 – some think that because life is going well, they are OK and assume God is either happy with them or that he is non existent.

       Verse 5 – God’s final anger against sin, the judgement day has not yet arrived – then the books will be opened and the true motives and attitudes be revealed.

“ You are they who justify yourselves before men, but God knows the heart”

   Verses 6 -11  Will God be fair in judgement ?

To be continued soon....................john

God unchanging

Reconstructing God

      In a day when people are trying to reconstruct God , we do well to learn again the nature and character of the one true God.

         Is he like a big teddy bear in the sky who gives us everything  we want?   Is he some distant angry dictator who loves to make life difficult for us ?  Or is he just one of many gods who rule the world, imposing rituals for reward?  Or is he just like us – self centred and unreliable with an imaginary sense of significance?

        Well it is true there are many gods, worshiped and obeyed by many people. And the modern promotion of a new or an undiscovered god is not new.

     

          In this meditation I would like to assert the one true God as being the creator of all, by whom all things exist and for whom all things exist. He can be perceived through the creation, but has been deliberately revealed to the Israelite people through Moses and the prophets. Finally He has been revealed through Jesus Christ.

        The God of the Bible remains the same yesterday, and today and forever.

To gather just a few important details ;

   He is transcendent (above all things),

   He is interactive (communicating with people),

   He is indwelling ( By His Spirit connecting with our spirits),

   He is creator ( having sovereign authority over all yet giving freewill to      all ),

   He is Just ( Justice of the pure kind ),

   He is love ( Love that chooses to seek the best even for those          undeserving ),

   He is holy ( Not tainted in any way by error )............................and much   more.

Well we might respond with great awe –

             “Hallowed be Thy Name”

   To fear Him, to love Him, to know Him, to trust Him, to honour Him, to praise Him, to obey Him,........................is our greatest  privilege and greatest responsibility.

Take time out today

   Let your heart run to Him

     Let your mind be open to His voice

johnmckee@internode.on.net

The holiest of all

In my meditations I have been reading John chapter 17. It seems to be like entering the holy of holies ( which was part of the tabernacle on the OT). Also like entering the throne room of heaven (Revelation 4,5).
For those interested I include a link to a "tabernacle" site worth perusing.

http://the-tabernacle-place.com/articles/what_is_the_tabernacle

May the Lord direct you to see the compass of scripture pointing to the Lord Jesus again.


John McKee

Faith, Love , Obedience

"If you love Me, keep my commandments."  John 14:15

           For some people, it seems out of character to hear the Lord Jesus talk about commandments. Others start counting up the commands in order to merit a blessing. 

When we acknowledge that this is the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ , the Son of God, this is quite appropriate that He command. He who could command the dead (Lazarus) to arise, not only has the moral right to command the living, but in keeping with His character He must needs command, otherwise we are left to wander in darkness. The words of His mouth, directly and through His apostles, are the light in our spirits to worship, light in our souls to love and light upon the pathway of life that we may follow the great shepherd of our souls.

       The authority of our commander remains complete and although his commands are not inscribed in stone, His commands are not less important. Rather He often framed His commands within the moral power of example. This is exemplified in John 13 – His command to wash one another’s feet, follows him actually doing it Himself. The command to love one another, is qualified  by “as I have loved you”.

        Perhaps the most significant command given for the crowds who listened to Him was : “That ye believe on the one whom God has sent.” ( John 6). Obeying this command is the beginning of a relationship that takes all His commands seriously. The one who is born of God  obeys God, not out of compulsion, but because of love within the relationship. The apostle John in his letter writes of commands, but emphasises that the obedience of love cast out fear. The obedience of love welds the relationship as children of God and develops the maturity as sons of God.

         I implore my readers to be sure your hope for eternity is not resting upon self effort, or obedience to commandments ( Law principle). But to let your hope for a place in the Father’s house be assured by your faith in a person. He was once crucified, but having risen from the dead, He lives with ultimate authority, in heaven and on earth. Let us bow low at His feet, and give Him the allegiance and submission He deserves. Well might He say “If you love me, keep my commandments”. 

        If you find obedience to His commands distasteful, I suggest you look deeply for the cause – do you know Him, do you love Him?

John Mckee