Tag: salvation

Naaman and Obedient Faith

But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, “Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean?”
So he turned and went away in a rage (2 Kings 5:11-12).

Naaman is a man’s man with a problem. He is an extremely respected soldier– a “mighty man of valor” (2 Kings 5:1). Through him the LORD gave Aram victory. Yet he suffered from leprosy, a condition that would mean social exclusion for a lesser man.

That he would love to be cured of his leprosy is without a doubt. When he learns from an Israelite captive that the “prophet in Samaria,” Elisha, could heal him, his excitement is evident: he goes with a significant quantity of money and clothes, and eventually comes to Elisha (2 Kings 5:5-9).

Yet Elisha’s message is certainly not what was expected.

“Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean” (2 Kings 5:10).

How simple! How…non-spiritual! Nothing fancy, no great declaration, just a few dips in a river. Furthermore, of all the rivers– the Jordan? Naaman is probably not wrong to declare the Abanah and Pharpar as superior to the Jordan in terms of cleanliness. How could his cleansing possibly be accomplished by such simple, non-spiritual means in such a comparatively dirty river?

Naaman’s anger is based upon his own unmet expectations, and its conclusion could have been quite tragic. Imagine if Naaman just went back to Aram and died eventually as a leper, all because Elisha did not act as he expected, and did not do what he thought Elisha should do. To think that Naaman might have never been cleansed because of his mental hangup with dipping in a river a few times!

But that is not the case. His servants spoke sensibly to him, helping him to see that what Elisha asks is not that difficult (2 Kings 5:13). He goes and does it and receives his cleansing (2 Kings 5:14)…even though it was simple, seemed rather “un-spiritual,” and was in the Jordan of all places!

Why did it work? It was not because of the Jordan River. It was not because Naaman dipped seven times. It was because God specified through His prophet Elisha that if Naaman obeyed and dipped seven times in the Jordan River, God would accomplish the healing. Could God have healed Naaman without dipping? Sure. Could He have acted exactly as Naaman originally expected? Absolutely. But God did not– God had a different plan for Naaman, and the choice was Naaman’s as to whether he would obey and receive the blessings or disobey and remain unclean.

Naaman’s example is quite instructive for us. How many times have we neglected God’s commands because we felt that it was too simple, too “un-spiritual,” or perhaps simply was not what we were expecting?

The most evident parallel is cleansing from sin. Just as Naaman was to dip seven times in the Jordan River to be cleansed of leprosy, so God calls upon those who believe in Him to be immersed in water for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3-7, 1 Peter 3:21). As with Naaman, so with us: it is not because of the water nor because we are immersed in it. It is because God specifies through Jesus and the Apostles that if one believes in Jesus, confesses His name before men, repents of his sin, and submits himself to immersion in water in the name of the Lord for the remission of past sin, God will accomplish the cleansing of that person and will re-establish association with him. Could God forgive us our sins without being baptized? Sure. Could He act according to our expectations, or in one of the various ways that people say that salvation can be obtained? Absolutely. But God has established His plan for us, and the choice is ours as to whether we will obey it and receive the blessings or disobey and remain unclean.

Naaman almost fell guilty of holding God hostage to his own expectations and his think-so, and we would recognize his great and tragic folly if he proved disobedient despite receiving such a simple command. Yet will we prove to continue in similar folly, in regards to baptism perhaps, or some other matter of some simplicity, by holding God hostage to our expectations or “think-so” or “surely God…” mentalities?

Naaman was cleansed by his willingness to humble his pride, get in the Jordan River, and obey God’s command. As such, he stands as an example of great faith in God (cf. Luke 4:27). Will we have a similar faith– faith in humility, being willing to cast aside our own expectations and suppositions in order to obey the Risen Lord? Let us seek the same commendation of Naaman and obey Christ!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Christ the Lord

And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified” (Acts 2:36).

When we consider Jesus and His life, death, and resurrection, and begin preaching the message of salvation in His name, we make much of the atoning aspect of His death. We preach how Jesus died for our sins, and how His death allows for the reconciliation of God with man.

The atoning power of Jesus’ death is quite significant, and we are not trying to minimize its force or its value. Yet, when Peter stands up and begins preaching to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, his message focused not on the atoning aspect of Jesus’ death but what Jesus’ death and resurrection meant for the power structures of the day: God has made Jesus the crucified both Lord and Christ!

The message was inescapable: Jesus, as the son of David, was the one prophesied to come and sit on David’s throne forever (cf. 2 Samuel 7:16; Acts 2:34). Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus accomplished these things, and all authority in heaven and on earth was granted to Him. Therefore, the Jews on the day of Pentecost were to see that Jesus was their Lord, and they needed to serve Him!

Yes, Tiberius was still Emperor of Rome, yet in truth the great Rock had crushed the nations into pieces (Daniel 2:44). All were then made subject to Jesus and His Word, and would be judged accordingly on the last day (John 12:48, Acts 17:30-31), no matter what the Emperor might say.

Rome has passed, along with plenty of other nations and powers, and yet nothing has really changed since that day. Perhaps there may be many who refuse to submit to Jesus as their Lord in life, but Paul makes it perfectly clear in Philippians 2:9-11 that a day is coming upon which every knee will bow and every tongue confess the great power and majesty of Christ the Lord. The only question will be whether you will do so gladly, as one falling before one’s Savior, or mournfully, realizing the folly of sin when it is too late (cf. Matthew 25:1-13).

Americans, especially, have difficulties understanding authority and the need to submit to the proper authorities. Perhaps that is why it seems so much easier to preach Jesus as the Lamb of God: there is something in it for the one who hears. Nevertheless, it is good for us to remember and make clear that because Jesus died and is now risen, Jesus is Lord. And since Jesus is Lord– in fact, Lord of lords (cf. Revelation 19:16)– He deserves our homage and service, even if there was nothing in it for us (cf. Luke 17:7-10)! If we would show proper deference to an earthly ruler or king, how much more obedience should we continually show before the King of kings and Lord of lords? If we would be willing to obey one who has power over our lives, why would we refuse to obey the one who has power over our souls (Matthew 10:28)?

Thanks be to God that we have such a wonderful Lord and Christ, One who loved us so that He was willing to die for us, to provide us with all spiritual blessings, and to provide the hope of the resurrection and eternal life for all who would obey Him (John 3:16, Ephesians 1:3, 1 Corinthians 15). Let us confess that Jesus is our Lord, and be His servants today!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Our Waiting Glory

And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues; and he spake with me, saying, “Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:9).

Most people, even if they do not know much about the Bible, have a definite picture in mind of what Heaven is like. Many people think of pearly gates and a city of gold. This view is reinforced by all kinds of spiritual songs that are sung. “We will walk on streets of purest gold,” according to Ira Stanphill’s “Mansions Over the Hilltop.” A lot of people think about Heaven and look forward to being in a large and magnificent city.

These images come from Revelation 21 where John describes the “new Jerusalem.” The city is described as a roughly 1,380 mile cube (Revelation 21:16) with a golden street, a jasper wall having foundations of precious stones (Revelation 21:17-20), and the glory of God shining brightly (Revelation 21:11). There is no night there and no Temple; the Father and the Son dwell there all the time (Revelation 21:22-25). It sounds like a great place to go!

Yet a major aspect of the image– and part of its encouraging message– is lost when we think that the “new Jerusalem” is a city to which God’s people go. The “new Jerusalem” is also “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb,” as we see above, and that Bride is the Church (Ephesians 5:22-32).

And what is the Church? The Church is nothing more than its constituents: people (1 Corinthians 12:12-28, 1 Peter 2:4-6)! Therefore, no one is going to be going to the city described– the redeemed of God will be the city!

No one is going to be walking the golden streets– those who conquer through the Lamb are the golden streets (cf. Revelation 21:7). The large city and the shining wall all represent the glory which God will bestow upon those who trusted in Him!

We ought to recognize that the picture of the “new Jerusalem” represents the best attempt that can be made of describing the indescribable, as is made evident from Romans 8:18 and 2 Corinthians 4:17:

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward.

For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.

How can anyone describe that “eternal weight of glory”? Human language fails. To a small, persecuted, and mostly poor group of believers, the most fantastic image that can be imagined is a large city full of great wealth. For those conversant in the Old Testament, a city of gold with the glory of kings coming into it evokes the days of Solomon and the glory days of Israel (cf. 1 Kings 3-10).

Therefore, when we consider the new Jerusalem of Revelation 21, we ought not think of it as a place to which we are going as much as the glory which God eagerly awaits to bestow upon all those who conquer through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (cf. Revelation 12:11). It is fantastic, wonderful, exhilarating, breathtaking, and beyond our wildest dreams.

This is, indeed, the call for the perseverance of the saints, and the invitation of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Do not go outside the city or remain outside the city in filth and defilement– obey God in Jesus Christ, be cleansed and purified in the blood of the Lamb, and let us not grow weary in pressing upward to be that city!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Spiritual Illness

But when he heard it, he said, “They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what this meaneth, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12-13).

One of the rather universal and unpleasant aspects of life is illness. We generally do not have time to get sick, and the pain and difficulties that go along with illness make life uncomfortable. Very severe illnesses can lead to loss of function and even death.

Even though illness causes difficulty, we all understand the need to recognize illness and find a way to treat it. The body sends plenty of signals that all is not well, and foolish is the one who does not heed them. It will not– and cannot– do to act as if the illness is not there and to attempt to go on with life. We could spend hours going through terribly tragic stories of people who have died because of various treatable illnesses. Many times these deaths take place because people did not seek after medical treatment for difficulties they were experiencing. When and if they sought treatment, it was too late.

We recognize that such is true about physical illness. And, as Jesus indicates, there is also a spiritual form of illness that is insidious and ultimately fatal!

Those who have sin have this spiritual illness. We generally do not have time for sin, and the pain and difficulty that goes along with sin are quite uncomfortable. Many sins do lead directly to physical death; all unrepentant sin leads to spiritual death (cf. 1 John 5:16-17).

All conscious human beings are afflicted with sin (Romans 3:23), and even if many seek to deny it, we do have this internal sense of discomfort with ourselves as we presently are (cf. Romans 8:23). We feel that something is missing– we are not whole! While many try to fill this void with earthly and fleshly things, only when we seek after God and His will can we find true wholeness and wellness (Ephesians 4:20-24).

Many people deny that they have the spiritual illness of sin, or would much rather continue within it than to seek after its remedy. Such “healthy” people are not really healthy, but their self-deception is so strong that God’s Word cannot take root (cf. Matthew 13:1-8). Ultimately their sin will lead to their destruction (Revelation 20:11-15)– we can only pray that they discover their illness before it is too late!

We honor and respect doctors and nurses and researchers who work tirelessly to develop treatments and provide greater quality of life to mankind. If a researcher discovered the cure for cancer, would we expect him or her to cover up the discovery and do nothing with it? If such a person were to do such a thing, how would we view them? How many lives ended because they did not proclaim their discovery?

Yet how many of us recognize the cure for the spiritual illness besetting so many around us and then do not proclaim it? How many souls are perishing who have not heard the message of redemption in Jesus? If we know the cure for spiritual illness and do not make it known, how will God view us (cf. Romans 10:14-17, Romans 1:16)?

The spiritual illness of sin is quite pervasive and destructive, and we would do well to look toward Jesus, the Great Physician of our souls, and do His will so that we may be whole. Let us also proclaim the cure for sin in Jesus Christ, and always remember that we, too, are God’s “patients” in constant need of “medicine” for our sin!

Ethan R. Longhenry

The Ultimate Pop Quiz

Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, ‘My lord tarrieth’; and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 24:45-51).

Those who have experienced high school remember the “pop quiz.” Many times a teacher would announce to the class that a pop quiz might be given at some point during the class over a week or so.

Some students would pay little to no concern and expect to fail anyway. Other students would be more forgetful or concerned with other matters, be it other subjects or various extracurricular activities. Such students would either cram at the last minute or hope that the pop quiz would come on another day. And then there were the students who studied the material and were ready. It would not matter whether the pop quiz were today, tomorrow, or merely an idle threat. All would be well.

Jesus has made it clear that one day we will all experience the ultimate pop quiz: a judgment on our lives, based on our deeds (John 12:48, Romans 2:6-11). The “pop quiz” may come because Jesus has returned and the Judgment is taking place (cf. Matthew 25). The “pop quiz” may instead come because your life on earth has ended, whether expected or not (James 4:14). Regardless, this is no idle threat– each and every one of us will stand before God one day (Acts 17:30-31, Romans 14:12)!

What students will we be like? Will be like the students who have no concern, and be people so active in sin that we pay no regard to righteousness, and expect to be condemned at the Judgment (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9)?

Or will we be like the students who were forgetful or concerned about other matters? Will we get so busy in life’s various activities, whether profitable or not, and either forget about or not have time for service to God? Do we put obeying God out in the future, expecting the opportunity to “cram” our time of service when we get just a little older, get a bit more settled, gain some maturity, wait until the children are grown, and so on and so forth? Do we secretly hope that Jesus will put off His coming for just a little while longer?

Or are we as the prepared students, serving God and striving to do the best we can to please Him at all times?

When that day comes, there will only be two types of people: those who are ready, and those who are not (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10). All the excuses and justifications in the world will not be sufficient to release us from condemnation if we die or the Lord returns and we are like the wicked servant or the foolish virgins (cf. Matthew 24:48-25:13). Failing a pop quiz– or even a class– was not the end of our world. But failing this ultimate Judgment means condemnation– weeping and gnashing of teeth (cf. Matthew 24:51)!

We do not need to live in perpetual fear of the Lord’s return. We need to be His obedient servants, doing the best we can with the gifts we have been given to glorify God (Matthew 25:14-30). If we are in that condition, we can be ready for Jesus to return today, tomorrow, or in a thousand years. It will not matter if we leave this earth today, tomorrow, or many years from now. Let us be continually prepared for the ultimate pop quiz and serve God daily!

Ethan R. Longhenry

The Greatness of Jesus’ Accomplishments

For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8).

Part of the greatness of what Jesus has accomplished involves the profound contrasts between who He is and what we are. He humbled Himself mightily by becoming a man, let alone a carpenter’s son in the backwoods of Galilee (Philippians 2:5-11). While we humans prize strength, power, glory, learning, and might, Jesus came in weakness, humility, and relative insignificance (Isaiah 53, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Matthew 11:28-29). When humans would expect the Son of God to conquer with the sword, Jesus conquered through dying and being raised again (1 Corinthians 15:57-58).

And even though we are sinners, and deserve nothing but death and condemnation for what we have done, Jesus died for us.

He by whom all things were created died so that we could live (John 1:1-3).

The Author of Life laid His down so that we could live in Him (Acts 3:15, John 10:17, 2 Corinthians 13:4).

He who has all strength took on weakness to deliver us from our own weaknesses (2 Corinthians 13:4).

He who loves beyond measure experienced mockery and derision so that we could be reconciled to God (Matthew 27, Romans 5:11).

The High Priest became the sacrifice so that we could minister to God (Hebrews 7).

And this was all accomplished not because we were holy, not because we were righteous, and not because we deserved it.

It was accomplished despite our sinfulness, despite our unrighteousness, and despite our own lack of love and mercy.

It was finished so that we could learn to love through Jesus Christ. Jesus suffered, and we are to suffer (Romans 8:17). The Word became flesh so that flesh could obey the Word (John 1:14).

Jesus died for sinful man so that man could be restored to His image (Romans 8:29).

When we ponder on these things, it is hard not to be humbled, astonished, and greatly thankful for all that was accomplished despite ourselves.

And it should provide sufficient motivation to go and reflect that love to all men (Matthew 5:13-16)!

Ethan R. Longhenry