Selected Sunday Scriptures- #116

Our faith is one of sacrifice. We can see this as early as Genesis, when our father in faith Abraham was called by God:

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.”

⁴ So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. ⁵ And Abram took Sar′ai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and the persons that they had gotten in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, ⁶ Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. ⁷ Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. ⁸ Thence he removed to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. ⁹ And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

(Genesis 12:1-9)

When God called Abraham (then Abram), Abraham was required to sacrifice the security and assurance he had in his native land. This was a dangerous journey, but Abraham made it all the same.

We can see sacrifice later in the Old Testament when the Israelites were required to render unto God the first fruits of the land:

“When you come into the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance, and have taken possession of it, and live in it, ² you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God gives you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place which the Lord your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. ³ And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, ‘I declare this day to the Lord your God that I have come into the land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’ ⁴ Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God.

⁵ “And you shall make response before the Lord your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father; and he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. ⁶ And the Egyptians treated us harshly, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage. ⁷ Then we cried to the Lord the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice, and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression; ⁸ and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror, with signs and wonders; ⁹ and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰ And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which thou, O Lord, hast given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God; ¹¹ and you shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you.

(Deuteronomy 26:1-11)

There is a cost to all that we do. I know I have said this before (in this series no less), but it bears repeating. There is a great cost to being a Christian. We shouldn’t embark on this journey if we aren’t willing to pay that cost. That cost will require great sacrifice of us. Jesus told us as much:

²⁵ Now great multitudes accompanied him; and he turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If any one 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. ²⁷ Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. ²⁸ For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace. ³³ So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

(Luke 14:25-33)

God must come first, everything else afterwards. If we cannot pay the costs associated with that, better to not even start down this path at all.

[This post was inspired, in part, by Deep Strength’s recent posts on suffering/sacrifice, found here and here.]

Selected Sunday Scriptures- #114

In today’s post I want to examine the Fear of the Lord. Otherwise said, it can be scary to find yourself in the presence of God, or his actions. Here are but a few examples from the New Testament:

²² Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³ And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴ but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. ²⁵ And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. ²⁷ But immediately he spoke to them, saying, “Take heart, it is I; have no fear.”

(Matthew 14:22-27)

¹¹ Soon afterward he went to a city called Na′in, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. ¹² As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. ¹³ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” ¹⁴ And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” ¹⁵ And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. ¹⁶ Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” ¹⁷ And this report concerning him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

(Luke 7:11-17)

²⁸ Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. ²⁹ And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white. ³⁰ And behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Eli′jah, ³¹ who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem. ³² Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep but kept awake, and they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. ³³ And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli′jah”—not knowing what he said. ³⁴ As he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” ³⁶ And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

(Luke 9:28-36)

Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Mag′dalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. ⁴ And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

(Matthew 28:1-4)

When we think of God, and Jesus especially, we like to think of a comforting force. Of God as our loving Father, or Jesus as our brother. It is easy for us to forget that power, real power, as displayed by God, is a frightening thing.

Why so? I would wager it frightens us because it isn’t natural. It is supernatural. God’s power and presence defies the “natural order.” It forces us, creatures all too often locked into our material ways, to confront the very real fact that there are forces and powers that we cannot see and cannot hear, and above all else, cannot comprehend.

I am curious what my readers think about the subject. Also, I would appreciate any sayings of the Saints that anyone knows of that address this subject.

Selected Sunday Scriptures- #113

Today’s post is something of a spiritual successor to my post “Never Enough.” We begin with Jesus talking about the Baptist and Forerunner John:

²⁴ When the messengers of John had gone, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵ What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is he of whom it is written,

‘Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
who shall prepare thy way before thee.’

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” ²⁹ (When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; ³⁰ but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

³¹ “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another,

‘We piped to you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not weep.’

³³ For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of man has come eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ³⁵ Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”

(Luke 7:24-35)

There is no pleasing or satisfying someone with their heart in the wrong place. You can do no right in their eyes. They will find something wrong with what you have done- no matter that their conclusion might be inconsistent with something they said at some earlier time.

One personal example:

Some time ago I was asked once by someone why I wasn’t interested in a particular young woman. I explained to the questioner that, unfortunately, the woman in question was quite unattractive. Far below the level where I would be able to feel any passion towards her (to put it politely). The person told me that I was being shallow by focusing on the woman’s looks. I needed to pay attention to her character- that should drive my decision.

Fast forward a little bit. Same person asks why I had rejected a different woman. I explained that this particular woman was severely lacking in character (former carousel rider). She was not marriage material, certainly for me and I would argue that at the time not for anyone (she needed to seriously reflect and change her life). The person then objected by point out: “But she is so beautiful…”

The disconnect was obvious, but the person here didn’t see it. Why? Because that person’s heart was in the wrong place. I could do not right- largely because I spoke up for myself and had my own views on what constitutes a good woman (and thus good wife).

² A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,
    but only in expressing his opinion.

(Proverbs 18:2)

These words of St. Paul seem appropriate:

Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. ² For he says,

“At the acceptable time I have listened to you,
and helped you on the day of salvation.”

Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. ³ We put no obstacle in any one’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, ⁴ but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, ⁵ beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; ⁶ by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, ⁷ truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; ⁸ in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; ⁹ as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

¹¹ Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. ¹² You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. ¹³ In return—I speak as to children—widen your hearts also.

(2 Corinthians 6:1-13)

What holds many back the most is not a lack of understanding, but of desire. The Corinthians were constantly admonished by the early Church because they were told the Truth, but did not desire it. They did not, as St. Paul advised, widen their hearts. This is unfortunate, but at the same time, it is not the fault of those who preach the Word. It falls on them- they are restricted by their own affections, by their own defects. Pity them, pray for them, but don’t blame yourself for them.

Selected Sunday Scriptures- #112

Today’s post begins with this passage from the gospel of Luke:

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, ² where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. ³ The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’”

⁵ Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. ⁶ And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. ⁷ If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” ⁸ Jesus answered him, “It is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,
    and serve only him.’”

⁹ Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, ¹⁰ for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    to protect you,’

¹¹ and

‘On their hands they will bear you up,
    so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”

¹² Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ¹³ When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

(Luke 4:1-13)

While re-reading this passage again, I was struck by the particular avenues of attack that the Evil One used. He offers Jesus different things- just as he “offers” us certain “gifts” in exchange for turning our backs on God.

He first starts by focusing on base, material concerns- our appetites, in this case quite literally with Jesus’ hunger. Jesus, being both fully man and fully God, experienced hunger just as we do. And that ache would have been pretty intense after 40 days. But at the same time Jesus knows that there is more to our life than just satisfying material needs. St. Paul touches on this in his letter to the Philippians:

¹⁷ Brethren, join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an example in us. ¹⁸ For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

(Philippians 3:17-19)

The second attack that the Adversary makes is by offering all earthly authority to Jesus. This is an attack via pride and greed. Again, as a man, Jesus experienced the same sense of ego and desire that we all experience. But He rejected those desires, for they ultimately lead to naught but ruin. What good is there to gain the world, but lose one’s soul? Such a trade is that of a fool:

¹⁶ And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; ¹⁷ and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ ²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

(Luke 12:16-21)

Finally, the devil makes a much more curious kind of attack. It is harder to explain- the devil is seemingly trying to pervert the protection and help that we know God gives us by making us squander that help, or use it in appropriately. In particular, by putting God to the test. It seems to me that putting God to the test is particularly sinful because it is an act of rebellion- we no longer act to serve God, but instead try and make him serve use. Almost like a child trying to order a parent around, as it were. I am curious as to how my readers see this particular test. Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Selected Sunday Scriptures- #111

Short post today. Here is a short passage from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians:

¹⁴ Do not be mismated with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵ What accord has Christ with Be′lial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will live in them and move among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
¹⁷ Therefore come out from them,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch nothing unclean;
then I will welcome you,
¹⁸ and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

(2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1)

Then we move to St. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians:

¹² But we beseech you, brethren, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.^{[a] 14} And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. ¹⁵ See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray constantly, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit, ²⁰ do not despise prophesying, ²¹ but test everything; hold fast what is good, ²² abstain from every form of evil.

²³ May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

(1 Thessalonians 5:12-24)

The passage from First Thessalonians is important because important because St. Paul clearly lays out that our Body, Soul and Spirit are different aspects of our being. I talked about these three parts of our being in my Background on the Nature of Man post, here. In addition, this passage shows St. Paul praying for the Thessalonians so that each of those parts of their being is “sound.”

This ties in with the first passage I quoted from. From Second Corinthians we can see that our Spirit, not just our body, can be defiled. Another word that I like is polluted, for it shows how the life within us, the life purchased at great price, can be made unclean in all the proper senses of the word. And of course that pollution is sin. But at the same time it also shows that we can cleanse this impurity from ourselves. Now, cleansing our bodies will be different depending on what we have done. However, cleansing our spirit relies on cleansing our soul through repentance and confession. This is where we see the great Hope of our faith- that no matter the defilement, God can cleanse us of it… if we let him. That is where Faith comes in, and why it is necessary to salvation. Without Faith we are lost because we won’t let work within us.

Selected Sunday Scriptures- #110

I had something planned for this post over the week, but unfortunately forgot what it was over the weekend. A poor sign on my part- I shouldn’t let the things of the world interfere with my spiritual life. So in order to jump start this post I opened my Bible at random, and this passage was there:

⁴³ “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, but he finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and brings with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. So shall it be also with this evil generation.”

(Matthew 12:43-45)

What the faithful need to remember is that it is not enough that we empty our lives of evil thoughts and evil deeds. While that is a good start, it is just that- a start. It provides us an opening we must take advantage of. For as our Lord and Savior explains, when we empty out the evil of our life, we create a void. If we do not fill that void with what it good, then most assuredly the devil and his agents will seek to re-fill it with what is evil. Complacency cannot be part of our faith. If we are not moving forward on the path, then we are of necessity walking away from it.

This brings to mind some of what St. James said about faith and works:

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

¹⁸ But some one will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. ²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you foolish fellow, that faith apart from works is barren? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? ²² You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, ²³ and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? ²⁶ For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.

(James 2: 14-26)

If we become complacent in our faith, and do not demonstrate good works, then our faith will end up dying. In a way it can be compared to leaving the emptiness unfilled after clearing out an evil spirit. Our faith can remove that evil, but only good works can fill that void with actual good. There is no neutral ground here- we either produce good works, or we don’t:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

(John 15:1-11)

Here are some words of St. John Chrysostom on this particular passage:

Then He adds, and says, “I am the Vine, you are the branches.“ What wills He to imply by the comparison? That the man who gives no heed to His words can have no life, and that the miracles about to take place, would be wrought by the power of Christ. “My Father is the Husbandman.“ How then? Does the Son need a power working within? Away with the thought! This example does not signify this. Observe with what exactness He goes through the comparison. He says not that the root enjoys the care of the Husbandman, but, the branches. And the foot is brought in in this place for no other purpose, but that they may learn that they can work nothing without His power, and that they ought to be united with Him by faith as the branch with the vine.

Every branch in Me that bears not fruit the Father takes away.

Here He alludes to the manner of life, showing that without works it is not possible to be in Him.

And every branch that bears fruit, He purges it.

That is, causes it to enjoy great care. Yet the root requires care rather than the branches, in being dug about, and cleared, yet about this He says nothing here, but all about the branches. Showing that He is sufficient to Himself, and that the disciples need much help from the Husbandman, although they be very excellent. Wherefore He says, that which bears fruit, He purges it. The one branch, because it is fruitless, cannot even remain in the Vine, but for the other, because it bears fruit, He renders it more fruitful. This, some one might assert, was said with relation also to the persecutions then coming upon them. For the purges it, is prunes, which makes the branch bear better. Whence it is shown, that persecutions rather make men stronger.

Selected Sunday Scriptures- #109

Our God has provided us with many blessings, and promised yet more to come. This has been so with the faith even since the days of the Patriarchs and up to the present day. Yet we so often seem to forget that there is always a condition attached to these promises. Examples:

If you will only obey the Lord your God, by diligently observing all his commandments that I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth; ² all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the Lord your God:

³ Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.

⁴ Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your livestock, both the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock.

⁵ Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

⁶ Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

⁷ The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you; they shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. ⁸ The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns, and in all that you undertake; he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ⁹ The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. ¹⁰ All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. ¹¹ The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground in the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give you. ¹² The Lord will open for you his rich storehouse, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all your undertakings. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. ¹³ The Lord will make you the head, and not the tail; you shall be only at the top, and not at the bottom—if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today, by diligently observing them, ¹⁴ and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I am commanding you today, either to the right or to the left, following other gods to serve them.

Note that most important of words- “if.”

Here are some from the New Testament:

³² “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; ³³ but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

(Matthew 10:32-33)

⁴⁶ While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” ⁴⁸ But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

(Matthew 12:46-50)

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷ This I command you, to love one another.

(John 15:12-17)

It is important that we not lose sight of the fact that so much of what God promises is based on our following Him. Unfortunately, in this day and age that teaching has fallen by the wayside. We hear “Jesus loves us”, but we don’t hear, or ignore, the requirements of that love. Everything has a price, which even Jesus himself tried to make clear to us:

²⁸ For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace.

(Luke 14:28-32)

Today is as good a day as any to sit down and count the cost of discipleship. It is something I do often. Always I find the price to be terribly steep- but worth it, considering the payoff in the end.

Selected Sunday Scriptures- #108

Today’s post will focus on the Psalms, as I haven’t covered them much as of late.

One thing that is fascinating about many of the Psalms attributed to King David is how… plaintive they are. For example:

How long, O Lord? Wilt thou forget me for ever?
    How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
² How long must I bear pain in my soul,
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

³ Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
⁴ lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him”;
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

⁵ But I have trusted in thy steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

(Psalm 13)

I sometimes find it easy to forget that King David wasn’t always, you know, King David. Before that he was a soldier and before that a shepherd. Long before he reached the heights of his success he had to endure a considerable amount of suffering and hardship. And even as King he endured much (although a lot of that was his own fault). But before then, David knew full well just how much he relied upon God to be saved from all his distress.

Consider this Psalm:

Vindicate me, O Lord,
    for I have walked in my integrity,
    and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
² Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
    test my heart and my mind.
³ For thy steadfast love is before my eyes,
    and I walk in faithfulness to thee.

⁴ I do not sit with false men,
    nor do I consort with dissemblers;
⁵ I hate the company of evildoers,
    and I will not sit with the wicked.

⁶ I wash my hands in innocence,
    and go about thy altar, O Lord,
⁷ singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,
    and telling all thy wondrous deeds.

⁸ O Lord, I love the habitation of thy house,
    and the place where thy glory dwells.
⁹ Sweep me not away with sinners,
    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
¹⁰ men in whose hands are evil devices,
    and whose right hands are full of bribes.

¹¹ But as for me, I walk in my integrity;
    redeem me, and be gracious to me.
¹² My foot stands on level ground;
    in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.

(Psalm 26)

Perhaps it is just me, but I get the feeling that this Psalm was written before he became King. As time passed on, David found, like many powerful men and women throughout history, that staying away from wickedness is easier said than done.

Finally, I find this part of Psalm 32 interesting:

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
² Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

(Psalm 32:1-2)

St. Paul references this in Romans 4 as evidence of justification by faith. Why this was so wasn’t immediately apparent to me years ago when I re-read Romans. But looking back to the Psalms helped me understand. This blessedness is a gift- God dispenses favors upon those whom he loves. This is a gift from God that is not something that we can every “buy.” No works of ours can earn it, and thus it shows the greater value of what is offered by God in his new testament with us.

Selected Sunday Scriptures- #107

Given the recent discussion in this post about marriage and the responsibilities of setting it up, I think a post which covers some scripture on the topic would be appropriate. Without further ado:

House and wealth are inherited from parents,
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

(Proverbs 19:14)

A capable wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.

(Proverbs 31:10)

²⁴ Do you have daughters? Be concerned for their chastity,
    and do not show yourself too indulgent with them.
²⁵ Give a daughter in marriage, and you complete a great task;
    but give her to a sensible man.

(Sirach 7:24-25)

[I should note that the verse before these, 7:23, has a different reading in the Hebrew text which states something along the lines of this:

“Do you have sons? Choose wives for them while they are young.”

 A sensible daughter obtains her husband,
    but one who acts shamefully brings grief to her father.

(Sirach 22:4)

³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; ⁴ that each one of you know how to control your own body^[b] in holiness and honor, ⁵ not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

(Thessalonians 4:3-5)

The footnote reads: Or how to take a wife for himself.

These are just a few quotes from scripture. I believe there are a few others to be found as well. I mention these because there is a lot of misunderstanding about marriage right now.

It is not merely a man’s responsibility to find his wife and get married. But all the same he does need to know how to take a wife for himself.

Nor is it entirely up to a woman either. Yet she who is sensible or wise knows how to obtain a husband of her own as well.

Further, it is a parents duty to help their children find spouses as well. I quoted from Sirach before, and here are a few parts of St. John Chrysostom’s 9th homily on First Timothy:

Youth is wild, and requires many governors, teachers, directors, attendants, and tutors; and after all these, it is a happiness if it be restrained. For as a horse not broken in, or a wild beast untamed, such is youth. But if from the beginning, from the earliest age, we fix it in good rules, much pains will not be required afterwards; for good habits formed will be to them as a law. Let us not suffer them to do anything which is agreeable, but injurious; nor let us indulge them, as forsooth but children. Especially let us train them in chastity, for there is the very bane of youth. For this many struggles, much attention will be necessary. Let us take wives for them early, so that their brides may receive their bodies pure and unpolluted, so their loves will be more ardent. He that is chaste before marriage, much more will he be chaste after it; and he that practiced fornication before, will practice it after marriage. All bread, it is said, is sweet to the fornicator. Sirach 23:17 Garlands are wont to be worn on the heads of bridegrooms, as a symbol of victory, betokening that they approach the marriage bed unconquered by pleasure. But if captivated by pleasure he has given himself up to harlots, why does he wear the garland, since he has been subdued?

…

Mothers, be specially careful to regulate your daughters well; for the management of them is easy. Be watchful over them, that they may be keepers at home. Above all, instruct them to be pious, modest, despisers of wealth, indifferent to ornament. In this way dispose of them in marriage. For if you form them in this way, you will save not only them, but the husband who is destined to marry them, and not the husband only, but the children, not the children only, but the grandchildren. For the root being made good, good branches will shoot forth, and still become better, and for all these you will receive a reward. Let us do all things therefore, as benefiting not only one soul, but many through that one. For they ought to go from their father’s house to marriage, as combatants from the school of exercise, furnished with all necessary knowledge, and to be as leaven able to transform the whole lump to its own virtue.

The point I want to make is this:

Marriage is something that everyone has a responsibility in helping set up- parents, son, and daughter. Our atomized and individualist age wants to try and push this job away to someone, anyone else. But the truth is that everyone has a part to play. Everyone needs to be proactive.

Young men need to actively seek out marriageable young women and they need to know how to woo them.

Young women also need to actively seek out marriageable young men and they need to know how to properly indicate their interest.

Parents need to help their children find potential spouse candidates. One man or woman by himself will have difficulty in this task. It takes a concerted effort.

 

Selected Sunday Scriptures- #106

Sin is part of our life. As Christians we are called to avoid it at all times, but none of us can live a sinless life. At least, not on our own accord- with God all things are possible. This is a problem, of course, as sin keeps us from God. It was the first Sin which saw us cast from the Garden. Future sins can likewise divert us away from Him, especially that sin which leads to true death:

¹³ I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴ And this is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. ¹⁶ If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. ¹⁷ All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.

(1 John 5:13-17)

So what do we do about this? We know that God can forgive sins- the Pharisees pointed out as much:

And when he returned to Caper′na-um after some days, it was reported that he was at home. ² And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. ³ And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. ⁵ And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question thus in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” ¹² And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

(Mark 2:1-12)

While Jesus was with us bodily, then forgiveness was easy- we need only ask him for it:

³⁶ One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at table. ³⁷ And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was sitting at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸ and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “What is it, Teacher?” ⁴¹ “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

(Luke 7:36-50)

However, what happens after he ascended? Fortunately, Jesus left the Apostles the authority to forgive sins, just as He did:

¹⁹ On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” ²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

(John 20:19-23)

Look at what Jesus said there. His father sent him to forgive sins. And Jesus sent his Apostles (messengers) just as His Father sent him. So they too were given the charge of the forgiveness of sins. Now, some who claim the faith say that they merely need pray to God for forgiveness. No human “meddlers.” But this isn’t what the Church practiced at all. Here is but one example:

¹³ Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. ¹⁴ Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; ¹⁵ and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.

(James 5:13-16)

Confession is good for the soul. The Church, even in its early history, practiced the sacrament of confession as the means for the forgiving of sins. God works through human beings, and the confession (and forgiveness) of sins is no exception. This Lenten period is an excellent time to wipe your spiritual tablet clean, and start anew by going to confession.