Angelic Conflict part 219: Human history (the Church) – Rom 12:1-21; 1Co 1:10-13; 4:4-5; Mat 7:1-5; 5:38-42; 1Sa 24:1-22.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 219: Human history (the Church) - ROM 12:1-21; 1CO 1:10-13; 4:4-5; MAT 7:1-5; 5:38-42; 1SA 24:1-22.

 

 

ROM 12:9Let love be without hypocrisy [lacking in pretense or show, but genuine]. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.

 

ROM 12:10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love [philadelphia]; give preference to one another in honor [considered valuable];

 

ROM 12:11not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

 

“not negligent or slothful in zeal - hot, boiling, or glowing in spirit - serving as a slave the Lord.

 

ROM 12:12rejoicing in hope [tomorrows], persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

 

ROM 12:13contributing to the needs of the saints [graciously giving to RF], practicing hospitality [love of strangers].

 

ROM 12:14Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not.

 

ROM 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

 

ROM 12:16Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

 

ROM 12:17Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right [as per God's standards] in the sight of all men.

 

ROM 12:18If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

 

If possible shows us that reconciliation between believers is not always possible. A grace oriented believer cannot fellowship or have partnership with a legalist. Yet, when it comes to silly differences, as existed in the Corinthian church, it did not take long for division to exist in God's church.

 

1CO 1:10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

 

1CO 1:11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you.

 

1CO 1:12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ."

 

1CO 1:13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

 

Do not evaluate yourself based on your evaluation of others, which is comparison and amounts to only the relative and not the absolute. We all have weaknesses, flaws, and shortcomings. We rightly deal with these things before God and as such should evaluate ourselves in God's shining light. All who do that will become humble and meek and will not judge, correct, put down, or exhalt another person. It is hypocrisy to know who you are in comparison to God and then become a judge or a justice scale carrier when it comes to others.

 

MAT 7:1 "Do not judge lest you be judged.

 

MAT 7:2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

 

MAT 7:3 "And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

 

MAT 7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?

 

MAT 7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

 

ROM 14:4

Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

 

1CO 4:4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.

 

1CO 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God.

 

ROM 12:19Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, " says the Lord.

 

Though this goes against every ounce of our fallen nature, because revenge is not only personal justice, but it's enjoyable to the sinner, we none the less are all commanded to never take it.

 

Wanting one's own way is one of the most pronounced traits of the human race; it governs almost every action. We all face the conundrum of our way or the right way, which is God's way.

 

ECC 10:2

A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left.

 

A right thing must be done in a right way. At salvation the war within us began and the process of transforming our minds into the image of Christ is long and sometimes painful.

 

MAT 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' [Mosaic Law]

 

MAT 5:39 "But I say to you, do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.

 

MAT 5:40 "And if anyone wants to sue you, and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.

 

MAT 5:41 "And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two.

 

MAT 5:42 "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

 

The Lord would not ask us to do anything that He Himself did not do.

 

ROM 12:19Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, " says the Lord.

 

The Greek says "leave room for the wrath" and "of God" is not in the original. Yet the quote from DEU 32:35 seems to indicate that the wrath is of God in vengeance. However, the literal translation has merit.

 

The Church/Christian does not fight against the injustice of the world, but instead, leave room for wrath - God will judge it.

 

This verse warns about taking our own revenge as well as stern warning against the Church attempting to clean up the devil's world.

 

The church respects what is right and does not pay back evil for evil and remains at peace because of the work of Christ. Though this has been violated many times in church history this does not lessen this truth. By so doing, we leave room for wrath to continue on this earth until God deems it necessary to judge it, and that may be a long time in the making for He is longsuffering; not wishing for any to perish.

 

2PE 3:9-10

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

 

Whenever possible it is always good to have an OT visualization of a doctrinal principle in action:

 

1SA 24:1 Now it came about when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, saying, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi."

 

1SA 24:2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

 

1SA 24:3 And he came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself [lit: cover his feet]. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.

 

1SA 24:4 And the men of David said to him, "Behold, this is the day of which the Lord said to you, 'Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.'" Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul's robe secretly.

 

1SA 24:5 And it came about afterward that David's conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul's robe.

 

1SA 24:6 So he said to his men, "Far be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord's anointed."

 

1SA 24:7 And David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way.

 

1SA 24:8 Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

 

1SA 24:9 And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, 'Behold, David seeks to harm you'?

 

1SA 24:10 "Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed.'

 

1SA 24:11 "Now, my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it.

 

1SA 24:12 May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you.

 

1SA 24:13 As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness'; but my hand shall not be against you.

 

1SA 24:14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, a single flea?

 

1SA 24:15 "The Lord therefore be judge and decide between you and me; and may He see and plead my cause, and deliver me from your hand."

 

1SA 24:16 Now it came about when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

 

1SA 24:17 And he said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you.

 

1SA 24:18 And you have declared today that you have done good to me, that the Lord delivered me into your hand and yet you did not kill me.

 

1SA 24:19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safely? May the Lord therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day.

 

1SA 24:20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.

 

1SA 24:21 So now swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father's household."

 

1SA 24:22 And David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

 

ROM 12:20"But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head. "

 

ROM 12:21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

It is clear in this verse that evil can overcome the believer and therefore the believer can become reversionistic to the point where they think no differently than a worldly unbeliever.

 

However, what is also clear here is that the solution to overcoming evil and not to fight evil or eradicate all the evil surrounding him but to simply pursue the good that is God's standard. The Church was never asked to remove evil from the world, which is not only not commanded but impossible. The believer is instructed to follow the plan of God for His live, proving the will of God which is good, and in so doing he will overcome evil in his own life.

 

We are not to consider what others deserve to suffer, but what we are required to do. As to the use that others will make of our kindness, that is no concern of ours; we have only to obey God and leave all events to Him.

 

Doctrines, the Holy Spirit, believers, spiritual gifts, virtue, and a building make a local assembly.