The Twisted Logic Of Sin

It is hard to convince anybody of anything when they think they are right. It doesn't matter how you present the situation or information, if they are convinced they are right they will defy all logic, even when the evidence is right in front of them. We shouldn't be surprised then when people refuse the facts about Jesus. They come up with every argument, every excuse, every "reason" to deny him. However, we need to keep in mind there is something working to keep them from the truth.

Rebellion is a very powerful thing. We call it our sin nature but what it boils down to is rebellion. Eve rebelled against Yahweh's command. There was only one command and yet Eve found it in herself to deny even that one. It set mankind on a terrible spiral down into a nature of rebellion. This sin nature distorts and twists everything so that people even defy the logic that they aspire to live by. We have plenty of examples in the Word of God which demonstrate this perfectly.

Consider David and Bathsheba. What would possess David to think that he could get away with having sex with another man's wife? Did he think that Yahweh would kindly turn a blind eye to his action. But this wasn't even the sin that he got called out on. David went from being an adulterer to a murderer. It's amazing how quickly sin can escalate. The natural consequences to his adultery was that Bathsheba was pregnant. David actually thought he could cover it up and make Uriah think he had gotten his wife pregnant. It is incredible to what lengths we will go to avoid dealing with our rebellion. Finally David arranged to have Uriah killed in battle, and this was the sin with which he was called out on, but it started with his adultery.

What possessed David to think that he could get away with it? Rebellion twists our thinking and causes us to think abnormal situations are normal. Yahweh and the whole kingdom were looking in and David ended up dealing with this sin in a public manner. But there are even greater examples than this.

In Luke 20 Jesus told a parable about a landowner who built a vineyard and then rented it out. The rent was simply a portion of the crop. It is only logical that when you rent something you have to pay the rent. But when the landowner's servants arrived to collect the rent, the people renting the vineyard beat them and sent them away. So the man sent his son. Now look at the twisted thinking of a rebellious mind:

But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’ (Luke 20:14)

Are you kidding me? What logic would dictate that, because you kill your landlord's heir, you will become the heir? Craziness, but that is exactly where their thinking went. You may say, it's just a story, which it is, but this parable was aimed at a real life situation. The religious elite knew who Jesus was. If they didn't Jesus would not have told this parable. The thing is, these elite did not want to lose their position of importance. Jesus was stating here that their motivation for killing the Son was to maintain the kingdom for themselves. So killing God's Son would let them keep the Kingdom. Sorry but this is messed up thinking. Yes, they did kill him, but 40 years later everything was taken from them and destroyed.

We live in a world that defies logic. They think they are thinking straight and understanding everything but their rebellion has twisted their perspective and understanding. Even in the Church people are being deceived by what they want to be true instead of seeking the truth itself. We are living in an age where evil is called good and good evil. We need to be aware of it to avoid the trap that so many are falling into. We need to get ourselves fixed on Jesus and fight against any notion of rebellion in us. We know we are in danger when we start rejected sections of the Word of God. When we start rejecting his truth because it goes against what we want, it is called rebellion.

May we clearly hear Jesus' voice calling us to his righteousness and may his holy fires burn passionately within us.

The Things Of Emporers

Our service to Jesus should not be a struggle. Our life here should not be a struggle. We should not be filled with worry and fear over things that will not matter for eternity. We need to learn quickly what is important and what is not. We also need to learn what belongs to God and what belongs to the Emperor. What I mean by this is very simple.

Days before the crucifixion Jesus was teaching in the temple. In their continuing attempt to trap him, the leaders of the people sent in a couple of spies to try to trip Jesus up on his teaching. The best way was to play the national card against the occupation. They asked Jesus about taxes. The trap was a good one. If he said the Jews should pay it then the radicals would reject him and stir the people up against him. If he said not to pay the Roman tax they would accuse him of treason. Jesus destroyed their trap with something we still don't get:

“Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.” (Luke 20:25, CEV)

Jesus was not political. He did not involve himself in civilian affairs. His purpose was the Kingdom of God not the kingdoms of man. Yet, at the same time he drew our attention to the fact that while we are here we have certain obligations to the authority that is in place.

For some reason many Christians want to force the government to govern by God's standards, but it is a man-made government. Remember when the people called for a King, rejecting God as their king. Samuel was upset but God told him to go ahead and he warned the people what a king would demand. Those demands have not changed, even with an elected government. God does not desire to operate through man's government or even a representative. His desire is to deal with us individually, in a personal relationship. Yes, he is in control of governments; he will raise them and lower them; he will use them but he will seldom deal with his people through them.

God has his own servants for dealing with his people. Through apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, God deals with his children. Yes, we must give to the Emperor what we owe him. Our government pays for our roads, schools, hospitals, military and so many other things that we benefit from. As long as we are here we need to lend them our support, encourage them, pray for them. We vote according to the Spirit and not our personal desire. But we do not exist for this. This is a system we are part of only because we are here. We do not belong to it. We do not live according to this man's government. We live by the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit. We are the Body of Christ, citizens of the Kingdom of God.

When God wants to provoke change he will do it through the hearts of his children. He will do it by calling them back to him, reminding them of his holiness and righteousness. He will convict hearts in prayer meetings and provoke a spirit of generosity. A nation changes, not through its government, but through the Church that seeks the face of God. Revival happens when the Spirit moves us to pray and gives a heart to seek God's holiness. Revival happens, not through government but when God's people run from evil and clean to what is good. God does not force himself on anyone through governments and when this has happened in the past it was wrong and it was abused.

If change was brought through government Jesus would have become Emperor, but he did not. Instead he went to the cross and became King of kings and Lord of lords. Listen to the Words of Jesus and understand the Church is not what we have made her to be but something more, something greater, something of great power and righteousness. It is time to leave the Emperor to play his role while we fulfill ours. It is time to stop with struggling with things that are not important, not our concern, not of the Kingdom.