The Family

Biblical Marriage

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Godly Instructions for Marriage

1 Corinthians Chapter 7

We know that marriage was instituted while Adam and Eve were still in the Garden of Eden.

At this time, the human race was in that period of life described as innocence.

Gen 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
Gen 2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Gen 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

A Biblical marriage can only be between one man and one woman.

One man, born a man, lives as a man, and one woman, born a woman, has lived her life as a woman.

God does not recognize the marriage of two homosexuals
God does not recognize the marriage of the LGBTQ movement.
God does not recognize the marriage of two people who are confused about their gender.
God will never recognize the marriage of more than one wife.
God will never recognize the marriage of a man and some animal.

God will only recognize a marriage that is in obedience to the Word of God, and the Church should do the same, or be in defiance of the Word of God and living in sin.

We know these things have divided many so-called churches today, just as they divided the Church at Corinth.

The Church at Corinth was a cesspool of immorality, just as the City of Corinth was immoral.

Many churches of today have rejected the Word of God and have allowed all sorts of immorality into the church.

Every church of today needs to be concerned about marriage.

Believers must understand the concept of marriage because it was Jehovah who instituted the concept of marriage to begin with.

Chapter 7 and verse 1

*1Co 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

Even if society is falling apart, which it is, in the divorce courts of this world and immorality and cohabitation run rampant, and it is, the Church that Jesus Christ built must hold high the truth of Biblical marriage.

Marriage is ordained of God, and God never changes.

Mal_3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not;

It is a fact that God said it is not good for man to live alone, but here Paul says it is good for a man not to touch a woman, but this is not a contradiction.

There are special situations for not marrying!

That word “good” means advisable. Which can mean that it is open to advice.

Let’s look at the words of Jesus Christ: Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Mat 19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
Mat 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
Mat 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
Mat 19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
**Mat 19:11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
Mat 19:12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

There are times that unmarried persons should remain unmarried because of situations happening in this world by unbelievers, such as Christian persecution, but we can also include wars, economic collapse, disease, obligations, and some other things.

We should also consider what God has called us to do.

We know that most men would not be able to live in this because of the sin of lust.

Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

What is a virgin?

Rev 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

A man could remain pure because there is no immoral sin between the singles in the Lord’s Church.

Of course, it is the same for women.

Notice next the command of the Holy Spirit.

*1Co 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

This Scripture should be the rule of the Church!

This marriage is done to avoid fornication.

We are sexual beings, but we are to follow the Word of God to avoid sin.

Without marriage, there would be no human race!

Without marriage, there would be no foundation for the family.

Notice this verse eliminates polygamy.
This verse eliminates the marriage of two lesbians.
This verse eliminates the marriage of two men.
This verse eliminates the marriage of two people who do not know if they are a man or a woman.
This verse eliminates the marriage of a human and an animal.

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

A good marriage is a type of the design of the Church that Jesus Christ has built.

Many groups of the human race will no longer exist simply because they have neglected true marriage, and this may be why some have already disappeared.

Jer 29:6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.

Some countries, like Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, are already experiencing noticeable population declines.
The U.S. and many countries in western Europe have below-replacement fertility rates but have not yet seen significant population decline.
China, for many years, allowed only one child, and the parents chose boys over girls, but now China is begging for families to have three children.
Our President said we should pay families to have children.

God said to Israel Get married and have enough children so that their population would not go down while they were in captivity.

God blesses the good marriage.
God blesses those who keep themselves pure.
God blesses those who give themselves to the work of the Lord and remain single.
God blesses those who live a life that avoids sin!

*1Co 7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

We must understand that there are mutual duties within a marriage.

That word benevolence used here means debt.

Both the husband and the wife have rights in a Biblical marriage. Each one can expect to receive some things from the other.

Both have a responsibility to pay the other exactly what is due to them.

If we go back to the very first marriage of Adam and Eve, we know that in typology, this first marriage was a type of the Church.

It was God who said that a man should not be left alone.

It was the Church that the Lord God formed.

Jesus Christ has but one wife, and it is the Church. Jesus Christ did not have a wife when He walked upon this earth, and He did not lust for any woman, and He certainly was not gay.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has made the Church happy by His “Grace”.

The Church has but one husband, and it is Jesus Christ, and comes by “Faith”.

Hos 3:3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

The marriage of one man to one woman is special and is to be eternal, and is to be based on love!

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

The word “render” used here is a continuous action.

The rights and the duties of the man and the woman are to be continually fulfilled.

Some say this verse means sexual rights, but it pertains to all the rights and the duties of the husband and the wife.

To the husbands:

1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

To the wives:

1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

Marriage is mutual ownership.

*1Co 7:4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
1Co 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

We must understand that a good marriage comes because these two people will put comfort, well-being, and happiness before their own.

Every married couple has made obligations to each other that they must keep.

It is not a matter of giving and taking; it is just a matter of giving to each other.

God knows we have sexual needs, and He gives us the outlet of marriage to satisfy those needs.

Heb_13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Just as God is in everything, He is clear and forceful in His instructions for a good marriage.

Both husbands and wives have equal rights over the other’s body. This is part of the marriage union.
Both the husband and the wife belong to each other so fully that to withhold is an act of fraud, cheating the other of what he is due.
Both the husband and the wife must agree to abstain, but only for fasting and prayer. This is the only exception given in Scripture.
We know that the health of each other is also important.

These things are the beginning of an intimate family structure that has disappeared in this sinful world, but must take place with God’s people.

Neither the husband nor the wife will stay apart from their spouse for too long a period of time because of temptation.

We have to give Satan his due; he is strong in temptation, especially in this sex crazed society.

The stronger the bond of marriage between two Christians, the stronger the loyalty and the security of the family.

A good marriage begins when both husband and wife have surrendered their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Only His presence and power can keep marriages according to the Word of God, along with much prayer and, yes, some fasting.

It is not good for us to believe that every marriage would work out just because we are obedient to the things mentioned by Paul, when we know that without prayer, nothing will work in this world.

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We are all created differently from each other, and we will do things differently, but Jesus Christ is always the same, and He will guide us in His ways in all things, even marriage.

*1Co 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
1Co 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

Marriage is God’s gift to society.
Being single is also God’s gift.

Because persecution was coming to the Church, Paul said it might be best to remain single to those people who had already lived much of their lives in wickedness.

The fact is, everyone must do as God’s gifts call them to do.

Corinth was an immoral city, so many of these church members had already been married and divorced and remarried, and many of these second marriages were any better than those first marriages because of wickedness.

Paul said it might be better for them to stay as they were when they were saved.

It was time for wickedness to end in the Church.

The Lord Jesus has given us the one rule for divorce: Mat 5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Mat 5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

No doubt some women were saved without their husbands, and some men were saved without their wives, and the Lord Jesus said this was not a good reason for divorce.

If that unbeliever decides to depart from the marriage, then they should remain unmarried or be reconciled back together.

The Lord Jesus explains this to every Pharisee: Mat 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
Mat 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Mat 19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
Mat 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
Mat 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

As the Lord Jesus explains, why would we ever want to live in sin and call ourselves Christians?

We would be no different from the world.

Paul said to these Corinthians it would be better to remain single than to live in sin.

We should understand that God hates divorce!

Mal 2:16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

To God, divorce is not just a wrong choice; it is a destruction of His work, a violent act He abhors.

There are three groups of people in this Church at Corinth.

1) The unmarried.
2) The married.
3) The rest of them.

There were mixed marriages of believers with non-believers.

*1Co 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
1Co 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

What do we do on those occasions when we cannot find the answer we are seeking from the Word of God?

The Lord Jesus gives us this answer: Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

When those times come that we just do not know what to do, we must not forget we have the Holy Spirit living within us, and we must trust Him to lead us.

We may also have to do some fasting and praying.

God will not leave us in the dark, and we know the Lord Jesus is the Light in all things of God!

These were those church members who gave themselves to the Lord, but their spouse did not.

God has already warned us against marrying someone who is lost.

2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2Co 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Sometimes people have enough love to stay together under all circumstances, and sometimes they don’t.

We must understand that we are living under “Grace”, and we must show that “Grace” to the unbelieving spouse.
We must also show forgiveness to that person the same forgiveness we have received from Christ.
We must show the love that Christ has shown us.

The bond of this marriage is still holy in the eyes of God.

Any children that are born from this relationship are just as children born from any Christian marriage.

Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

But they choose to depart from marriage, the believer is under no obligation to try to stop them from leaving.

*1Co 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
1Co 7:16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

If you are married to an unbeliever, you are not under bond to that unbeliever if they choose to depart for that reason.

We do not know if this is true if you choose to marry an unbeliever after your salvation, because God commands us not to do this.

2Co_6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Remember what God says are commands and not suggestions.

If one person in the marriage of one man and one woman gets saved and the other rejects the Gospel, then that person should try to keep the marriage functioning, but this may not be possible.

If that unbeliever decides to depart, then that marriage bond is broken, and that person is free to marry again, but only to a believer.

We can see that “peace” in each believer’s life is important to God!

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

2Co 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Some saints would even try to keep that marriage together in the hope of leading that spouse to the Lord, but there is no way of knowing this.

In fact, in most cases, it is the unbeliever who would try to lead the saved spouse back into the world.

In every portion of our lives, God has called us to live in peace!

One more important thing we should see is that the believer is not to initiate this divorce, but it is the unbeliever who has decided to get a divorce.

This was a problem in the early church.

One of the great heathen complaints against early Christians was that Christianity broke up families.

This is something that the Lord Jesus said would happen, and it will get worse.

Mar 13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
Mar 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

God is never caught by surprise.

God tells us to abide in the same calling wherein He has called us.

We are bought with the price of the blood of Jesus Christ; we are to serve Him rather than serve mankind.

If we are married when God calls us, then we should not seek to be loosed.

If we are single, it may be best that we do not marry, but we must beware of the sin of lust.

It is very hard for a young person to remain single because this wicked world is so full of immorality and peer pressure.

Every wife is bound by law!

*1Co 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
1Co 7:40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

Every Christian widow has the right to remarry, but a Christian widow is only free to remarry another Christian.

This commandment of the Lord is as plain as can be written.

She may be happier if she remains single, if God is calling her to remain single.

Remaining unmarried may offer this widow more opportunity to serve the Lord.

It is always more important to remain in the will of God for our lives!

We must remember that every word we have from the Apostle Paul came by the Holy Spirit.

Every word we have in our possession is a word that came from our Heavenly Father.

Psa 119:89 LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Amen

Then Came Grace

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Grace of God in a Sinful World

Book of Genesis Chapter 6

There are a lot of different thoughts about chapter 6 and the flood of the entire world but one thing we should clearly understand.

Our Heavenly Father has a plan of salvation and Satan will do everything he possibly do to cause God’s plan to fail, which is impossible.

The things before the flood is our lesson today. We live in the world after the flood!

If we are not careful, we will make the events of Chapter 6 complicated when they are not.

We must understand once sin entered into the world, this world began to die.

This process of death began in earnest after the world-wide flood, and yes there was a world-wide flood.

The first part of society is the family, but when sin entered into the world of that day because of Adam, it passed down through his family and on to everyone who has been born since that day.

We begin to see the division.

A godly side who continued to worship and serve God, the line of Seth.

The ungodly side who neglected the worship and commands of God, the line of Cain.

In my mind this is what happened after Cain refused to repent and moved away.

We must understand the words of the Holy Spirit here!

2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

We know that our God never changes, so it would have been the same command in the time of Adam and of Seth.

We will soon see that even those born in the line of Seth will soon depart from the truth.

There are certain reasons God does not want His children to be wed or joined to unbelievers, and we can see many of these reasons in this chapter.

Certainly, mankind was multiplying upon the earth at a pace we cannot comprehend.

Just look at Adam who lived to be 930 years old.

Gen 5:4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: “and he begat sons and daughters”:
Gen 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

All these men who were mentioned in the line of Seth lived many years and had many children and it would have been similar in the line of Cain.

*Gen 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

We should not get confused about this phrase “the sons of God”.

If it is talking about angels, we should be clear that the “fallen angels” are never called the sons of God!

If we consider that it was angels that came together with these daughters of men, then we would have to ignore the truth that the Lord Jesus teaches the Church.

Mat_22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
Mar_12:25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

To understand what Jesus says is that angels do not have the ability to come together with human women or any humans at all!

Since this is true or Jesus is a liar, then we know these “sons of God” are other men who once served God in reality or falsely, and throughout the Scriptures the “sons of God” refer to believers or so-called believers!

This being true then, these “sons of God” must be the descendants of Seth from Chapter 5.

When we understand this, we can understand this whole passage.

Throughout this passage we never see the word angel!

Even in the New Testament references, we still see that this passage refers to men.

Mat 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Again the Bible is written for Christians.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Now we see that these descendants of Seth looked out into the world and decided that the daughters of the world are more desirable than the daughters of the sons of God.

Yes, men were told to multiply upon the face of the earth, yet corruption caused the abuse of God’s blessing and turned it into another curse!

Moses understood that intermarriage between the godly and the ungodly was forbidden many years before there was such a law.

Deu 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

Why would God teach us these things?

Deu 7:4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: “so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly”.

Moses knew how serious this issue was with Jehovah and that He might destroy them suddenly.

Even Isaac and Rebekah understood this thing.

Gen 27:46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

Gen 28:1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

There is never a time in the Scriptures where we find angels marrying human beings and God will never allow such a thing.

When godly men fall into this trap with ungodly women, the only sure thing is that sin will increase but it does not change the fact that we are on the winning side!

Pro 29:16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

When the godly look at the world for satisfaction, it means they have forgotten what God has already done for them!

Then God our Creator says these words:

*Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

In this verse we begin to understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

It is crucial that we follow the lead of the Holy Spirit!

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

This Scripture leaves little doubt that the Holy Spirit was striving to keep the children of God on the right path!

In chapter 5 we see a list of men in the line of Seth who lived for many years and we can attribute this long life to the Holy Spirit.

We already know that our death cannot come, as long as we have that God breathed spirit within us.

We can also believe that we cannot live long lives, even eternity, without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who will never leave us once he moves in.

In this Scripture God is saying that these long lives would begin to get shorter and that length of life would get an average of 70 years as told by Moses, rather than near 900 years of the old patriarchs.

We know that God did allow Moses to live for 120 years but who died when his body was still healthy and strong.

All these things being true the truth is because Noah found “Grace” in the eyes of God, he was given 120 years to build the Ark of safety and the Holy Spirit would work for these 120 years on these unbelievers and then He would only work when called on by our Heavenly Father.

We can believe that God will not waste His time on those who have set their hearts on rebellion!

The Holy Spirit worked on these men by the preaching of Noah and He did so for 120 years and it is just that simple.

God does not beg for us to listen to Him and He will not beg us nor will He force us!

To spend eternity with our Heavenly Father is something we must have a great desire to do!

In the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit will only come to live within those who have already made this decision and then it takes place only by the “Grace of God” just like it happened to Noah!

Now all these things being clear, we can learn of giants in the land.

*Gen 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

Humanity becomes totally lawless.

We must not be deceived by that word “giant”. In this passage it means “tyrants”, “bullies”, “apostates” from the truth of God and history proves this out whenever lawlessness occurs, and it can also mean some who were above average in their growth.

One group would attack another group until only the strongest most wicked groups were left.

In reality we still see these things in rogue godless nations because this is what sin does as sin increases!

We can be sure that there were men larger than other men and the strongest usually came out on top.

Many times these are the most wicked because they are feared.

The earth had become a place where the physically powerful ruled and dominated.

To me it sounds like the stories of the old wild west we use to enjoy as kids where there was always the hero coming to the rescue.

There was no one coming to the rescue at this time anywhere upon the earth and the Holy Spirit saw the end of His usefulness at this time which left only destruction.

God will not allow sin to rule for very long until, He puts a stop to it!

Deu 2:20 (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;
Deu 2:21 A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead:
Deu 2:22 As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:
Deu 2:23 And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)

These giants, men of renown, could be the descendants of those men in the line of Seth who left the Lord and married into the line of Cain.

Even today we know of many who have left the Lord to serve the world and they are some of the most wicked.

We already know that the Lord would bring an end to this evil day by a world-wide flood.

We already know that God will use fire to destroy this earth completely in our future.

*Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

When I read this passage, I just wonder what God sees today upon this same earth?

One man wrote: Before the world-wide flood we could look down as if we were in Heaven and see the things that were happening on God’s creation. We were allowed to listen in on God’s conversations with Adam and Eve, but after the flood, we can only see the characters of the Bible.

We see the story of the Bible and what sin has done to our world.

We see the flood waters come up around us and we will witness how God closes the door of the Ark to keep sin from safety.

What causes these things? The wickedness to humanity!

The wickedness of sin had multiplied much more than righteousness.

Society had fallen so deep into sin there was no bringing them back.

We now see that the wickedness of sin today, is becoming as it was before the flood!

It amazes me, especially in a certain state, that someone imagines something wicked in their mind and immediately they want to make it a new law for all people everywhere to observe.

It amazes me that some “judge” in no man’s land can make a ruling and then say it will be the same through all 50 states and he is allowed to get away with it.

We see portrayed upon the screens of our television sets everyday wickedness and evilness continually.

We see that the very best people can do still falls far short of righteousness!

Righteousness is simply doing things that are right!

This is what God saw. The heart of society on earth had grown evil!

People were mean.
People were immoral.
People were perverse.
People were vile.
People were destructive.
People were lustful and sensual.
People were filthy and foul.
People were judgmental and condemning, of all those who did not think the way that they thought.

All these things sound familiar and could describe our own nation today.

Job 15:16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

Crime was gross and heinous.

Psa 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psa 14:2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

When we get to the building of the Ark, we will realize that if Noah was not looked upon as a lunatic, the Ark would have never been built.

Our Creator groaned in His heart for what humans He had created.

We could say that the heart of our Creator was broken at what He was seeing happen to His creation, but still total destruction was never part of His plan.

God’s mercy is still one of His greatest traits! Surely His great love is His greatest trait!

God decided that humanity should not exist and to destroy all mankind was the only answer!

*Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Jehovah said: “I will erase this day from the days of creation”.

What had God created on the fifth and sixth day?

Gen 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Gen 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Gen 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Gen 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Gen 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

God said He would destroy everything but the fish and mammals of the sea. These would be living creatures that did not depend upon the land for survival.

The animals and other creatures were destroyed because they were made for man’s pleasure!

All things concerning humanity would change after the flood.

This is the very reason the flood had to be a world-wide event!

That word “destroy” used in this passage means to “erase”.

All these creatures were created to show the awesomeness of God, that man might serve and honor Him, but just as today the world did not see our Creator at all.

What happened that day is happening again today!

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

There is very little doubt at least in my mind, that this is the mindset of a certain party of politicians who want to rule us because they are reprobates!

Reprobates have infiltrated their way into many places of government!

There was only one man that helped God to decide what He would do!

A man named Noah.

*Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Gen 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Gen 6:10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Throughout the Bible we will never see where God will destroy a righteous human being!

You see “Grace” is the theme of the New Testament (New Covenant) and Jehovah could not show His lack of “Grace” to this righteous man.

What had God promised Satan?

Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; “it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”.

Once God said this then He had to know it would happen!

This is the first promise of the coming of the Messiah!

If there was no Messiah, then the Word of God would be a lie!

One man in the entire world still acknowledged our Creator and his name was Noah!

It was Noah who would continue the line from Adam to Jesus!

Luk 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Luk 3:24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
Luk 3:25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,
Luk 3:26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,
Luk 3:28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,
Luk 3:29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,
Luk 3:30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
Luk 3:31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,
Luk 3:32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
Luk 3:33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,
Luk 3:35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,
Luk 3:36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, “which was the son of Noe”, which was the son of Lamech,
Luk 3:37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
Luk 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

The one thing our Creator will never do is, to destroy those who love Him! He will always remove them from His wrath!

The same water that caused the destruction of all humans and the land-based animals and the birds, is the same water that raised the Ark that Noah built to carry him to safety.

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

The Ark of Noah in typology represents the Ark that saved Moses.

These two arks are very different in size!

Moses’ ark was maybe a yard long. Noah’s ark was 150 times longer. Moses’ ark was made of reeds from the Nile. Noah’s ark was made from cypress wood. One thing they both had in common — they were both covered in pitch or tar to keep them from sinking. And both arks represent the same thing — God’s means of saving humanity.

Noah’s ark saved a righteous family from God’s judgment on humanity!

Moses’ ark saved the man who would lead a nation to safety after God’s judgment on Egypt!

Both arks are about salvation, saving those God loves!

They were life preservers for everyone on board, leading the world to the ultimate ark, the cross.

The cross is for those today who are sinking in a sea of sin. Hold on, it will get you through to the other side, where life everlasting awaits you.

God always sends an ark to save you from drowning. You just have to climb aboard!

We should understand that “salvation and holiness” are the work of God! God just ask us to have a part in them.

The Ark in typology represents Jesus Christ Incarnate on earth.

Noah became the symbol of salvation for mankind in his day, because he was the only remnant to survive, while Moses became the symbol of salvation for the Israelites, because he was the one who led them out of Egypt from the slavery that they endured.

Also, both of them were put into water as their journey. Noah was put into a wooden ark covered in pitch and then that ark was in the Flood.

Similarly, Moses (as a baby) was put into a reed basket covered in pitch which was placed on the Nile.

Water is a significant symbol in both of the narratives. In The Bible, water tends to symbolize salvation or cleansing, hence the first comparison.

Both are types of Jesus Christ!

Noah had three sons who would repopulate the earth along with Noah and their wives.

We know that Noah found the “Grace” of God, but it does not say his children did.

God could have just saved Noah, but God has a much greater plan than to just save an Ark full of people and animals.

The one thing we know is that God’s patience does have an end!

Now listen closely as the Bible describes the America of today.

*Gen 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
Gen 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

What are two words that express the wickedness of our world.

1) Corrupt
2) Violence

What are the two biggest things we see in America?

1) Corruption
2) Violence.

The government is corrupt and those few who battle for righteousness are just outnumbered.

Those who are corrupt instill this violence we see every day along with the News Media and Facebook and Twitter and other such sources contribute also!

To add to this, the Church has become corrupt because the world has been invited into the pulpits and into the leadership of the church.

In the day of Noah, all these things were true as the “sons of God” had become caught up in the “maids” of the world.

No one in their right mind can say our day is not getting as bad as it was in the days of Noah!

Our Creator never changes, and we know what He did in the day of Noah, He will do again!

This time without water, but fire!

Wickedness breeds corruption and corruption breeds violence!

God had only one answer to stay true to His holiness.

These things had to be destroyed!

*Gen 6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

Since we have discussed this Ark, we will keep this short.

Gopher wood the wood used for ships is also the wood used for coffins in many areas of the world.

As Noah built this Ark, he also preached to those who were lost.

God had allowed 120 years for these things to take place.

Noah may not have known the day or the hour that the rain would come, he did know the year.

The pitch that water-proofed this Ark, can be said to be represent a “pardon” which we know comes only by the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Ark and the pitch together represent “Grace” which in reality still means God’s Mercy At Christ’s Expense”.

The study of the Ark is a lesson in itself.

Not many realize that seven days before the rains began, Noah and his family moved into the Ark.

The one and only door stayed open for these seven days and “whosoever” chose could have boarded the Ark and not one of those people chose to do so.

Then God shut the door so that not even Noah could open it, and when the rains came, we can just imagine how many tried to get into the Ark, but it was too late!

Do not wait until the door to Heaven is closed. Come while you still have time. God still takes “whosoever” will come while the door to safety is open!

Amen

Knowledge of the Peace of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Increasing in the Knowledge of the Peace of God

Book of Colossians 3:12-4:1

Last week we saw that the Christian Life is not very easy. If we live in these bodies of flesh we will find it very hard to be like the Lord Jesus Christ.

This should still be our goal!

The Lord knows that this is impossible for us to do every day because in our heart we would be like Christ, but we find that our flesh is weak and cause us to give in to temptation. We need watch out for things that are not good for us and pray for the strength to overcome our weaknesses!

Mat_26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, “but the flesh is weak”.

We must base our faith on the knowledge that once we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a new life and we are to hate all the things of our old life.

Rev_2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

It was these Nicolaitans the Lord hates and we are to hate this doctrine also.

We see this in our world today more than ever before.

These were professing Christians who brought a false freedom to sin into the Church.

They brought licentiousness into the church which is, an excessive indulgence of Christian liberty!

The modern-day church has become this way and licentiousness is the god of fools!

If we have removed the old man and put on the new man, then we know we do not have the freedom to sin in any case!

If we are at peace with God, then we have become the elect of God and this should be noticeable to all the world!

*****Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

We could say, what are the essentials of Christian character?

Those who are the elect, are those who have chosen to follow in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ. God knows we will not be perfect and God knows in fact, we will make many mistakes, but God will always defend His Church.

Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

It is also a fact that when the Lord returns, He will have already called the church out of this world and He will not find any of faith but those who see Him will certainly realize everything they have said of the church was wrong and some of them may then become believers but for most who have already rejected the truth, it will be too late!

It is mainly the Jews and the strangers that help them, whose eyes will be opened.

Rom_11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

We may not realize it but there are also elect angels who have stood by Christ rather than follow Satan!

1Ti 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

When we get to Heaven, we will be surrounded by just those who have chosen Jesus Christ and rejected the world and all the angels who have also rejected Satan (Lucifer)!

So, while we are still here on earth to serve the Lord, let us be blameless!

Let us be the moral standards for this immoral world!

Let us show true affection to all our brothers and sister in Christ!

Let us pity the lost enough to still love them and witness Jesus to them if the opportunity arises.

Let us express gentleness in our way of life.

Let us be modest in all our life style.

Let us be meek in our demeanor.

Let us be patient Christians, busy for the Lord, knowing He will be returning soon, or at any time!

Let us bear with and endure one another in a loving way! As the Lord commands!

Let us forgive just as the Lord has forgiven us, because there are consequences to all these things but to this one especially.

Mar_11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

The Lord says even if we are in a quarrel with someone and we are the ones who are right, we must still forgive that other person.

Christ said to forgive!

Peter asked: Mat 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Mat 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Jesus said we are to forgive every time, period! Another sin is in holding a grudge!

All these things are covered by the “garment of mercy” which resembles the mercy of God.

Even with all these things, there is still something of greater importance in the way we are to treat all others.

*****Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

How does the Bible explain Charity?

1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1Co 13:8 Charity never faileth:

How does the dictionary explain charity?

The dictionary says charity is love that compares to the supreme love of God. A giving, affectionate love.

It is easy to see that the English dictionary just does not have enough words to explain charity as well as God does.

The only perfect One that we know of is the Lord Jesus Christ, charity is the bond of perfectness, when we love others the way that the Lord loves us and gave Himself for us!

Gal_2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Charity can resemble God’s “grace”!

When we wear the “garments of mercy” and put on the cloak of “Grace” and these things rule our heart, then we can say we are at peace with God.

A tall order for any of us but the Lord will help us be these things and more, if we will just follow His example and get up close and personal with Him!

*****Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

When we are saved we have become at peace with God.

Rom_5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Only as we grow in Christ, are no longer babes in Christ but, mature Christians will the peace of God rule in our hearts.

The truth is, those who are at peace with God and have the peace of God are the same ones who will show the love of God, not only in their own heart but toward all others!

The peace of God may be the greatest blessings we can receive from the Lord!

True peace comes only to those who know Jesus Christ personally and as their Savior!

If we notice that word “rule” in this passage, this means that this is a commandment.

Notice this is a commandment for each saint of God but also for the body of the Church!

And above all we are to be thankful for the great benefits for serving the Lord.

Psa_68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

We must make a choice as the elect of God, are we going to be obedient to all the Word of God or not?

If God has allowed us to be in harmony with Him and in true peace, then surely, we can give these pitiful temporary bodies to Him for His use!

These are things we are called to do and if each one of us including myself, would be obedient in these things we could alter the course of this world.

We can blame the world for many things, but we cannot blame the world for the laziness of the church!

God has only one body of true believers and they are scattered in all denominations and it is time for us to unite on the truth of God!

It’s time to leave those who reject the truth of the Scriptures behind, they made their choice!

There will be no strife’s and no divisions where the peace of God rules in the heart of the believer!

*****Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

What is the Word of Christ?

The entire Old Testament will lead us to Jesus Christ our Savior.
The entire New Testament was written from the words of Jesus Christ as given to the apostles.
All Scripture is given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

2Ti_3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

So, all these are the Words of Christ!

Jesus Christ is the Author of salvation!

Heb_12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus Christ is the “subject matter” of the entire Bible!

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

We are to dwell in the Word of Christ!

We are to live in it as a home, we are never to be a stranger or a visitor, or as an acquaintance.

We are to allow the Word of Christ to dwell in us!

It is not enough that it is our home, but it must be our heart, it must become our spiritual nature.

It must control our life and our conduct in this life!

Psa 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

To dwell richly means we are to have an intimate knowledge of the Words of Christ.

We must seek to understand all that God has to say to us!

We must teach and admonish one another!

God has chosen the church to be the greatest place for this but, there must also be some personal study time.

We must be joyful enough to sing the Words of Christ.

We must be engrossed with Jesus Christ!

Act_17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

What so ever we do in deed, we must do it in the name of Christ Jesus!

*****Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

We see that in all these things we have a choice we can be a Christian or we can be part of the world. There is no in between!

As Christians, we are responsible for all the things we do, we cannot blame others!

As Christians, we know that the name of Jesus Christ is the only name God will accept in His presence.

We are to do all things in His name!

We cannot approach God without Jesus Christ!

The world hates us, and the world hates us for this one thing, they hate the Lord Jesus Christ!

God will only accept a life that comes to Him in the name of Jesus Christ, all others will find death!

When we speak we should speak Jesus, this is our new language!

1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

So far, we have seen what the Lord commands each individual Christian and now let’s see what Jesus speaks of the family.

*****Col 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

We must understand that the Christian home is the first place we are to practice all the commands of God.

We know that God is a God of order!

Wives are to submit themselves to the Lord because God created man first and woman second. The wife was created as a helpmeet to the man.

She is the weaker vessel physically in most instances.

The woman is to never to submit in such a way to a husband who thinks he is a king.

The husband is honor his wife as his helpmeet or their prayer life will suffer greatly!

1Pe 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

This husband and wife union is to be as two Christians submitting to one another but as the wife submits to her own husband and the husband to his own wife.

Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

1Co 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

The Husband to wife relationship is to be as the relationship as the Lord Jesus Christ is to the church!

Eph_5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

As Christians this obligation of these two Christians should be until the death of one or the other.

1Co 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

And now the husband.

*****Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Husbands also are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church and remember Christ gave His life for the church, we should not be afraid to give our lives for our wives.

The husband is not to have dominion over his wife. Dominion is not about love.

The husband is not to be a tyrant!

The love of the husband for the wife is to be as the “agape” love of God toward His children.

This is a love that is selfless and unselfish.
This is a giving and sacrificial love, remember the word “Charity”.
This is a love of the will as much as a love from the heart.
This a love of commitment. The husband must be committed to this relationship as well as the wife.
And get this husbands, this is a love that works for the highest good of the wife! Besides the Lord she is to be the most important person in the life of the husband.

The truth is, the husband does not seek a wife to fulfill his needs but just the opposite, the husbands desire is to meet, nourish and nurture his wife, all their days.

A husband is to love sacrificially, regardless if his wife is not perfect in her commitment.

The example here is the Lord and the church. The Lord is perfect, but the church, (the bride) is less than perfect!

The Lord does not give us commandments He is not true to, Himself!

Above all these things, both the husband and the wife are to obey Christ Jesus regardless, this is the will of Jesus Christ and the Father!

And next the children:

*****Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
Col 3:21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

We know we have been using the Christian family as our example and all these things of the families that do not know Jesus Christ struggle the most with their children.

In the Christian family that has the Christian father and the Christian mother then the children should obey their parents in all things.

God is well pleased with all these things!

In fact, Christian children who obey their parents can even extend their years of happiness.

Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

That word obey means for the children to respect the authority of their parents because their parents have respected the authority of our Father who is in Heaven.

When the children disrespect the parents, they have disrespected God!

There is only one, “only one” limitation for the children in these things.

Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

If both parents or either parent go against the Word of God, then the children are certainly not to follow!

The child must be very careful in this thing but anything that causes the child to renounce the Lord “should not be observed”!

The most important task of the parents is to follow the Lord and give this example to the children.

The next most important task is to raise the children in a godly manner according to the Word of God.

The child must understand that though the parent is not always right, he or she must still have an opportunity to observe discipline and order.

A good rule of thumb for all children is in a passage from the Book of Ephesians.

Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

Being obedient to parents is just the right thing to do and God loves righteousness!

As a Christian father the bulk of responsibility will always aimed at him but raising children is the equal responsibility of both parents.

1Ti 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

The children must never be provoked to do ungodly things.

The children must be prepared to serve the Lord first!

The children must next be prepared to be godly parents themselves.

If we as parents anger our children, then teaching will stop until that anger passes.

Children should never be pampered but it at all possible parents should meet the needs of the children.

Children on the other hand must realize that both parents have duties and they must be given the time to do these things.

Children must realize the world we live in and accept that the parent has more knowledge than they might have.

The children should submit to the parents but again not as tyrants but as loving parents trying to do the right thing.

We all still live in these bodies of flesh, so problems will arise but as it is in all our lives, Jesus Christ is still the answer, even when dealing with children!

The parents must observe that there is a proper way to discipline children and the worldly way for the most part should be ignored, and the Word of God followed!

Even when parents have made mistakes, the Scriptures still say to honor the parents!

Deu 27:16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

God is very strict because we all as the children of God have a Father in Heaven that always knows what’s best for us even when we disagree!

There is a great Scripture that meets the standards God has set for us all!

Pro_22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

In the times of the Bible many families had servants. Remember it was illegal for the Jews to have slaves.

We can also relate this next today in our jobs and other places.

*****Col 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Col 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Col 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

We know these Scriptures were written in Bible times. These Scriptures deal as much with today and the work place of today as they did in the day of Paul.

In the day of Paul, if a master of men embraced Christianity then what was he to do with his slaves. God provides him the answers.

A Christian master, in Paul’s time or today is place in a precious position.

As Christian workman we are to put forth our best effort no matter our circumstances.

If the work we do conflicts with the Word of God, we should find a new profession if possible, but this may not always be the case.

A Christian worker should never be just an average worker but always better than average.

This means we must be obedient workers no matter who our master or what they believe.

The Christian Master is to be no different from the Christian worker because he or she knows they also have a Master!

Eph 6:9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

The Christian worker to has an obligation to be a witness for the Lord as best he or she can.

The Christian master and the Christian worker are to consider themselves working for the Lord!

Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

Keeping in mind that the Christian will still have to obey the unjust commands of their masters.

1Pe 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
1Pe 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

It is the reverence for the Lord that should be the mark of the Christian worker.

As Christians we are not to be disappointed with the service we give to an unjust master because our aim is to please the Lord in everything we do!

Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

We sometimes get confused when we talk about the “Judgment Seat of Christ”.

Certainly, our salvation will not be in questioned.

Many think we will only be judged for the work we have done for the Lord and we will.

We will also be judged for how we served in our workplace. We will be judged for all our activities while being a Christian.

It is very important that we shine bright as Christians and not as any part of this world in all we do!

Masters and Management certainly will face a harsher judgment than the servant or the employee!

*****Col 4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

As Christian Masters we are to treat all those under us, no matter if they are Christian, equally and just.

We know the Lord provides for the saved and the just!

That word “knowing” is very important because the Christian masters should know according to the Word how to perform his or her job, knowing the Lord is observing as He sees all things everywhere!

We can only serve one Master in all the things we do, and we must serve knowing that He has His eyes upon us always.

Again, not so He can just beat us down for our failures but, so He can reward us for our goodness!

One of the first steps in righteousness is to respect the relationship!

It does not hurt to know somethings about the people you work with but demanding such knowledge is also wrong.

Pro 27:23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.

All in all, a friendly relationship works out to be the best!

Pro_18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

We can see that the Lord had a lot to say about our economy of today!

Amen