Check out http://prophezine.com/ for lots of great info. Thanks for the link to my article , my brother Ray.
http://prophezine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=678:you-cant-vote-for-jesus&catid=41:top-headlines
It’s all for Christ’s Glory!
Ted
Have ya’ll seen my latest post? “You Can’t Vote for Jesus” at
http://tedstrumpet.com/?p=146
Comments and distribution appreciated
thanks,
Ted
You can’t vote for Jesus – he’s not on the ballot and writing His name in would be of no effect. He’s the coming King of Kings and won’t need or accept any votes. He’ll rule with a “rod of iron” and He can never be impeached or assassinated.
Christians should fully realize and accept this as fact – the only good and peaceful government that will ever exist is an absolute Monarchy ruled by none other than Jesus Himself. All other governments fall short, are corrupt and do evil to varying degrees. And, even America’s government is without exception. A perfect government can only exist under perfect leadership and Jesus alone fits that role.
Note: scripture references are from the New Kings James Version (NKJV), emphasis is mine.
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Revelation 19:15-16 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (16) And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. See Revelation 17:4, 1 Timothy 6:15 for more “King of Kings” passages See Revelation 2:27, 12:5 and Psalms 2:9, for more “rod of iron” passages |
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Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. |
My position on voting is this – and I think it’s even more true for believers
Those with the right to vote are obligated to do so with prayerful and informed consideration of the choices and issues.
That’s carefully worded with the following perspectives in mind …
We have to make lesser of evil choices all the time when living in this world. The only way to avoid voting for a lesser of evil candidate would be to vote for Jesus – but we can’t.
The case for all but Jesus being a lesser of evil choice for a leader is strengthened by the “Good Shepherd” story as told by Jesus Himself …
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John 10:11-15 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. (12) But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. (13) The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. (14) I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. (15) As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. |
A substitute leader, or a hireling as stated in the verse above, will never be as good or care and sacrifice himself as much as Jesus.
Jesus also made it clear that only God (or Himself) is good …
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Mark 10:18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. See Matthew 19:17 and Luke 18:19 for the same account. |
Choosing the lesser of evil candidate risks choosing the greater liar. No one wants to be deceived, but the risk can be minimized by wisdom and diligence for the truth.
Jesus implores and empowers us not to be victims of deception.
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2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, |
This is no easy task in an age of ever increasing deception and polarization of issues. It is very hard to know what news is factual or not, or whether it’s spun in a certain way or not.
We must therefore, be wise as serpents …
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Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. |
And, we must rely on the Spirit, who will lead us to all truth …
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John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. |
Praying and voting have a common goal – to choose what’s right based on knowing the truth.
We accept that risk all the time if we pray like we’re supposed to. What we pray for may be, or is possibly often, against God’s will for a given situation. God certainly knows this and yet scripture still implores us to pray for everything, without ceasing even.
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1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 (17) pray without ceasing, (18) in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. |
Besides, we can trust God that neither our prayers nor our votes would diminish His control over human events.
It is God that ultimately chooses to establish or remove rulers. This is evidenced by the example in the story of king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon during the prophet Daniel’s time.
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Daniel 2:36-38 “This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. (37) You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; (38) and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. |
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Daniel 4:28-31 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. (29) At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. (30) The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” (31) While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! |
Below is another verse that should give us much comfort, or perhaps more importantly, give us solemn reverence for our sovereign God.
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Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. |
By God being in ultimate control does not also mean that He limits man’s free will and decisions. He is sovereign and He alone decides whether to intervene or not according to His plans, goals, etc. That is alluded to in scripture and demonstrated by history. There are many verses that collaborate that, but the following verses possibly sum it up well – it has to do with spiritual warfare constantly raging around us that God currently restrains from getting totally out of hand. Despite all, we can trust that all things work together for good – for believers that is.
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Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. |
Not knowing how to pray, or what to pray for, doesn’t exempt us from the obligation to pray. Sometimes you need to get right up to the moment of decision before you feel comfortable enough to finally decide.
I suggest praying earnestly and going so far as to entering the voting booth to see if your decision becomes clear to you then.
Think about how many times you’ve had the experience, or have heard testimonies, where one makes a final decision right at the last possible moment. So, don’t miss out on that experience and don’t dismiss the opportunity for God to speak to your heart then and there, if not before.
It’s worth re-emphasizing that voting is a form of works. Works are important because without them our faith is dead. Works also serve to justify us and perfect our faith …
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James 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. |
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James 2:20-26 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? (22) Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? (23) And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God. (24) You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. (25) Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? (26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. |
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Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. |
Furthermore, we’re told to perform good works for the sake of others and the glory of God.
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Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. |
We can’t ever vote for Jesus, but we can’t sit back and do nothing either. In fact, we’re told to “occupy”[1] (hold fast, do business, etc.) until He comes, …
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Luke 19:11-13 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. (12) Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. (13) So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’ |
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Revelation 2:25 But hold fast what you have till I come. |
But, we must love in all we do, regardless of how knowledgeable and wonderful we think we are …
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1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. (2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. |
There are some realities today that are important to interject because they are factors for how people decide to vote.
Fundamental to how we deal with reality is that we are “in the world, but not of the world”. That’s a popular phrase that doesn’t appear literally, as such, in the bible. It is, however, well represented by various passages and they give the Christian important and practical perspective and purpose on living in the world.
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John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 17:14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. See also 1 John 2:15, James 4:4 |
We’re implored to act as both salt and light, while we strive to do good works …
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Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (14) ”You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. (15) Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. |
A friend of mine that volunteers his time making campaign calls had a recent encounter that was perfectly timed and contextualized for this article.
A woman told him that she “hates all politicians equally” – a sentiment I often share myself. She then went on to say that she’s gonna write in her dog’s name. My friend asked what her dog’s name is and what he’s like. She told him his name is Patches and “at least when he poops on something he doesn’t lie about it.” My friend said that he laughed so hard and long that the woman just hung up. After all, she made her point and is apparently firm in her conviction.
I thought that was a great point that I just had to work into this article. It’s one thing for a politician, or anyone, to make a mistake, but it’s quite another thing to lie about it. Patches doesn’t lie, even if he “poops” on something, and neither should anyone else.
But more to the point for this article – all politicians lie to some extent because at a minimum they don’t or can’t always tell the whole truth. It’s practically required, if not absolutely necessary, to lie if a politician is to function as a viable candidate.
So, should we and could we ever justify voting for a liar? It takes me back to not having a choice because everyone other than Jesus is a liar to some extent. Someone once said – if you tell me you never lied, then you just did it again and are therefore a liar. Point being – we’re all liars when it comes down to it. Furthermore, it stinks that we have to vote for liars, but sometimes the best we can do is to try to vote for the lessor of liars.
Also, it might give us some temporary satisfaction and make for a good story, but it simply isn’t wise to throw a vote away – although I could be tempted to write in Patches, I’m sticking with my argument to vote for the lesser of evil major party candidate – until such a time comes that a better, viable third party candidate exists, as proven out through the primary election process.
Scripture tells us to pray for our leaders …
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1 Timothy 2:1-2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, (2) for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. |
and we’re even to love our enemies, besides just praying for them …
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Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, |
So might those instructions on prayer be relevant to voting? Is not voting like, or a natural outcome of, praying for our leaders?
You can’t ever vote for Jesus. He’s the ultimate leader and when He sets up his Kingdom there’ll be no worrying about voting Him in or out. So what do we do in the meantime?
Simply put …
Pray, vote and trust in Jesus
But, as voting age adults we’re no longer simple minded children …
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1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. |
So, more appropriately put …
Be informed, guard against deception, be as wise as a serpent and rely on the Spirit of truth – to enable your best, effective prayers, actions, votes, etc. Trust in Jesus always for everything, while you “occupy” until He comes.
If you’re not able to do all that, then perhaps it’s best if you don’t vote at all, but otherwise it’s arguably shameful, neglectful and disrespectful to God and others not to vote.
Ted’s Trumpet – October, 2012
Why Did Jesus Have to Die?
This article comes out of a book I’m endeavoring to write with the same title. I’m posting this portion now for two reasons: one, to solicit feedback; two, so that it might be helpful to others now, while I develop the topic.
Introduction
Why did Jesus have to die? It’s a mystery for many believers and skeptics alike. Many have heard that Jesus died for us, but many ask why or dismiss it because it’s never been satisfactorily explained to them.
To answer the question we must delve into the very nature of God, especially His integrity and how He loves. We must also confront the nature of evil and where it came from because it cannot be ignored. Not if a God that’s all loving, all powerful, all knowing, ever present and perfect – is to be believed and trusted. If God is all that, then He’s aware of and permits evil, so the nature of God’s love demands to be reconciled with the existence of evil. Finally, we must address the apparent reason God made us at all and if there was any other way He might have done things.
There is much more to say, but the bottom line is this —
Jesus had to die because He loves those whom He created in His image.
In summary, it is Jesus who created us and placed us in this world to live, suffer and die. So, the responsibility rests on Him to show His love by doing the same – by walking in our shoes as one of us. All of us suffer to varying extents, but Jesus would suffer no less than any of us. It might not have had to be this way, but sin entered into the picture. Jesus knew it would and was prepared for the consequences.
God is Love
Scripture claims that “God is love”[1]. For that to be true – and if He is perfect – He must show perfect love. It must therefore be to the fullest extent possible, without holding anything back. Otherwise, He could be accused of not having done His best to show all the love He possibly could. There can be nothing lacking in a perfect God – if any love is lost, or lacking, then He cannot be one and the same as love.
He Made Us in His Image / Free Will
Jesus not only created us, He made us in His own image. If we’re made in God’s image then we’re like Him in some ways. There is much that implies, but of paramount importance for our topic is that it includes – free will. Free will means we can make choices and that they are not controlled or pre-determined.
The affect of free will on our nature cannot be understated – it represents a huge risk not only for us, but for the plan of God as well. Fortunately, God is in ultimate control and from the believer’s perspective He undoubtedly intervenes as He seems fit, but He seems to allow as much human free will as possible.
Free Will has Potential for Evil
Free will unfortunately opens the door to evil. Evil is the opposite of good and it occurs when free will is exercised beyond certain boundaries.
What is it that causes one’s free will to cross the line from good to evil? It’s our sin nature that we inherit. Eve was deceived by Satan in the Garden of Eden and ate the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was not deceived (1 Tim 2:14), but chose to join Eve in her condition by also disobeying God by partaking as well. Disobeying God is sin and God’s prescribed penalty is death. This caused them both to die in a dual sense – by loosing their original eternal and sinless state.
The three-fold combination of having free will (as in God’s image), the knowledge of good and evil (from the forbidden fruit) and a sin nature (from disobeying God) is what apparently gives us the potential for evil.
Therefore, evil in one sense is simply the sinful expression of free will. If both sin and free will are involved, then it’s unavoidable.
People Suffer and Die Because of Evil
Despite evil being unavoidable because of both sin and free will being part of our nature, as well as Satan’s himself, we still often wonder why evil has to exist.
- Evil had to have its Day -
Since the potential for evil exists whenever free will exists there was no avoiding it from being manifested at some point or another. So, perhaps God in his perfect wisdom provided the means for it to be manifested for ultimate and eventual good. Evil arguably has to be experienced and recognized for what it is before it can be acknowledged as a problem and eliminated.
The evidence for God having enabled the manifestation of evil and its ultimate demise follows. It may be shocking at first, but follow the progression and it will be clear.
Satan, or Lucifer as he was originally known, is the only being created by God in perfect form along with inherent knowledge of good and evil (people obtained it later after sinning.) That is often overlooked, but scripture says it clearly [2]. Read the chapters of Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 and you’ll see more, including how Lucifer was created in perfect beauty and given an anointed role above that of any other Angel.
God had to engineer a way for evil to become manifest and how He did it is remarkable and in such a way as only a just God could do. He made the perfect being and it was His right to do so. But, Lucifer became so full of himself that he wanted to become as God himself and exalt his own throne above that of God’s. Crazy and sinful ambition that God could not tolerate. Perfection is therefore not a guarantee against evil. In fact evil is apparently a risk of perfection if sin is not eliminated. Perhaps only God can handle being perfect. Or, perhaps we’ll also be able to handle being perfect when we’re resurrected in immortal bodies and forever present with the Lord.
So did God set Lucifer up for failure – to become the personification of evil? I say yes and no. Yes, because He knows everything. No, because He is just in everything He does and what is wrong with making someone perfect? Before you answer that you may want to thank Him for not making you perfect – isn’t it interesting to consider that God loved you enough to not make you perfect – just look what it did for Lucifer. So did God not love Lucifer? I think He did and may have even warned him how to conduct himself. Perhaps someone, or some being, had to be created perfect at some point, because God could otherwise be criticized for not creating perfect beings – but now we know better.
Jesus had to Become a Man and Willingly Suffer and Die to Show His Love
Why are suffering and dying important expressions of God’s love? —
If people He created must suffer and die, then so must He to show His perfect love.
Why did He have to suffer such a horrible death through crucifixion? —
If some people must suffer horrible deaths, then so must He to show His perfect love.
There’s simply no getting around it for Jesus – He had to suffer and die. He also had to do so willingly. Perfection means nothing is lacking, so If God is perfect then His love must be perfect. Perfect love cannot be given begrudgingly or with regret.
But, can God really suffer or die? No, God cannot suffer or die, so Jesus had to become a man. He didn’t give up being God, but became one of us in every way except our sin nature. He not only was, but remains for all time, the one and only God-man.
- Crucifixion -
Not only did He have to die, but He had to suffer in the cruelest way ever designed by man to show His love and fulfill prophecy. The process of crucifixion was a tortuous and lingering death. The legs of the person would often have to be broken to speed up the process and cause them to suffocate by not being able to lift their torso enough to breathe. That’s because their arms were stretched and impaled in a way that made it hard to breathe without pushing up with the legs, despite that being tortuous itself because of the feet also being impaled.
Jesus, by the way, had no bones broken as prophesied. It was also prophesied that no man would take His life, but He would lay it down willingly – He chose to die before the Roman soldiers arrived to break His legs if necessary. They were surprised He had already died and they respected His corpse.
If anyone were to die a more cruel death, then His love could arguably fail to be perfect. We can’t say with certainty whether anyone in history suffered a more cruel death, but we can say that crucifixion was the cruelest means of state authorized, public execution at the time. It was the cruelest choice available and it was the prophesied means.
Furthermore, it’s my contention that Jesus willingly suffered to the maximum extent possible, given the time in history and the physical limits of His human body – without healing Himself – which He may have been tempted to do, but it would have been cheating and a perfect God doesn’t cheat. He was also likely tortured more than usual because Pontius Pilot tried as a last resort to spare His life by hoping the crowd would pity His tortured state and agree to release Him. It is said that He no longer appeared to be human, having had His beard plucked out and His body repeatedly struck with flesh tearing whips.
What incredible love – that God would make us knowing full well before hand, that He would have to become one of us to suffer in the cruelest way and die at our hands – just to show His love. But there’s more.
- Is love the only reason Jesus had to die? -
Is love the only reason Jesus had to die? Well, love alone is enough, but there’s another aspect – a profound purpose that benefits us directly. He had to pay the penalty for our sins.
- The penalty of sin -
God laid down His only acceptable penalty for Sin. He said that the only remission of sin is through the shedding of blood[3]. That’s very harsh, but so is sin. Since sin is harsh, so then must the penalty be harsh as well. But the penalty is totally unfair to us, unless He also provides a solution. Otherwise, no one could avoid the penalty and we would all have to pay with our own blood. That would be even harsher than just having it lay on the shoulders of one willing and able person – Jesus.
- The solution is Jesus alone -
Only a perfect man could pay the sin penalty for all men – and the only way a man can be perfect is for him to also be God.
"... For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many." (Romans 5:15)
So, only a God-man will suffice. Jesus had to become man, remain perfect despite being tempted in every way, and pay restitution for us by shedding His own blood to meet His own requirement for remission of sin.
Would you sign up for such a mission? Can you imagine making some figures out of Legos, for example, and somehow make them come alive. Then, because you realize you love them so much you decide to not only become one of them, but provide the means by which they will cause you to suffer and die in the cruelest way possible – just so you can show your love to them. It’s completely crazy on one hand, yet incredibly profound on the other. That is what Jesus did for us, yet it’s even more profound than in our imperfect Lego analogy. Because He knows everything, He realized even before He made us what He would have to do for us. It’s the ultimate expression of love and He cannot have done anything less, or anything more because that is what He does – He gives everything His all.
He Did it for Companionship
The question becomes why did God bother? If it meant He would have to sacrifice and suffer so much, then why did He bother making us?
He apparently wants our companionship. And, our companionship is apparently worth all that He sacrificed and suffered. It was worth it for Him to become one of us and to suffer and die for us.
What alternatives does God have for companionship? He could have made creatures without free will that would have no choice but to love and worship Him. But, how satisfying is that?
In order to have companions that would choose to love Him, they need to have free will. Giving us free will is a huge risk for all involved because some will choose evil and reject His love. He apparently decided it’s worth the risk – for His own desire and for those that would choose to love Him.
- There was no other way -
Finally – was this the only way for Him to have everything He desires? That is, creatures made in His own image that would choose to return His love?
Jesus decided to make us in His image. He also placed us in a world where evil would reign because our free will was necessary as being part of His image. Satan was also there to deceive us into sinning by disobeying God – thereby causing us to have a fatal sin nature. Incredibly, Jesus knew this would happen and that it would require His own death to rectify the situation for us.
We were, in effect, setup ourselves, but Jesus then set Himself up also. How absurd and incredible that is. What greater love could there be?
There was apparently no other way and Jesus even agonized over that Himself in the garden of Gethsemane on the night before He was betrayed. He asked the Father to take this cup away, or having to go through crucifixion, from Him if there was any other way. The agony highlights His humanity, but the will and the facts highlight His divinity and perfect love.
Let me suggest an aspect of God’s nature – He compels Himself to only do things to the fullest extent possible – He is complete and does things completely. He’s all or nothing, as it were. If there is an ultimate or greatest way to do something, then that’s what He does. How hard and sacrificing it might be, is secondary if not irrelevant to Him.
Furthermore, if we accept that God is perfect then we should also accept that the remarkable story of Jesus having done all that He did including dying for us – as simply the perfect and therefore only solution.
Jesus did all the work and the only work He requires of us is to believe in Him[4]. He truly is all that He claims to be – the epitome and very definition of love.
Outline
- He claims that He is one and the same as love
- Free will is included
- Our potential for evil is enabled by our sin nature
- Our sin nature is a result of being deceived by Satan and thereby loosing our original eternal and sinless state
- Evil was unavoidable and had to have it’s day
- Satan was created perfect, yet became the source of evil
- It also pays His own prescribed penalty for sin
- He wants creatures created in His image to choose to love Him in return
- There was no other way
Ted’s Trumpet
July, 2011
Scripture references are in the New King James Version (NKJV.) – emphasis is mine.
[1]John 4:8 “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:16 “… God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”
[2]Ezekiel 28:12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Ezekiel 28:15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.
[3]Hebrews 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
[4]John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” (29) Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Listen to interview about the article here http://www.blessingstoisrael.com/content.cfm?id=213&content_id=27
My Dear Brother Jim
- delivered to eulogize him on Thur 6/16/11 in St. Joseph’s church, Mendham, NJ -
My dear brother Jim. I’m missing you. I wish we had spent more time together these past few years. I’m sorry I didn’t visit more frequently from NC and that you weren’t able to visit me there. You were always busy looking out for and helping other family and friends. I’m sure you made the best choices for the ones you were best able to help or that needed it the most. You did well my brother.
I’m the oldest of our 5 siblings, just 1 year and 7 months older than Jim. Although I probably look even older than that. Gray hair is hereditary ya know, you get it from your kids - and I have 5 kids myself – can you tell?. Although Jim doesn’t have natural kids, he’s a better father figure than many birth fathers in our society today. I don’t hesitate to say he’s probably a father figure to more young people than I, and he did it with less gray – certainly less than I had – just 1 year and 7 months ago.
I speak of him in the present tense because I believe, and we’re told in scripture, that all souls are eternal. It’s just a matter of where you spend eternity, and it’s what you believe and do in life that determines your destiny.
What is life if not less than a drop in the un-fathomable ocean of eternity?
I want to speak to you about eternity and faith – the kind of faith that I think Jim had. These are not easy subjects to tackle, but I’m going to plunge in – as a tribute to my brother and who he is – and as something I’m glad to perform as the eldest sibling.
I’m a born-again Christian, and I have to frame what I say in that context. If you marvel at that statement – you should not. Jesus said to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and Sanhedrin member that secretly met with Him,
“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
He went on to say …
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Jesus equates “born again” with “born of the Spirit”
As a born-again Christian people ask me – So do you think so-and-so went to heaven — or not? They like to ask it bluntly. I like to say, I don’t know what was in so-and-so’s heart – the answer, as were, is “blowing in the wind” as implied by Jesus.
It’s also, I say not, up to me or anyone else. It’s up to Jesus alone and only He knows, for He said …
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
And the Father we know is in heaven – “Our Father who art in heaven – hallowed be Thy name …”
So what is Jesus’s criteria – for “getting through Him” ?? Everyone knows John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who-so-ever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
So then if you just believe in Jesus your OK? Right?
+ Be careful, because Jesus’s own brother James (a fitting name for today) wrote much of wisdom from God and penned …
If “You believe that there is one God. You do well. — Even the demons believe—and tremble!”
Apparently there are different levels of belief. I have a feeling that the belief held by demons – is not quite -
up to par with what Jesus requires of us. Having become one of us and dying for us.
James goes on to explain that faith without good works is dead! So can you earn your way into heaven?
+ Be careful again, because the apostle Paul, a Jewish Rabbi that, by many accounts, wrote 2/3 of the New Testament, penned that salvation is “a gift of God, and not of works, lest anyone should boast”
And, Jesus, in arguing with religious leaders at the temple – mentioned that “scripture cannot be broken”
(IE, it cannot conflict with itself.) So, we can’t forget that Jesus also said …
“you must be born again.”
So what does “born again”, or “born of the Spirit” mean? The apostle Paul explains:
“having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise”
He also elaborates on what it means to truly believe:
“if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
So, it’s up to Jesus and the answer for us as to whether someone is saved – is blowing the wind. However, He gave us some personal instructions: that you must truly believe in Him and be born-again with His Holy Spirit. Good works are important, but merely the evidence of having true, living faith.
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Regarding our beloved Jim – he expressed so many good works – I dare say more than most of us – including me. Good works of the kind that Jim displayed – that are consistent, unselfish, sacrificing, etc. – are hard to sustain without a strong foundation of faith. A faith that isn’t dead, but alive and true. A faith that suggests a spiritual birth at its core.
Meaning of the name Jim
I got up early this morning to reflect and I looked up the meaning of the name Jim. It originates from the Hebrew Jacob and means “he who supplants” – replaces, stands in for, takes over for, etc.
That’s exactly what Jim did in being a surrogate father for Billy and Analise.
As you consider Jim and how much he did for others, both casually and professionally (as a home health aid), despite any imperfections or personality quirks which we all have (that’s not what matters – what matters is what we believe), consider what his life source must have been. Consider what you should do having known him as an example of service to others.
I suspect those that pass as Jim did, apparently quickly and peacefully, that their express purpose on earth was fulfilled and that they have been promoted for a greater purpose.
Imagine Jim having unlimited resources to help souls on the other side of eternity. Who is better qualified for such a role? I think of all those souls that did not have the privilege of a JimJim in their lives. I think of those who died in childhood or even the womb, that suffered or struggled without the benefit of a JimJim to make a difference in their lives. Perhaps those that miss out in life – for not having a JimJim – will have one in eternity.
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I said up front that all souls are eternal, or everlasting. Hell, BTW, is the opposite of everlasting life – it’s everlasting death. Scripture is clear that everyone is bodily resurrected: even the sea gives up it’s dead, every knee will bow and every tongue confess “that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
What a tragedy it will be for those that, after receiving wonderful resurrected and eternal bodies, are only then compelled to bow and confess before the undeniable creator, only to be consigned to the lake of fire in hell. Jesus said “if you deny me I will deny you”.
I don’t think Jesus will be impressed if we believe only after being resurrected and see Him face to face. What’s there not to believe at that point? – of what value is faith then? No, I think He’s impressed when we believe despite the lousy world we live in, are willing born-again with His Spirit and, as an act of true faith, we produce good works for the sake of others.
I think people are born for different purposes. And Jim performed his very well – perhaps not fully knowing what exactly or to what extent, nor knowing when it would end. Is it any different for any of us?
Choose wisely wherein to place your faith and if you want to spend time with Jim again.
For all that are here or unable to attend, may God heal your sorrow in time and may we together be with Jim again – this time in glory. Good bye, for a little while, my dear brother Jim – I do pray, hope, believe and trust.
I have a brief closing message for Analise and Billy in particular, but that may apply to many others.
Jim was there for you both during times in your young lives when it mattered the most. In some ways I believe even more than you know.
Your both now fine young adults. You don’t need him anymore – except, that is, to remember him and make him proud. Your fully capable and responsible for doing that yourselves now. Jim did all he could do for you – he gave you his all.
Don’t blame God – simply trust – that He had the timing of things fully in control, despite our human inability to comprehend His ways. His ways are above our ways.
And now I leave you with this parting charge …
Like in the movie Saving Private Ryan, when the character played by Tom Hank’s, as he was dying of a mortal wound but knew that Private Ryan would be safe – told him “Make your life worth this”.
So I say to you – “make your lives worth this” – worth Jim’s investment in you – that your lives can be his proud legacy – such that Jesus especially may one day point to your lives and say to Jim at his side – well done my good and faithful servant.
Let us all do our part to make Jim proud and consider that he and others may be looking down on us at any time.
Scripture References
John 3:3-8
(3) Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
(4) Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
(5) Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
(6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
(7) Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
(8) The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
James 2:19-26
(19) You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
(20) But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
(21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
(22) Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
(23) And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God.
(24) You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
(25) Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
(26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Ephesians 2:8-10
(8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
(9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.
(10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 1:13
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Romans 10:9-10
(9) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
(10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Philippians 2:11
(11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The tagline is from Jeremiah 6:17
… ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
It is meant to draw attention and encourage readers to listen – unlike the stubborn people refered to.
Consider, also, that that verse may have both historical and present day relevance. It’s one of the topics I hope to cover in this blog; that many prophecies of the bible have dual fulfillment as a matter of course. Since the ancient prophets were to believed only if they could demonstrate 100% accuracy under the penalty of death, their prophecies had to have fulfillment during their lifetime, or because they were already proven prophets, some of their prophecies could be indisputably considered for later times. This means that at least some prophecies of some prophets had to have dual fulfillment.
I am not a prophet, mind you, but I think of myself as a “watchman” of sorts. This may seem pretentious, but I hope you’ll let me explain – as it’s more of a servant-hood attitude.
First, it comes from the larger passage of Jeremiah 6:16-17
(16) Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (17) Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
Second, it comes from Ezekiel 33:2-6
(2) ”Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, (3) when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, (4) then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. (5) He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. (6) But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’
So how can I think of myself as a sort of “watchman”? I don’t think it’s an appointed thing, necessarily, although for some more important than me I believe that it is. In general I think that anyone with a passion for the bible that pays attention to historical and current events and that has concern for others, is compelled to be a watchman to some extent. Jesus also instructed his disciples on many occasions to watch, and sums it up simply and well in Mark 13:37
And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
In addition to having a livelong passion for bible, I also have a livelong passion for playing the trumpet so the decision for what to call my blog was simple for me. The images on the blog are all of my personal trumpet on my personal property. Scripture references are all from the New King James Version (NKJV), unless otherwise noted.
Lord Bless,
Ted
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