All The Counsel of God

Our governments continue to pass laws recognizing homosexuality as a “way of life” or a “choice in life”, accepting homosexual partners as ‘normal’ married couples, allowing homosexual couples to adopt children, and making the clear Bible teaching a criminal offence. The time has come for God’s preachers  and teachers to proclaim what the Bible clearly teaches as over against the popular view of the media, talk shows, education and Government leaders. Notice carefully what God says in His Word:

2 Peter 2:6, “… turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly … “

Romans 1 :24-28, “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. 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 … “

Jude 7, “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

Here in Jude we are told that God judged Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them for two reasons:

1. They were giving themselves over to fornication which indicates addiction to unclean practices.

2. They were going after “strange flesh”. This simply means they were committing the sin of homosexuality. No matter how hard our doctors and political leaders and “open mike” radio shows try to affirm that homosexuality is a disease, God says that this practice is a sin.

This “strange flesh” here means “other flesh”, as being other than what nature has appointed. When God made man at the beginning, He also made woman as a helpmate and it was never God’s intention that man and man or woman and woman, in that terrible act of homosexuality, should be ONE FLESH as man and woman together are.

Notice carefully that Sodom and Gomorrah suffered the vengeance of eternal fire, for God poured out fire and brimstone from heaven to destroy the cities. God says here that these facts are set forth for us today as examples. God warns us clearly and definitely that nations and leaders who disobey His plain teachings will suffer the consequences of His judgment.

The clearest teaching of all is found in Romans 1 :24-28 where we are told three times that GOD GAVE THEM UP for this wicked sin of homosexuality. I believe God will give our nation up and over to unclean and wicked influences unless there is national repentance and a turning from sin unto God. What a terrible thing it is to be living in a nation that God will give up.

The Gospel Standard

Text: Ephesians 1 :3

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

Intro:

Unlike the children of Israel in the Old Testament and in the future Kingdom of Heaven on this earth, the Christians blessings are primarily spiritual in nature and not physical or earthly.

Our text tells us that the believer is already blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.

However, there are some things that can hinder or block us from having access to those spiritual blessings.

Today, we want to look at some blockades to spiritual blessings.

I. Selfishness Is A Blockage To Spiritual Blessings

1. Selfish people think only of themselves; Luke 12: 17- 19.

2. Selfish people show a lack of love; I John 3:17.

3. Selfish people reap what they sow; Acts 5:2,5, 10.

II. Laziness Is A Blockage To Spiritual Blessings

1. Lazy people beg in the harvest; Prov. 20:4.

2. Lazy people come to poverty; Prov. 6:9-11.

3. Lazy people will not work for Christ; Luke 19:20-24.

Ill. Covetousness Is A Blockage To Spiritual Blessings

1. Covetousness troubles one’s own house; Prov. 15:27.

 2. Covetousness causes one to come to want; Prov. 22:16.

3. Covetousness brings God’s judgment; Jer. 8: 10.

IV. Prayerlessness Is A Blockage To Spiritual Blessings

1. Prayerless people are troubled people; Dan. 9:13,

2. Prayerless people are disobedient people; Luke 18:1; James 4:2.

3. Prayerless people shall not prosper; Jer. 10:21.

V. Worldliness Is A Blockage To Spiritual Blessings.

1. Worldliness reveals the inward life; I John 2:15.

2. Worldliness does not please God; Rom. 8:5-8.

3. Worldliness separates from God; James 4:4; Isa. 59:2.

VI. Unfruitfulness Is A Blockage To Spiritual Blessings

1. Unfruitfulness comes from not abiding in Christ; John 15:4

2. Unfruitfulness results in the loss of reward; I Cor. 3:14-15.

3. Unfruitfulness brings judgment; Luke 19:20-26.

VII. Unfaithfulness Is A Blockage To Spiritual Blessings

1. Unfaithfulness is sin; Rom. 14: 23.

2. Unfaithfulness robs of the Crown of Life; Rev. 2: 10.

3. Unfaithfulness cannot please God; Heb. 11: 6.

Conclusion:

Today, we have looked at seven blockages to spiritual blessings.

We need to do as the Psalmist said in Psalm 26:2, “Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” to make sure that we are not causing a blockage to spiritual blessing in our lives due to one of the things we looked at today.

1.         Is it right? 1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

2.         Will this bring me near some temptation? Rom. 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

3.         Does this give place to the devil? Eph. 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

4.         Is there anything in scripture contrary to it? Isa. 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

5.         Am I trusting God or depending in my own strength? Prov. 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

6.         Is it doubtful? Rom. 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

7.         Will it cause someone to stumble? Rom. 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

8.         Does it appear evil to anyone? 1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil

9.         Would the Lord Jesus Christ do this? 1 Pet. 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Rom. 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Soiyihat he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

10. Will it please God? John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath n0 ft me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

11. Am I trying to impress others with my spirituality? Acts 5: 1-11 But a certain  man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it, at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was so d, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry tb.ee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

12.       Do I hope somebody notices me? Gal. 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

13.       Does it edify? 1 Cor. 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

14.       Am I being selfish? Phil. 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

15.       Am I denying the flesh? Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

16.       Am I putting Christ first? Col. 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

17.       Is it expedient? 1 Cor. 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

18.       Will it bring glory to God? 1 Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

19.       Am I deceiving myself or being deceived? 1 Cor. 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

20.       Do I know better? 1 Cor. 8: 10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols.

21.       Am I searching for an excuse to justify what I want to do? Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

22.       Do I have to hide it from anyone? Sneak around? 2 Cor. 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

23.       Did I handle the word of God deceitfully? 2 Cor. 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

24.       Will this in anyway defile God’s body? 1 Cor. 3: 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1 Cor. 6: 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

25.       Can I sincerely thank God for it? 1 Thess. 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

26.       Can I do this in Jesus’ name? 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.

27.       Can I go all the way with it? Col. 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Eccl. 9: 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

28.       Have I prayed about it? Ps. 66: 18 If l regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Phil. 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

29.       Will it increase or hinder my prayer life? 1 Pet. 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.

30.       Am I breaking one commandment in order to keep another? Jer. 48:10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

31.       What does my pastor think about it? Hebr. 13 :7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Hebr. 13: 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

32.       What does my church brethren think about it? Prov. 11: 14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Prov. 15 :22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

33.       Would I like to be doing this when Jesus Christ returns? 1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 1 John 3: 1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

34.       How will it appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ? Rom. 14:10-12 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 1 Cor. 3: 11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

By Steve Sturgeon

1. AN EFFECTIVE LEADER IS PROACTIVE– He is not a passive person around whom things simply “happen”. He makes things happen through being a galvanizing catalyst.

2.         AN EFFECTIVE LEADER IS GOAL ORIENTED-So often church leaders just bumble along without any goal in mind, with their churches just doing things because that’s the way they have always been done. Such aimless conduct should have no place in a witnessing, gathering church.

3.         AN EFFECTIVE LEADER PUTS FIRST THINGS FIRST-He doesn’t major on secondary, inconsequential matters, but ensures that his priorities are the same as those the Lord expects from him.

4.         AN EFFECTIVE LEADER WANTS EVERYONE TO BENEFIT, IF POSSIBLE-He ensures that his actions and his teaching do not favor one particular group in the church, but provides milk and meat, something appropriate for all to grow by.

5.         AN EFFECTIVE LEADER WORKS HARD AT BEING UNDERSTOOD– Anyone in leadership swiftly discovers that there is a continual danger of being misunderstood – even when one speaks plainly. Misunderstandings can lead to disastrous situations. How many church splits have been rooted originally in misunderstandings? How often do misunderstandings worsen already strained relationships or discussions?

6.         AN EFFECTIVE LEADER WORKS AT CREATIVE COOPERATION AND LEADERSHIP THROUGH TEAMWORK– Leaders can only lead by consent at every level. They can only lead effectively by helping people to feel part of a team-effort, rather than being under a leader’s feet.

7.         AN EFFECTIVE LEADER IS CONTINUALLY LEARNING– One of the very best ways that a leader can stimulate people around him to have a thirst for learning is to be an avid learner himself. “Leaders are readers.” A leader who thinks he has nothing new to learn will be the worst bottleneck possible in the life of a church.

8.         AN EFFECTIVE LEADER IS NA TU RALLY SERVICE ORIENTED-A Christian leader will not see himself as a “boss” but as a servant-leader, whose work of rulership in the church (cf. Heb.13:7, 17 & 24) is a servant role on behalf of the Lord.

9.         AN EFFECTIVE LEADER BELIEVES IN PEOPLE AND THEIR CAPACITY TO DO GOOD THINGS– This can be a difficult way of thinking to fulfil. There are people whom we want to run a mile from when see them in the street; people who drive us crazy with their brattish and often boorish behavior. A true leader is one who can even see the good in the most troublesome person, and then go on to encourage it and develop it.

10.       AN EFFECTIVE LEADER TAKES TIME TO ENCOURAGE AND REWARD– He doesn’t miss an opportunity to show gratitude and pleasure when work is well done. People need appreciation by nature. And nothing is more demoralizing than to feel that your achievements are of no significance. The Lord Himself rewards His people for their endurance and achievement. So should those who are the under shepherds.

11.       AN EFFECTIVE LEADER WORKS AT EQUIPPING AND EMPOWERING– True leaders do not encourage dependency but always work at enabling others to develop their own abilities to stand. A teacher of the Word should not be content for people to sit at his feet open-mouthed like babies; but instead he should be providing the tools for them to study the Word effectively on their own. He takes pleasure in seeing people grow and think for themselves.

12.       AN EFFECTIVE LEADER LEADS A BALANCED LIFE– He doesn’t only read one genre of literature, or listen to one kind of music, or follow one school of theology, or have a one-track mind in any respect. He is a spiritual “renaissance man”. As such, he seeks to enrich his life with many varied influences, and thus enrich the lives of many others. He knows that God “gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim.6:17).

13.       AN EFFECTIVE LEADER TAKES HIS WORK SERIOUSLY AND HIMSELF NOT VERY SERIOUSLY-As human beings, we often take ourselves far too seriously, and as a result our work suffers. The leader should say: “The importance of my work for Him must increase; my importance in my own eyes must decrease”. A leader who doesn’t take himself very seriously will not be so easily offended, will not push his weight around, and will tend to have an infectious sense of humor -even being able to laugh at himself!

14.       AN EFFECTIVE LEADER CONTINUALLY STRIVES FOR PERSONAL RENEWAL – He is not content to languish in the same spiritual, emotional and intellectual condition all his life. Instead he expects to grow and does everything possible to encourage that process. He knows the great secret that there is no such thing as “standing still” for the true Christian. One is only ever either falling backwards or moving forwards in this life. Continuous personal renewal is his goal.

15.       AN EFFECTIVE LEADER SEES LIFE AS AN ADVENTURE-As a result, he views everything in life as an event on a great journey, rather than an end in itself. Seeing life as an adventure makes one into an adventurer. Adventurers are brave. Adventurers achieve things. Adventurers are fearless pioneers. Adventurers have no time for small-mindedness and pettiness. Adventurers are impervious to idle gossip, being far too occupied with adventure to be waylaid by such things. Adventurers are not afraid of the new. Adventurers don’t mind occasionally failing at things, seeing failure as an incentive to try harder. Adventurers even find hardship exciting and beneficial to their character (cf. James 1 :2-3).

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” (Luke 14:28)

            Can you afford the high price of not being saved? Many times when being saved is discussed, we often speak of what we must give up to be saved. Certainly, there must be repentance of sins, and a turning from the world, but look at the other side of the story. Just what are you losing by not being saved? If you choose to live your life without Jesus Christ, it will cost you:

1.  FORGIVING LOVE

            Our Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus, to die for the sins of the world. Dying in our stead on the cross, He has made forgiveness a reality for us. The invitation is for you and me to come by faith to Jesus, accept Him as our Savior, and know this forgiveness. This, alone, can make us acceptable with God. Can you afford to reject His offer of love and forgiveness and go your own way, only to meet Him in judgment and go to hell?

2.  FELLOWSHIP OF THE SAINTS

            In the world of the unsaved, no man cares for your soul. Everybody lives for themselves and what they can get out of life. In Jesus, however, there is abundant fellowship. Because we have been forgiven, we have fellowship with God and with all the saints. The people of God are real friends who care for you and love you. There is the plenty of the Father’s table that is always set full and free. Can you afford to miss this?

3.  ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD

            If you die without Jesus Christ as your Savior, you will surely be “turned into hell” (Psalm 9:17). It will cost you your soul to live in sin in this world and reject God’s Son as your Savior. Where will you be ten thousand years from now? Can you afford the cost of not being saved? No. None of us can, so “flee the wrath to come” (Luke 3:7) and run to Jesus now while you can. Thank God! He said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)

1.         To seek to get your heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in a given matter. In other words, simply tell the Lord you’ll do anything He says. When we are ready to do the Lord’s will–whatever it may be–nine tenths of the difficulties are overcome.

2.         Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If I do so I make myself liable to great delusions.

3.         I seek the will of the Spirit of God through or in connection with God’s Word. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Spirit guides us He will do it-according to the Scriptures, never contrary to them.

4.         I take next into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s will, in connection with His Word and Spirit.

5.         I ask God to reveal His will to me.

6.         Through prayer, the study of the Word and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgement according to the best of my ability and knowledge. If my mind is thus at peace and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly. I have found this method always effective in trivial or important issues.

No doubt the name “Jehovah” is pronounced in the Hebrew Bible (four letter

name) “JHWH” or Jahwe.

Jehovah means, “the existing, the abiding, eternal, steadfast, permanent,

dependable, true, “Who is and will ever be,” or, as the exalted Lord Himself

declares.

“which is and which was and which is to come.” (Revelation 1:4,8; 4:8)

In the most manifold way the name Jehovah gives to us a picture of

salvation, Christian living, and experience and eternal glory.

There are seven names of Jehovah in the Old Testament direct, also

revealed in Psalm 23:

1. Jehovah-Rohi; – The Lord is my shepherd. Psalm 23: 1

2. Jehovah-Shalom; – The Lord who is or gives peace. Psalm 23:2 (Judges 6:24)

3. Jehovah-Rapha; – The Lord the physician. Psalm 23:3 (Exodus 15:26)

4. Jehovah-Tsidkenu; – The Lord our Righteousness. Psalm 23:3, (Jeremiah 23:6)

5. Jehovah-Shammah; – The Lord is there, the tabernacle of God with men. Psalm 23:4 (Ezekiel 48:35)

6. Jehovah-Nissi; – The Lord my banner. Psalm 23:5 (Exodus 17: 15)

7. Jehovah-Jireh; – The Lord who provides. Psalm 23:6 (Genesis 22: 14)

The one other name that sums up all the names is the name “Jehovah-Sabaoth”; The Lord Of Host.

These other names I will briefly mention so you can be looking for them in the future.

1. Adonai – means Lord 450 times

2. El – means mighty God 230 times

3. El Shaddai – means Almighty 50 times

4. El Elyon – means most high God 32 times

5. Elohim – means Creator 2570 times

6. Jehovah; means redeeming and covenant God 6000 times

7. Eloth; means strong one (Almighty) 50 times

Thus altogether the names of God occur in the Old Testament over 6,000

times.

This shows their vast and exalted significance in Biblical revelation

In 1870, at the age of eighteen, an ex-Congregationalist by the name of Charles Taze Russell started a Bible class in Pittsburgh. In 1876, the class elected Russell as their Pastor. He founded the “Herald of the Morning” in 1879, which eventually developed into what is known today as “The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.” Today this publication has grown to over seventeen million copies per month in over one hundred languages. In 1884, Russell incorporated the “Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society” at Pittsburgh. Today this organization has branches in over one hundred countries, and it has missionary works in over two hundred and fifty. With over one-half million volunteer workers, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have become a serious threat to Bible believers throughout the world. Russell died in 1916, and Judge J.F. Rutherford took over the Society’s leadership. It was under Rutherford’s leadership that the group took the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” and Society headquarters moved to Brooklyn. Rutherford died in 1942, and Nathan Knorr took control and boosted the membership to over two million. In 1961 the Society published its own “translation” of the scriptures, called “The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.” Knorr died in 1977, and Frederick Franz took over the leadership of the Watchtower Society. Franz is the current leader of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (1991). Rather than bore ourselves with the corrupt history of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, we shall get straight to the main issue at hand: What does the Bible say about their DOCTRINES? The true Bible-believer realizes that the primary purpose for the Lord giving us the Scriptures is DOCTRINE (2 Tim. 3:16), and we are supposed to KNOW sound doctrine from false doctrine. Many have departed from the faith and have given themselves over to “doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1), and it is our Christian duty to check these people and arm ourselves against their false teachings. The main false doctrines taught by the “JW’s” (Henceforth used to abbreviate “Jehovah’s Witnesses”) are as follows: (1) that God is not a Trinity, (2) that Jesus Christ did not physically rise from the dead, (3) that there will be no literal and physical Second Coming of Christ, and (4) that there will be no place of eternal torment for the wicked. These are the major heresies taught by the JW’s, and we shall examine each of these in light of God’s pure and preserved words. Let us begin with a look at the Trinity. Is God A Trinity? According the Bible, God is a Triune Being. As all humans are a trinity (soul, body, and spirit–1 Ths. 5:23), God is also a Trinity. In Genesis 1:26, God said, “Let us make man in our image. . .” In Genesis 11:7, God said, “. . . .let us go down, and there confound their language. . .” The terms “us” and “our” obviously refer to the Holy Trinity. So the Trinity is found in the very early chapters of the Bible. In the New Testament, we can see all three Members of the Trinity at the Baptism of Jesus in Matthew chapter three. God the Father is speaking from Heaven. God the Son is being baptized, and God the Holy Ghost is descending like a dove. When Jesus gave the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, He said in verse 19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” 1 John 5:7 tells us that there are THREE that bear record in Heaven: “. . . the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (The “Word” is Christ according to John 1:1-3, 14, and 1 John 1:1-3.) God is a Trinity. He isn’t three Gods, like the JW’s accuse us of believing, but He is ONE Triune God. The pagans who worshipped three gods did so because they knew from observing the creation that God must be in some way associated with the number “THREE.” They never fully understood the Holy Trinity, but you must admit that they came much closer than the JW’s. As a man is a soul, a body, and a spirit, God the Father is the Soul of the Trinity, God the Son is the Body, and God the Holy Ghost is the Spirit. According to Psalm 19:1 and Romans 1:20, God’s creation actually declares the Trinity doctrine. One can see PROOF of the Trinity everywhere in the universe. The universe consists of three parts: Time, Space, and Matter. Time consists of three parts: Past, Present, and Future. Space consists of three parts: Length, Width, and Height. Matter consists of three parts: Energy, Motion, and Phenomena. There are three heavens in 2 Cor. 12:2, and on earth there are three forms of life: Man, Plant, and Animal. These forms of life are found in three places: Land, Sea, and Air. God is continually showing us through His creation that He is a Trinity. A perfect example of this is the sun. The sun has three kinds of rays: chemical rays, light rays, and heat rays. Chemical rays cannot be seen or felt, but they can be very powerful. When one receives a sunburn, it is from the sun’s chemical rays. This is a type of God the Father. Light rays are sometimes visible to the human eye. This is a type of Jesus Christ, the “light of the world” (John 8:12) and the “Sun of righteousness” (Mal.4:2). Heat rays are a type of the Holy Ghost for they bring comfort to us by warming our bodies, just as the Holy Ghost, the Comforter (John 16:7), brings comfort to us. So one can clearly see that God’s word and God’s creation both testify to the fact that He is a Trinity. However, some people aren’t getting the message. The book, “Let God Be True”, (Watchtower Bible & Tract Soc., 1952) says the following on page 92: “The trinity doctrine was not conceived by Jesus or the early Christians.” Then on page 93, this book says: “…the plain truth is that this is another of Satan’s attempts to keep the God-fearing person from learning the truth of Jehovah and His Son Jesus Christ.” On page 102 of the 1946 edition of “Let God Be True,” the JW’s make a very blasphemous statement concerning the Holy Trinity: “…Sincere persons who want to know the true God and serve Him find it a bit difficult to love and worship a complicated, freakish looking, three-headed God.” Such a remark is entirely uncalled for and is a blank misrepresentation of what Christians really believe about the Trinity. The JW’s cannot UNDERSTAND the Trinity, so they CONDEMN the Trinity. They fail to realize that it is not our job to tell God WHAT HE IS or to even FULLY UNDERSTAND how He can exist. Our responsibility is to BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS, AS HE SAYS IT, WHERE HE SAYS IT, WITHOUT CHANGING A SINGLE WORD! The Scriptures already presented in this study clearly show that God is a Trinity. Your responsibility is NOT to attempt reasoning out the eternal decrees of God in your small finite mind. Your responsibility is to BELIEVE WHAT GOD SAYS. Now either you DO, or you DON’T. The JW’s DON’T. The JW’s believe that Jehovah is God the Father, and that Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are not God. They’re wrong. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are both Deity. Jesus Christ Is Deity As the Second Member of the Trinity, Jesus Christ stands co-existent in Eternity with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. There are many proofs in the scriptures for the Deity of Christ. We shall now list several of them. (1) In Zechariah 12:10, Jehovah speaks of the future return of Christ and says, “. . . They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourne for him, as one mourneth for his only son . . . .” This is spoken again in Revelation 1:7, which is clearly a reference to Christ Himself, but in Zechariah 12:10 GOD said, “. . . They shall look upon me whom they have pierced . . . .” The One that they pierced was Jesus Christ! So, in Zechariah 12:10, God is saying that He is Jesus Christ. (2) In John 1:1, John 1:14, 1 John 1:1, and in 1 John 5:7, Jesus is called “the Word,” and John 1:1 says that “the Word was God.” (3) Thomas referred to Jesus as “My Lord and my God” in John 20:28, and Jesus did not see the need to correct him. (4) Isaiah 7:14 gives us the prophecy of the Virgin Birth of Christ and states that His name would be “Immanuel.” Matthew 1:23 tells us that this word means “God with us.” (5) In Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is called “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” The Bible certainly would not say this about anyone less than God. (6) In John 10:30, Jesus says, “I and my Father are one.” Jesus is not a lesser god; He is ONE with the Father. (7) Micah 5:2 tells us that Jesus is “from everlasting.” (8) In John 8:58, Jesus tells the Pharisees, “Before Abraham was, I am.” He claimed to be the “I AM” of Exodus 3:14, which is God Almighty. (9) Jesus allowed others to worship Him (John 9:38; Matt. 14:33; and Luke 24:52), which was forbidden, unless He was God (Rev. 22:9). (10) Jesus forgave sins (Mark 2:5), which only God can do (Mark 2:7). (11) The Lord Jesus Christ is omnipresent (Matt. 18:20; 28:20; II Cor. 13:14; I John 5:7). We know He is God because He is capable of being everywhere at once. (12) Jesus is omniscient (Mark 11:2-6; Matt. 12:40). He is God because He knows all things. (13) The Lord Jesus is also omnipotent (Rev. 19:6; Matt. 28:18). He has all power. (14) According to John 1, 1 John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1, Jesus Christ is the Creator of Genesis 1! (15) Jesus never sinned! Romans 3:23 says that ALL HAVE SINNED and come short of the glory of God, but Jesus did not sin (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18). So Jesus had to be God. Now, if you’ve taken time to check these references, then the Holy Spirit has attempted to show you one great truth: The LORD JESUS CHRIST IS GOD. That much is clear to any honest Bible student. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are not honest Bible students. One only has to pick up a copy of their “New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures” to see how dishonest and unfaithful they are with God’s word. We shall list a few examples of how the New World Translation ATTACKS the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ: (1) It changes Zechariah 12:10 to read, “. . . they will certainly look to the one whom they pierced. . . .” (2) John 1:1 in the N.W.T. says that “the Word was a god,” instead of “the Word was God.” The definite article “the” is replaced with “a,” and the capital “G” is replaced with a lower case “g.” The last half of 1 John 5:7 is omitted in the N.W.T., because it says that the Father, the Word (which is Christ in John 1:14), and the Holy Ghost “are one.” (3) The Virgin Birth is attacked in Isaiah 7:14 of the N.W.T. by translating “maiden,” instead of “virgin,” even though Matthew 1:23 TOLD THEM that it should read “virgin!” The JW’s will attack anyone or anything associated with the Lord Jesus Christ. (4) They change “from everlasting” in Micah 5:2 to read, “time indefinite,” which is not the same at all. (5) John 8:58 is where Christ said, “Before Abraham was, I am.” This matches God’s statement to Moses in Exodus 3:14, meaning that Christ is God. However, the N.W.T. says, “Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.” This destroys the valuable cross reference to Exodus 3:14. The JW’s believe that Jesus was “a god” before the time of Abraham, but that He was NOT the “I AM” of Exodus 3:14. (6) In John 9:38, Matthew 14:33, and Luke 24:52, the JW’s have replaced the word “worshipped” with the words “did obeisance,” which is not the same (See Gen. 37:7, 43:28; Exodus 18:7; 2 Sam. 1:2; 2 Chr. 24:17). The matter is clear: the JW’s will attack the Lord Jesus Christ every time they have a chance. Their “bible” proves it. Their WRITINGS also prove it. Here are a few blasphemous remarks made by the JW’s over the years concerning the Lord Jesus Christ: “. . . he was the first and direct creation of Jehovah God” (The Kingdom is at Hand, p. 46, 47, 49). “If Jesus were God, then during Jesus’ death, God was dead in the grave” (Let God Be True, p. 91). “. . . the true Scriptures speak of God’s Son, the Word, as ‘a god’.” He is a “mighty god,” but not the Almighty God, who is Jehovah” (The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 47). “The very fact that he was sent proves he was not equal with God, but was less than God his father” (The Word: Who is He, p. 41). This is how a cult deals with the written word of God. HUMAN REASONING is the final authority of all cults. Rather than to take God at His word BY FAITH, a cultist will always REJECT God’s word and attempt to reason things out for himself. All cults will ADD TO, SUBTRACT FROM, OR IGNORE the written revelation of God. For those of us who BELIEVE the scriptures, we are now well aware of the fact that Jesus Christ is God. Those who believe otherwise will have to CHANGE or IGNORE the Bible, because the Bible testifies of none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (John 5:39). The Holy Ghost Is Deity The JW’s believe that the Holy Ghost is only “God’s active force.” They deny the scriptural teaching that the Holy Ghost is a Member of the Holy Trinity: “The Scriptures themselves unite to show that God’s holy spirit is not a person but is God’s active force by which he accomplishes his purpose and executes his will” (Aid to Bible Understanding, pg. 1543). “The Holy Spirit is the invisible active force of Almighty God that moves his servants to do his will” (Let God Be True, pg. 108). Not only do the JW’s deny the DEITY of the Holy Spirit, they even deny that He is a person. So, in this sense, Satan has been exalted ABOVE the Holy Ghost by the JW’s! The reason given by the JW’s for the personality of Satan is that: “. . . the Bible calls Satan a manslayer, a liar, a father (in a spiritual sense) and a ruler. (John 8:44, 14:30) Only an intelligent person could fit all those descriptions.” (See “Awake!”, December 8, 1973) We agree, but how can any honest person say that and then DENY the personality of the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost ALSO has attributes that only a PERSON can have. For example: (1) Only a person could SPEAK, which the Holy Spirit does (Acts 2:11; 13:2; Rev. 2:7). (2) Only a person could TEACH and COMFORT (Jhn. 16:7, 13). (3) Only a person could have a MIND (Rom. 8:27). (4) Only a person could possess the POWER that the Holy Spirit possesses (Rom. 15:19). (5) Only a person could be INSULTED and GRIEVED (Heb. 10:29; Eph. 4:30). So the Holy Ghost certainly IS a Person, but more than that, He is GOD, the Third Member of the Holy Trinity. There are several scriptural proofs for the Deity of the Holy Ghost: (1) In Acts 15:3 Peter accuses Ananias of lying to the Holy Ghost, and then in verse four Peter tells him that he had lied unto GOD. The Holy Ghost is God. (2) The Holy Ghost says in Acts 13:2, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” GOD is the one who calls men to do His work (Rom. 8:28; Gal. 1:6; 1 Ths. 2:12; 4:7; 2 Ths. 2:13-14); so, the Holy Ghost is God. (3) Only God could perform all the great wonders that the Holy Ghost performs (Psa. 104:30; Jhn. 14:16, 26; 16:8-14; Job 33:4; 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 1:13; 4:30). (4) The Holy Ghost is God because blasphemy against Him shall not be forgiven (Mat. 12:31). (5) The Holy Ghost is God because He is ETERNAL (Heb. 9:14). (6) The Holy Ghost is God because He is OMNIPRESENT (Psa. 139:7-8). (7) The Holy Ghost is God because He has the power to give life (John 3:6; 6:63). (8) The Scriptures are God’s word, and 2 Peter 1:21 says that the Holy Ghost INSPIRED the Scriptures. Therefore the Holy Ghost is God. The Bible clearly reveals to us that the Holy Ghost is a Member of the Holy Trinity. To deny this truth is to openly deny God’s word. The Trinity doctrine is a BIBLE doctrine. It is true that Satan has counterfeited the Trinity doctrine for many centuries in many pagan religions, but that doesn’t change the truth. God’s word declares that He is a Trinity, and it is our responsibility to BELIEVE it. Did Jesus Christ Rise Physically From the Dead? According to the JW’s, He did not. The Bible speaks of a literal and physical resurrection, but the Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus only rose from the grave spiritually. Their literature speaks for itself: “. . . So the King Christ Jesus was put to death in the flesh and was resurrected an invisible spirit creature.” (Let God Be True, pg. 138) “Therefore the bodies in which Jesus manifested himself to his disciples after his return to life were not the body in which he was nailed to a tree. They were merely materialized for the occasion, resembling on one or two occasions the body in which he died…” (The Kingdom Is At Hand, pg. 259) “Our Lord’s human body . . . did not decay or corrupt . . . whether it was dissolved into gasses or whether it is still preserved somewhere . . . no one knows.” (Studies In The Scriptures, Vol. 2, pg. 129) According to the words of Jesus Christ Himself, He is NOT merely a spirit being. He is a literal and physical risen Savior. In Luke chapter twenty-four, beginning at verse thirty-six, the disciples see the risen Christ and they supposed they had seen a spirit (vs. 37); but Jesus cleared the matter up for everyone when He said, “. . . Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” (Luk. 24:38-39) He then SHOWED them His hands and feet, and they believed. What did they believe? They believed that He was a literal and physical being in a literal and physical body. When Jesus appeared to Thomas He said, “. . . Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” (John. 20:27) The risen Christ had the crucifixion scars in His body to PROVE that He had been physically resurrected from the dead. If Jesus didn’t rise physically then He lied in John 2:18-22 when He said that His “body” would rise in three days. He didn’t say His spirit would rise. He said that His BODY would rise. When He arose His disciples actually REMEMBERED this prophecy and believed. Too bad the JW’s can’t do the same. The JW’s claim that Jesus appeared in different bodies after His so-called “spiritual resurrection.” Their “proof” for this is the fact that the Emmaus disciples didn’t recognize Him in His resurrection body, so it couldn’t have been the same body. That’s nonsense. Luke 24:16 tells us why they didn’t recognize Him. It had nothing to do with a spiritual body. The problem was their EYESIGHT: “But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.” The bodily resurrection of Christ is a fundamental Bible doctrine. The salvation of a person’s soul rests upon this doctrine, because if Jesus didn’t physically rise from the dead AS HE SAID HE WOULD, then we’re all lost and going to Hell according to 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 (JW’s included). Will There Be A Literal and Physical Second Coming? If the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected literally and physically from the dead, and if He appeared physically to His disciples, then His Second Coming must also be literal and physical. Acts 1:11 tells us that Jesus will return “in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Jesus ascended into Heaven literally, physically, and visibly, so He will return “in like manner.” The JW’s deny this. They insist that the Second Coming of Christ will be SPIRITUAL, rather than literal and physical: “Christ Jesus comes, not again as a human, but as a glorious spirit person.” (Let God Be True, pg. 196) “Since no earthly men have ever seen or can see the Father, they will be unable to see the glorified Son.” (Let God Be True, pg. 197) “It is a settled Scriptural truth, therefore, that human eyes will not see him at his second coming, neither will he come in a fleshy body.” (The Truth Shall Make You Free, pg. 295) The word of God says otherwise. Paul says in Titus 2:13 that we should be LOOKING for that blessed hope and the glorious APPEARING of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. If the JW’s are right in saying that we will not be able to see Christ, then why did Paul tell us to be LOOKING for His APPEARING? The New World Translation has very conveniently removed the word “appearing” from Titus 2:13 and replaced it with “manifestation.” The same has also been done in 1 Timothy 6:14, 2 Timothy 1:10, and 2 Timothy 4:8. (You can make the Bible teach ANYTHING if you just CHANGE THE WORDS!) Now we know that the Second Coming of Christ will NOT be a spiritual and invisible return. Revelation 1:7 says, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” In Matthew 24:30, Jesus Himself says, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Zechariah 14:4 says, “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” The literal and physical feet of Luke 24:39 will literally STAND upon the literal, physical, and very visible mount of Olives. That’s perfectly clear to anyone with reading ability. There’s nothing spiritual or invisible about the Second Coming of Christ. The “clouds” will be literal (Rev. 1:7), as will the “fire” (2 Ths. 1:8), the “saints” (1 Ths. 3:13), the “mountains and rocks” (Rev. 6:16), and, of course, the thousand-year reign (Rev. 20:1-7). A “spiritual” or “invisible” Second Coming is totally foreign to the written revelation of God. Now, it is also noteworthy to point out that the JW’s have quite a record when it comes to DATING the Second Coming. Listed below are five separate instances where the JW’s have predicted the Second Coming and missed: (1) In 1897, a book titled “The Battle of Armageddon” stated on page seventy-five that Jesus’ Second Coming had ALREADY HAPPENED INVISIBLY in the year 1874, and the Watchtower publication re-stated this in the September 15th issue of 1922 and also in the January 1st issue of 1924. (2) On January 15th, 1892, the Watchtower claimed that Armageddon began in 1874 and would end in 1914. This became quite an embarrassment for the JW’s because 1914 was the beginning of World War I! (3) The book Millions Now Living Will Never Die claimed that the year 1925 would actually bring about the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old. Page eighty-nine of this book claimed that “the earthly phase of the kingdom shall be recognized.” However, when the January 1, 1925, issue of the Watchtower was published, it said, “This may be accomplished. It may not be.” (4) The December Watchtower for 1941 claimed that World War II would turn America and England into dictatorships, that the end of Nazi rule would mark the end of demon rule, and that God would rule when the Nazis were defeated. (5) In 1942, the JW’s were still talking about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob returning “any day now!” (Consolation, May 27, 1942, Pg. 13) So the Watchtower Society will continue right along with it’s foolish date setting–keeping it’s members in constant fear and confusion. It is true that the Bible gives us many definite signs which indicate the Lord’s return is getting very near, but no one knows the day nor the hour (Mat. 24:36). Is Hell A Literal Fiery Place? The JW’s have traditionally believed and taught that there is no eternal punishment for the wicked: “. . . the Bible hell is mankind’s common grave…” (Let God Be True, pg. 92. Page ninety-eight of this book refers to the doctrine of Hell as a “God defaming doctrine.”) “The doctrine of a burning hell where the wicked are tortured eternally after death cannot be true . . . .” (Let God Be True, pg. 99) We call it to the reader’s attention that it was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ who first used the term “hell fire” (Mat. 5:22), and it was Jesus Christ who said in Matthew 25:41, “. . . Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” When the JW’s attack the Hell doctrine they are attacking the very words of Christ. A JW believes that Hell is only the grave that everyone goes to at death. He believes that the saved ones in the graves will be given eternal life on earth after the White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15, while the unsaved in the graves will be annihilated once and for all in the Lake of Fire. JW’s refuse to believe that God will punish the wicked forever in the Lake of Fire. Of course, the Scriptures say something entirely different: (1) There is no FIRE in the grave, but there certainly is fire in the “hell” of the Bible (Luk. 16:23; Deu. 32:22; Mat. 5:22; 18:9; Jas. 3:6). (2) No one PRAYS from the grave, but they certainly do in Hell (Luk. 16:24; Jon. 2:2). (3) Hell was originally made for the Devil and his angels (Mat. 25:41), but the grave was not. (4) A Christian’s SOUL does not go to the grave at death (Phi. 1:21-23; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; 1 Ths. 5:10). Only the BODY goes to the grave. An unsaved man’s body also goes to the grave at death, but his SOUL goes to a place of TORMENT and FLAMES (Luk. 16:22-23). (5) The grave cannot possibly be Hell because Jesus said it would be better to enter into life (eternal life) without a hand, a foot, or an eye, than to go to Hell (Mat. 18:8-9). How could it be “better” if Hell is only the grave where there is no suffering at all? According to Jesus Christ, Hell is a lot WORSE than losing a hand, a foot, or an eye forever. (6) Annihilation cannot be true because the Bible uses such terms as “shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:2) and “torment . . . forever” (Rev. 14:11). Shame and torment are sufferings that are experienced by a LIVING BEING, not an annihilated corpse. God is an ETERNAL Being; therefore, an eternal payment is required for sin (Mar. 9:44-48; Isa. 66:22-23). You can have a FAIR TRIAL, or you can have a FREE PARDON. In a fair trial before God, you will be eternally damned to Hell because you are a sinner against a Holy God. God will have no choice but to sentence you to Hell forever. If you are wise you will receive God’s FREE PARDON. Jesus Christ has ALREADY paid for your sins, but you must RECEIVE Him as Savior. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” Friend, have you ever turned from your sins and received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John. 3:16) Many have the idea that our good works can save us and get us into Heaven, but the Bible says this isn’t so: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Rom. 3:10) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Rom. 3:23) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9) We have no really “good” works, because we’re all SINNERS by nature. We were born into this world as sinners (Psa. 51:5), and this is why Jesus said we must be “born again” (John. 3:3). This new birth is given to us freely, and was made possible when Christ died and shed His blood at Calvary for our sins. By receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior, trusting Him alone to save you, you can be born again. You can have eternal life TODAY by faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Friend, why not turn from your sins right now and call upon the Lord to save your soul? Receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and serve Him faithfully until He returns. If you’ve received Christ as your Savior, then we urge you to follow the Lord in baptism, and we also advise you to find a good Bible-believing church and join it. Don’t allow such false teachers as the Jehovah’s Witnesses to lead you astray! If we can assist you in any way, please contact us. If you need more information about salvation, please write. Author: James L. Melton

Of the many women in God’s word, only one is said to be a “great woman.”  Women like Sarah, Esther, Ruth, and Mary are commonly thought of as being great women in the Bible, and rightly so, but the lady who is actually called a “great woman” by the Lord is sadly overlooked.  Consequently, most Christian ladies never learn from her life’s great example. 

This woman is found in II Kings chapter four.  Take a few moments, if you will, and read II Kings 4:8-37.  Then continue with this article as we point out some spiritual truths from this lady’s example.

The basic theme of this story is that this lady was considerate of the needs of God’s man, so God was considerate of her needs.  She sowed seeds of kindness and reaped a great harvest.  Yet, in doing so, she set some fine examples for Christian women of today.  Take note of some of these examples and  ask God where they need to be applied in your own life.

She Practiced the Golden Rule

The golden rule, of course, is derived from Matthew 7:12.  In a nutshell, the rule is “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”  Well, unlike many modern women, this lady in II Kings chapter four practiced the golden rule.  Without being told by anyone, as the man of God passed through her area, she thought of something she could do to help him in his ministry.  Self-centered women of the world do not think this way, but this woman was different.  She was led by God’s Spirit, not by the spirit of the world.  She was led by the Spirit of I Corinthians 13:3-5 which says that charity “seeketh not her own.”   This woman, being filled and led by the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, sought to comfort others rather than herself, even when having to bear the burden of having no children.  She wasn’t bitter; she was a blessing instead. 

Are you waiting for some special blessing to come your way?  It may be that God is withholding this blessing due to some bitterness in your own heart, some bitterness that is causing you to cultivate a selfish spirit instead of a caring and considerate spirit for others.  Perhaps you have a lesson to learn from the great woman of Shunem.  Perhaps you need to follow her example and obey the golden rule.

She Was Spiritually Minded

This lady’s first comment about the prophet was “this is a holy man” (verse 9).  She didn’t say, “This is a religious fanatic” or “Here comes the preacher; let’s pull the shades and lock the door!”  No, she was a spiritually minded woman who enjoyed having a man of God around.

God is going to give this woman a son because He knows it will be a good investment.  He knows that this is the kind of woman who will always ask, “What does God think about this or that?”  Her act of kindness wasn’t just toward any man, but toward a HOLY man, and this greatly impressed God. 

Christian lady, what is your attitude toward preachers and other dedicated Christian men and women?  Are you a spiritually minded lady who enjoys the friendship and fellowship of spiritual people, or do such people make you nervous and uncomfortable?  You can never be a great woman in God’s sight if you aren’t a SPIRITUAL woman.

She Didn’t Yield To Worldly Temptations

Notice in verse thirteen that this lady had the opportunity to be spoken for to the king!  What an opportunity!  What a chance to “be somebody” and “get some respect” for a change!  What a chance to take a few steps up the social ladder!  Yet, none of this interested her.  She was a godly woman who sought to please God, not the world, so worldly temptations did not appeal to her.  She simply said, “I dwell among mine own people.”  This lady was content with her own people and had no desire to break away from her home and her roots and become a woman of the world.

Oh, how God’s women need this example today!  Satan is firing his darts from all sides in an attempt to pressure Christian ladies to turn their backs on their God and the their families and become women of the world.  Godly wives and mothers have left their homes and become “career women.”  This is supposedly being done because “it takes two incomes to live these days,” but the real reason is just plain old worldliness.  A great woman will say no to the world and dwell among her own people.

She Was A Woman of Faith

A few years after God gave this lady a son, the boy became sick and died.  Rather than give up hope and become bitter, this lady runs to the man of God for help.  In fact, when the servant asks her, “Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child?” she answers “It is well.”  My, what faith she displayed.  A dead child is not well, yet she had faith to believe that God could raise this child from death, so she said, “It is well.” 

Christian lady, are you following this great example of faith, or do you find yourself often doubting God’s ability to fulfill His word in your own life?  Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  Do you really believe Romans 8:28, or is it just another Bible verse with no special meaning to you personally?  To be a great woman you must be a woman of faith.

She Was Emotionally Strong

Notice the emotional strength of this lady.  She had a desperate situation on her hands, yet she held up and even kept the matter to herself.  The only person she spoke with about the child was the man of God, the only one who could help her! 

Most women today do just the opposite.  They carry their many problems to their various friends and family members, and yet they never find any real help.  Countless hours they spend chatting about their troubles with people who can’t offer any help at all!  A great woman will not chat carelessly about her troubles.  She will take such matters to God  and  maybe  to a  godly  person or two who can actually offer some help.  She doesn’t speak of her troubles for the sake of complaining or getting sympathy.  She speaks only to get help. 

What about you, dear reader?  Are you the emotionally strong woman who controls her tongue, or are you the loose-lipped woman who spends more time complaining about problems than really seeking help with them?

She Was Thankful

After Elisha had raised the woman’s son from death, she “went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.”  (verse 37)  This tells us that she was THANKFUL for what God had done for her.  She didn’t have a bitter attitude because of what had happened.  She didn’t reason that she was entitled to be bitter with God and that she deserved to have her son raised.  She was just thankful!

Christian lady, are you a thankful lady?  Do you thank God regularly for His blessings in your life, or do you feel entitled to such blessings.  A truly great woman feels entitled to nothing.  She deserves nothing.  She is simply glad to be alive, glad to be saved, thrilled to be a servant of God, and THANKFUL for God’s blessings in her life.

I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  When is the last time you thanked God for your husband, for your family, for your church, for your salvation, for Christian friends, for your health?  You could certainly have it a lot worse!  Many women do!  You ought to be thankful, and you will be, if you are a great woman. 

Author: James Melton

How many times have you heard someone whine, “Judge not, that ye be not judged?” This verse of Scripture from Matthew 7:1 is often quoted out of context by people who are terrified at the idea of someone preaching against sin or pointing out any form of error in anyone, especially in themselves.   As I stood in a voting line one day I overheard a woman justifying her foolish choice for president by saying, “Well, we aren’t supposed to judge.” Imagine that! Choosing NOT to judge a political candidate on election day! No wonder our nation is in such a mess! As for Matthew 7:1, the context (verses 1-5) allows judging after you have first judged YOURSELF. Jesus did not make a blanket statement against judgment. He simply pointed out a RULE for judging.   Now, the word “judge” in its various forms (judgeth, judging, judgment, judges, etc) is found over 700 times in God’s word. One whole book of the Bible is titled “Judges” for it was written at a time when God raised up judges to lead His people. As we are about to see, God EXPECTS His people to judge. In fact, you are sinning against God if you refuse to judge! (Read that again, please)   God Expects Us to Judge “The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.” (Psa. 37:30) A righteous person will talk of judgment. He will not REFUSE to judge. He will talk judgment.   “Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” (Amos 5:14-15) How can you hate the evil and love the good if you refuse to judge? You can’t. You are SINNING when you refuse to judge.   Our generation is well described in Isaiah 59:8: “The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.” People have refused to judge, so there is no peace. Paul said in I Corinthians 1:10 to “. . . be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Why would Paul make such a statement if judging is wrong? In I Corinthians 2:15 Paul says, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” Judging is not a sin; judging is a characteristic of being a spiritual person! Satan has been lying to us, hoping that we will NOT judge, because he knows that the right kind of judgment PLEASES God and betters our lives and Christian service.   Someone says, “But should we judge PEOPLE?” Yes, we certainly should. Paul actually REBUKES the Corinthians for NOT judging: “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?” (I Cor. 6:1-5) If judging is wrong, then Paul needs to confess and repent for misleading these Christians! He clearly told them to JUDGE PEOPLE.   If judging people is wrong, how can we obey Romans 16:17-18? II Corinthians 6:17? II Timothy 3:5-6? I John 4:1? Friend, if judging is wrong, then God has contradicted Himself and His words cannot be trusted! Notice Malachi 3:18: “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” WOW! Does that sound like it is wrong to judge?   What about Revelation 2:2? ” I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:” Why would the Lord be pleased with these Christians if judging was wrong? Is it not impossible to find someone a “liar” without judging them?   If the Bible is clear about anything, it is clear about the importance of judging on a regular basis in order to properly serve and honor God. To ignore this fact is to ignore all of the Scripture just presented and also the rest of the Bible. God expects us to judge. God’s Rules for Judging   Now I do not wish to imply that we should spend all of our time judging. Sometimes people judge when they have no business doing so. In John 7:24 Jesus tells us to judge RIGHTEOUS judgment. This can only be done by following the rules that God has established in His word. Here follow seven good rules from Scripture:   Judge Scripturally Isaiah 8:20 says, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Our standard is God’s word, not our feelings, our traditions, or our opinions. Right and wrong should always be determined by God’s word.   Don’t Judge When God’s Word Is Silent If God’s word is silent about a subject, then you may not have to judge at all. Don’t rush to judgment on an issue when the Bible says very little or is silent about it. Don’t make more of a matter than God makes of it. A good example of this is found in Colossians 2:16: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:” That is, these are not subjects of great importance today, so let’s not make these great issues of judgment.   Pray for Good Judgement Ability When Solomon received his kingdom he asked God to “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” (I Kings 3:9) James 1:5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” We should pray for good judgment ability. Don’t Respect Persons  Proverbs 24:23 says, “These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.” Treat all parties fairly without favoring anyone, such as family members or friends. A truly fair judge is blind and deaf to any outer influence. (Isa. 42:1, 19-21)   Judge in Truth Do not judge another when you do not have all the relevant facts. Jeremiah 5:1 says, “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.” A true judge is one who seeks the truth. If you must judge, be sure and get all the facts. A Japanese proverb says to “search seven times before you judge.”   Judge Mercifully Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:2: “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” You’ll reap what you sow (Gal. 6:7-8). If you are swift and harsh in judging others, then God will see to it that you receive the same from others. Has God not been very merciful to you, even though you deserved it not? Likewise, you should exercise mercy toward others.   Don’t Forget to Judge Yourself I Corinthians 11:30-31: “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” If you are a true Christian, then you belong to God. You are God’s child. If you refuse to judge and improve yourself as a child of God, then God will take it upon Himself to judge you. Many of the troubles that we face in life are nothing more than God’s way of judging us since we often neglect to judge ourselves.   Wouldn’t it be amazing if every Christian actually took time to judge themselves before judging anyone else? In Matthew 7:4-5, Jesus says, ” Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” A good judge will not fail to judge himself.