Who Is Worst of All?

Berean Baptist on August 29, 2016

Psalm 55

Does it seem incredibly unlikely that the most beloved person in the history of mankind and the most hated person in history lived at the same time, knew each other, and were friends? With the billions that have lived on planet earth, how could such a thing be possible? As unlikely as it seems, it is true and none of us has any trouble guessing who these polar opposites are. The first is Jesus Christ. He was the exemplary human, perfect in every detail, kind, compassionate, filled with love, and as John said, “Full of grace and truth.” Nothing honestly disparaging could ever be written about Him.

On the other hand, there is Judas. He is described in Psalm 55 as an acquaintance who took sweet counsel with Christ. And yet, he is the universally despised, the universally hated, and the one who disgusts us all. So extreme is the hatred of Judas that his name is never given to any of our children. None of us wants to be identified with him in any way. He is the antithesis of the holiness and righteousness of Jesus Christ. As high as the exaltation of Christ can go, so is the measurement of how low the denunciation of Judas can go.

Is it really such a mystery that in all the annals of time the most despicable should be in contact with the most delightful? It should not seem strange because the worst crime committed must be against the one who least deserves it. The worst offense is against the one who least deserves to be offended.

The extreme disappointment in Judas is reflected in David’s words of Psalms 55:11-14: “Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.” David was thinking of Ahithophel, but the Holy Spirit had Judas in mind.

Judas walked in communion with Jesus. He was treated as a brother even though Jesus knew from the beginning what He would do. There was nothing in Jesus that could possibly draw out such hatred as Judas had for Him in the betrayal. We agonize over his treacherous actions because Judas did his worst against the best. He is the model none of us wants to emulate, and each of us sits in judgment thinking we would never do what he did.

Would you consider this scripture for just a moment? “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?” (Romans 2:1-3) In the following verse, Rom. 2:4, the restraint, the patience, and the goodness of God is still there despite the hatred of Him. “Or despiseth thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” Who is the most despicable character of all? Who is the person that none should name his child after? Are you ready for a confession? The answer is ME. I have done the worst to the one who is the best. I hated Him; I betrayed Him; I drove nails into His hands and feet. I compete with Paul who said, “I am the chief of sinners.”

Is it a mystery the most beloved person of all time should live at the same time as the most hated? Not at all. Christ came in contact with humanity and that says it all.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

Patience Has Never Been Rewarded Like This!

Berean Baptist on August 22, 2016

Psalm 54

Once again we find ourselves on an interesting parallel track as we read through the Psalms. Psalm 54 was written by David after two occasions when he was betrayed to Saul by the same enemies. You can well imagine David’s distress when despite his best efforts to outrun Saul his whereabouts were made known by those seeking favor with the king. Accordingly, David sought relief from the Lord knowing God would bring vengeance on his enemies.

I mention a parallel track with this psalm because of our study this morning in Matthew 24. Our subject is the Antichrist who will be the great enemy of God’s people in the last days before the Kingdom. Never have the saints experienced an evil man with such diabolical power. At most we face hateful despisers who are influenced by Satan, but we do not face anyone that is empowered by the in-habitation of Satan.

Satan is forever mimicking the power of Christ and he does no less here. As Christ indwells His people through the Holy Spirit, so this man is indwelt and given the abilities of the devil himself. As David had to endure the constant pursuit of Saul, so Israel in the tribulation will be vigorously pursued by the Antichrist. As David hid in the mountains and caves of southern Israel to escape detection, so Israel must flee to the mountains to escape certain death (Mt. 24:16). As David was betrayed by the Ziphites, so the tribulation will be marked with betrayals (Mt. 24:10). And, as David had to wait on vengeance, so the martyrs of that time must wait.

Waiting on vengeance is not easy. We are often very impatient when we believe we are wronged. Imagine how the martyrs must feel who because of cruel deaths want to see this peculiar promise of God fulfilled. Revelation 6:9-10 says, “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” Perhaps they and we must wait until the motive is correct. We would have destruction for our enemies because of personal offense. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is the retribution we seek. However, the more important cause for vengeance is the holiness of God. It is not about our personal feelings but about how God is offended when someone touches His anointed. It is desecration of what belongs to God. Whoever harms one of God’s own would just have well stabbed a dagger in God’s heart. God will not let it go. He does not overlook sin of any kind much less would He not grant retributive justice for those elected, called, and justified by the blood of Christ.

Notice how David lays no charge against God. There is no impetuous tantrum insisting God must act now. And so it must be with us. God will answer in His own good time—it is always the right time when it will bring the most glory to Him. Think again about those martyred tribulation saints. How will they receive vengeance? Their lot is to come back with Christ in clouds of glory to the carnage of Armageddon! This is the last and greatest battle the world will ever see—the biggest battle of all. Somehow it seems the wait is worth it. It is a horrible time for the enemy, but one outstanding victory for the redeemed. Never worry about the wait—God always makes it worth it!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

 

 

Fools Made to Seek God

Berean Baptist on August 8, 2016

Psalm 53

Recently I had a conversation with someone who related his former belief about God by saying something to this effect: “I believed if there was a God He created us and put us in His test tube as an experiment to see what we would do.” This view of God obviously makes Him very detached and impersonal without a real plan of interaction or care for His creatures.

Psalm 53 very clearly shows that false ideas about God are the norm for people rather than the exception. All aberrant views of God may not be the same, but all of them are products of the fallen human nature. This psalm begins with one of these fallacious viewpoints which is the idea there is no God at all. This idea is beyond foolish for even a fool knows he can look at creation and see it couldn’t have just happened—with no rhyme or reason it just happened, and everything appeared from nothing. That something appeared from nothing is mind boggling to say the least, but it is all we are left with if there is no self-existent all powerful something. This is what God is—He is that all powerful something. The word used in Psalm 53 for God is the Hebrew Elohim which refers to the sovereign God who is the maker and sustainer of the universe. He is capable of making something out of nothing.

The existence of the sovereign God is evident lest we be total fools, and so we must move from the foolishness of the atheist to determine the personality of God. Are we His creatures the subject of an experiment? Is He impersonal? This notion is forcefully disputed by the psalmist as he states in verse 2 that God looked down from heaven to see if there were any that did seek Him. Why would this be important to an impersonal God? If there is no relationship to be had, what difference does seeking Him make?

The interaction of God with man in these verses is actually negative. The relationship that could be had is stymied by man’s sinfulness. This is not the condition of one or a few or even the majority. It is the condition of all as God sees all of us as filthy and not one of us is capable of good. This moral corruption causes all false views of God and keeps man from seeking God in the right way.

What is the solution to the problem? Only one—salvation—salvation from the depravity of the mind that keeps us away from God. How will this salvation come when the corruption of man keeps him from seeking it? It must come out of Zion (v. 6). Do you understand what this means? It means it must come from God. Only God can fix the problem and it is the sovereign God who by an act of His gracious omnipotent will that it is accomplished. The psalmist pleads for the salvation of God to come out of Zion!

A psalm such as this puts the free will of man in salvation forever at rest. There is nothing in us that wills us to God. The psalmist debunked this myth by saying there is none that does good, no, not one. Willing ourselves to God is good, isn’t it? And yet, according to this psalm, it can never happen. We cannot will ourselves to God but He can will Himself to us. When salvation comes out of Zion, it is God dealing with the depravity of man to change him to one who will seek Him. And this is how salvation happens, friends. We love Him because He first loved us.

When you seek God, never boast, “I am on my way to find God.” Always remember He changed you so that you would seek Him. This is how the dilemma of Psalm 53 is solved. The very personal God gets very personal with you. You are not a test tube baby but one personally born of the Spirit of God.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Confession Is Good for the Soul

Berean Baptist on August 1, 2016

Psalm 51

There are few places in scripture that in such a small space are as rich in theological content as Psalm 51. I wish we had time to study this in-depth to bring out all of the important truths found therein. This is a great psalm for Christians who are hurting over sin and need to be restored to fellowship with God. We need to look no further than this place to see deep contrition in action as David confessed his sins. David’s despair was not because he thought there was no hope, but because there is hope even though he knew his sins had deeply offended God.

Consider the circumstances of this psalm. This was written right after David was confronted by Nathan the prophet over his sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah. None of us can think of sins that are much worse, and we certainly do not associate them with born again believers. Is it possible to be forgiven of sins of this magnitude? David believed it was because of the boundless depths of God’s mercy. David’s reaction to the gut wrenching rebuke of Nathan is the same as it should be for any Christian guilty of sin. He did not deny the sin but owned it and asked God to cleanse him from it. The way he asks is a remarkable exercise in humility unparalleled in any other place of scripture.

The theological greatness of this psalm is seen in places like verse 5: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”  This is recognition of total depravity that says all are sinners with no goodness to claim before God. It is hard for anyone to argue we become sinners upon the commission of our first sin when David says he was born in sin.

Another great truth is brought to light in verses 7 and 10. God’s free grace justifies from sin. We notice David did not ask for penance. He asked for forgiveness. Nothing David could do could make up for his sin. All he could do was throw himself on the mercy and grace of God for no one conceived in sin has anything to offer. The decision to justify is God’s alone and the ability to create a clean heart is not earned as a reward of good deeds. It should be plainly evident that conceived in sin precludes any such notion of forgiveness as a reward.

A third great truth is the security of the believer found in verse 11: “Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.” This is not asked as if David stood in jeopardy of this happening, but is the assurance it could not. Many other psalms and other places of scripture would make no sense if there is no assurance of unconditional forgiveness. David came to God to confess for this very reason. He knew God would forgive and restore him to his former closeness of fellowship with Him. David called upon God confirming what he knew to be true about God’s faithfulness.

These are the kinds of things we should remember when we sin and are ashamed of what we have done. If we truly understand the nature of sin and the affront it is to God, we would also understand we cannot wait until we commit the “big” one to come in confession. However, as surely as we know God forgave David of these horrible acts, He will forgive us from the daily transgressions that are part of our sinful condition. In the model prayer, Jesus taught confession and repentance as daily exercises. He said, “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts…” Provision and forgiveness are both the daily activities of God.

In the course of my ministry, I have spoken with many Christians despondent over their sins. God does not want us to live in despair. He saved us to glorify Him and we cannot do it in the misery of overburdened hearts. If we confess our sins He is always faithful and just to forgive them. David was the living proof of this spiritual principle.

Pastor V. Mark Smith