Without God - Part 32: One Man in a Thousand

 

“This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”

—Ecclesiastes 7:29

In his quest to try to discover what it would be like for humans to live without the presence of God in their lives, King Solomon closes Chapter 7 of the Book of Ecclesiastes on a downward note. I suspect that many of the devoted female followers of Jesus will blanch a bit as they read what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:27-29:

“Look,” says the Teacher, “this is what I have discovered: Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things—while I was still searching but not finding—I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all. This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.”

Solomon reports the statistics of his search for upright—or holy—humans. He says that he found only one upright man in one thousand and no upright women. This should not be interpreted that there are no upright women. Simply that in the sample that Solomon took among his immediate surroundings he found none. This might be due to the fact that he had brought so many foreign women into his household. These foreign women, Scripture tells us, brought with them their foreign gods, which they worshipped and encouraged Solomon to worship. Always distracted by a pretty face, Solomon did set up some idols to these foreign gods and Jehovah God was not pleased.

If we were to search for individuals marked by evident holiness in our immediate surroundings, what would we find? Would we find one man in a thousand and no women? Or, would we find many holy women, but few holy men?

And, what would a search of our own selves reveal? If someone we know was searching for a holy man or holy woman, would that person look in our direction to find such a one?

As we begin a new day, it is worthwhile for us to examine our own lives. In our spiritual formation, does a walk toward holiness mark who we are? Day by day, are we striving to obediently follow the leading of the Holy Spirit? This is a serious question we should ask ourselves at the end of each day.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 31: Turning Our Minds to Understanding

 

“So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.”

—Ecclesiastes 7:25

Even when we see the evidence of evil around us, we cannot process the depth of harm, the level of destruction, the viciousness of its purpose, and the damage it produces.

Imagine the horror of the American soldiers who first arrived at the German death camps during the liberation as World War II came to an end. History books record the amazing and devastating emotional effect the discoveries those soldiers made had on them for the rest of their lives.

We have a similar reaction when we read of the kind of evil perpetrated by Islamic extremists. Even with the immunity to shock that depictions of brutality on the television and movie screens has produced, most people still blanch at the beheadings, burnings, and mass drownings done in the name of extremism.

Sometimes, when we watch politicians try to destroy the reputations of their opponents through lies and harsh rhetoric, we can become ill from the weight of sin contained in their words. Likewise, we can readily recoil when we hear of a child who has been harmed, or someone caught in the terrible web of domestic violence.

King Solomon also knew great sin in his day. He was surrounded by enemies who wanted to destroy the children of Israel. In today’s passage, Solomon reacts by examining what it would be like to try to process evil through the lens of someone who is utterly without God in his or her life. Notice what he writes in Ecclesiastes 7:23-26:

All this I tested by wisdom and I said, “I am determined to be wise”—but this was beyond me. Whatever exists is far off and most profound—who can discover it?

So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly. I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.

Solomon uses an interesting descriptive phrase: “the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.” And, that is what is produced in someone who does not have a relationship with God. Wicked acts reveal stupidity. And, foolish acts reveal madness.

We who follow in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ, should all the more rejoice that we know sin and its effects all too well. We see it everywhere, sometimes within our own behaviors. While we know we are forgiven by God, there are still times when we sense the horror of how easy it is to sin.

May sin always produce a grieving within us. And, may the Holy Spirit use that grief to promote us toward holiness, as well walk along the path that He lays out before us.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 30: Why Listen to King Solomon?

 

“In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.”

—Ecclesiastes 7:15

“Why have you spent time blogging about the Book of Ecclesiastes? It appears that you are championing the wisdom of King Solomon. I don’t like him. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines, including many foreign women. He also set up idols to worship false gods. Jehovah God became very angry with Solomon. How could someone so disrespectful of God and of women be worth my time?”

The essence of this question came to me from a very dear friend who loves God and is a devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the things I admire most about her is that she is never hesitant to share her opinion or voice her concern. That forthrightness is a wonderful quality to have. I appreciate her comments and her concern very much.

Nevertheless, because I believe that every word in the Bible has come to us as inspired by God, I thought it would be a good thing to examine this particular Book of Ecclesiastes. It contains Scripture generally of little note. And, because a recent most excellent speaker at my church preached a four-Sunday series on this Book, stating that King Solomon’s examination of life without God pointed directly to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 states:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

If this pronouncement of the Apostle Paul is true—and I most certainly believe that it is—then we can find value in our spiritual formation from the Book of Ecclesiastes, the author of which is none other than King Solomon.

In today’s passage, Solomon tackles the dilemma he sees in observing the life of humans without God and those who live in the midst of a relationship with God. Notice what Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 7:15-22:

In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: the righteous perishing in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness.

Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool—why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city. Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.

Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you—for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.

Here, Solomon challenges his readers to follow a pathway of moderation. He also proclaims the same truth that the Apostle Paul declares—quoting Psalm 14, Psalm 53, and this very passage (above) from Ecclesiastes 7:20—in Romans 3:10-12:

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

This declaration of the Apostle Paul paves the way for this familiar statement found just a few verses later, in Romans 3:21-26:

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

As to King Solomon’s behavior throughout his life, we need only read the account found in the first eleven chapters of 1 Kings. There we will see certain excesses. But, we will also see one who ruled in honor and in obedience to God in spite of failings in consistency toward the end of his life. So, in the final analysis, I do not have any difficulty in carefully studying what King Solomon wrote, whether I find those words in Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, or the Song of Songs.

I commend to you, at the beginning of this new day, the following key sentence: “It is wise for devoted followers of Jesus to study the whole of Scripture, in order to better understand and serve God.”

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 29: Discover What God Has Done

 

“When times are good, be happy…”

—Ecclesiastes 7:14a

Does life without God make sense? King Solomon would argue that it does not. If a human does not have a relationship with God who created that human, then all of life is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Notice what Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 7:13-14:

Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.

No human can ever change what God has done. He creates all things. He controls every aspect of life. To do well, humans must connect with God. But, humans are unable, in and of themselves, to connect with God.

Why? Because God is holy and humans are not. Only God can connect with the humans He has created. He choses to do this through His one and only Son, Jesus.

By the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross, the wrath of God is absorbed, the price of redemption is paid, the judgment is satisfied, reconciliation becomes possible, and humans can move forward with an on-going relationship with the God who loves them with His everlasting love.

Apart from God, all life is meaningless. Thus, we can begin this day with thanksgiving that God has chosen us to belong to Himself. That’s all there is. And, that is enough.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 28: Wisdom the Preserver

 

“Wisdom preserves those who have it.”

—Ecclesiastes 7:12b

In the face of a human existence without the presence of God, what can possibly mitigate the circumstances of life? King Solomon asserts that wisdom can provide preservation, but only for a time. Ultimately without God, even wisdom cannot give genuine meaning to a human’s life.

Notice what Solomon has written, as found in Ecclesiastes 7:7-12:

Extortion turns a wise person into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart. The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.

Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it.

It is impossible to face the trials that life may bring without a lasting relationship that can only come from God. He is ultimate preserver and sustainer. For a time, wisdom may offer some solace, but it can only last for a season.

At the beginning of this and every new day, we can rejoice that God has chosen us to belong to Himself. The relationship that He has forged with us through the redeeming blood of His one and only Son, Jesus, gives us everything we need to face the trials of life.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 27: What's in a Name?

 

In his exploration of what it would be like to live a life without God, King Solomon continues to examine various aspects of those things that motivate human beings. Notice what he writes in today’s passage, found in Ecclesiastes 7:1-6:

A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.

Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person than to listen to the song of fools. Like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of fools. This too is meaningless.

At the end of each of Solomon’s examinations, he concludes that death is inevitable. He also asserts that the death of a life that has been lived without God is far preferable to continuing to live a life without God. Nothing can take the place of God in the life of a human being.

These startling assertions of Solomon should create within us a sense of joy that we are, in fact, living our lives with God, instead of living them without Him. God has chosen us to belong to Himself. He has sent His Holy Spirit to irresistibly draw us into the fullness of His mercy, grace, and love.

We no longer can imagine what it would be like to live our lives without God. But, with help from Solomon’s great wisdom, we can consider what it must be like for the people around us who are living their lives without God. Thus, Solomon’s writings in the Book of Ecclesiastes becomes a critical part of the revelation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the enabler of our relationship with God. He is the One who has redeemed us by the shedding of His precious blood. He is also the One who has called us to reach out and gently share with others the good news of God’s desire to fellowship with the humans He has created. But first, these humans must be cleansed from their sin in order to face the holiness of God.

As the new day stretches before us, we should remain aware of those times that God brings someone across the pathway of our lives whom He will nudge us to share His words of life. As the gospel songwriter Philip P. Bless wrote back in 1874:

Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life;
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty,
Teach me faith and duty:

Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.

Christ, the blessed One, gives to all,
Wonderful words of life;
Sinner, list to the loving call,
Wonderful words of life.
All so freely given,
Wooing us to heaven:

Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.

Sweetly echo the gospel call,
Wonderful words of life,
Offer pardon and peace to all,
Wonderful words of life.
Jesus, only Savior,
Sanctify forever:

Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 26: The Measure of Good

 

“…no one can contend with someone who is stronger.”

—Ecclesiastes 6:10b

Have you been thinking along with King Solomon as you have read the last more than two dozen blog posts? In other words, have you tried to imagine what life would be like without God? That’s what Solomon is doing at the end of his life.

Solomon has acquired great wisdom, knowledge, and understanding because these critically important qualities have come to him as precious gifts from God. He is using these gifts to examine what it must be like for those who reject God and attempt to live their lives without God’s divine Presence.

Notice what this wise King writes, as recorded in Ecclesiastes 6:7-12:

Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied. What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger. The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?

For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

Here Solomon acknowledges that, from his vantage point, it is impossible for humans to deal with the impact of sin in their lives without the power of God to overcome the temptations that flow out of that sin. In his phrase, “no one can contend with someone who is stronger,” Solomon recognizes that it is impossible for humans to overcome the lure of temptations without God’s help.

As we begin a new day, it is appropriate for us to ask God to guard our hearts and minds from temptation and to empower us to stand firm against the relentless tug of sin on our lives. Only God can shield us from the draw that sin has on our lives.

Even in our state as sinners washed in the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, we still bear within us the sin nature we inherited from Adam through our parents. That sin nature is always calling us back to a state where we will be enslaved by our already-forgiven sins. It takes courage and determination on our part to rest in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit and, by His power, resist the temptation to sin.

Can humans live genuinely fulfilling lives without God? Of course they can’t. And, that is exactly King Solomon’s point. But, in his quest to disclose this reality, Solomon presses onward. And, so will we, as we follow the trail he lays out before us in this interesting and unique Book of Ecclesiastes.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 25: Meaningless Life, Meaningless Death

 

“A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.”

—Ecclesiastes 6:3

Shane Davis, in his book Finding My Cross, wrote these words: “I sat with a man dying once. It’s a horrible thing to die alone away from those you love.”

Yes, death can prove most horrible to those who die without hope and without God. King Solomon, in this amazing Book of Ecclesiastes, continues to explore what it would be like to live one’s life without God. In today’s passage, he builds on yesterday’s text and explores what the end of life would be if one did not have God’s gifts and God’s motivation to enjoy those gifts. Notice what he writes, as found in Ecclesiastes 6:3-6:

A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man—even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

Maybe you know someone who has experienced the stillborn death of a child. It is a heart-wrenching experience like no other. A mother carries her child just under her heart for nine months. A father waits in eager expectation, and with a bit of fear and trembling, at this new chapter of the life he and his dear wife have forged together. The fateful day arrives. Even as they drive to the hospital, there is a bit of mystery, wonderment, and excitement that fills the air around them.

They arrive at the hospital and are whisked away to the labor room. As the nurses tend to the expectant mother, dad paces in the hallway in between visits to the bedside of his beloved. When the doctor finally decides it’s time, mom is wheeled into the delivery room.

As the birth progresses, mom waits to hear that amazing first cry from her baby’s lips. But, that cry never comes. Stillborn. It’s a horrible, gut-wrenching word. Its sorrow is almost indescribable. Its pain is even greater than the pain of childbirth.

When it comes time for the husband to take his wife home, they leave empty handed. No cuddly newborn to bring them the inexpressible joy they had anticipated. Instead, they return to an empty house, and later to a cemetery to bury their child who never knew life outside the womb.

This is the image that King Solomon holds in his mind as he writes these words:

A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

Life without God, without His gifts, and without His motivation to enjoy those gifts is meaningless—a chasing after the wind.

How fortunate we are, dear ones. We who have been rescued from the miry pit of sin and redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb of God, we are so fortunate to have a relationship with the God who loves us with His everlasting love. That relationship gives our lives meaning, vitality, and overwhelming joy.

As we begin this new day, let’s look into that open grave and know that it will not hold us. For our One True King has overcome sin, death, and Satan. He has bought us with so great a price. And, we now live as His choice servants—servants of His Kingdom in the world here on earth and in the world to come.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 24: The Gift of Enjoyment

 

“God gives some people wealth… but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them…”

—Ecclesiastes 6:2

Have you ever noticed that some people, no matter how fortunate they seem to be, do not ever have the ability to enjoy what’s happening in any particular moment? Such people seem almost distracted by some inner turmoil that keeps them from letting go and just accepting the positive things that are happening around them.

King Solomon targets such people in today’s Scripture passage, found in Ecclesiastes 6:1-2:

I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.

Not only does God give us every good and perfect gift, he also gives us the ability to enjoy—truly enjoy—those gifts. Even though we may realize that we have done nothing to deserve His favor; even when we recognize that His gifts to us come as a result of His love for us just as we are, not as He wishes us to be or expects us to become; our ability to truly enjoy those gifts also come to us as a precious gift from Him.

Life without God would be horrible. That’s why it is so important that we lovingly and carefully and kindly share with others what God has done in our lives. We don’t want them to live their lives without the Presence of God leading, guiding, directing, and, most of all, loving them.

As we begin a new day, let’s rejoice that God has given us perfect gifts, as well as the ability to enjoy those gifts. Then, let’s take that joy and allow it to help us focus on sharing with others the wonder and amazement of a relationship with God.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 23: Good Observed

 

“This is what I have observed to be good…”

—Ecclesiastes 5:17a

Genuine good, true good, appropriate good, refreshing good—all that is properly good comes from God. That’s the thrust of King Solomon’s remarks, as he considers what life would be like without God.

Notice what Solomon writes, as recorded in Ecclesiastes 5:18-20:

This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

When someone’s wealth comes to him or her as a gift from God, He keeps that one occupied with gladness of heart. Why? Because He prompts that one to do good with what He has given him or her.

If God has provided all that is good, we can have the means of taking what He has given us and sharing it with others. All that is good comes from God. As the Giver of Every Good and Perfect Gift, God will promote goodness through His gifts to His dearly loved children.

In response at the beginning of another day, let’s open our minds and hearts to the opportunities that God may give us to share the goodness He has given us with others. And, that sharing goes beyond our wealth of money. It includes our wealth of spirit, joy, contentment, and every other good and perfect gift that God has given us.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 22: Evil Observed

 

“I have seen a grievous evil under the sun…”

—Ecclesiastes 5:13

How far do we have to look before we can see evil? Most will recognize evil as quickly as they scan the daily news reports. Horrific crimes scream at us from the headlines. But, what about evil that lurks just around the corner of every human heart?

Do you know someone who is quick to criticize others? How about the husband who verbally abuses his wife? How about the wife who talks ill of her husband to her friends? How about the boss who takes credit for the work of his or her employees? How about the employee who surfs the internet on company time?

We could go on and on and name many kinds of bad behavior, all of which stems from the evil that permeates our hearts and minds.

In his quest to consider what life would be without God, King Solomon also very quickly observes evil. Notice what he writes, as recorded in Ecclesiastes 5:13-17:

I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.

Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.

This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.

Solomon seems to focus on evil from a materialistically motivated direction. 1 Timothy 6:10 states:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Whenever a person falls in love with money—and the possessions it can buy or the power that it can wield—that one is destined to tumble into evil. There is nothing wrong with wealth. But, to lust after wealth and be willing to harm others in order to become wealthy extracts a great price from anyone caught in its snare.

Likewise, anything that causes an unnatural attraction: wanting others to hold oneself in high esteem, or seeking praise, or desiring control over others, or a thousand other selfish pathways—they all lead to evil and evil leads to destruction.

Thanks be to God that a life without Him is not the lot of those He has called to Himself. We who belong to Him have a freedom that only He can give. We need to move forward along the pathway of spiritual formation and seize the opportunity He has given us to put aside evil and let His holiness flood our beings.

If we do that, we will find that our “doings” will become transformed for His glory and for the praise of His great name.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 21: The Meaningless of Wealth

 

“If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things…”

—Ecclesiastes 5:8a

I drove by six young men walking through a poor neighborhood recently. As they spied me sitting in the passenger seat while my wife drove my van, they elbowed one another, made an obscene gesture, and called out some racial slurs that referenced me as being a “fat, rich white dude being driven around town by his white…”—well, I won’t finish what they said because its crudeness embarrasses me.

Their hatred was palpable. I have some liberal friends who would insist that I deserve such treatment because I am white, a male, and because white Americans have historically and vicariously either profited from slavery, or treated minorities unequally, or a host of other charges. I scoff at such rhetoric.

For many reasons that I will not take the time to fully delineate in this blog post, I have done much over the course of my life to treat people with justice and fairness no matter what the color of their skin, their national origin, their gender, or any other factor that may have seemed to set them apart.

Furthermore, I am hardly rich. In fact, at a time in my life nearly thirty years ago, I borrowed so much money to help others in need that I fell hopelessly into debt. It was only by the extreme grace of God, extended to me over many years, that I eventually climbed out of an enormous debt to the place where I have remained debt free for many years. But, rich? Not in the slightest.

Fat? Yes, I have to admit that I most certainly am fat. And, I also have to admit that until very recently my dear wife did have to drive me around in my own van because, due to health issues, I was unable to drive myself.

If I am the target of such racial slurs, just imagine for one moment the kind of slurs that might have been hurled at King Solomon—a man of enormous wealth and enormous power. Yet, here’s the way Solomon responds to such criticism, as he considers what life would be like without God. His words are recorded in Ecclesiastes 5:8-12:

If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them?

The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.

At the start of a new day, when we view the people around us, we do well to remember that God has created us all. Each one of us bears the Image of God. We all breathe the same air, drink the same water, and are all subject to the vagaries of life.

We may not occupy the same place in life. We may not have the same privileges. But, we all have the same God who loves those He has chosen with His unfathomable love. We all have the same God who extends to those He has chosen His mercy and grace. We all have the same Savior in God’s one and only Son, Jesus.

Whether I am driven through the streets by my wife, or walk the streets with my buddies—oh that I could do that!—we must recognize that life without God is truly meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 20: In the Matter of Vows

 

“When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it…”

—Ecclesiastes 5:4a

Have you ever met someone who gave testimony regarding a vow they made to God? During my years at Houghton College in the mid-1960s, one of the professors gave his testimony in the daily chapel service. He told how he was under fire during World War II. Around him, several of his fellow soldiers had already died from bullet wounds.

He had never had much to do with God. But, in that tragic moment when death seemed so near, he cried out to God and asked Him to save him. He promised that if God would save him, he would serve God for the rest of his life. God responded by protecting this man. And, true to his word, he spent the remainder of his life serving God.

King Solomon would be very pleased with this college professor. Notice what Solomon wrote, as recorded in Ecclesiastes 5:4-7:

When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.

Making a vow is a very serious business. It is something that we should never take lightly. But, if an occasion prompts us to make such a vow, we should heed Solomon’s words and determine to fulfill the vow we have made.

Keeping our word is important, not only with God, but with each other. Don’t say that you will do something if you do not intend to do it. And, don’t allow excuses to interfere with a vow that you have made.

In our walk with God through His Son, Jesus, we do well to speak truthfully about everything, including the truth implied in a vow. Let’s become people whose “yes” means “yes” (Matthew 5:33-37).

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 19: Guard Your Steps

 

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.”

—Ecclesiastes 5:1

King Solomon, having laid out a rather dismal picture of what life would be without God—that is to say, utterly meaningless, a vapor, a wind, an exercise in futility—pauses for just a brief interlude in order to turn his thoughts to how person must relate to God. Notice what Solomon writes, as found in Ecclesiastes&nbbsp;5:1-3:

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.

A relationship with God is not something with which to trifle. Solomon warns against approaching God in a cavalier and foolhardy manner. Yes, God has a sense of humor. He loves to laugh. But, He is not silly. He is not to be treated as some old fool.

Rather, we must always remember that we have this relationship because God reached out to us, chose us to belong to Himself, and made provision for the forgiveness of our sins at great sacrifice to Himself and His Son, Jesus. It is appropriate that we approach God in humility and reverence, never forgetting that He is a God of great power, the Creator of all things, the Ruler over all, and the One who has proven His love for us at such a great price to Himself.

As we begin a new day, let’s enjoy those times when God wraps His loving arms around us. But, let’s also remember who He is. Let’s revere Him for His holiness, His power, and also for His great love, which He has so freely poured out on us, as His dearly loved children.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 18: What Comes Next?

 

“Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.”

—Ecclesiastes 4:13

Throughout the early chapters of King Solomon’s discourse on life without God, a reader can sense the king’s exasperation with what seems normative. This is no less true with what Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4:13-16:

Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Solomon laments and expresses concern over the leader that will follow him. And, his concern ultimately proves well-founded. An outsider of the Tribe of Ephraim, Jeroboam, will lead a revolt against Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. This revolt will divide the Kingdom into the Northern Kingdom of Israel with Jeroboam as king and the Southern Kingdom of Judah with Rehoboam as king.

Over time, the Kingdom of Israel, which consisted of ten of the original tribes, will fall further into sin and ultimately be carried off into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 BC. Remaining somewhat more faithful to God, the Southern Kingdom of Judah, which consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, would eventually be carried off into captivity by the Babylonians in 588 BC, approximately 134 years later.

We should be able to imagine King Solomon’s grief as he senses the turmoil that lies ahead. As Solomon has stated before in this Book of Ecclesiastes, he declares again in this passage of Scripture, that seeking after power, authority, and advancement is meaningless—a chasing after the wind. That is, of course, when one seeks power, authority, and advancement apart from God.

As we begin a new day, in which God gives us the opportunity to serve as His ambassadors to a troubled and needy world, let’s remember that the only power and advancement that matters are those that come from God. If we are to move upward in an organization, it is God who must advance us. Apart from His provision for us, every other scheme to “get ahead” will fall prey to our poor efforts to chase after the wind.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 17: Joined As Three

 

“A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

—Ecclesiastes 4:12b

As he looks back over his life, King Solomon continues to examine what life would be “under the sun” without the influence of and relationship with God. Solomon spends a great deal of time reflecting on the way a person spends time. Thus, he places a strong focus on work, toil, or labor.

Notice what Solomon writes, as recorded in Ecclesiastes 4:7-12:

Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless—a miserable business!

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Solomon acknowledges the truth of what God Himself stated in Genesis 2:18:

“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Humans need one another. That’s the way God created them. Because humans are made in God’s image—the Imago Dei—they need fellowship. We see this clearly in the Trinity—God the Three in One—where an interdependent relationship exists between the Son and the Holy Spirit and wherein both the Son and the Holy Spirit have a relationship with the Father. While our poor human brains cannot truly comprehend the mystery and majesty of the Trinity, we catch a glimpse of the nature of God as One who desires and depends upon relationships.

In fact, as we are taught in the first question and answer of the Westminster Shorter Catechism:

WSC Q. 1: What is the chief end of man?

A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

So, God desires a relationship with humans. But, in our sin, we are unworthy to stand in His Presence. As a result, God chooses to cleanse us from our sins through the blood of His Son, Jesus, in order that we may become holy and have a fellowship/relationship with Him.

Likewise, humans need relationships with each other in order to complete the work that God has given them in this world. As ambassadors of the King, we need each other in order to let our light shine before other humans that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

But, notice the last phrase of this passage of Scripture penned by King Solomon and recorded in Ecclesiastes 4:12b: “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” All through the previous verses, Solomon has been writing about two humans partnering together. So, from where does this third strand come? Why it comes from those two humans having a relationship with God.

In the midst of trying to describe life without God, Solomon finds himself drawn to the reality that genuine life cannot exist apart from a human having God in his or her life. That relationship between Creator and creature is critically important. And, more so, by the sacrifice, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, those humans who experience these events personally become transformed from creatures to children—children of God (John 1:12).

As another new day begins, we can bow in thankfulness that God has called us to Himself as His dearly loved children. We share in His inheritance. We can move forward in this world knowing that “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 16: In Your Toil, Relax!

 

“…Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil…”

—Ecclesiastes 4:6a

A Sabbath Day of Rest, or the most common expression of this concept, has almost totally disappeared in our current society. I’ve remarked before that in my childhood of the 1950s the only store open on Sunday in my hometown of 18,000 people was a small cigar store in the downtown. This store also sold newspapers from around the country, which explained why it was open on Sunday.

I’m not kidding! All grocery stores were closed. All drug stores were closed—although they had emergency phone numbers posted in case you needed to reach the pharmacist. Almost all gasoline service stations were closed. The “Five and Dimes” and hardware stores were closed. Many restaurants were closed. Only a few of the seedier bars were open.

It was Sunday. It was supposed to be a day of rest. And, people took it seriously. In the summer, they might take a picnic lunch to the nearby state park. Afternoon drives in the countryside were common—gasoline cost only 18 cents per gallon! Extended family got together for Sunday dinner. Friends visited at each other’s houses. Almost everyone went to church.

My Jewish friends used to laugh and say, “We have a double Shabbat: Our regular one on Friday evening through Saturday evening, and the Christian one on Sunday! We get two days off instead of just one! Even we Fundamentalist Christians couldn’t stray too far from home on Sunday because we had both Sunday morning and Sunday evening services.

The concept of Sabbath Rest was very real. And, I truly believe it made for a better society.

The concept of Sabbath Rest touched King Solomon, as well. After writing about the futility of labor, he makes this observation, found in Ecclesiastes 4:5-6:

Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

He’s saying, “Yes, it’s important that we labor. We can’t just sit around like fools. But, from time to time a person needs to grab a handful of tranquity to balance out the futility of labor.”

How about you and me? Do we really grasp the importance of Sabbath Rest. Do we so overextend ourselves that Sunday becomes just another day? Oh, we may attend church on Sunday morning. But, the rest of the day is treated just like any other. We fill it with every imaginable activity conducted at a frantic pace.

While we cannot return to the tranquil days of the 1950s, maybe we need to rethink what we do on the Sabbath. Maybe we need to tap into the amused observation of my dear Jewish friends of more than half a century ago and take advantage of a genuine Shabbat.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 15: The Motivator for Work

 

“And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another.”

—Ecclesiastes 4:4

This is the fifteenth blog post based on the Book of Ecclesiastes. So far, King Solomon, reflecting on what he has learned in his old age, has shared how futile life is without God. He uses the phrase “under heaven” to denote a state where earthly humans are unaware of and offer no worship for, or commitment to, God.

In today’s verses, Solomon reflects on what motivates those who have no relationship with God, as found in Ecclesiastes 4:4-6:

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

Without the meaning that God provides in one’s life, everything is meaningless, futile, vanity. This should not surprise us. As believers, we can look around at a world filled with every kind of evil. And, evil is insidious. It affects every aspect of our lives. We see it in our businesses, in our homes, in our politics, in our friendships, in every part of our lives. Where evil thrives, discord, dissent, discouragement, disenchantment, disturbance, and every other negative quality simply overrule every good intention.

But, with God—with a personal and a corporate relationship to Him—life takes on meaning, value, and worth. There is plenty to celebrate, enjoy, and profit from when God is the One who leads us along the pathway He has opened up before us.

At the beginning of this new day, let’s take time to pause in the busyness of our day and reflect on the impact our relationship with God has on our lives. Then, let’s prayerfully thank Him for His goodness—expressed to us in the many blessings He pours into our lives.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 14: The Result of Oppression

 

“I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.”

—Ecclesiastes 4:1b

If you were king of a great nation, what changes would you make to society? I can hear your answers echoing in my mind: bring peace to my nation; end poverty; bring harmony among the races; end political discord; make certain all people had enough to eat and a roof over their heads; devote all possible resources to end the dread diseases that afflict so many people; and your list would go on and on and on.

The most natural thing in the world is to expect that if we had the absolute power over our nation we would change society profoundly. But, I wonder if we would be able to do so.

In his time, King Solomon had absolute authority over the kingdom of God’s chosen people. He has vast riches and enormous resources. Yet, at the end of his life, notice the words he writes, as found in Ecclesiastes 4:1-3:

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

Wait a minute! Why didn’t King Solomon fix the things that were broken in his world? The truth is he genuinely tried to do so. But, Solomon learned that sin has such power that even his kingly authority could not turn the tide toward righteousness, equality, fairness, and justice. Solomon’s statement above is a cry of despair and a confession of his failure.

You see, only God can bring about revival. Only He can cause people dead in their trespasses and sins to live again. Only the mercy, grace, and love of God, expressed through His Son, Jesus, can bring about the kind of changes that must occur to put society on the right pathway.

John Stott, in his article appearing in the October, 2011, issue of Christianity Today magazine, suggests there are four ways that Christians can influence society: the power of prayer, the power of truth, the power of example, and the power of group solidarity. I urge you to read this article by clicking here.¹

As we begin a new day, we do not need to fall into despair because of the vagaries of our society. Rather, we can determine to exercise the four powers that Stott has outlined. If we do so, we will begin to see how the power of Christ, in and through us, can change our world.

 

______________________

1 This article first appeared on ChristianityToday.com on October, 2011. Used by permission of Christianity Today, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be copied, printed, or used in any fashion without specific permission of Christianity Today.

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 13: Enjoying Our Work

 

“So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?”

—Ecclesiastes 3:22

“Work is supposed to be hard,” my dad remarked when I complained that wiring boats was difficult and that I itched all over.

When I turned twelve years old, my dad asked me if I thought I would want to go to college. I responded in the affirmative. He then said, “Well, you’d better get a job. Your mom and I will not be able to afford to pay for your college education.”

I did not realize that he was teasing me. So, I promptly went out and began to search for work.

Fortunately, though my hometown was landlocked, there was a boat store nearby that bought fiberglass shells and turned them into custom watercraft for use on inland lakes located forty or fifty miles away. The owner had started this somewhat unlikely business because he knew that, within five or six years, a huge flood control project on the Allegheny River would create a very large recreational lake located just a relatively few miles away.

After asking me some questions, the boat store owner hired me to wire the boats he was outfitting. I was already six feet tall and could easily reach into the space under the front of the boat where much of the electrical equipment was housed. The downside for me was that the fiberglass of the hull made me itch all over. Nevertheless, I worked there for about a year, learned a lot, and began to save all the money that I made. I also went through many bars of Lava soap getting those glass fibers off my skin at the end of each work day.

“Work is supposed to be hard.” That was the mantra of my father who had become an adult just a few years before the stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing depression that had gripped our nation. He knew what it was to work hard for little wages. At no time in his life did he ever make more than $5,000 a year.

In his declaration of futility, when a life is lived without a connection to God, King Solomon asserts in Ecclesiastes 3:22:

So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

The answer to Solomon’s question, which is why he wrote this somewhat disturbing Book of the Bible to begin with, comes from his understanding that the only power that can dispel futility in someone’s life is the relationship that person has with God.

How fortunate we are that, because of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have such a relationship. God is the one who can bring us to see what will happen after us. He is the One who instills joy into our labor. He is the One who can give us rejoicing hearts as we work hard.

Yes, God can give us joy in our labor. He can prompt us to sing while we work. He can give us relief from toil by making our hearts rejoice in Him.

Let’s begin another day by praising God that He is a “Burden Lifter.” He is One who can make even the hardest work tolerable. He can bless our labor and make our hard work have purpose and meaning beyond the mere task at hand. He is the One who can bring us to see what will happen after us.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 12: But, Are We Really Like the Animals?

 

“Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

—Ecclesiastes 3:21

I confess that I am not an “animal person.” I do have great respect for people who love animals. I see the joy that these folks derive from the relationship they have with their pets. Okay, maybe their cats always remain a little bit aloof—at least that’s what I’ve been told.

When I was six-years-old, I was attacked by a rabid dog and had to undergo the rather painful rabies shots into my stomach. This created in me a fear of animals in general and of dogs in particular.

Yet, over the years, I have come to appreciate the way that many people respond to their dogs. Recently, I even had a very positive experience with a dog at the home of one of my friends. This rather large dog seemed to sense that inside I was a “teddy bear.” He came up beside me and leaned against me as if to say, “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you. You and I are both just big guys.”

Many people seem to believe that we humans are no different, and certainly no better, than animals. I believe that a very careful reading of Genesis 1 and 2 should put that idea to rest. But, I’m certainly not going to beat people up who feel such a kinship to animals.

In the ruminations of his old age, King Solomon asked some questions that he intended to answer later in his writings. But, these questions resonate with the question that I have asked in the title of this blog post: “But, are we like the animals?” Notice what Solomon wrote, as recorded in Ecclesiastes 3:18-21:

I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

In a later blog post, we will see how Solomon answers this last question. For now, let me give you a bit of a spoiler: “Yes, we can know if the human spirit rises upward and the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth.”

How?

In their natural state, animals respond to their genetic programming. They act as they do because God created them to act in that way. Humans, on the other hand, have the ability to make choices in a thoughtful and reasoned way that does not exist in animals. Part of the choice humans made was a choice to disobey the one instruction that God gave first man and first woman: “Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:17)

The redemptive act of Jesus was God’s gift to His human creations. Why? Because only humans needed redemption. If this is true, why did Solomon ask the question? He did so in order to be able to examine whether life on this earth was futile apart from a relationship with God.

As we begin a new day, let’s examine our own lives. Do we truly have relevance apart from our relationship with God through His Son, Jesus? The answer to that question is a good barometer of our spiritual condition and one that we should take quite seriously.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}

 

Without God - Part 11: The Forgotten God

 

I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”

—Ecclesiastes 3:17

I’ve mentioned recently in this blog that I have a number of dearly loved Christian friends across a fairly wide spectrum of the Christian church—from Fundamentalism, to Evangelicalism, to Liberal Mainline-ism, to Roman Catholic, to Eastern Orthodox, to those who have had a more traditional faith from their childhood, but who no longer attend church services regularly. In an increasingly growing number of these dear ones, they have begun to strongly emphasize a different interpretation of Scripture than the one that I believe is absolutely foundational to holding to solid Christian orthodoxy.

That last statement in itself would cause these dear ones to rise up with shouts that I am a prisoner of my own presuppositions. If that is the case, then I gladly and wholeheartedly embrace those presuppositions. These dear ones might also accuse me of clinging to outdated and obtuse positions regarding a whole host of theological “absolutes” because I am afraid of losing either my employment or my hard-fought position within my particular circle of Christian associates.

I confess that such charges make me smile. After all, my livelihood has not now, nor never has, depended on my theological beliefs. Furthermore, in my old age I am so isolated from anything resembling a “circle of Christian associates” that I am hardly afraid of losing something that I do not now have, nor ever have had.

Instead, I am saddened that what I observe in my dear friends is a seeking after a new god who is profoundly different from the God that I see throughout the totality of Scripture. Of course, I believe that God has chosen to reveal Himself to us—in the words of the Apostle Paul from 1 Corinthians 13:12—as through a darkened mirror. God allows us to see Him in as much detail as He feels we can handle. But, as finite, sinful humans, we simply do not have the capacity to see the fullness of God and never will do so until we see Him in heaven. There, we will see Him in all His glory and we will all do the only thing we can do when we stand in His Presence: we will fall to our knees before Him and worship Him.

This new god that my dear friends have posited has arisen from very disappointing experiences in their lives when the God they had previously imagined did not respond as they felt He should. Some tragedy has befallen them. They expected God to act in a certain way and He failed to follow their expectations.

Now, I know that it is easy to sit on the sidelines of other people’s lives and “tsk-tsk” their failure to understand that no one can put God in a box. But, again, Scripture makes it plain that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are His ways our ways (Isaiah 55:8). Why in the world would we ever think that we could predict how God might act in any situation?

And, lest these dear ones accuse me of not being able to understand what they’ve been through, I am quick to acknowledge that this is so. I have not walked in their shoes. I have not had the same kind of trials that they have experienced. But, I have had my own trials and tribulations in life and those trials have been enormous for me!

When I first experienced a diabetic foot infection that became systemic and eventually caused me to have a partial amputation of my right foot in 1998, the spiritual leaders of my church prayed over me, anointed me with oil, and fervently asked God to totally heal me. But, He did not and never has—at least not in the way that I imagined. I continued to suffer from a chronic osteomyelitis of the right foot. That chronic infection flared up from time to time, as it did in November of 2016. I began yet another regimen of powerful antibiotics. Month after month the infection continued to rage. I could no longer drive. I had to walk with a surgical boot. Would this torture never end?

In fact, I had a continual series of issues with my right foot that plagued me for 19 years until, in November of 2017, I had my right leg amputated below the knee. Am I angry with God that He did not completely heal me and allowed me to keep my right leg? No, I am not. Am I disappointed that He did not act in the way that I might have hoped that He would act? No, I am not. While I am disappointed that I did not receive healing in exactly the way I hoped or prayed, I am not disappointed in God. Who am I to question Him? Who am I to dispute the plan that He has made. Why would I, when He does not meet my imagined expectations, discard my view of Him and seek some other god that would fit my preconceived notion of who God should be?

The simple truth is that God did, indeed, heal me. After all other medical interventions failed—and I had some of the best doctors, nurses, and technicians working in my behalf for all of those 19 years—God healed me from the chronic infection of my right foot by having an amazingly skillful surgeon amputate my right leg just in the nick of time. You see, gangrene had begun to form and spread upward from my foot, into my ankle, and it likely would have taken my life.

So, when my dear friends now speak of a god who is not one of judgment, but only one of love—a god for whom the gift of mercy and grace toward those he has created is no longer necessary—I say to them, “Dear friends, you are setting aside the whole counsel of God. The Bible clearly teaches that first and foremost God is a Holy God. Because He is a Holy God, He is a God of Judgment. He cannot tolerate sin. That’s why He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to die in our place. His anger had to be propitiated. His judgment satisfied. His redemption obtained by a suitable sacrifice.

Teaching that God is One who only loves and accepts everyone is a distortion of the truth clearly shown in God’s Word. Yes, God is absolutely a God of Love. In fact, without God real love cannot and does not exist. He alone is Love. His very provision of a means to satisfy His judgment is, in itself, an act of supreme love.

But, God also is Holy. He wants those He loves to worship Him alone, to love Him back, to obediently follow His precepts. He wants those who love Him to embrace holiness, through the enabling power of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:1-2, and 1 Peter 1:14-16).

I understand that it is difficult to hold these two great truths in tension. To say that God is Holy and will judge sinners, while at the very same time declaring that God is Love, seems so very difficult. But, I submit to you that a real part of the absolute glory of the Christian faith is that these two truths about God must co-exist in the very tension that makes faith both necessary and possible.

To abandon the God of Judgment and only embrace the God of Love leaves us with a lopsided religion. It is every bit as much in error as my dear Fundamentalist friends who place a strong emphasis on outward behaviors, instead of focusing principally on inward life-change.

I also submit that only through surrender to the Holy Spirit’s patient guidance can we ever even hope to begin to experience wholeness in our lives—wholeness spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically.

And this brings me to today’s passage from the pen of King Solomon. Notice what he writes in Ecclesiastes 3:17:

I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”

If you have stayed with me so far in this blog post, let me ask a favor of you. Will you please pray with me for all those who once knew what I have described above as truth, but have now abandoned this sure foundation to run after another god? Pray that God will open their eyes to the error that has crept into their minds and hearts. Pray that they will accept God’s actions in their behalf.

My heart is broken that these dear ones have left the faith they once knew. While they believe they have seen a new and brighter light, I fear that what they see is a distortion created by the enemy to bring about their own downfall, insofar as having a positive influence for the sake of the Kingdom of God here on earth. I thank you for considering my request.

And, let’s pray for each other, too. We need help in holding the truth of who God is in proper tension. We need help in recognizing He is both a God of Judgment and a God of Love.

And, of course, we must fully recognize that we dare not become agents of judgment when we recognize that God is a God of Judgment. For judgment only belongs to Him. He has not given us a mandate of judgment. Rather, He has given us a mandate of love.

So, let’s allow the Holy Spirit to use us as instruments of God’s mercy, grace, and love. And, lest we become tempted to judge others, let’s remember that we too will one day stand before God, as Solomon has said. Yes, for those of us who follow Christ, our judgment will be one of an evaluation of how obedient we were to His will and His Word. And, that’s quite enough judgment for which any of us should be concerned.

 

_{Copyright © 2019 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.}

_{More info at www.DeanKWilson.com}