Compromising with Sin

In Exodus chapter 8, over the progression of the course of the plagues God delivers to Egypt, Pharaoh tries to compromise with Moses. Instead of allowing the people of Israel to leave and worship God, Egypt’s ruler tries to change the terms. In Exodus 8:25, Pharaoh tries to get them to stay in the land while worshiping, but Moses rebuts this compromise. In verse 28, Pharaoh tries a different tack – go and worship, but not three days journey. Exodus 10:10-11, Pharaoh commands Moses to take only the men and leave the women and children behind. Finally, in Exodus 11:24, the terms are to take the people but leave their flocks and herds behind. In like manner, Satan tries to compromise with us.

The Devil's Compromises
“Stay in the land.” The devil tells us to give God lip-service, to worship God but remaining in the world. He entreats us to never separate ourselves from the world, but Jesus, in Matthew 15, warns that our hearts and actions should agree. We not only give God our service. We give Him our hearts. We cannot worship God wile compromising with the world.

“Don’t go far.” Satan tells us to be Christians, but keep it shallow. Obey some things. Do some good, but don’t be a fanatic. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus calls upon to love God wholly and completely. This is not a call for meeting God halfway. This is a call to dedicate ourselves entirely to Him.

“Don’t Take Your Families.” The devil encourages us to keep our faith to ourselves. Don’t try to impact others, but Matthew 5:13 records Jesus telling His followers that they are the salt of the land, a light to the world. He calls upon them to let their light shines so others can see the faith they profess. Jesus expects us to influence others.

“Divide Your Loyalties.” Satan calls us to allow worldly concerns to pull us away from God, but Jesus calls us to lay up treasures in Heaven in Matthew 6:24-33. We cannot serve God and our earthly treasures, so we should seek God first, trusting in Him and finding refuge in Him alone.

Conclusion
Pharaoh wanted to control Israel through comprise, but there is no compromise with God’s edicts. The same is still true. Satan wants us to make compromises and control us through those trade-offs. If we value our spiritual heritage, we will resist him at every turn, showing him that God’s will not bend to his deceptions.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Naboth's Spiritual Heritage

We’ve spent a couple of weeks considering the question of suffering, and Satan’s efforts to draw Job from God. Satan believes we all have a price, and, at some point, we will sell God out. In this lesson, we’re going to look at another way Satan tries to find our breaking point, and it begins in In I Kings 21 when Ahab tries to procure the vineyard owned by Naboth. When Ahab tells his wife for Naboth’s rejection, Jezebel appeals to his pride and conspires to kill Naboth. Once he is dead, Ahab takes possession of the vineyard.

Ahab does not have Naboth’s interests in mind at any point in these events. Ahab considers only himself. His first offer is reasonable, even generous, but the problem lies in the uncountable value of the vineyard to Naboth. He seeks to find Naboth’s price, but Ahab finds the Jezreelite has none. Back in Leviticus 25:23-28, God sets a provision that God’s land may not be sold permanently at any time. Any land sold can be redeemed at any time, or it is returned in a Year of Jubilee. The land handed down generation to generation is to stay in the family. Naboth honors God’s law regarding land. He does not sell his heritage.

A Spiritual Heritage
Notice Naboth’s concept of heritage and inheritance. It is more than what comes down from his ancestors. It is more than something he will pass on to his descendants. He recognizes that his heritage is from God. We sometimes sing the song “Faith of Our Fathers,” reminding us that we have a spiritual heritage, that we are spiritual children with a spiritual inheritance. We create a continuous chain from generation to generation that we cannot sell or buy as Naboth could not sell the vineyard passed down in his family.

We receive our faith through those who have come before us, and we pass that heritage unto others as Paul sees Timothy as his son in the faith. The challenge is whether we will stand like Naboth, refusing to be bought out, or will Satan find our price? Back in I Kings 21, there is an interesting contrast between Naboth and Ahab. Nothing Ahab can offer will move Naboth, but after Naboth’s death, Elijah tells Ahab that the king has sold himself to evil in verse 20.

What would we have done in Naboth’s position? Would we have acquiesced to the king, to the path of least resistance? Would we have seen the potential to expand our business or pay off other debts? Could Ahab had found our price, or would we have justified giving in due to the evil of Jezebel and Ahab? Without our convictions, we have nothing. We cannot sacrifice our spiritual heritage.

Never Deserting Our Post
Elijah Lovejoy was a journalist who opposed slavery in Illinois back in the 1800s. One night, because of the large volume of anti-slavery editorials he had published, and angry mob tracked him down and shot him. On the memorial, his words are recorded, “I am impelled in the course I have taken because I fear God…I can die at my post but I cannot desert.” He was killed over his printing press.

We let the things of this world keep us from our spiritual familiy. We teach our children that recreation is more important than the Lord’s work. We let our possessions cloud our morals. In our jobs, we go along with things we know that are wrong to avoid making waves. In doing these things, we devalue our spiritual heritage. We show it can be bought with a price. Hebrews 11:32-40 calls on us to reflect the faith demonstrated in our spiritual forefathers, to continue and perfect the work they started. We owe it to those who came before us, to those who come after us, to our Savior, and to ourselves, to never sell out.

I Corinthians 6:20 tells us we have been bout with a price – the blood of Christ. We have been purchased by God to be his own. Our redemption is beyond value. We should strive to be like Naboth in our struggle against temptation, never deserting our post and never selling out to the devil.

lesson by Tim Smelser

A Case Study in Spiritual Depression

In Jude, the author compares false teaching to several Old Testament examples, and three of these in verse 11 are Cain, Korah, and Balaam. In this lesson we’re going to examine Cain’s falling into sin and the lessons we can take from his spiritual depression.

Cain’s Downward Spiral
In Genesis 4, we find the record of the sacrifices by Cain and Abel. Here we see Cain struggling with spiritual issues after his sacrifice is rejected by God. Genesis 4:5 records Cain becoming very angry, and his countenance falls. When asking Cain about his anger, God reminds him that sin is crouching at Cain’s door, but He encourages Cain that he can rule over this sin. However, Cain gives in to the sin and murders his brother Abel.

Cain enters a downward spiral from the moment of his sacrifice. When his inferior sacrifice is rejected, he is not angry at himself for not offering his best. Rather, he seeks an outward target for his aggression. Proverbs 15:13 tells us that a glad heart is reflected on our outward conduct, but a sorrowful heart breaks the spirit. Here, Cain has a sorrowful heart, and it begins to eat away at his character.

God looks to console and redirect Cain, rhetorically asking him why he is angry. He is trying to get Cain to think. This is similar to II Corinthians 13:5 when Paul asks the Christians in Corinth to examine themselves, testing their adherence to the true faith. God is telling Cain to see if these troubles are coming from within himself. He is giving Cain a chance to self-examine and avoid the sin lurking in his heart, waiting to consume him.

Cain Victimizes Himself
I Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a lion stalking his victims, but James 4:7-8 reminds us that we can resist the devil, who will flee as a result. John 13:12-17 records Jesus washing His apostles’ feet as an example of humility and servitude, and He calls them blessed if they follow this pattern. God can see Cain’s spiritual depression, and he reminds Cain that he is blessed if he does what he should. Cain can resist this sin. He can make the devil flee.

Genesis 4:8 records Cain telling something to Abel, and we don’t know the contents of this conversation. Regardless, what it comes down to is a struggle within Cain between God’s way and man’s way, and Cain chooses man’s way. His downward spiral leads him to murder his own brother. Likewise, we can wallow in spiritual depression, letting our anger fester, avoiding doing what is right. He even lashes out at God in verse 9, asking God if he is responsible for his brother. When punished for his action, Cain still blames God for his problems. His heart has hardened.

Avoiding a Hardened Heart
Hebrews 3:12 warns us to be careful of bearing an evil heart. Time and again, the Hebrew author warns of the dangers of hardening our hearts. When we go down this path, Hebrews 6:6 tells us that repentance becomes near impossible, and we continue to crucify our Savior. None of us want to go down this path, but when we put our way before God’s, we start down that path. I Peter 5:6 calls on us to humble ourselves under God’s hand, and He will lift us up.

Cain may have been hurt and frustrated, but he could have still chosen God’s way. He could have humbled himself before God and examined himself rather than blamed others. The story would have turned out differently. We have the same choice every day between our way or God’s way. Our goal should be to soften our hearts to God’s word and submit to His will, allowing Him to cleanse us and grant us His promises.

sermon by Tim Smelser