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In this recent presidential election, Vice-President Al Gore is heard saying another one of his favorite phrases, "the will of the people." Unfortunately, Gore is using this phrase deceptively in hopes of winning the presidency. The intent of this article, however, is to examine briefly the will of the Lord's people not only during Bible times, but also in this present generation.
When God created man in the beginning (Genesis 2:7), He made him a free moral agent. In other words, man was given the ability to decide for himself whether to do what is right or that which is wrong. Jesus said,
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon, (Matthew 6:24).If we truly are the children of God, then we must be willing to submit ourselves to God in order to have no fellowship with the devil.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw night to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded (James 4:7-8).
Throughout the Old Testament, the will of the Israelites was to be rebellious more than obedient to the commandments of the Lord. Moses, In Deuteronomy 9:24, said,
Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you.In that same chapter, Moses reminded them of the times when they rebelled against the Lord and how He punished them.
Furthermore, whenever the Lord blessed them, the children of Israel often gave themselves the glory rather than to God. In Deuteronomy 8:17-20, we read,
And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.
There were several purposes in the will of the church during apostolic times. First, these christians came together to "worship in spirit and in truth," (John 4:23-24). Their worship on the first day of the week consisted of singing (Ephesians 5:19), preaching and praying (Acts 2:42), observing the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7), and giving (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
Second, their unity was not unity-in-diversity.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:4-6).Also, "all that believed were together, and had all things common," (Acts 2:44).
Third, they proclaimed the gospel of Christ throughout all the world. In Acts 8:4, we read, "Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." They preached "sound doctrine" (2 Timothy 1:13) without having compromised "the faith which was once delivered to the saints," (Jude 1:3). Many souls were converted and restored to the church as a result of this type of preaching.
Last, the church was constantly preparing for the Lord's coming. Peter exhorted the church saying,
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless (2 Peter 3:13-14).
Although the church today remains much the same as it did in the first century, with regards to changes in culture, a number of congregations have gone the way of apostasy and some have become denominations themselves. Paul warned Timothy about the danger of apostasy when he said,
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:3-4).The types of doctrinal errors that have corrupted these churches include unity-in-diversity, institutionalism, the sponsoring church arrangement, the community/mega-church movement, the new hermeneutics, changing the pattern for worship, and permitting women to assume the leadership roles of the church.
Let us remember that the will of the Lord's people should not only be hearers and doers of the word (James 1:22), but also to make sure that everything we say and do is in accordance with His will (Colossians 3:17).
Ira Mikell
ira@thechristianexaminer.com
In our Bible studies and classes today, we often hear the question, "why study the Old Testament? Didn't Christ do away with it?" Many people today do not recognize the value of the Old Testament, and in many ways, those who preach and teach are guilty of helping to perpetuate this feeling, rarely ever looking to the Old Testament for understanding and as a reference. As Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3: 16-17:
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God be adequate, equipped for every good work.Therefore, the Old Testament does have value, as it is Scripture.
Now, this is not to say that we are to gain doctrine or try to bind any practice of the Old Testament; Paul and others show conclusively in the letters to the Galatians and the Colossians, and in other places, that this is not so. If we try to take portions of the Old Law while holding to Christ, we have "fallen from grace," (Galatians 5:1-4). So, we must not use the Old Testament for doctrine; this does not, however, make it useless. Some reasons why we need the Old Testament:
for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.In order to show that Jesus is the Christ, you need to use the Old Testament.
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone.The church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. The prophets have value, even today! When you read their prophecies in the Old Testament, you can easily see their message. Hosea could modify a few details and cry out in the streets the message of Hosea 4, and it would be relevant. So too with Amos in Amos 8, and many many others. God gave these men revelations not just for their own time, but for all time, and we would be wise to heed their words.
As you can see, we must study the Old Testament so that our knowledge of the things of God may be complete. The mystery of Christ cannot be unveiled completely without the message of the Old Testament being understood.
Ethan R. Longhenry
ethan@thechristianexaminer.com
www.deusvitae.com
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