The thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians describes the importance of love in the Christian’s life, but it also explains how love compares to two other important Christian characteristics; faith and hope. Paul tells us that love is the greatest. In the last verse of the chapter he says, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13). Why is love greater than faith and hope? We know that we cannot be saved without faith, and it is impossible to please God without it (Heb. 11:6). Our hope is what drives us toward the goal of heaven everyday of our lives. Hope is what separates Christianity from all the other religions of the world. We have a true hope based on our faith in the promises that God has made. What can be greater than that? Paul says that love is greater! Let’s look at each of these words individually and consider why love is the greatest of the three.
1. Faith. The Bible defines faith for us. The writer of Hebrews said, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). Faith is our belief in something we cannot physically see based on the evidence of its existence. We know God exists because we can see His creative handiwork all around us (Rom. 1:20). He also revealed Himself to us in His Word, but we have yet to see God face to face. Consider the promise that was made to Abraham and his seed. He had not seen the promise come true, but he had faith that it would based on what God had promised him. Paul spoke of Abraham’s faith in the promise to come when he said, “He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith” (Rom. 4:20). Faith is what sustains someone until the thing they believe in actually comes to pass. For example, when Christians enter into the presence of God in Heaven, faith will cease because we will see God face to face.
2. Hope. Hope is defined as, “a feeling that what is wanted will happen; desire accompanied by expectation” (Webster’s New World Dictionary, 4th ed. 2003). We have hope because of our faith. Our faith is what drives our hope. We believe in God and the glory of heaven, which causes us to desire and expect to be there in the presence of God one day. Paul also spoke of Abraham’s hope in Romans chapter four. He wrote that Abraham, “contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations” (Rom. 4:18). Abraham was one hundred years old and it would appear that he had no logical hope of having an heir. But, he had hope nonetheless because of his faith in God’s promises, and Isaac his son was born. But like faith, hope will cease as well when we enter heaven. Hope will then become a reality!
3. Love. Faith and hope will no longer be necessary one day, but love will never cease. Love will go on for all eternity. Why is that? John answered the question when he wrote, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8). God is love! God is eternal; therefore love is eternal as well. We cannot know God without love, so love is vitally important to our eternal security. We must have love for God and for one another. Our faith and hope will cease when we stand before God, but love is the reason we have the opportunity to enter heaven. Remember, Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). God’s love for us was great enough to sacrifice His Son. God’s love for us is the reason why faith and hope were ever needed. God’s love is forever! -Ed

The truth can be hard to swallow, so many will find ways to excuse it away or try to pervert it enough so they can accept a watered down version of it. We are going to confront this issue today in our sermon lessons. This morning we will discuss the excuses Noah must have heard from those who would not accept the truth regarding the coming flood, and the safety that only the ark could provide. I think we will find that the excuses that Noah probably heard are very similar to the ones we hear today about the church. In tonight’s lesson, we will see how many will distort an accurate view of God, and the truth, by attempting to bend them both into something they are not. We will see how some like to emphasize the love of God to the extent that it overshadows other important matters such as repentance, doctrine, and obedience. No matter what excuses are made, or how hard some attempt to only look at one side of the nature of God, it does not change what the Bible says. The Bible is the truth, and no amount of sincere wishful thinking or human excuses will change what God’s revealed message actually says to us!
The truth is too valuable to be trifled with. Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Jesus makes it very clear that we can know the truth, but that does not mean that everyone will. People must want to know the truth, and part of knowing it means accepting all of it and not just the parts we like. Jesus also said the truth will make us free. Will some of the truth free us, or all of it? Jesus prayed to God, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). According to Jesus, all of God’s Word is what can make us free.
These are not new problems for the church. We can read many examples of people in the New Testament who tried to excuse away the truth or distort it. The books of Hebrews and Galatians are perfect examples. Those books were written to Christians who were trying to alter God’s simple plan for the truth so it could be more like something they wanted; a mix of Christianity and Judaism. Paul, and the writer of Hebrews, would not stray from preaching the truth, regardless of the consequences of their words. Paul asked the Galatians, “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth” (Gal. 4:16)? Would it have helped the Galatians if Paul had coddled them, or watered down his message as to not offend them? No, Paul would rather take the chance of becoming their enemy by convicting them with the truth, rather than risk their souls for all eternity. Many today emphasize the need to “speak in love”, but Paul told the Ephesians that we must speak “the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).
Many people are sincere in their feelings for God, but their sincerity is not based on knowledge of the truth. Instead, it is based on the erroneous teachings of denominationalism or Catholicism. Paul spoke about this type of sincerity when he spoke of those Jews who would not believe in Jesus. He said, “they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). Paul was speaking about the knowledge of the truth. Many will never believe the whole truth no matter what we do, but does that mean that we should give up? The devil has worked hard for hundreds of years to divide the body of Christ with false doctrines that pervert and compromise the truth to make it appear like something it isn’t. We must show the world that excuses and biblical distortions cannot substitute for the soul saving truth of God’s Word. -Ed

Our congregation is preparing for a gospel meeting that is coming up in a few weeks, so I thought it would be beneficial for us to study about one of the first gospel meetings that was ever held. The meeting was held in the household of Cornelius as recorded in the tenth chapter of the book of Acts. It was not called a “gospel meeting” in the text, but I think we can see that it had all the characteristics of one. People gathered to hear a preacher who was coming to teach them the truth. Isn’t that basically what a gospel meeting is? I think we can learn important lessons about conducting a successful meeting by studying what happened at Cornelius’ house that day. Consider the following points.
1. Cornelius feared God and prayed that he would hear the truth. Cornelius was a man who prayed constantly. Luke wrote that he was “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2). Obviously, Cornelius was praying to God to hear the truth of his Word, because an angel appeared to him and told him that Peter would tell him what he “must do” (Acts 10:6). We need to have the same attitude toward our gospel meeting. We need to pray to God that the truth will be preached, and that people as receptive as Cornelius will be present to hear the soul saving gospel. We, like Cornelius, will be told at our gospel meeting what we “must do” according to God’s Word as well.
2. Cornelius invited all his friends and family. Luke records that Cornelius had “called together his relatives and close friends” (Acts 10:24). He was waiting for the arrival of Peter. He knew what Peter had to say was so important, that he wanted all those who were close to him to hear it as well. We must develop the same attitude Cornelius had regarding our gospel meeting. Do we believe the words that will be spoken at our meeting are so important that we should invite those who are closest to us? He wanted his friends and family present to hear Peter because he cared for their souls. Our love and care for souls should drive us to invite everyone we can.
3. Those who came to Cornelius’ house were there to hear God’s Word. Cornelius was not having a social gathering. He wasn’t providing entertainment for his friends and family. They had all come together for a very specific purpose, and it was to hear Peter speak the truth to them. Cornelius was recorded as saying, “Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God” (Acts 10:33). We will hear God’s word proclaimed at our meeting as well. We should prayfully prepare for the opportunity that we will have to study the Bible together.
4. Those who attended Cornelius’ meeting were in the presence of God. We must remember that God is always present when Christians come together (Matt. 18:20). The thought of this should motivate us to make it the best meeting possible. Cornelius said, “we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God” (Acts 10:33).
5. Those who attended Cornelius’ meeting were blessed. They were blessed with the baptism of the Holy Spirit to show that the Gentiles were approved of God. We will not receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit at our meeting, but we will be blessed through the work, study, and fellowship that we all participate in together. -Ed

Have you ever had a guilty conscience about something? Actually, that is a trick question, because we have all had one before God. A guilty conscience can weigh heavy on one’s soul. If we have any sense of morals, the guilt of doing something wrong can severely affect us both mentally and physically. The Bible says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). This is what Jesus was referring to when he said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matt. 5:3 & 4). Jesus was referring to those whose guilty conscience will drive them to be obedient to God. God’s plan for the redemption of mankind makes it possible for men to stand before God with a clear conscience. That means our sins should no longer bear on our conscience because they have been forgiven. Let’s examine three verses from the New Testament that speak of how we can stand before God with a clear conscience.
1. “There is also an antitype which now saves us-baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21). Peter states in this verse that baptism is the “answer of a good conscience toward God.” What makes baptism the answer? Baptism is the final step in the plan of salvation. Baptism is the actual point where we become saved. It is the point where our sins are forgiven. Peter told the Jews on Pentecost, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Ananias instructed Paul to “arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins” (Acts 22:16). Baptism is the answer of a good conscience because it’s when our sins are forgiven. Only when our sins are forgiven, and blotted out, can we have a clear conscience before God.
2. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). This verse tells us what happens during baptism that makes it possible for our sins to be forgiven and our conscience to be cleared. First, we draw near to God with the right attitude and heart condition. That means we are aware we are sinners and have a convicted conscience. We then are baptized through faith, which is what the Hebrew writer meant, by saying our bodies are washed with pure water. Our hearts are then sprinkled from an evil conscience, which symbolizes our hearts being sprinkled with the blood of Christ to forgive our sins. It is during our baptism that we come into contact with the blood of Christ because we are united with Christ in His death. Paul stated, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death” (Rom. 6:3)?
3. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The first two verses above speak of how we initially come into contact with Christ’s blood to have our sins forgiven and our conscience cleared. John tells us in this verse how to maintain that status. Jesus’ blood will continue to cleanse us of sin if we walk in the light (1 John 1:7). We can confess our sins to God, and he is faithful to forgive us, which will keep us in the blessed condition of being able to stand before God with a clear conscience. Having a clear conscience before God leads to a clear conscience in all aspects of our lives. -Ed

It is not unusual these days to turn on the television and see reports of kids shooting other kids in school, co-workers killing each other, and teen suicide rates growing more and more. Why are things like this becoming ever more prevalent in our society? Why is it our country has allowed the murder of over forty million unborn babies in the last forty years? Any reasonable nation of the world would mourn for years the loss of forty million of their citizens, but most in our country are not the least bit concerned about it. Why is that? Many of us see these things happening, and scratch our heads wondering how things could ever get this bad.
There are many contributing factors that explain what is happening in our society, but let’s examine one that pertains to how we as humans have begun to look at ourselves. The sanctity of life means less in today’s culture than it used too. When a society lessens the importance of the sanctity of human life, it will gradually allow horrific things which once were considered criminal to become acceptable and commonplace. It will gradually cause people to have a gross disrespect for the life of others which will lead to the increase of violent crimes, violence in schools, suicide, and abortion. If the human life is no longer considered that important, then people will be more likely to believe that they can do with it as they please.
So, how did things get to be this way in America. We must remember that this county was founded on Christian principles. The founding fathers believed that we are made in God’s image and that God’s providential hand was involved in the development of this country. The majority of the early citizens of this nation were Christians, and believed what the Bible taught about the sanctity of the human life. These principles dominated this country’s ideology up until about fifty years ago when we saw the introduction of many beliefs that are contrary to the Bible. The theories and beliefs centered mostly around evolution which was a way to take God out of the equation. People who believed in this false theory began an intense campaign of propaganda to spread the teaching throughout the schools of our nation. We are now seeing the fruits of their labors.
When people believe in evolution, it opens up corrupt paths for man to follow. Once they had a way of taking God out of the picture, it gave them a license to be their own gods. For them, life only mattered as much as each individual believed that it did. With no God, there is no one to answer to, or be accountable to, except one’s self. This eventually opened the door in this county for the mass development and growth of humanism, hedonism, atheism, materialism, and basically “anything-goes-ism”. Life is now cheapened. Consider how many people we see beaten or murdered on a daily basis in the movies and television shows. Consider how our children spend countless mind numbing hours exposed to the violence in the hottest new video games. People begin to lose respect for the sanctity God has given to human life when we constantly see violence, death, and sexual exploitation in the many forms of our entertainment. Over time people begin believing those things they see in the media as being acceptable in our society.
There has always been violence and selfish criminal behavior in this country, but it has always been considered not only a violation of the laws of the land, but also a violation of God’s higher moral law. This mentality has changed over the last fifty years . Many in this nation have worked to have God removed from the country so things like abortion, euthanasia, and suicide can become more accepted and something of an individual choice. It reminds me of the attitude that the children of Israel had adopted toward the end of the period of the Judges. “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:20). Life means so much more to us when we remember God gave it to us, and that He expects us to love, protect, and care for His creation. -Ed

What do you picture in your mind when you think of someone meditating? If you’re like me, for a long time, I thought of meditation as someone sitting on the floor wearing a tie-dyed shirt with their legs crossed saying “hmmmmm” over and over. It’s clear why many of us would have that same understanding of what mediation is. We have all seen pictures, movies, or television shows where people where sitting around “meditating” to search for inner peace though some type of far eastern religious experience. But what about real Biblical meditation? What is it? Is it something we should be doing as Christians? And if it is, how do we do it?
The first thing we need to do is clear our mind of what Hollywood and all the self help gurus of the last forty years have told us about what meditation is, and rediscover the true definition of the term. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines mediation simply as “to plan” and “to think deeply” (2003, Fourth Edition, pg. 402). When you think about it, we all meditate some on a daily basis. Whenever we spend time thinking about a specific topic, we are meditating. It’s just focused thinking.
Let’s now consider the need for meditation regarding spiritual matters. We all meditate to some degree, even though we may not notice or recognize when we are doing it. We meditate daily on our hobbies, leisure activities, financial situations, and work; but how much time do we spend on spiritual matters? Let’s see what the Bible says about the need to meditate.
Listen to what the apostle Paul exhorted the Christians to do in Philippi. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8,9). The King James Version of the Bible translates the phrase “meditate on these things” as “think on these things”. Paul was telling them, and is telling us, that we need to spend time focusing on the great characteristics of the kingdom of God. You may also notice that all of the attributes Paul mentioned are positive ones. Remember the proverb that says, “for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). We are what we think about.
We have to be careful what we spend our time thinking about. According to the proverb, if we spend all of our time thinking about money, then we will be materialistic. If we think only of our self-image, then we will be self absorbed and prideful. But, if we spend our time meditating on spiritual things, then we will become spiritual people. Paul wrote the letter of First Timothy to exhort Timothy to stay in the faith, and do the work of an evangelist. He spoke about the doctrine and Word of God. He then told Timothy to “meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:15,16). This advise to Timothy applies to us as well. We must meditate on the truths we learn from God’s Word. Remember, we are what we think about. Meditating on God’ Word will lead to a life of living by God’s Word. -Ed

No other day in history can compare to the importance of what happened on the day our Savior was crucified. It is the center point of time for the whole human race. Everything before that day looked forward to it, and everything since then has looked back to what was accomplished the day He died. God had planned the events of that day before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). What do your see, or think of, when you look back to that day? As we remember the greatness of our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross, there are several things we should see.
1. We can see the danger and damaging effects of sin. Sin is what separates man from God (Isa. 59:1,2). When we look to the cross, we see what had to be done to redeem man from the horrifying consequences of our actions. God is just, and man’s sin problem had to be dealt with. It was only through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross that man could ever be justified in God’s eyes. When we consider the pain and suffering Jesus went through, it should remind us just how terrible sin is. The cross serves as a reminder of what it cost for us to be forgiven. Isaiah the prophet wrote, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4-5).
2. We can see the defeat of the devil. Satan has been the archenemy of God and mankind since creation. He attacked man in the garden by deceiving Adam and Eve into believing they could be like God, which resulted in the fall of mankind. After the fall God rebuked Satan, and gave us a prophecy of the coming Christ. He said, “and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15). This prophecy was speaking of Christ’s virgin birth, and then the eventual defeat of the devil. The defeat occurred at the cross. Christ died on the cross to justify and redeem mankind from the sin that Satan had brought into the world. Christ defeated death three days later when He was resurrected, and made it possible for all obedient men and women to do the same through Him.
3. We can see the perfect picture of God’s love for mankind. As we look at the world around us, it’s sometimes hard to believe that God loves us as much as He does. So many millions of souls have rejected the love of God, but yet He still sent Jesus to die for us. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Christ’s death on the cross is the awesome display of the love that God has for each and every one of us. In His death, He gave us life. The apostle Paul described it this way, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6-8).
The most important day of all occurred two thousand years ago in Jerusalem. We can look back on that day and see the defeat of our enemy, the overcoming of our sin, and the love God has for us. We can see all that by looking back to the cross. -Ed

Many in the Lord’s church feel they cannot contribute to the Lord’s work because of lack of talent or ability in the areas of evangelism, teaching, or leading; but we often fail to realize that there are numerous things we can each do to help the work. We often tend to think that unless we can do something in front of people or in a leadership position that we are confined to our pews as followers for life. We do not have to do what many consider great things to successfully serve the Lord. Some of what many consider to be minor or little things can sometimes have the greatest impact on an unbeliever or other Christian. Some of the most influential things done for me have been in the form of a card or a few loving words spoken in support from a fellow Christian. We have to stop believing that unless we do some great or public thing we are not working for the church. It is important to remember that God can take the smallest thing a Christian does for someone and make it into something greater. Let’s consider some Biblical examples to help us understand a little better.
In the sixth chapter of John we can read of the five thousand people who followed Jesus after he had performed many miracles. Jesus was concerned for their welfare because He knew the people would need food to eat. Andrew brought Jesus a young boy and said, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many” (John 6:9). Jesus took those loaves and fish and turned them into enough food to feed the entire multitude with food to spare. Obviously Jesus had done a great thing by miraculously feeding the five thousand people, but I want us to consider what happened before He did so. Two people did what most would consider small and insignificant acts, but their actions enabled Jesus to make something greater happen. First, Andrew simply brought a boy with a small amount of food to Jesus. The amount of food the boy had was not enough to feed all the people, but at least Andrew was trying to do what he could to help. Secondly, the little boy only had five loaves and two fish, but he was willing to give what he had. Sometimes having an idea like Andrew (even if it is a small one), or giving what little you do have like the little boy, can be all it takes for God to step in like Jesus did and give the increase. The point is that we should do our absolute best with what we have, and have faith that God will build on it.
The widow with two mites is another great example of how someone may not be able to give or do as much as others, but what she could give was important to Jesus. Others may have looked upon what the widow gave and not thought much of it, but Jesus knew the significance of what she had done. The same applies to us as well. We may not be able to speak publicly, lead a song, or be a church leader; but whatever we can do should be done to the glory of the Lord.
Every Christian has the ability to do something to further the work of the church. Whether it be mowing the grass, visiting the sick, sending a card, or giving a simple word of encouragement to a fellow Christian in need; we can all do something. God does not miraculously take the small things we do today and feed thousands of people like He did with Andrew and the young boy, but He will still providentially use what each of us does to accomplish His will. The smallest or seemingly the most insignificant thing done in faith can change the world with the help of God. -Ed

Can you think of anyone else in the world that has more potential for a positive influence on someone than a mother does? A mother establishes a close bond with her children that will last for a lifetime. Moms have the opportunity to plant a seed of faith in a child that can eventually develop into a lifelong service to God. But, it does not stop there. A mother’s work can bear fruit for generations to come. All parents need to consider this early on. What parents do, or do not do, early in their child’s life will affect many other people’s lives long after they are gone. The faith of one mother can change the world forever. Our nation has set aside today as an occasion to honor our mothers. Let’s use this opportunity to look at the influence of two mothers from the New Testament whose work is still benefiting us to this very day.
Paul wrote two letters to Timothy, his “son in the faith”, exhorting him to continue his work in God’s kingdom as an evangelist. Paul mentioned the effect that Timothy’s mother and grandmother had on him when he said, “I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (2 Tim. 1:5). Paul did not mention much about Lois and Eunice, but he said enough that we can glean some valuable lessons from his statement. Consider the following points.
1. A mother’s faith may spread to her children. We do not know anything about Lois except that she was a faithful mother and grandmother. Her faith had a strong influence on the way Eunice lived her life. Paul said that Timothy’s faith first dwelt in his grandmother Lois. Lois is what you could refer to as an anchor person. She developed a strong faith in God which trickled its way down to Timothy, and continued to bear fruit for generations to come as we will see later. Some women will never have the opportunity to grow up in a house where faith in God is strong, but that does not mean they cannot become an anchor person for generations to come. Lois was the start of something great. Just because you did not grow up under faithful parents does not mean that you cannot start the chain of faith in your family. It all starts with living by faith, and then raising your children to do the same.
2. A mother’s faith may spread to her grandchildren. Lois had started it, and now we see that Eunice would pick up where she left off. Eunice took the example that Lois had given her, and would now teach those same principles to her son Timothy. Eunice started right at birth. She named her son Timothy, which means, “honoring God.” We see one more link added to the chain of faith that Lois started as the family’s anchor.
3. A mother’s faith may spread to future generations. What Lois started would continue to bear fruit for the next two thousand years. Lois and Eunice’s foundation of faith would propel Timothy into God’s work. Think of all the people Timothy taught and converted. Consider the millions of people who have read about Timothy’s work in the New Testament. It all started with the faith of two mothers. The faith of one mother can change the world today as well! Our moms need to be planting the seeds of faith now to produce our future gospel preachers, elders, deacons, teachers, and Christian parents. Mothers must never forget the amount of godly influence they can have on their children. They are an important part of God’s plan! -Ed

The Christian’s life is a test of faith that lasts from the moment of baptism until death, just like the forty year wilderness wandering of the Israelites was a test of their faith from the moment they crossed the Red Sea until they crossed over into the promise land. The Israelite wilderness wandering was a “type” or “foreshadowing” of every Christian’s life. We can look back on all the struggles and successes of the Israelites during that period of time and learn many valuable lessons to help us with our Christian walk. Paul spoke of this when he said, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor. 10:11). We can learn a great deal about what God wants and expects from us in this life by looking at what he expected of the Israelites. Listen to what Moses told the Israelites about their forty years of wandering. He said, “And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deut. 8:2). Let’s examine different phrases from this verse to better understand what God expected of them and what He expects of us.
1. “To humble you and test you.” The wilderness wandering was used by God as a way to test the genuineness of the people’s faith and their willingness to rely on Him. He allowed them to hunger and thirst so he could provide them with water and manna to see if they would obey the conditions he required of them to receive the blessings. The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not” (Ex. 16:4). God created opportunities to test the amount of faith the Israelites had in Him. Likewise, God does the same for us today. Baptism is the Christian’s very first test. We show our faith in God that He will forgive us when we submit to baptism. We then continue to show our faith toward him by keeping the commandments in His Word.
2. “To know what was in your heart.” We show God the condition of our heart by deciding whether or not we will faithfully obey his commandments. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Our obedience is how we show our love for God. God had commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. When God saw that Abraham was going to go through with it, He stopped Abraham and said “now I know that you fear God” (Gen. 22:12). We show the condition of our heart by our willingness to obey.
3. “Whether you would keep His commandments or not.” Our relationship with God comes down to this simple statement. Will we, or will we not, keep God’s commandments? We have already seen that it is how God humbles and tests us. It is also how God knows what is in our hearts. None of the original Israelite people from Egypt, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, were allowed to enter into the Promised Land because of their unbelief and disobedience (Heb. 3:18,19). The same will apply to us as well. Only those Christians who believe in God, and live an obedient life, will be able to enter heaven one day. Remember, God recorded the Israelites mistakes so Christians could study the past, and try not to repeat it. -Ed