Psalm 11
Chaos has hit society verse 1- 3
In the LORD put I my trust – how say you to my soul
Flee as a bird to your mountain?
For lo – the wicked bend their bow
they make ready their arrow upon the string
that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart
IF the foundations be destroyed – WHAT can the righteous do?
LORD still on the Throne verse 4- 7
The LORD is in HIS holy temple – the LORD’S throne is in heaven
HIS eyes behold – HIS eyelids try – the children of men
The LORD tries the RIGHTEOUS
BUT the wicked and him that loves violence HIS soul hates
upon the wicked HE shall rain snares – fire – brimstone
and a horrible tempest
this shall be the portion of their cup
FOR the RIGHTEOUS LORD loves righteousness
HIS countenance does behold the UPRIGHT
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. (652 “privily” [‘ophel] means darkness, obscurity, spiritual unreceptivity, an unilluminated area, secrecy, treachery, or a place of ambush)
DEVOTION: Our world is made up of two different types of people from God’s perspective. There are those who are followers of HIM and there are those who are NOT followers of HIM. HE know who will become a follower of HIM before the foundation of the world.
Does this mean that we don’t have a choice to accept or reject Jesus Christ as our personal Savior? NO, but HE knows the chose we would make and upon this foreknowledge HE knows who are wicked and on their way to hell for eternity and those who are not.
Those who fall into the category of those who reject the message of salvation seem to have one desire and that is to put down those who are followers of Jesus Christ. Their father is the devil who rejected Jesus and fell from heaven before the foundation of the world.
The devil’s followers want to hurt those who are the LORD’S disciples anyway that they can. Some are good at it and others are not as good but both groups want to see the followers of the LORD fail.
It is like someone shooting arrows at a target to see if they can hit the middle of the target. Some are good at it and others fail.
Those that are followers of the devil know how to hit the target better sometimes than those who are genuine followers of the LORD do in encouraging one another. Believers are to try to encourage each other as the fight against the devil and his angels and fellow human beings that want to see them fail.
Christians need to help one another rather than be part of the problem in the lives of fellow believers. Too often we are shoot fellow believers that can discourage them.
CHALLENGE: Are you a genuine encourager of fellow believers or are you trying to make yourself look good by cutting fellow believers?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 3. “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
DEVOTION: The foundation is the most important part of any building! If the foundation is weakened or insufficient then every part of the building is placed in peril. The psalmist recognizes this truth in the realm of the spiritual as well. The enemies of David were trying to cause him to flee and to surrender his rightful place as king and to provoke fear and distress in the lives of the people of God. If the foundation of strength could be eroded then the entire kingdom was in danger.
Whether this was when David was a young man trying to serve Saul in his court or as an old man when his son Absolom, rebelled, both times the wicked were trying to destroy the very foundation of the kingly lineage and the succession of David’s throne to the Messiah. These attempts is thwarted by the Lord as He upholds the righteous and develops His plan.
When the foundations of your life are threatened and the very core values you hold are challenged remember that the Lord loves the righteous and hates those who do violence and wickedness.
CHALLENGE: Put your trust in Him and hold fast to the Lord who established the very foundations that are threatened! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
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:3 “If the foundations be destroyed, What can the righteous do?” (Destroyed, 2040 הָרַס [harac], to be torn down, be thrown down.)
DEVOTION: In this psalm, the psalmist expresses his concern that the wicked will be able to destroy the foundations of Israel. This idea is meant to be both literal and figurative. Since the enemy has come only to steal and destroy, it is clear that the objective of the enemy is to ruin what has already been built.
However, there is a sense that is conveyed that the enemy also wishes to come in and destroy the moral and spiritual foundations of God’s people. This is where we find ourselves today, in the middle of a form of spiritual warfare which is only intensifying as time goes on. Many today say, for example, that it does not matter what one believes, as long as one is sincere, and as long as what he believes is good for them.
Yet, foundations are important, because as in a building the foundation provides the support for the rest of the building and allows it to stand upright and not settle into the ground. The result of a poor foundation are breaks in the walls of the building, and the inability to withstand the attacks from outside the building (Matthew 7:24-27). In the same, fractures in the foundations of human relationships affect them by either causing people to use or abuse other people.
However, God’s firm foundation never has changed—knowledge of HIM and holy living (2 Timothy 2:19). It is to these things that the believer is called and we should be spreading these things to those around us. We should never settle for second best when it comes to making choices about holy living. Too often, it seems, we are willing to make small compromises in our actions when we think that no one else will know.
God contrasts the actions of the righteous in establishing the foundation of HIS kingdom and drawing the wicked to repentance and belief in HIM.
CHALLENGE: What choices are you making that need to become the foundation of a holy and righteous life? (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)
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: 3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (8356 “foundations” [shathah] means support, stay, basic principles or purposes)
DEVOTION: The LORD established society in the garden with Adam and Eve. They sinned and society has been chaotic ever since. The LORD created a whole new society after HE sent a flood because they were only doing what was right in their own eyes. HE had to confuse society when they built the tower of Babel to worship a false god. HE established a new society with Abraham and the children of Israel. They entered the Promised Land with HIS laws written. However, they continued to do what was right in their own eyes during the time period of the Judges. Now we have David as king and he realizes that society continues to go away from the LORD.
He stated a question that needs to be answered even today. What are the righteous to do when society is headed in the wrong direction? David was living in a time when it seemed like society was going in the wrong direction. Saul was trying to kill him because he was jealous of him. That is not how society is supposed to work when they are supposedly following the LORD.
When there is proper law and order in a society, the ones who do things right should have nothing to worry about. David was doing things right but he still was being hunted. David knew that his support came from the LORD. He knew that he was to trust the LORD through all circumstances. He knew that the wicked would be judged with fire and brimstone. There is a judgment coming for the wicked or those who are not followers of Jesus Christ.
David had to realize that the LORD was still on the throne over all of creation. HE was working HIS plan. HE was watching all the activities of society and putting a stop to some things that had reached a point that needed correction. HE is still watching over the righteous.
Who is our support: the LORD. Where do we study our basic principles of live: the Bible. How do we know the LORD’S purposes: thru the Bible. Who helps us define life: the LORD. Who wants to take our support away: the world system that is under the influence of the devil.
David put all his trust in the LORD. We need to do the same. It may seem like our society is out of control. Look at the description of the control the LORD has in this psalm. HE loves righteousness. HE gives us the power to be righteous. HE is going to judge the world. Our responsibility is to live for HIM.
Remember that there is nothing new under the sun. Society has always led people away from the LORD because those who are making human laws are in rebellion against the LORD. Our country had many of their laws come from the Bible.
CHALLENGE: Now the laws are changing to fit the enemy of the Bible, but REMEMBER the LORD is still on the THRONE. Be encouraged!!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 4 The LORD is in HIS holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: HIS eyes behold, HIS eyelids try, the children of men. (974 “try” [bachan] means to test metals by melting, to examine, put to the test, to put to the test in order to ascertain the nature of something, including imperfections, faults, or other qualities, or to prove.)
DEVOTION: I never liked pop quizzes in high school. I never liked tests of any kind in college. I have problems writing papers for classes that want us to defend our believes to others.
However, when the LORD tests us HE is working on our mature relationship with HIM. HE wants us to grow to be strong believers as we face the works of the world, the flesh and the devil.
These three enemies to our growth in the LORD are good at what they do regarding our not growing to full maturity in our relationship with the LORD. They want to stunt our growth for as long as they can. Their goal is to see us fail while the LORD’S goal is to see us mature. It is a battle that goes on all of our lives.
It would be good that when we get older that the test stop coming but that is not what happens. We have to be on our guard at all times for the “tricks” of the devil who uses other human beings to discourage us from being strong examples of what a believer should look like.
God tests us to make us stronger in our witness for HIM in our world. HE wants us to make sure that we know what to say and when to say it to help others become followers of HIM. HE wants all believers to be HIS witnesses to the LORD.
How are you doing in your witness for the LORD? Are you telling others about how the LORD has helped you through life? Do you have a genuine burden for the lost? Is your example one that should be followed?
God is watching how we help fellow believers grow stronger and how we tell those who are not followers of HIM by our actions and words how to become a genuine follower of HIM.
CHALLENGE: God is not looking for religious people but genuine followers of HIM in the world. There is a difference!
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: 7 For the righteous LORD loves righteousness; HIS countenance does behold the upright. (3942 “countenance” [liphnay] means front, head, the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear, face, presence, appearance, or in the sense of a head of a living creature)
DEVOTION: It is hard sometimes to realize that the LORD is watching our every move. HE know when we success and when we fail at being the types of believers HE wants us to be.
There is NOTHING that gets past HIS eyes. HE sees our every move. The Bible tells us that those who are believers have an angel that is watching us. Some are called guardian angels. They want us to succeed in our relationship with the LORD.
God is also able to watch us each moment of every day. It is hard to understand that HE cares that much about us but HE does. HE wants us to move forward in our relationship with HIM.
HE doesn’t want us to fail. We do sometimes because we are not staying as close to HIM as HE wants us to. It is hard to realize that we have choses and we make wrong chooses each day because we are stubborn.
We sin each day by chose. HE wants us to mature and HIS goal is to see us love HIM more each day. That should be our goal as well. It is something that takes a LOT of work on our part but we have the HOLY SPIRIT to help us.
Does this verse surprise us that HIS eyes are on you every moment of every day of your life? HE wants us to act righteously every moment of every day. HE knows that we will fail or sin but HE is in the forgiving business.
However, HE doesn’t want us to think like those who don’t know HIM that we can get away with sin because HE loves us. Those HE loves HE spanks!
CHALLENGE: What is God seeing in our lives this past week? Is HE pleased with us?
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Holy Temple verse 4
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 4, 5, 7
LORD is in HIS holy temple verse 4
LORD’S throne is in heaven verse 4
HIS eyes try the righteous verse 5
HIS soul hates the wicked verse 5
HE rains snares on wicked verse 6
Fire, brimstone, and horrible tempest
Righteous LORD verse 7
Loves righteousness verse 7
HIS countenance beholds the upright verse 7
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Soul verse 1
Wicked verse 2, 5
Upright – target of wicked verse 2
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Wicked verse 2, 5, 6
Privily shoot at upright verse 2
Love violence verse 5
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Trust verse 1
Upright verse 2, 7
Foundation verse
Righteous verse 3, 5, 7
Love verse 7
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Psalm of David verse 1- 7
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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DONATIONS:
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QUOTES regarding passage
11:5. God examines (tests, refines) the righteous, but He hates the wicked and people who love violence. God is opposed to all who choose wickedness and violence in opposition to His will. (Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 800). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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IV. That, if he afflict good people, it is for their trial and therefore for their good, v. 5. The Lord tries all the children of men that he may do them good in their latter end, Deu. 8:16. Let not that therefore shake our foundations nor discourage our hope and trust in God. (Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 759). Peabody: Hendrickson.)
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When you look around, you see the problems, but when you look up to the Lord by faith, you see the answer to the problems. When the outlook is grim, try the uplook! “In the Lord I put my trust,” said David, for he knew that God was on the throne in His holy temple in heaven (Hab. 2:20; Isa. 6) and that He saw everything the enemy was doing. The word “try” or “test” in verse 4 carries the idea of “testing metals by fire,” as in Jeremiah 11:20 and 17:10. God’s eyes penetrate into our hearts and minds (Heb. 4:12; Rev. 2:23). The Lord tests the righteous to bring out the best in them, but Satan tempts them to bring out the worst. When we trust the Lord in the difficulties of life, our trials work for us and not against us (2 Cor. 4:7–18).
David uses three images to describe the judgment that God has prepared for the wicked. First, he saw fire and brimstone descend on them, such as the Lord sent on Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 6a; Gen. 19:24; see also Isa. 30:33; Rev. 9:17). Then he beheld a terrible storm destroying the enemy, a “scorching wind” such as often blew from the desert (v. 6b). David used the image of the storm in his song about his deliverance from his enemies and King Saul (18:4–19). The third image is that of a poisonous potion in a cup (6c, kjv and nasb). “Drinking the cup” is often a picture of judgment from the Lord (75:8; Isa. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:15–17; Ezek. 38:22; Rev. 14:10; 16:19; 18:6). On the Lord’s hatred of evil and violent people, see 5:5.
What does God have planned for His own people? “The upright will behold His face” (v. 7, nasb; see 17:15 and 1 John 3:1–3.) To “see the face” means to have access to a person, such as “to see the king’s face” (2 Sam. 14:24). For God to turn His face away is to reject us, but for Him to look upon us with delight means He is going to bless us (Num. 6:22–27). When Jesus returns, those who have rejected Him will be cast “away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:8–10; Matt. 7:21–23), while His own children will be welcomed into His presence (Matt. 25:34). (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be worshipful (1st ed., pp. 51–52). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)
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11:4–6 The words in His holy temple prove that the charge of v. 3 is false. God is in control; the foundations are not destroyed. His eyes behold: It may appear that God is not involved (10:11), but He does see and He will act (Ex. 2:23–25; 3:6–15). tests the righteous: There are times when the Lord allows trials to come into the life of the righteous as a test. But God’s actions are more severe toward the wicked, whom He hates. The Hebrew word for hates is a strong term that speaks primarily of rejection (5:5). rain coals: The source for “fire and brimstone” judgment is the story of God’s judgment on Sodom and the other cities near the Dead Sea in Gen. 19. (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (Ps 11:4–6). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.)
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5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
The Lord trieth the righteous; either, 1. He examines them, and knows them to be righteous, and consequently approveth, and loveth, and will preserve and bless them; which may be gathered from the contrary condition of the wicked, whom God is supposed to try, though that be not expressed, and upon trial finds them to be wicked, and therefore hates and punisheth them, as it follows. The like ellipsis of a whole sentence, see on Psal. 1:6. Or, 2. He trieth and exerciseth them and their graces by afflictions, or he corrects them for their sins; which is oft called trying, as Psal. 66:10; Zech. 13:9; James 1:12; 1 Pet. 4:12. So this is spoken by way of concession, and to remove the offence which some men might take at David, whose person and cause they might be apt to condemn because of his troubles. Therefore, he saith, God tries, i.e. chastens, even righteous persons; yet still he loves them, and therefore will in due time deliver them. But as for the wicked, let not them rejoice in my trials, for far worse things are appointed for them; God hates them, and will severely punish them. Him that loveth violence; by which character he describes and brands his enemies, and aggravates their malice, because they chose and practised violence against him, not for any need which they had of it, (for David was a most peaceable and harmless man, and neither pretended nor endeavoured to do any more than to defend himself, and that, as far as was possible, without the offence or injury of any other man,) but merely from their love to injustice and violence, and their implacable hatred against goodness and good men. His soul hateth; he hateth with or from his soul, i.e. inwardly and ardently. (Poole, M. (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 2, pp. 16–17). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers.)
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Ver. 5. The Lord trieth the righteous, &c.] As gold is tried in the fire, by afflictive providences; hereby he tries their graces, their faith, and patience, their hope, and love, and fear; and, by so doing, expresses his love to them, since this is all for their good: and therefore, when he suffers the wicked to go great lengths in persecuting and distressing them, this should not weaken, their confidence in him; he still loves them, and loves when he rebukes and chastises them. But the wicked and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth; that is, such who live in a course of sin and wickedness, and who not only do injury to the persons, characters, and properties of men, but love it, and delight therein, and also take pleasure in them that do the same: these God has a continued and inward aversion to; sin and wickedness being the abominable thing his righteous soul hates: and he shews his hatred to them, by not chastising them now, as he does his own people, but reserving everlasting punishment for them hereafter; see Prov. 13:24. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 571). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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Verse 5.—“The Lord trieth the righteous.” Except our sins, there is not such plenty of anything in all the world as there is of troubles which come from sin, as one heavy messenger came to Job after another. Since we are not in paradise, but in the wilderness, we must look for one trouble after another. As a bear came to David after a lion, and a giant after a bear, and a king after a giant, and Philistines after a king, so, when believers have fought with poverty, they shall fight with envy; when they have fought with envy, they shall fight with infamy; when they have fought with infamy, they shall fight with sickness; they shall be like a labourer who is never out of work.—Henry Smith.
Verse 5.—“The Lord trieth the righteous.”—Times of affliction and persecution will distinguish the precious from the vile, it will difference the counterfeit professor from the true. Persecution is a Christian’s touchstone, it is a lapis lydius that will try what metal men are made of, whether they be silver or tin, gold or dross, wheat or chaff, shadow or substance, carnal or spiritual, sincere or hypocritical. Nothing speaks out more soundness and uprightness than a pursuing after holiness, even then when holiness is most afflicted, pursued, and persecuted in the world: to stand fast in fiery trials argues much integrity within.—Thomas Brooks.
Verse 5.—Note the singular opposition of the two sentences. God hates the wicked, and therefore in contrast he loves the righteous; but it is here said that he tries them: therefore it follows that to try and to love are with God the same thing.— (C. H. S. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 1-26 (Vol. 1, p. 138). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.)
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5. This is a verse of no small importance. Though the Lord is not dealing with his redeemed now under the covenant of grace, as he did with Adam in his original state of innocency, to see what improvement his poor fallen creature can make under ordinances or providences; yet is the Lord trying his people, by the graces he imparts to them in the various processes of afflictions and temptations. And this becomes truly profitable, when a child of God is enabled to gather from it more striking evidences of divine love, and more striking proofs of his own weakness and unworthiness. (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: Job–Psalms (Vol. 4, p. 195). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
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The reference to God’s “eyelids” is interesting. When we want to look at something very narrowly we narrow our eyelids, half closing our eyes. Far from being indifferent to what was happening to David, the Lord narrowed His eyes, taking a sharp look at it. He was using the situation at Saul’s court—just as He uses the situation in today’s world—to try both the sinner and the saint. God puts men in the crucible in order to make them reveal themselves either as dross or silver. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary (Vol. 1, Ps 11:4b–5). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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God gives a child to Hannah and Elkanah, after Hannah’s years of praying for a son.
INSIGHT The grief of being childless drives Hannah to God. In Him, she finds her only resource for consolation.
Even though children may cry when they are taken to a doctor by their parents, they still trust their parents in spite of fear and pain. Similarly we must still trust and cling to the Lord even though we do not understand why He does not deliver us from our pain. Just as children will someday understand about the doctor, we will someday understand about the pain. (Quiet Walk)
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Judging Error
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” (Romans 16:17-18)
In order to mark and avoid those professing Christian teachers and leaders who are promoting doctrinal heresy (thus causing divisions among Christian believers), it is obvious that we must exercise sound biblical discernment and judgment. This judgment must be based on “the doctrine which ye have learned” from God’s Word. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).
Such decisions are not to be based on supposed scholarship, tolerance, or eloquence, for such teachers “by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Instead, we must know and apply God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures. We must be like the Bereans, who, when they heard new teachings, “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).
It is sadly true today that many who call themselves Christians have compromised with the pseudo-scientific worldview of evolutionary humanism that controls all secular schools and colleges, hoping thereby to avoid the “offence of the cross” (Galatians 5:11) and to remain on good terms with “the princes of this world” and “the wisdom of this world” (1 Corinthians 2:6).
They do this for their own personal gain or prestige, however, not serving Christ “but their own belly” (Romans 16:18). Those who are simple Bible-believing Christians are, therefore, not to be deceived by their “good words” but to “mark” and avoid them. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Ephesians 4
Christians are to live in righteousness and holiness, worthy of their calling in Christ.
INSIGHT On the basis of who we are in Christ – redeemed, inheritors with Christ, adopted into God’s family, and destined to spend eternity with Him – we are to live a lifestyle that reflects our identity. We are no longer to live as we did before we knew the Lord – or as those who do not know Him. By putting on the “new man” we will preserve the unity of the Spirit and show the world that Christ is real. He makes a difference in the life that is dedicated to Him. (Quiet Walk)
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DELIVERED
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
1 John 3:5
When John says that “he was manifested to take away our sins,” he is not stopping at the guilt of our sins, for salvation goes beyond that. We are delivered from the guilt—this first thing is essential; but thank God, the process does not stop there. He delivers us also from the power and from the pollution of sin. His work is such that He takes away our sin in a more vital sense. We are growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord; we are increasingly being made to conform to the image of His Son. We are being delivered—we have been, we are, and we shall be ultimately. The glorification is coming when He will take away our sin altogether, so that we shall be blameless and faultless and spotless and perfect in His holy presence.
The hymn that tells us, “There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin” also tells us this: “He died that we might be forgiven”; yes, but “He died to make us good” is equally true. The apostle Paul, writing to Titus, says: “[He] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar [special] people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14).
So we must never separate sanctification from justification; we must never talk about a kind of series of separate blessings. It is all one—it all belongs together. And it is all a matter of this law that condemns us and from which Christ delivers us through the cross and by the gift of new life. He went to that cruel death on the cross not only so that you and I might have pardon. Thank God, that does come out of it, that is the first thing. But He did it really to separate, to put aside, a people for Himself as a special treasure and possession who, as Paul puts it, should be “zealous of good works,” who should live a holy life.
A Thought to Ponder
He delivers us from the power and from the pollution of sin
(From Children of God, pp. 56-57, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Heaven’s Commonwealth
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)
The translators of the King James Bible used the English word “conversation” in 18 passages, among which are five different Greek terms. Most of the words would be understood by our modern idea “manner of life” or behavior. However, in today’s verse, the word is politeuoma, derived from another Greek word, polites. Our English word “politics” comes from that, especially in the sense of citizenship as it relates to governmental oversight.
The apostle Paul is the only New Testament writer to use the “politics” word, and he does so only two other times. On one occasion, “all Jerusalem was in an uproar” (Acts 21:31) over Paul’s supposed violation of the temple. After giving testimony of his conversion and subsequent ministry to the unruly crowd, Paul said, “Men and brethren, I have lived [politeuomai] in all good conscience before God until this day” (Acts 23:1), simply and boldy declaring that he now lived as a citizen of heaven.
Earlier in his epistle to the Philippian church, Paul had challenged them, “Let your conversation [politeuoma] be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). Paul’s challenge is just as clear to us: Live and think like our citizenship is in heaven.
Heaven’s rule may be best understood by our English word “commonwealth,” a political community founded for the common good. We are “joint-heirs” with Christ (Romans 8:17), and we should look “for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
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