Hypocrisy on Facebook

It never occurred to me that I might one day find myself praying to God about Facebook.  But that day has come.  Actually it arrived last year some time, in the midst of the political campaigns for the presidency of the U.S.A.  I’ve long been a registered Republican, and had strongly disapproved of Barack Obama when he was elected the first time.  (In fact, I wrote several blogs here about him back then.)  As he was running for re-election, I didn’t see a suitable opponent.  I had initially thought Hillary Clinton would take his place, but then it became clear that the only real choice would be between Obama and Mitt Romney.

 

Of course there was no shortage of positive or negative rhetoric about either of the candidates running for President.  But I found myself with reservations about Mitt Romney.  No, it wasn’t his Mormon faith.  I actually have a lot of respect for many of the ideals and values espoused (and held to) by the Mormons.  Rather it was a sense that Mitt Romney might not be as sincere in his caring for all of the people.  Much as I hate to admit it, some of his remarks about people who are poor, handicapped, or even unemployed seemed strangely reminiscent of now-deceased billionaire Leona Helmsley who was quoted as having once said that, “Only the little people pay taxes.”

 

So I turned to Facebook to try and find worthwhile understanding other than my own.  From time to time, I would pose a question, usually about Mitt Romney.  Several times I tried to start a dialogue about the issues.  Does Mitt Romney really have a plan to bring our country’s deficit spending under control?  Do we really believe that reducing tax rates will result in increased tax revenue with which to pay for our government’s spending?  But time and time again, questions like this on Facebook would result in the exact same outcome.  The Obama-bashers would in outrage ask some stupid question like, “Would you like four more years of Obama destroying our country?”  Never once did they answer my question, mind you.  They would just try to “disarm” me with a condemning question --- resting on the assumption that I was an Obama supporter (which I am not).

 

It’s of course no secret that I’m a born-again Christian.  I spend my life with great concentration on the teachings of Jesus Christ.  I work hard to reconcile my sinful nature and selfish desires to the godly standards of the Old and New Testament.  And as you might imagine, a great percentage of my friends and even my acquaintances are also Christians.  At least that’s what they would have you believe.  Frankly, the bullying and hateful disrespect that some of them displayed (on Facebook) had me wondering if they could really be following the same Christ that I do. 

 

At times I would try to point out the hypocrisy that seemed apparent to me.  I would try to re-engage them back on the original topic at hand.  After all, I really did want to discuss the issues.  But I had no interest in demonizing either candidate.  Ultimately, I failed in those endeavors.  My so-called Christian “friends” prevailed in their desire to hold on to their hatred and disrespect, demonizing Obama and trying to bully me for not joining them.  Eventually, I began to “unfriend” them on Facebook.  That didn’t stop some of them, so I had to go back and actually block them from even seeing my wall or communicating with me.  This was quite sad for me.  I’ve known some of them for nearly 20 years.  I also had thought of them as godly men.  (I don’t any more.)

 

There is plenty of Scripture in the Bible that tells Christians how we are to regard our government and its leaders.  Romans 13:1-7 says that, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. …. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the (governmental) authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

 

Did you catch that last part?  If you owe respect … then give respect.  If you owe honor … then give honor.  They are no less important than paying the taxes that you owe.  This passage makes it abundantly clear that we are to obey the government God places over us. We are to obey the government in everything—paying taxes, obeying rules and laws, and showing respect. If we do not, we are ultimately showing disrespect towards God, for He is the One who placed that government over us.

 

When the apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Romans, he was under the authority of the Roman government during the reign of Nero, who is notorious for – among other things – being quite possibly the most evil of all the Roman emperors. Nevertheless Paul still recognized the Roman government’s rule over him. Do we dare do any less today? 

 

Recently I had to “unfriend” an old classmate from high school.  I had reconnected with her not long ago, and thought it would be fun to catch up.  That didn’t turn out to be the case.  While professing to be a Christ follower, and quoting Scripture regularly, she also refers to our (now re-elected) President Obama as “the antichrist” (sic).  When I tried to point out the error of her thinking, she reacted the same way those other Facebook friends had reacted last fall.  I got a severe tongue lashing for refusing to join or support her demonizing of Obama.  I cautiously tried to discuss the issue with her, but was quickly attacked by her adult children as well.  Finally I retreated, apologized for offending her, encouraged her to review her position with her pastor, and, of course, “unfriended” and blocked her. 

 

Sadly, my self-proclaimed Christian Facebook friends don’t appear to be familiar with the context of what Paul said to the Romans.  Even if Obama were the “antichrist,” the command for Christians would not change.  Obama may have been elected by the American people, but he got his position and his authority from God.  Therefore, it is necessary to submit to him not only because of the law, but also, as Romans 13 tells us, because of conscience.  You see, we honor God when we give respect to those in authority over us – whether that is at work, at church, in government or anywhere else. 

 

One of the things we mistakenly conclude is that if we don’t agree with someone then we don’t have to submit to them.  We may think that they “don’t deserve” our respect (as if anyone could).  I’ve heard people say that the politician whom they think is vile “hasn’t earned” our respect.  But who has earned our respect?  After all, each of us is so terribly flawed and bent toward sin and evil that we required the salvation of a Messiah.  It’s good to remember that when looking at those in authority over us (and others) whom we don’t agree with. 

You see, I don’t have to agree with you, support your policies, or even like you in order to submit to you, show respect for you, obey you, and even love you.  Love is patient and kind, it always forgives, it never gives up, it is never harsh, and all those other things that 1 Corinthians 13 teaches us. 

So, here’s the question:  Have you loved your politician (insert name here) today?  I started out saying that I never imagined I'd be praying to God about Facebook.  But as I've encountered this conflict and nasty business on Facebook, I've found myself bewildered by so-called Christians who were behaving so heinously that I didn't know how to react.  So I've found myself praying, asking God to show me how to respond to someone.  Fortunately, He's been willing to guide me.  In some cases, I've been able to re-focus the conversation in a more righteous direction.  In other cases, I've been led to "shake the dust off my feet" and move on. 

I have to say that in those cases, it gives me no pleasure to "unfriend" someone on Facebook.  For I realize that they are lost in their hypocrisy and have a reckoning day coming that will surely be ugly.  Because I love them, I don't want to see that in their future.  I wonder if anyone ever sees my hypocrisy so clearly.  And I wonder if they do, would they love me enough to try to call me out on it.

Marriage Wisdom

I write this other blog (http://www.dearvictorious.blogspot.com/) where people write me with questions. On the whole, I've been pleased to see that the questions vary widely in nature and run a complete gamut of topics. If there has been any real concentration, I'd have to say it tends to be about sex and marriage. It seems people have a lot of questions about that.

Preachers often preach about marriage in such virtuous tones. The typical sermon fodder will be about husbands loving their wives "as Christ loved the church" and even as they love their own bodies (Ephesians 5:25-33). A typical marriage sermon will also touch on wives submitting to their husbands "as they would to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22-24).

To be perfectly honest, I don't find either of these metaphors particularly useful in our modern culture. Let's face it, not a lot of men (or women) are intimately familiar with how Christ loves the church. And similarly, not a lot of women (or men) are intimately familiar with how we are to submit ourselves to the Lord. Why would that be? How could we be ignorant of such fundamental concepts?

Let's face it, most of us haven't had good role models. When the televangelist or youth pastor "leads us to Christ," he or she never, ever makes sure we grasp the concepts of sacrificial love and submission. Yet both are absolutely fundamental to both the Christian faith and godly marriages.

The same is true for marriage ceremonies. While traditional marriage vows have tended to include the wife "obeying" the husband - many modern marriage ceremonies conveniently edit that part out or gloss over it as they go. Have you ever watched that tawdry (American) TV show, "Bridezilla?" It shows brides-to-be acting like the most ungodly, selfish, uncaring, manipulative and controlling witches ever. Can you imagine that persona submitting and obeying anyone?

I can just imagine a marriage ceremony. "Do you, prospective husband, promise, commit and vow in front of God and man to love your wife sacrificially ... even to death if necessary?" "Do you, prospective wife, promise, commit and vow in front of God and mankind to love your husband, submitting to and obeying him in all things as you would to the Lord?"

If I were preaching that wedding, I'd probably want to add in some further questioning. "Do you, prospective husband, know what sacrificial love is? Have you really evaluated it and do you really know what you're committing to here?" "Do you, prospective wife, have any idea what submission and obedience really look like? Are you fully aware of the dynamics of such behaviors on your part?" "Have either one of you ever loved anyone sacrificially or submitted to and obeyed someone unconditionally?"

So what's my point here? The point is that most couples enter and live in marriages without fully understanding, much less acknowledging, the requirements of a godly marriage. I've done a far bit of marriage counseling in my day. And I am always dismayed with the couples who start off a counseling session by telling how their marriage doesn't work. Or they'll talk about the lack of credentials of their spouse.

There's never comprehension of these two fundamental marriage dynamics - given to us straight from God's Word. Why would that be? Is it that churches don't teach it? Is it that Christians don't model it?

Sexuality is another important topic, both inside and outside of marriage. Both married and single people want to talk about it. For most, it is an area of extreme pain and frustration - for a whole host of reasons. Here again, the contemporary church has Scripture references that are heavily leaned upon. They start with the exclusivity of our sexuality (Matthew 19:3-6, Genesis 1:27 & 2:24).

Some preachers will boldly march forth into the book of Solomon (aka the Song of Solomon). Here we find graphic references to sexuality that might otherwise be found in modern pornographic material. But the pastors cling to it as evidence that God intends for us to be sexy. They'll explain that God appreciates the value of a good "romp in the hay." But I'm not sure that's the right context to be speaking from -- or the right vision to be casting.

King Solomon, who wrote this graphically sexy book, was a noteworthy leader. The son of King David (whom God referred to as "a man after my own heart"), Solomon went on to build the temple. He also was astute enough to ask God for wisdom above all else ... and of course became very wise indeed. God's Word tells us he was the "wisest man who ever lived" (2 Chronicles 1:11-12). Indeed, Solomon wrote many Proverbs, among other things. His writings are testament to his rich wisdom.

But is wisdom the right place to go for the model of sensuality? Solomon may have been a wise man, but he was certainly not the most virtuous. While the Bible recounts many of his accomplishments, it also records his failures. Ultimately his sin - including the sin of idolatry and turning away from God - led to the ruination of his kingdom. So it would seem that the wisest man who ever lived was also one of the more sinful men the world has ever known. Did you know that?

Sexuality, upon close examination, was definitely one of the weakest aspects of Solomon's character. So while the Song of Solomon records in great detail the sensuality of his sexuality ... it tends to leave out some pretty relevant details. Take for example, the fact that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. By his own account then, Solomon had at least 1,000 sexual partners in his lifetime. How many have you had?

Oddly enough, Solomon, for all his wisdom, failed to put many boundaries on his sexual cavorting. Simply put, his wives and concubines included a substantial number of women of ill repute. Some of Solomon's sex partners (or wives) were actually heathens who neither shared his values or acknowledge his God. A case could be made, based on Scriptural accounts, that some of these women actually led Solomon away from God. Said differently, they enticed him to sin.

So the point here is that Solomon may have had wisdom beyond his years or even beyond his humanness (i.e., divine wisdom). But what he had in wisdom probably rivaled what he lacked in virtue. He was not a good and decent man. It is therefore ironic that modern-day preachers would turn to the Song of Solomon for model of sensuality in the context of God-honoring relationships.

So if the world wants to know more about marriage and sexuality, and Ephesians or Solomon aren't the models --- where do Christians go for effective teaching? Oh, I'm so glad you asked! For starters, they go beyond the obvious. Christians begin to look at marriage and sexuality through the perspective of Jesus Christ.

If Jesus had married, what kind of sex life do you suppose He would have had? Seriously. We purchase those "WWJD?" (What Would Jesus Do) bumper stickers for our cars. What would Jesus do ... in the bedroom? Isn't that really the question we all want to have answered? Isn't it the question we all should really be asking?

For starters, let's look at what Jesus called the two most important Commandments (Matthew 22:37-40). They form the basis for the most important dynamics in a God-honoring marriage.

He said we are to love God above all else. Did you catch that part? How many of our culture's love songs put God first? Yet God says He is to come first. That's before infatuation. That's before hearts that flutter when our mate walks into the room.

And He said we are to love others as we would like to be loved ourselves. Think about that. How would you like to be loved? If you look fat in that outfit, wouldn't you want to know it? Would you feel special if others made sacrifices to express their love for you? Do you like to be on the winning end of compromises?

So just this one Scripture reference gives us bold context for a successful marriage. That context is that I have to come third in this marriage. God comes first. Then my spouse. Then me. Notice the children and the in-laws aren't in this pecking order (yet).

Often Christian counselors will draw a marriage "triangle," which depicts the husband and wife in the bottom corners, and God as the pinnacle or top corner of the triangle. They'll tell you that's what successful marriages look like. I think they're right too. It's been my own experience (by virtue of my own marriage), by working with other married couples, and being a student of marriage, that this so-called relationship "triangle" is not only true, but it's effective.

Over the years, I've developed a list of Marriage Truths that I believe bear repeating here.

1. Your marriage will never truly work unless God is first in each of our respective lives. No exceptions.

2. Marriage requires an extraordinary amount of compromise. You'll find the level and depth of compromise to be more complex than any you've ever experienced in the past.

3. Partners in successful marriages make extreme sacrifices, not only for the good of the marriage ... but for the best of the their spouse.

4. Uncompromising loyalty is always required in a marriage. It means there is always the preference in favor of your spouse, no matter who the competition is.

5. God's amazing grace must be modeled in your marriage. This means that you intend to forgive everything --- before you even know whether or not your partner is sorry or whether they are at fault. You always lead with forgiveness.

6. If you have a successful marriage, you will at times find yourself in situations that seem to smack of persecution. And like Christ did when He was persecuted, you must not try to defend yourself. Rather trust God to lead you through the persecution.

7. Marriages are often like sailing ships, with storms to go through, shallow waters to go through, deep waters to cross, etc. But they don't have the option to stop and get off the ocean. Rather they must keep on sailing, no matter what.

8. Your marriage will inevitably bring you to a "crisis of belief." Your beliefs about God, yourself, your spouse and your marriage will all be heavily tested. And only the strongest survive.

9. Selfishness and self-centeredness must be executed if the marriage is going to work and honor God. Unfortunately they are where most marriages start. People tend to consider their marriage prospects in terms of what's in it for them. That thinking error will need to get corrected before the marriage can thrive. When you get to the place where you can commit to the marriage and remain committed without thought of what's in it for you --- then you know you're ready for marriage.

10. Most of the world's wisdom on marriage is useless. Only God can define successful relationships of any kind. So successfully married people learn to stop listening to the wrong voices and to focus on listening to the right voices.

To conclude, I'd like you to forget what you heard at the last wedding you attended or read on the last greeting card you bought. Those are not marriage wisdom. I'd like you to turn past King Solomon and the Apostle Paul for your marriage advice. Instead, take a serious look at Christ. And ask yourself, "What would Jesus do?" For therein lies the secret to a successful marriage and a fulfilling dimension of sexuality in your marriage.

On Submission

One of the greatest lessons I've ever had to learn as a Christian has been the art of submission. Yes, I know it's not a popular term. In fact, in the culture where I live (U.S.A.) it's considered pretty nasty. It just isn't done. In fact, people will flee it at all costs. But the Bible is replete with very clear instructions that God's people are to be submitted.

God calls His people to submit to Him first and foremost. His ways are to be obeyed and followed acutely. He calls His people to submit to the spiritual authorities that He places over us (in churches). God calls His people to submit to the political authorities that He places over us (in government). And of course God calls His people to submit to the workplace authorities that He places over us (bosses).

This would seem to be quite enough submitting for God's people to do. But it doesn't end there. God calls husbands and wives to submit themselves to each other. He calls children to submit to their parents. He even calls sinners to submit themselves to other sinners as they confess their sins to each other (James 5:16).

I got into an argument in my church one time, with another staff member at the church. A deeply spiritual man, possessing considerably more spiritual maturity and religious experience than I, he ultimately told me that I "had a lot to learn about submission." At the time, those words hurt me deeply. I was offended by what he said. Ironically, I knew he was right. It was true. I did have a lot to learn about submission. It wasn't anything I'd ever done well.

Even as a child, I didn't submit well to my parents, teachers or others in authority over me. I manipulated well instead. I would scheme and connive to convince them that I was submitted ... all the while going about doing things my way. It never looked like outright defiance. (I was too good of a manipulator to allow it to look that obvious!) But this of course, is still far from submission.

Dictionary.com defines submission pretty blandly. In fact, its definitions leave quite a bit to the imagination if you ask me. But they do offer some word history that I find helpful.

Word Origin & History: submission
early 15c., "act of referring to a third party for judgment or decision," from O.Fr. submission , from L. submissionem (nom. submissio ) "a lowering, sinking, yielding," from submissus , pp. of submittere "lower, reduce, yield" (see submit). Sense of "humble obedience" is first recorded mid-15c. Mod.Fr. submission has been replaced by doublet soumission .
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Notice this act of yielding or deferring to a third party for the decision. It is allowing someone else to have their way with me. As defined for Christians, that would be allowing God, spiritual leaders in my church, government authorities, bosses at work, teachers at school, my spouse, and others to literally have their way with me. It sounds absolutely crazy when you put it like that. But I'm coming to understand that it is precisely like that. Anything less than that is simply not submission.

A few years ago, my wife and I felt led to join a different church. We had visited it several years earlier and it seemed innocuous enough. But this time when we showed up at the Sunday morning service, God spoke to me. Specifically, I was listening to the Sr. Pastor on the stage and God said, "Submit yourself to this man." That was it, the end of the discussion. I knew it was God speaking. And I knew it was His final word. I had no questions and I had no arguments.

Now for a guy who'd never excelled at submission, I also knew it was no small task what God was asking me to do. In the subsequent years, I've discovered that submission can be costly. It can be inconvenient. It can go against what I think is best. And it can require cooperation, compromise, sacrifice or other such things that modern day Americans don't take kindly to. Nevertheless, that's what God had said, "Submit yourself to this man."

It's a few years later now. Sometimes I wonder how I'm doing. Am I submitted to my pastor? Is God pleased with the level of submission that I have managed to accomplish over the years. Would my friend from the old days still tell me that I "have a lot to learn about submission?" Perhaps I do have a lot to learn. But to be clear, I have learned a considerable amount already!

I've come to a very clear understanding that being in a right relationship with God is not possible without a strong measure of submission. Similarly, I've come to a very clear understanding that having God-honoring, reconciled relationships with other people is not possible without significant submission on my part. Mind you, I'm probably not any more of a fan of submission with this knowledge. But I certainly recognize and concede its paramount value.

The thing that makes me wonder though, is why submission seems to be such a lost art. We Christians, we don't to it well. It doesn't seem that most of us really want to submit. It also doesn't seem that most of us know how much we need to submit. And even if we did, how many of us really know how to submit? Can't you just see it now, a church offering a new class on submission? I bet not too many people would be chomping at the bit to sign up for that one!

If I had one prayer for Christianity today, one wish for modern day Christians, I think it would have to be that each of us get a deep revelation from God about this whole concept of submission. Shift our paradigms about it. Teach us the art of it. Let all of us earn a black belt in submission. Perhaps then, we could truly be God's people - and He would truly be our God.

Submission Continued

So by now you've had a couple of days to ponder the fact that true love for Christ always results in obedience to Him. A loving heart is a submitted heart. Now let's talk about why it is that so many people think they love Jesus but don't back up that love with obedience to Him.

Consider if Jesus were here in the flesh and you could physically see Him, touch Him, even smell Him and audibly hear Him.

Let's say you go to Wal-Mart. As you walk through the aisles, pushing your shopping cart, Jesus is walking alongside you. When you pick something up, maybe an R-rated DVD, Jesus says, "No, I don't want you or your family watching that. Please put it back." You would do it.

Perhaps you have trouble with anger and frustration. Something (or someone) just sets you off and you let fly with some language your mother wouldn't approve of. Neither does Jesus. He pulls you aside and says, "Look, I don't want you talking like that. In fact, you can't belong to me and keep acting like that. Get it together. In fact, go apologize for what you've just said."

"But Jesus," you exclaim, "did you see what she did to me? She totally deserved to be told off!" Jesus reply? "Yes, I saw. Go apologize. Now." And you would do it. You would go apologize. When you finished, Jesus would say, "I'm proud of you. But don't do that again." And you wouldn't!

So what's the point here? The point is that our proximity to Jesus totally inhibits our sinful behavior. The closer one is to Jesus, the more likely we are to obey Him - to live life on His terms. But the further we are from Jesus, the less likely He will be able to influence our sinful choices.

Any good preacher or pastor will tell you that the solution for sinful behavior is closeness to Christ. And he (or she) would be right. That is the solution. As one moves closer to Christ, obedience becomes a natural thing. Submission feels good and right. It fits like a glove.

So when someone tells me they struggle to obey Jesus - or I see them living a disobedient life - not submitted to Christ ... then I know the problem. They aren't close enough to Jesus. He is too far away from them. His presence is to abstract to feel real.

Want to be fully submitted to Jesus Christ? Be in close proximity to Jesus Christ. You'll find that obedience is no longer a struggle!

Submission

There is something about the Christian life that seems to escape modern American culture. I'm talking about the art of submission.

It's an obedience thing, that seems to fly in the face of how Americans (and maybe most westerners) are taught to think. Our perspective just cannot seem to embrace submission. And yet it is required.

Most dictionaries will define submission in terms of yielding oneself to another. In other words, when I defer my will in favor of your will - I am submitting myself to you. The Bible has much to say about submission.

Ephesians 5:21 tells us, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." What does this really mean? It doesn't say to consider ourselves inferior to one another, or to enslave one another. It simply says, "Because you love and respect Christ, you will yield your own will in favor of the will of another." It kind of shoots the "me first" attitude down right from the start. It would seem to promote unity in the family, the body, etc. (Consider, for example, whether your kids could argue over which TV station to watch ... if they were practicing Ephesians 5:21.)

And this is a commandment. It's not a suggestion. Jesus taught what God had already instituted --- that His people are to be submitted fully to God. Look at the Old Testament stories where God took drastic action to make His point about the importance of obedience.

Remember when the city of Sodom was destroyed? Lot and his wife were leaving, and God forbid them to look back. Nevertheless, as they were driving away, Lot's wife turned to look out the back window. Now God could have overlooked this. It was just a simple act of disobedience, and really didn't hurt anyone. Heck, maybe even Lot didn't notice. But God noticed.

Lot's wife was not fully submitted to God. She did not yield her will - or her curiosity - to the will of God. So He enforced the clear boundary he had drawn for them. Her earthly life was snuffed out immediately. Mrs. Lot may have thought she was submitted to the Lord. Others might have agreed. Certainly the reason she was driving away from Sodom in the first place was that God found she and her husband to be righteous. But as it turns out, her submission was incomplete. And the consequences were disastrous for both she and her husband. He now had a pillar of salt for a wife!

So here is the dilemma of submission. Our American culture, as well as many other western cultures, doesn't take kindly to it. We tend to view submission as a bad thing, something to be avoided. We self-righteously assert our "rights" and our independence. We simply don't want anyone telling us what to do. And we believe firmly in the inalienable right to pursue life, liberty and happiness on our terms. Folks, that may be constitutional --- but it definitely is not Biblical.

In order to please God, and qualify as obedient servants of Christ, we are going to have to become slaves of Christ. You and I must accomplish a vast paradigm shift, where we see submission and surrender as virtues to be aspired to. That of course will require that we stop seeing them as points of failure to be avoided at all costs.

Jesus said, in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will obey me." It's pretty succinct. It's pretty clear what He meant. So do you think you love Jesus? How is your obedience? Jesus didn't say, "If you love me, I'd like you to consider sometimes obeying me." Jesus didn't say, "Obedience is a great sign of respect when you love me." What Jesus said is that our true love for Him will be evidenced by our level of obedience and submission to Him and His ways.

Ponder that and I'll blog some more on this topic later.

God's Wrath

I have long been an advocate of reading the Old Testament in order to grasp a bit of God's true nature and character. The New Testament is wonderful of course. But it has an intercessor ... someone who stands between us and God. Jesus Christ acts as a buffer between us and God's true nature and character. Quite honestly, without Jesus we would not be able to stand. God's wrath would wipe us out!

No doubt the so-called Christians who like to think of God as the sappy grandpa in the rocking chair on the porch will be angry with me today. Nobody likes to think of God in any way other than totally benevolent, full of mercy and grace. He is of course totally benevolent, full of mercy and grace. But that is only part of who God is. To truly comprehend the scope of God's character and nature, we need to look at the facts. We need to see Him without the buffer of Jesus interceding on our behalf.

There is a short book in the Old Testament, Nahum. Many of us know the story of Jonah and the whale. God told Jonah to go to the prosperous, but wicked city of Nineveh and call the people to repentance. Jonah hated those people and didn't want to do it. So he ran from God, who had him swallowed by a whale until Jonah relented and agreed to go. When Jonah went to Nineveh, the people repented - and Jonah got mad at God for forgiving them.

Fast forward several years later - and find Nineveh again a prosperous, but wicked city. God has had about enough of their shenanigans, and calls Nahum to rebuke them. Perhaps Nahum was smarter than Jonah ... he did what God asked. God spoke through Nahum to the people of Nineveh. Let's take a look.

Nahum 1:2 says, "The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and maintains His wrath against His enemies."

Now whom do you suppose this is talking about? Who are the Lord's enemies? Are you thinking it is Satan and his demons (the fallen angels)? That would be correct. But it is not the universe of God's enemies. God's enemies are anyone who doesn't obey Him. Did you know that? And God maintains His wrath against His enemies. Let us not forget that little detail here.

Nahum 1:3 continues, "... the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished." Who are the guilty?The prophet Nahum was speaking specifically to the citizens of Nineveh. But the entire Bible is God's word to us. So any time you see anyone addressing anyone in the Bible, just insert yourself there - because it is God speaking to you (and me). These words about God's wrath? They're for you and me. They're for now. The only reason the New Testament doesn't speak to us this way is that Jesus is interceding with God on our behalf. (That of course assumes that we're submitted to and obeying Jesus!)

Now let us look for a moment at God's wrath. What is God's wrath like? Some of the more radical preachers said that God's wrath was unleashed when the hurricane dubbed Katrina hit the U.S. a few years ago. They pointed to the evil and wickedness of New Orleans. Surely it was a sinful city and was the recipient of God's wrath. We wrote those preachers off as radicals. Look at what God said to Nineveh though.

In Nahum 1:14, "... You will have no descendants to bear your name. ... I will prepare your grave, for you are vile." God actually did such a number on Nineveh that the remains of the city weren't found until the 1800's. He literally wiped out the city and all its people - in His wrath - for their wickedness. There was no federal government, no FEMA to rebuild Nineveh.

Now I'm not saying God wants to destroy New Orleans. That's not what this blog is about. But as I investigate the nature and character of God, as it is revealed in the Old Testament, I find sobering evidence.

God's enemies are defined as you and me - people who disobey Him. The fact that we've repented and call ourselves God's people doesn't resolve it either. Remember, the people of Nineveh had repented (with Jonah's work) and became God's people. But they backslid so much, became such hypocrites and were so inherently evil that there was no way back. So God's wrath was unleashed to obliterate the evil. And His wrath was sobering.

Another sobering point in this story of Nineveh, from the books of Jonah and Nahum, is the fact that humans seem to be capable of "reaching a point of no return." In other words, it appears that we can glory in God's mercy and grace only for so long. Then if our obedience and submission to His ways isn't there, the judgment must come. Can someone who believes in God get beyond the point of repentance? Apparently so. Can I get beyond such a point? How would I know it?

I think there are some simple conclusions here.

1. First, enemies of God are defined as those who don't obey Him.
2. Second, God's wrath is unleashed on His enemies in order to destroy the evil that makes them so vile.
3. Third, God's wrath is formidable; the destruction He brings about is complete. (I doubt FEMA could fix it!)
4. Fourth, it is possible for even believers and self-professed Christians to put themselves in a state of modern-day Nineveh.

Now, what do you suppose God would have us do with such revelations in 2009?