Godliness

"He is the standard."

THE RULERS in the temple continually questioned Jesus with one intent—to trip Him up. If they could make Him say the wrong thing, they could condemn Him. Something they would do unjustly anyway. They feared losing their power with Rome more than they feared God who they should have served. They feared not following the rituals of the Law more than they feared the presence of God they no longer recognized.

Many, many have fallen into this same state, worshiping wood and metal, gods of the imagination, or personal pleasures over truth and purity. Purity only comes from Jehovah. Moral standards, or I prefer to say, godliness, and truth only come from Him. He alone is righteous. This is a word simply meaning “right-standing” or “standing in the right place.” He is the standard that all of mankind must model themselves after. The devil tells them otherwise.

“For it was God’s pleasure to have his entire identity, character—the fullness of his essence—live in Christ” (Colossians 1:19, Remedy)

And they listen, tempted by likes and dislikes also from the devil. My pastor of many years used to say, “There isn’t a devil behind every bush. There are ten.” He was jesting, at least in part. But there is some truth to this because opportunities are given to us every day to take up things that aren’t God’s. Money becomes more important, sexual standards change the thinking, political power creates lust and damaging criticism. Justice, and we can say just principles, only come from the Father through the Spirit.

“And the heavens declare his justice: ‘God himself will be their judge, and he will judge them with righteousness!’ Pause in his presence” (Psalms 50:6 TPT)

Jesus was born into a society torn between long-held religious knowledge and a Gentile culture that disregarded it entirely. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes held to the Law but created power from it that ignored the plight of many. To them, anyone who spoke out, who drew crowds, was a danger. That this man, Jesus, healed the sick, and did so many miracles, especially on Sabbaths, was against all they were trying to hallow. But holiness also only came from their God they professed to worship, but did not.

The verse in Matthew 11:12 is greatly misunderstood and mistranslated. I have long wondered over it. What does it mean, “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force”? The Father is not violent. He has no need to be. He is peace (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The UDB translation gives the truth of the verse.

“From the time that John the Baptizer preached until now, some people have been trying to make God rule from heaven in their own way, and they have been using force for this purpose.” (Matthew 11:12 UDB)

Now, no translation is 100% correct. All of them, according to the Spirit, have some errors. This particular translation, though, sees what many cannot. The violence is done by men who are trying to force God to rule from their human point-of-view. Notice the time frame, as well. It was that Jesus spoke this in the time mentioned, from John the Baptizer until that moment, which must be understood. Because Jesus has done fully and completely all that He came to earth, born of Mary in a human body, to accomplish. He failed in not one portion of the Father’s work, giving even His mind and will to do 100%.

He has since been greatly rewarded and rejoices in all who come into His kingdom, for He is King of it, and King of all the kings of the earth. That is the meaning of “King of Kings,” as is often stated. But the standard of justice, handed to Him, has never altered from where it was set, even as far back as Genesis, and then through Abraham, and the Law itself. Where human-thinking alters it to fit selfish ideals, they have no understanding. This is always the reason for our frustrations. Always. Where we cannot see Jesus, where we cannot hear the Spirit, we insert our personal thinking and the devil’s deceptions (which God is never, NEVER, fooled by).

“Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:12)

Some laugh and shrug this off, but it is a serious thing and should bring us to prayer. We should hunger to pray for those deceived by modern thought and deviant behavior. We should obey the Spirit. He has the heart of everyone in His gaze. He hears all words, and all of our meditations, what we mull over, as the saying goes. He acts always in the best interest of the person, to draw them to Christ. He knows the earnest heart and knows those who, like the apostle Paul, are on the road to destruction unless He stops them in their tracks. And Paul went on to become a kind, gentle man who loved those He’d formerly professed to destroy.

Jesus ate with sinners and was chastised for it. He made the remark on Matthew 11:12 then followed it with, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).” There is no need for violence, He, in effect, said. Just lay down your burdens and all this you fight to obtain will come from a place of rest, from a place of truth.

“A just weight and balance are the LORD'S: all the weights of the bag are his work.” (Proverbs 16:11)

God’s truth is always just. He has no opinion in it, no emotions alter it, but He knows all areas of thought and every word spoken over it. Nothing is left out of His ears or His view. No man is condemned unjustly. As much as we don’t want to admit to this. And there is no vengeance in it. No revenge. That is a human thought, a demonic one. He doesn’t decide based on pride or arrogance. How could we say this and know our Savior’s life story? He chose to become human, something He knew would cause His physical death, and something that could never be taken back. He wouldn’t be Resurrected without His human body nor ever walk away from what flesh and blood had made Him.

He is perfected humanity, in body, in mind, and in spirit. He is God, and God is love (1 John 4:8). In His love, He seeks the unloved, unchanged in His love by what decisions they’ve made or what beliefs they’ve adopted. As far as He’d go to receive the prodigal, He will go to seek the lost. Who don’t know they are lost. And this is my point.

“And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:” (Luke 15:21-22)

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com