Sermon Title: Passion of the Faithful Remnant – unbridled and unblinded
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Though the prevailing fact of the world is that ‘much remains uncertain’; we - who profess Christ - must be absolutely certain about the reality of God’s Grace through Christ and His Coming Kingdom.
Through total faith in Christ; and utter devotion to Him – we remain in God’s passionate love and desire for us to be His treasured possession - His Faithful Remnant; destined to inherit His Eternal Kingdom.
Believe in Jesus!
Overcome fear with faith in Christ; overcome dismay with devotion to Him!
Never lose hope in God’s Zeal to establish His Kingdom, and His Zeal in preparing a place in eternity for His faithful remnant! (Ref: Isaiah 9:7, John 14:2-3)
Never lose sight of God’s passion for you; for you belong to Him and are immensely precious to Him. Draw close to Him; get to know Him personally; build the deepest relationship with Him.
God is tirelessly devoted to the inbreaking of His Kingdom; and He is tirelessly devoted to accomplishing His eternal Government in preparing for each true believer of Jesus Christ - the destiny and destination in His eternal, glorious and perfect Kingdom.
Live in the Passion of God; remain full of hope that the Zeal of God will inbreak His Kingdom and establish every citizen of His Holy Nation.
Daily apply for citizenship in His Kingdom and in Christ, always be found in good standing to enter, and be part of the New Creation.
We must reciprocate Christ’s passion for us; and as such, we must consciously and necessarily manifest holy passion for the Holy God – a passion that is both unbridled and unblinded; informed wholly by the Word of God, and inspired solely by the Holy Spirit.
Never before in history has the world seen such devastating effects of fake news, and conflicting or false realities. This has resulted in unbridled, but blinded passions that have, in turn, led to brazen and destructive attempts to cancel constitutions, cancel cultures and cancel core beliefs and values of what has always been known to be beneficial for humanity.
Thus, when we speak of passion; it becomes imperative for Christians to firmly grasp the meaning and expression of our passion for Christ – the passion of the faithful remnant – that must be both unbridled and unblinded.
To this, our passion for Christ must be inspired – infinite, yet, informed.
Godly Passion begins with Repentance from wicked arrogance against God.
Malachi 3:13-15 reveals:
Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God
13 “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the Lord.
“Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’
14 “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God.
What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners (in the constant posture of repentance) before the Lord Almighty?
15 But now we call the arrogant blessed.
Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”
Passion for Christ is ignited only through repentance – specifically from the wickedness of doubting that God will deal with evil; for at the root of this doubt is the disbelief that God is Good, Righteous and Holy.
In this passage, we observe the mercy of God calling us to confession, repentance and salvation through contrition, remorse and sorrow - for our wickedness of ever thinking that the evil will escape God’s ultimate judgement.
Be very clear. There exists the fiery lake of burning sulfur where unbelievers will perish.
Never commit the sin of doubting that God will deal with all manner of evil; because the reality is that – in His Perfect Time - God will deal with every deed of every person.
Solomon wrote in recognition of this reality in Ecclesiastes 3:16-17:
16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”
It is God alone, who “will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked…”
There will come time when God will “judge every deed”; and to this reality we must be incorruptibly certain.
Nevertheless, as Christians, we must expect such doubts to continue to permeate the world.
If your God is a good God, how can He allow the world to contain so much evil?
Is He really in control?
How can God be in control when evil-doers prosper in their sins and the righteous suffer in their obedience unto Him; or are persecuted in their service to Him?
The Christian’s response to the problem of unpunished evil.
When we read our bibles, we would find every manner of injustice, wickedness, proclivity and depravity of the human condition.
The sins of today are the same as the sins of yesterday; and it will be the sins of tomorrow.
Our sins did not, and will not, get worse with time; it has always been bad.
Since the fall, the human condition has always been broken, sinful and fallen.
Solomon clearly recognized the injustices and transgressions that go seemingly unpunished.
As much as we hate this reality of evil and the perceived injustice of unresolved wrongs, we must trust God and know that in His time, He will make all things beautiful.
IN HIS TIME. Not ours; His.
In His infinite wisdom and divine sovereignty, God is dealing with humanity in this way – His Way. And perhaps most particularly, to allow His own children to face the very circumstances that come as the result of evil in the world.
Solomon was comforted by two divine realities that we must understand and apply in our thoughts, words and deeds regarding evil yet unpunished.
Firstly, God will judge, IN HIS TIME.
The timing of His judgment is in God's Perfect Plan.
Therefore, we must remember that nobody will get away with evil. Death – which is, the wages of sin - is an inescapable and existential reality (Ref: Romans 6:23)
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.” (Proverbs 23:17)
We cannot allow ourselves to forget that God is watching, and He WILL judge – nothing escapes Him, and no one will escape Him.
It is a process as ongoing as life itself, and in many cases, we are simply unaware of present, unseen penalties that the evil person may already be paying.
Secondly, human nature – in our wicked presumptuousness - naturally thinks that the way God handles situations is unfair.
These feelings of ‘unfairness’ – are the work of the demonic spirits of false righteousness and pride; and it infects the heart to believe that God is unfair - that “He is absent; He doesn’t care; or that I can do a better job than God”– all of which, really comes down to is this,
“I would be a better god than God.”
That is the sin of wicked, wicked, arrogance against God.
The insolence. How dare we?
This condition of indignation toward the perceived ‘unfairness’ of God is really a divine judgment on those who have chosen NOT to believe that they are sinners in utter need of God’s Salvation through Christ – and is the handiwork of the devil.
The Apostle Paul states clearly in Ephesians 2:1-4:
“1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts.
Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Understand this very, very clearly.
You are not God.
God is Omniscient (All knowing); you are not.
God is Omnipresent (All present); you are not.
God is Omnipotent (All powerful); you are not.
God’s view of the world infinitely transcends the world’s view of God.
His perception is divine and complete.
His timing and judgment is perfect – for He is entirely clear regarding what each person is going through.
He knows each of our circumstances completely; infinitely more than what we can see.
We simply have no ability to walk in another person’s shoes, nor can we know of what God is planning for them to experience.
Therefore, what we must be absolutely clear is that: apart from those in our faith family (Ref: John 13:34, Matthew 18:15-19), other people are none of our concern.
They are God's concern, and He will take care of things, and take care of them, in His time and in His way.
Never be wicked in believing that those who defy God are blessed; or that evildoers - those who subvert and corrupt God’s design of humanity, community and society – are prospering; that they would get away with their transgressions about Him.
Stop this wicked arrogance that doubt the Righteousness of God; Repent!
No one gets away with sin. Every person and every deed will be judged. This is an inescapable and inevitable eventuality.
The suggestion of which, is very dangerous; because the moment you think that someone is going to get away with arrogance, defiance and evil – the moment you think that someone is going to get away with sin:
(1) Your faith will falter and fail; as you begin to fall for the lie that Christ’s death on the Cross was unnecessary.
We are justified in God’s sight and have peace with Him - only through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; who died for us, shedding His blood for the atonement of our sins that we may be saved from God’s wrath, and through His life - reconcile us to our Father in Heaven! (Ref: Romans 5:1-2, 8-10)
(2) You will begin to think that you can get away with sin yourself.
No one gets away with sin. All who does not believe in Jesus will perish (Ref: John 3:16); “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
No one get away from the wages of sin, which is death. (Romans 6:23)
Receiving the gift of God, which is eternal life in Christ (Ref: Romans 6:23)
- is not us getting away with sin, but us recognizing in deepest gratitude that Christ paid the wages of our sin, and died in our place.
We do not get away with sin; nobody does.
And if you dare stick around long enough, you would realise that Christ took your sin upon Himself. 1 Peter 2:24 reveals, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
If you dare stick around long enough, you would see your sin on the body of Christ and be filled with the deepest sorrow and remorse for having sinned against Him; repent before Him and turn forever away from sin – for “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)
If you do stick around long enough to see your sins on the body of Jesus, you would be filled with contrition for your sins, and confess that Christ is your Lord and Saviour.
The Apostle Paul writes to this in 2 Timothy 2:19:
“Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
So remember, we did not get away with sin; nobody does - for Christ bore our sins in His body on the Cross; but for those who are willing to acknowledge that you are a sinner and utterly confess that Christ is your Saviour, you are saved from sin and death; and given eternal life through Christ.
To be saved, we must fully recognise that we are sinners in need of Christ, our Saviour.
For this reason, Christ declares:
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes (Pastor’s Notes: Believe – to recognise our sin; and to recognise our Saviour) may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:14-15)
Our passion for God must be firmly established in our faith in Christ - our resolute belief that Christ has saved us from sin’s wages – which is, death - and have justified us as ‘righteous’ in the sight of God.
And it is to those who wholly belong to God; to those who solely believe in the Lord Jesus Christ – whose passion for Christ reciprocates His Passion for them – unbridled, yet unblinded; will they become God’s Treasured Possession.
The Two Marks of God’s Treasured Possession – Those Truly Passionate about GOD
Malachi 3:16 further reveals:
“Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.”
The two marks of those who are truly passionate for God:
(1) Those who fear the Lord; and
(2) Those who “talked with each other” , who fellowship in the fear of the Lord, and in the knowledge that He listens and hears their every conversation.
What does that remind you of?
The Body of Christ; the Church.
To grow increasingly in the likeness of Christ is to grow in our reverence for God together; and to fellowship - to talk “with each other” about such things - the broken, fallen condition of the world, the questions that we have about the futility of serving God, the concerns of our hearts in “going about like mourners” – not with just anyone, but only with those who revere Christ as Lord. (Ref: Malachi 3:14-16)
If you want to know what the Church must look like; what the essence of the church truly is – this is it.
In the last book of the Old Testament; where will be followed with the 400 years of silence during the intertestamental period – between the prophetic ministry of Malachi to the prophetic ministry of John the Baptist; God revealed to us that the People belonging to Him must be marked by:
(1) A deep fear, reverence, love and deference for the Lord – a people who would say, “I much rather please God than please man; I much rather offend man than offend God”; and
(2) The intimate fellowship between believers – who talk with each other; teaching, edifying, praying for one another; committing, and entrusting our trials and tribulations to the Lord - in the face of this unjust and wicked world.
Church, this is important to understand and embrace.
God knows who we are – He remembers us. The Revelation of our names written in His Presence gives us the assurance that our lives are truly found in His Presence; that He is here with us; He listens and hears, and pays attention to us.
Are you willing to fulfill the conditions of becoming God’s Treasured Possession – His faithful remnant – (1) to fear God, to love and serve Him alone; and (2) to remain in close fellowship with members of His Body?
If the fear and love of God; along with the desire to remain an active part of the body of Christ are the inward marks of His Treasure Possession, the outward expression (manifestation) of these marks must be DISTINCTION in (1) Righteousness and (2) Serving God.
Malachi 3:17-18 – The Faithful Remnant
17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession.
I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.
18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
The Church of Jesus Christ must be distinguished from the world – set apart; consecrated – by our absolute commitment to God’s righteousness and to God’s service.
It must be.
For on the day of Judgment – on the day when God acts - He will set aside His Treasured Possession; His Faithful Remnant – and the criterion of His judgement is twofold:
1. Those who are righteous; and
2. Those who serve Him.
Therefore, you need to ask these questions of yourselves:
Are you righteous?
Are you serving God?
To be spared and saved, you must be absolutely certain if indeed you are both righteous, and serving God.
Let us look as some Scriptures that would help us frame our theology regarding being distinctively righteous, and distinctively serving God.
To be distinctively righteous is to strive only to gain Christ; and to live utterly through faith in Christ.
The Apostle Paul teaches us:
“16“…know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. …
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.””(Galatians 2:16, 20)
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.
I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” (Philippians 3:8-9)
Nothing must be of importance to the Christian … only Christ.
Our lives, our commitments, our vocation, and our calling must lead to the only outcome of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord, that we may gain Christ and be found only in Him.
It is impossible that we fulfill the requirements of the law because we are inherently and instinctively sinful.
Only on the basis of faith in Christ’s finished work on the Cross for the atonement of our sins may we be found righteous in the sight of God.
Know Christ deeply; and also, know deeply the basis of your faith in Christ.
Our only gain – what our lives must show for – must be the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our only endeavour – what we must work for – is to be crucified with Christ, to live by faith in Christ and be found in Him; that Christ may live in us.
And that is what it means to be distinctively righteous.
To distinctively serve God is to give yourself fully to the work of the Lord; by the Power of the Holy Spirit to:
(1) Pray for the work of the Lord;
(2) Participate in the building of His Church;
(3) Proclaim the Gospel.
“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:14)
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Let us be clear; Salvation through Christ must be followed with a life dedicated to “serve the living God!”
The world in darkness construes salvation as self-serving; but far from it - “for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
A life truly saved through Christ is a life truly devoted to serving the living God.
Just as you give yourself fully to the Salvation of the Lord; give yourself fully to the work of the Lord – for only such work are treasures stored up in heaven. (Matthew 6:20)
By the Power of the Holy Spirit,
(1) Pray for the work of the Lord (Ref: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2);
(2) Participate in the building of His Church (Ref: 1 Corinthians 14:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:11);
(3) Proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ! (Ref: Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8)
Live a life of distinction in righteousness and service unto the Lord!
Church, I charge you to start praying and working towards being the faithful remnant, the treasured possession of the Lord Most High.
To be inwardly marked by:
(1) A deep fear, reverence, love and deference for the Lord Jesus Christ; and
(2) A deep impulse for intimate fellowship within our church family;
And outwardly expressed in our utter commitment to be:
(1) Distinctively Righteous; and
(2) Distinctively Serving God.
2021 will be the year that we embark on the pathway to fulfill our destiny as God’s faithful remnant.
Today, be energized by the Holy Spirit to imbue within you a deep fear and reverence, love and deference for the Lord Jesus Christ; and a deep longing to forge a lifelong fellowship with members of our Church family.
Today, be edified by the Holy Spirit to deepen your faith in Christ - that you may be found distinctively Righteous in Christ alone; and be empowered by the Spirit to live a life of distinction in serving God – through prayer for the work of God; participation in building His Church – in building the people and the facilities of ministry; that we may fulfill our calling and destiny to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the land.
Believe utterly in Christ; utterly believe that you belong to Him.
Live in the Passion of God; and live passionately for God – from now till forevemore!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, grant me the resolve to reciprocate Christ’s passion for me; that I may consciously manifest holy passion for You, O Holy God.
I know and believe that I am a sinner; but I also know and believe that You, Lord Jesus, have saved me from death through Your death on the Cross and am assured of new and eternal life through Your Resurrection.
May my passion for You be inspired by the Holy Spirit – infinite, yet informed.
Forgive me of my wicked arrogance and insolence - for ever thinking that it is futile to serve and believe in You, and for thinking that the arrogant and evil-doer will get away with sin. (Ref: Malachi 3:13-15)
Thank You for Your Compassion, and for revealing the Truth of Your Divine Righteousness.
Holy Spirit, thank You for calling me to confession of Christ as my Saviour and Lord through contrition; for calling me to repentance through remorse for my transgressions against You; and for calling me to Salvation unto eternal life in Christ through godly sorrow for ever doubting You and the reality that You will judge every deed of every person, that evil will ever escape Your ultimate judgment.
I wait upon You; and wait upon Your Divine Time when You will act in judgement of the living and the dead – in distinguishing “between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” (Malachi 3:17-18)
Holy Spirit, help my faith – that I may be incorruptibly certain that God is Just, and that He will “judge every deed”, punish every evil and reward the righteous in Christ.
Lord Jesus, in spite of the evil and the perceived injustice of unresolved transgressions around me, I declare my trust in You, and utterly believe that You will make all things beautiful in Your time.
May my heart never envy sinners, but that I forever be solely “zealous for the fear of the Lord.” (Proverbs 23:17)
Set me apart, Lord Jesus, in Your Righteousness – that my life may be utterly devoted to serving the Almighty GOD!
May I daily “die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24) and always be found in the service of my King.
May I truly become Your Treasured Possession; Your Faithful Remnant; and part of Your Body – the Church.
Teach me to fear You, O God; and grant me the holy impulse to forge relationships in eternal fellowship with members of the church.
Help me to grow increasingly in Your likeness; by growing in reverence for God – to love and serve Him alone - and in close fellowship only with those who revere You as Lord and Saviour – that together, we would mutually edify, and entrust our lives, our trials and tribulations into Your Mighty Hands.
May the world clearly see Your church set apart and consecrated unto You – through Christ’s Righteousness in us; and through our absolute commitment to serving God alone!
May my life lead others to the saving knowledge of Christ.
Holy Spirit, grant me the courage, strength, resolve and wisdom to distinctly serve God in giving myself fully to His work; that by Your Power, (i) I would daily pray for the Lord’s Work in the church, (ii) I would daily participate in the building of Your church, and (iii) I would daily proclaim Your Gospel.
Lord God Almighty, in the constant posture of repentance, I await the day when You would act; and pray that I would be Your Treasured Possession, Your Faithful Remnant; distinctively righteous through Christ, and distinctively serving You all the days of my life.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Though the prevailing fact of the world is that ‘much remains uncertain’; we - who profess Christ - must be absolutely certain about the reality of God’s Grace through Christ and His Coming Kingdom.
Through total faith in Christ; and utter devotion to Him – we remain in God’s passionate love and desire for us to be His treasured possession - His Faithful Remnant; destined to inherit His Eternal Kingdom.
Believe in Jesus!
Overcome fear with faith in Christ; overcome dismay with devotion to Him!
Never lose hope in God’s Zeal to establish His Kingdom, and His Zeal in preparing a place in eternity for His faithful remnant! (Ref: Isaiah 9:7, John 14:2-3)
Never lose sight of God’s passion for you; for you belong to Him and are immensely precious to Him. Draw close to Him; get to know Him personally; build the deepest relationship with Him.
God is tirelessly devoted to the inbreaking of His Kingdom; and He is tirelessly devoted to accomplishing His eternal Government in preparing for each true believer of Jesus Christ - the destiny and destination in His eternal, glorious and perfect Kingdom.
Live in the Passion of God; remain full of hope that the Zeal of God will inbreak His Kingdom and establish every citizen of His Holy Nation.
Daily apply for citizenship in His Kingdom and in Christ, always be found in good standing to enter, and be part of the New Creation.
We must reciprocate Christ’s passion for us; and as such, we must consciously and necessarily manifest holy passion for the Holy God – a passion that is both unbridled and unblinded; informed wholly by the Word of God, and inspired solely by the Holy Spirit.
Never before in history has the world seen such devastating effects of fake news, and conflicting or false realities. This has resulted in unbridled, but blinded passions that have, in turn, led to brazen and destructive attempts to cancel constitutions, cancel cultures and cancel core beliefs and values of what has always been known to be beneficial for humanity.
Thus, when we speak of passion; it becomes imperative for Christians to firmly grasp the meaning and expression of our passion for Christ – the passion of the faithful remnant – that must be both unbridled and unblinded.
To this, our passion for Christ must be inspired – infinite, yet, informed.
Godly Passion begins with Repentance from wicked arrogance against God.
Malachi 3:13-15 reveals:
Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God
13 “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the Lord.
“Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’
14 “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God.
What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners (in the constant posture of repentance) before the Lord Almighty?
15 But now we call the arrogant blessed.
Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”
Passion for Christ is ignited only through repentance – specifically from the wickedness of doubting that God will deal with evil; for at the root of this doubt is the disbelief that God is Good, Righteous and Holy.
In this passage, we observe the mercy of God calling us to confession, repentance and salvation through contrition, remorse and sorrow - for our wickedness of ever thinking that the evil will escape God’s ultimate judgement.
Be very clear. There exists the fiery lake of burning sulfur where unbelievers will perish.
Never commit the sin of doubting that God will deal with all manner of evil; because the reality is that – in His Perfect Time - God will deal with every deed of every person.
Solomon wrote in recognition of this reality in Ecclesiastes 3:16-17:
16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.”
It is God alone, who “will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked…”
There will come time when God will “judge every deed”; and to this reality we must be incorruptibly certain.
Nevertheless, as Christians, we must expect such doubts to continue to permeate the world.
If your God is a good God, how can He allow the world to contain so much evil?
Is He really in control?
How can God be in control when evil-doers prosper in their sins and the righteous suffer in their obedience unto Him; or are persecuted in their service to Him?
The Christian’s response to the problem of unpunished evil.
When we read our bibles, we would find every manner of injustice, wickedness, proclivity and depravity of the human condition.
The sins of today are the same as the sins of yesterday; and it will be the sins of tomorrow.
Our sins did not, and will not, get worse with time; it has always been bad.
Since the fall, the human condition has always been broken, sinful and fallen.
Solomon clearly recognized the injustices and transgressions that go seemingly unpunished.
As much as we hate this reality of evil and the perceived injustice of unresolved wrongs, we must trust God and know that in His time, He will make all things beautiful.
IN HIS TIME. Not ours; His.
In His infinite wisdom and divine sovereignty, God is dealing with humanity in this way – His Way. And perhaps most particularly, to allow His own children to face the very circumstances that come as the result of evil in the world.
Solomon was comforted by two divine realities that we must understand and apply in our thoughts, words and deeds regarding evil yet unpunished.
Firstly, God will judge, IN HIS TIME.
The timing of His judgment is in God's Perfect Plan.
Therefore, we must remember that nobody will get away with evil. Death – which is, the wages of sin - is an inescapable and existential reality (Ref: Romans 6:23)
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.” (Proverbs 23:17)
We cannot allow ourselves to forget that God is watching, and He WILL judge – nothing escapes Him, and no one will escape Him.
It is a process as ongoing as life itself, and in many cases, we are simply unaware of present, unseen penalties that the evil person may already be paying.
Secondly, human nature – in our wicked presumptuousness - naturally thinks that the way God handles situations is unfair.
These feelings of ‘unfairness’ – are the work of the demonic spirits of false righteousness and pride; and it infects the heart to believe that God is unfair - that “He is absent; He doesn’t care; or that I can do a better job than God”– all of which, really comes down to is this,
“I would be a better god than God.”
That is the sin of wicked, wicked, arrogance against God.
The insolence. How dare we?
This condition of indignation toward the perceived ‘unfairness’ of God is really a divine judgment on those who have chosen NOT to believe that they are sinners in utter need of God’s Salvation through Christ – and is the handiwork of the devil.
The Apostle Paul states clearly in Ephesians 2:1-4:
“1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts.
Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Understand this very, very clearly.
You are not God.
God is Omniscient (All knowing); you are not.
God is Omnipresent (All present); you are not.
God is Omnipotent (All powerful); you are not.
God’s view of the world infinitely transcends the world’s view of God.
His perception is divine and complete.
His timing and judgment is perfect – for He is entirely clear regarding what each person is going through.
He knows each of our circumstances completely; infinitely more than what we can see.
We simply have no ability to walk in another person’s shoes, nor can we know of what God is planning for them to experience.
Therefore, what we must be absolutely clear is that: apart from those in our faith family (Ref: John 13:34, Matthew 18:15-19), other people are none of our concern.
They are God's concern, and He will take care of things, and take care of them, in His time and in His way.
Never be wicked in believing that those who defy God are blessed; or that evildoers - those who subvert and corrupt God’s design of humanity, community and society – are prospering; that they would get away with their transgressions about Him.
Stop this wicked arrogance that doubt the Righteousness of God; Repent!
No one gets away with sin. Every person and every deed will be judged. This is an inescapable and inevitable eventuality.
The suggestion of which, is very dangerous; because the moment you think that someone is going to get away with arrogance, defiance and evil – the moment you think that someone is going to get away with sin:
(1) Your faith will falter and fail; as you begin to fall for the lie that Christ’s death on the Cross was unnecessary.
We are justified in God’s sight and have peace with Him - only through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; who died for us, shedding His blood for the atonement of our sins that we may be saved from God’s wrath, and through His life - reconcile us to our Father in Heaven! (Ref: Romans 5:1-2, 8-10)
(2) You will begin to think that you can get away with sin yourself.
No one gets away with sin. All who does not believe in Jesus will perish (Ref: John 3:16); “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
No one get away from the wages of sin, which is death. (Romans 6:23)
Receiving the gift of God, which is eternal life in Christ (Ref: Romans 6:23)
- is not us getting away with sin, but us recognizing in deepest gratitude that Christ paid the wages of our sin, and died in our place.
We do not get away with sin; nobody does.
And if you dare stick around long enough, you would realise that Christ took your sin upon Himself. 1 Peter 2:24 reveals, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
If you dare stick around long enough, you would see your sin on the body of Christ and be filled with the deepest sorrow and remorse for having sinned against Him; repent before Him and turn forever away from sin – for “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)
If you do stick around long enough to see your sins on the body of Jesus, you would be filled with contrition for your sins, and confess that Christ is your Lord and Saviour.
The Apostle Paul writes to this in 2 Timothy 2:19:
“Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
So remember, we did not get away with sin; nobody does - for Christ bore our sins in His body on the Cross; but for those who are willing to acknowledge that you are a sinner and utterly confess that Christ is your Saviour, you are saved from sin and death; and given eternal life through Christ.
To be saved, we must fully recognise that we are sinners in need of Christ, our Saviour.
For this reason, Christ declares:
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes (Pastor’s Notes: Believe – to recognise our sin; and to recognise our Saviour) may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:14-15)
Our passion for God must be firmly established in our faith in Christ - our resolute belief that Christ has saved us from sin’s wages – which is, death - and have justified us as ‘righteous’ in the sight of God.
And it is to those who wholly belong to God; to those who solely believe in the Lord Jesus Christ – whose passion for Christ reciprocates His Passion for them – unbridled, yet unblinded; will they become God’s Treasured Possession.
The Two Marks of God’s Treasured Possession – Those Truly Passionate about GOD
Malachi 3:16 further reveals:
“Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.”
The two marks of those who are truly passionate for God:
(1) Those who fear the Lord; and
(2) Those who “talked with each other” , who fellowship in the fear of the Lord, and in the knowledge that He listens and hears their every conversation.
What does that remind you of?
The Body of Christ; the Church.
To grow increasingly in the likeness of Christ is to grow in our reverence for God together; and to fellowship - to talk “with each other” about such things - the broken, fallen condition of the world, the questions that we have about the futility of serving God, the concerns of our hearts in “going about like mourners” – not with just anyone, but only with those who revere Christ as Lord. (Ref: Malachi 3:14-16)
If you want to know what the Church must look like; what the essence of the church truly is – this is it.
In the last book of the Old Testament; where will be followed with the 400 years of silence during the intertestamental period – between the prophetic ministry of Malachi to the prophetic ministry of John the Baptist; God revealed to us that the People belonging to Him must be marked by:
(1) A deep fear, reverence, love and deference for the Lord – a people who would say, “I much rather please God than please man; I much rather offend man than offend God”; and
(2) The intimate fellowship between believers – who talk with each other; teaching, edifying, praying for one another; committing, and entrusting our trials and tribulations to the Lord - in the face of this unjust and wicked world.
Church, this is important to understand and embrace.
God knows who we are – He remembers us. The Revelation of our names written in His Presence gives us the assurance that our lives are truly found in His Presence; that He is here with us; He listens and hears, and pays attention to us.
Are you willing to fulfill the conditions of becoming God’s Treasured Possession – His faithful remnant – (1) to fear God, to love and serve Him alone; and (2) to remain in close fellowship with members of His Body?
If the fear and love of God; along with the desire to remain an active part of the body of Christ are the inward marks of His Treasure Possession, the outward expression (manifestation) of these marks must be DISTINCTION in (1) Righteousness and (2) Serving God.
Malachi 3:17-18 – The Faithful Remnant
17 “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession.
I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him.
18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
The Church of Jesus Christ must be distinguished from the world – set apart; consecrated – by our absolute commitment to God’s righteousness and to God’s service.
It must be.
For on the day of Judgment – on the day when God acts - He will set aside His Treasured Possession; His Faithful Remnant – and the criterion of His judgement is twofold:
1. Those who are righteous; and
2. Those who serve Him.
Therefore, you need to ask these questions of yourselves:
Are you righteous?
Are you serving God?
To be spared and saved, you must be absolutely certain if indeed you are both righteous, and serving God.
Let us look as some Scriptures that would help us frame our theology regarding being distinctively righteous, and distinctively serving God.
To be distinctively righteous is to strive only to gain Christ; and to live utterly through faith in Christ.
The Apostle Paul teaches us:
“16“…know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. …
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.””(Galatians 2:16, 20)
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.
I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” (Philippians 3:8-9)
Nothing must be of importance to the Christian … only Christ.
Our lives, our commitments, our vocation, and our calling must lead to the only outcome of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord, that we may gain Christ and be found only in Him.
It is impossible that we fulfill the requirements of the law because we are inherently and instinctively sinful.
Only on the basis of faith in Christ’s finished work on the Cross for the atonement of our sins may we be found righteous in the sight of God.
Know Christ deeply; and also, know deeply the basis of your faith in Christ.
Our only gain – what our lives must show for – must be the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our only endeavour – what we must work for – is to be crucified with Christ, to live by faith in Christ and be found in Him; that Christ may live in us.
And that is what it means to be distinctively righteous.
To distinctively serve God is to give yourself fully to the work of the Lord; by the Power of the Holy Spirit to:
(1) Pray for the work of the Lord;
(2) Participate in the building of His Church;
(3) Proclaim the Gospel.
“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:14)
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Let us be clear; Salvation through Christ must be followed with a life dedicated to “serve the living God!”
The world in darkness construes salvation as self-serving; but far from it - “for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
A life truly saved through Christ is a life truly devoted to serving the living God.
Just as you give yourself fully to the Salvation of the Lord; give yourself fully to the work of the Lord – for only such work are treasures stored up in heaven. (Matthew 6:20)
By the Power of the Holy Spirit,
(1) Pray for the work of the Lord (Ref: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2);
(2) Participate in the building of His Church (Ref: 1 Corinthians 14:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:11);
(3) Proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ! (Ref: Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8)
Live a life of distinction in righteousness and service unto the Lord!
Church, I charge you to start praying and working towards being the faithful remnant, the treasured possession of the Lord Most High.
To be inwardly marked by:
(1) A deep fear, reverence, love and deference for the Lord Jesus Christ; and
(2) A deep impulse for intimate fellowship within our church family;
And outwardly expressed in our utter commitment to be:
(1) Distinctively Righteous; and
(2) Distinctively Serving God.
2021 will be the year that we embark on the pathway to fulfill our destiny as God’s faithful remnant.
Today, be energized by the Holy Spirit to imbue within you a deep fear and reverence, love and deference for the Lord Jesus Christ; and a deep longing to forge a lifelong fellowship with members of our Church family.
Today, be edified by the Holy Spirit to deepen your faith in Christ - that you may be found distinctively Righteous in Christ alone; and be empowered by the Spirit to live a life of distinction in serving God – through prayer for the work of God; participation in building His Church – in building the people and the facilities of ministry; that we may fulfill our calling and destiny to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the land.
Believe utterly in Christ; utterly believe that you belong to Him.
Live in the Passion of God; and live passionately for God – from now till forevemore!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, grant me the resolve to reciprocate Christ’s passion for me; that I may consciously manifest holy passion for You, O Holy God.
I know and believe that I am a sinner; but I also know and believe that You, Lord Jesus, have saved me from death through Your death on the Cross and am assured of new and eternal life through Your Resurrection.
May my passion for You be inspired by the Holy Spirit – infinite, yet informed.
Forgive me of my wicked arrogance and insolence - for ever thinking that it is futile to serve and believe in You, and for thinking that the arrogant and evil-doer will get away with sin. (Ref: Malachi 3:13-15)
Thank You for Your Compassion, and for revealing the Truth of Your Divine Righteousness.
Holy Spirit, thank You for calling me to confession of Christ as my Saviour and Lord through contrition; for calling me to repentance through remorse for my transgressions against You; and for calling me to Salvation unto eternal life in Christ through godly sorrow for ever doubting You and the reality that You will judge every deed of every person, that evil will ever escape Your ultimate judgment.
I wait upon You; and wait upon Your Divine Time when You will act in judgement of the living and the dead – in distinguishing “between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” (Malachi 3:17-18)
Holy Spirit, help my faith – that I may be incorruptibly certain that God is Just, and that He will “judge every deed”, punish every evil and reward the righteous in Christ.
Lord Jesus, in spite of the evil and the perceived injustice of unresolved transgressions around me, I declare my trust in You, and utterly believe that You will make all things beautiful in Your time.
May my heart never envy sinners, but that I forever be solely “zealous for the fear of the Lord.” (Proverbs 23:17)
Set me apart, Lord Jesus, in Your Righteousness – that my life may be utterly devoted to serving the Almighty GOD!
May I daily “die to sins and live for righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24) and always be found in the service of my King.
May I truly become Your Treasured Possession; Your Faithful Remnant; and part of Your Body – the Church.
Teach me to fear You, O God; and grant me the holy impulse to forge relationships in eternal fellowship with members of the church.
Help me to grow increasingly in Your likeness; by growing in reverence for God – to love and serve Him alone - and in close fellowship only with those who revere You as Lord and Saviour – that together, we would mutually edify, and entrust our lives, our trials and tribulations into Your Mighty Hands.
May the world clearly see Your church set apart and consecrated unto You – through Christ’s Righteousness in us; and through our absolute commitment to serving God alone!
May my life lead others to the saving knowledge of Christ.
Holy Spirit, grant me the courage, strength, resolve and wisdom to distinctly serve God in giving myself fully to His work; that by Your Power, (i) I would daily pray for the Lord’s Work in the church, (ii) I would daily participate in the building of Your church, and (iii) I would daily proclaim Your Gospel.
Lord God Almighty, in the constant posture of repentance, I await the day when You would act; and pray that I would be Your Treasured Possession, Your Faithful Remnant; distinctively righteous through Christ, and distinctively serving You all the days of my life.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.