11/28/2020
Have we looked at those who sin repeatedly and watched them prosper, while never seeming to be punished or have any ill effect from it; not even a stumped toe? Then, do we watch as righteous men suffer mightily? How does this make us feel; are we tempted to question our faith, and God’s Word? Friends, God’s timing is not ours, and His plan complex. Judging our faith, or God’s Word, based on His punishment of determinably unfaithful sinners is wrong minded; look instead on the final outcome.
“Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him.”
Ecclesiastes 8:12 ESV
In a company where I was once employed there were two men who worked in the same department; one was a righteous Christian man who feared God, and whose heart was pure, while the other was not a man of faith, but a liar, who behaved deceitfully, and was always conniving. This reminds me of Jesus and the chief priests.
“Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.”
Matthew 27:11-12 ESV
I watched these two men over the years, and the ungodly man climbed the ladder of success with ease while the righteous man couldn’t seem to take a single step forward. Of the two I knew that the man of faith was more competent, and would be a better person to work for, but the lies, and conniving practices of the sinner always seemed to position him in the right place for advancement, and blinded his bosses to the reality of his lying, scheming, and cutthroat tactics. So the sinner advanced, while the man of faith was passed over, time and time again, and I listened as the others in that department said amongst themselves... “Where is his god?” Yet, although He suffered continuously, the righteous man never questioned God, and continued on expectantly... fearing God, and maintaining his hope in Christ. The saddest part of this story for me wasn’t that the godly man faced such corporate mistreatment, but that while he suffered those who looked on were inclined to question the validity of his faith, and the truth of God; even His Word. The righteous man was mocked, and laughed at just as Jesus was...
“Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.”
Matthew 27:27-31 ESV
When we judge a man’s faith, or weigh out our own belief based on how God is apparently treating us as compared to another then we are in fact judging God Himself. It is bad enough to judge a man as being physically right or wrong, but when we measure faith by our suffering, and God by whether he punishes as we deem appropriate, we are on dangerous ground.
““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1-2 ESV
God does not reason as we do, and his plan is far more complex than anything we are capable of understanding. We can see what is happening right now, but can’t know the beginning from the end. So we shouldn’t look at how God chooses to reward or punish, and think that we can determine it to be right or wrong.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
Jesus stood before Ciaphas and then was flogged, beaten, mocked, spat upon, jeered, stripped naked, nailed to a cross, and eventually killed, while Barabbas the convicted murderer was set free. To the simple minds of the onlookers this would challenge their belief that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. After all, his own disciples thought it was over when His body was entombed. None of them could see into the future or understand that Jesus would not only rise from the dead, but defeat sin, conquer death, and go on to sit at the right hand of God. It is the same when we suffer... we can’t see what God sees, or know his thoughts, so how can we possibly understand it when the modern day Barabbas figures seem to escape punishment while God’s faithful suffer?
Faith isn’t based on our ability to see, but on things we hope for... the unseen. When Christians suffer we don’t lose faith because this is our present, no, our faith is founded in our hope, and what lies ahead for us. We trust in what is to come beyond our grave, and on the other side of the cross that Jesus told us to pick up when He said “and follow me.” Are we ready to hold to that faith, and preach it to those who don’t know Christ, and see only Satan’s short lived victories in this world?
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
Hebrews 11:1-3 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the tiny seed of faith you gave us at birth which can move mountains, but thank you more for growing that faith into trees as we come to know you and Jesus more each day. Help us Lord to trust in you, your plan, and will for us, as we watch sinners prosper in this world, and Saints suffer unbearably. Give us unwavering confidence in your wisdom and goodness. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God whose judgement is always perfect, and whose timing, which might seem slow to us, is perfect as well. You are our loving God, and your mercy abounds even when we are set upon by the world. We have faith that the hardships of these few earthly days are nothing in comparison to the eternity of wonder, joy, peace, and amazement that lies ahead for us. Sometimes you rescue us immediately, and we praise you for those times. Occasionally you ask us to wait upon you for your redemption, and we praise you equally for those times too, but when we face death as Jesus did, and our reward comes in heaven, we will praise you all the more as we sing to you in the company of Angels, and worship you in the midst of the heavenly host. Hear our prayers as we suffer in this world, and answer them in accordance to your will. Hear our cries for forgiveness, and cover them with the contrition we carry in our hearts. We hold to our faith in your Son Jesus, and trust that by His blood we will be found pure, perfect, and acceptable in your eyes. Judge us worthy Father, and lead us home to dine with you forevermore.
Rich Forbes