Righteously Correct

In a mature individual, boldness, assertiveness and leadership are necessary tools of love. I John says there is 'no fear in love' and 'perfect love casts out fear'. Perfect love comes from God, along with power and  a sound mind (II Timothy 1.7). As a person matures in life, power, love and a sound mind are essential to a happy, peaceful, joyful life.

There are only two sources of power, namely good and evil. Evil can exert its tentacles in very subtle ways. Evil loves power in a greedy self-serving way.  When left unchecked evil will eventually show its full colors in its insatiable quest for more.

The godly kind of power grows with learning, humility and recognition of love. I Corinthians 13 sits like a diamond between two chapters outlining the existence and use of the power of God through the gift of holy spirit. This kind of power is fulfilling and peaceful.

We should never be afraid to be assertive with the truth, but we need to be assertive from the power base of God. Ephesians 6 talks about 'putting on the whole armor of God '.  Christians are not wimpy; they are bold and fearless when they recognize that God has their backs in righteous correctness. That is what it means 'to grow up into him' (Ephesians 4:15).

'Political correctness' functions to stunt maturity; righteous correctness causes growth. Poor leaders demand loyalty, Great leaders encourage interaction, learning and respect. Poor leaders dampen innovation, great leaders encourage it. Great studies on leadership abound in the Bible. Compare the interactions of Moses and Pharaoh, David and Saul, Jesus and the Pharisees. Much is written about their interactions.

We learn to be assertive with confidence and  and love.  Assertiveness tempered with patience allows people time to unwind their own thinking. Gossip has no function in relationships; neither does thinking evil or 'vain imaginations'.  Certainly, we need to recognize evil when it is in front of us and seek God's solution in handling it.

Approved

Recently, I was going over an old word study I had done on the word 'approved' (Greek = dokimos) that was used in II Timothy 2:15:

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I picked that word to study because of a deep down yearning to be approved by God and not ashamed. It was the first real word study I ever did and I struck gold on the first try!

The first use of the word 'dokimos' is in Romans 14:           

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Paul was addressing a situation that had arisen in regards to the eating of meat that had been devoted to worship sacrifices in the temple. Some believers enjoying their new found freedom from the rituals were offending those who had not reached the same level of understanding of their new freedom in Christ.

In the religion that I was raised in, meat was not supposed to be eaten on Fridays. I remember one specific incidence that happened while we were flying to the Philippines. I have often thought back on it as great teaching moment for a scrupulous 11 year old in loving God. Flying far above the sparkling Pacific Ocean through a beautiful blue sky on a gorgeous Friday afternoon through white fluffy clouds, I was totally enjoying the view when the stewardess came by and put a plate of steak and vegetables on my tray table. I was mortified. I told her it was Friday and she smiled back and told me it was no longer Friday and that we had just crossed the International Date Line. I remember thinking that that was pretty cool because I was hungry! I was free to enjoy to meal. God is so much more than rituals involving 'meat and drink.'

We have been set free  because of Jesus Christ's once and for all sacrifice.  Sacrifice has been replaced by righteousness, joy and peace.   We all know what peace and joy are and no one ever complains about an atmosphere of peace and joy.  The misconception of righteousness in some circles might evoke shame which is  totally opposite as to what it means. Righteousness is the Christian's right to God's heart without condemnation.  God wants the best for our lives; he created the universe with that in mind. Love and righteousness go hand in hand.  Love is at the creamy caramel at the center of righteousness.

When we have the love of God at the center of our lives will carry love peace and joy to others. These are the foundation blocks of service to God and others. The word 'dokimos' was used  as a term in metallurgy to describe the actual amount of precious metal in an ore . An assay or a test was used to discover the true genuine worth of an ore. Righteousness, peace and joy are the precious core of genuine relationships. This is acceptable to God and gets the approved stamp from others.

The Day of Atonement - The Scapegoat

Recently the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur was celebrated. It is a day that in some religious circles, people atone ritually for their sins and shortcomings. Leviticus 16 is a chapter in the Old Testament that details the ceremony of atonement.  Part of that service is the the choosing of two goats, one to be killed in sacrifice and a second goat to be used as a scapegoat:

8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses. Leviticus 16:8-9, 34

According to current psychological lingo, a 'scapegoat' is a vulnerable person on whom others project their negative feelings upon to distract from their own vulnerabilities and mental anguish. It means that there is a transfer of guilt or blame, or other negative feelings on someone else.

In the Bible 'scapegoat' is used as a "type" of Christ. The word is used 4 (a number that represents the world) times in the Bible.  The sin offering in atonement is Jesus Christ and it is a one-time offering for all the sins of man.  He became the scapegoat for the world. Jesus Christ was loaded with our sin anguish and guilt and he carried it off into the spiritual wilderness. Our minds have been relieved from the heavy weight of dealing with the negative aspects of this world.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried (loaded up with and carried away) our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:4

After a long day of wrestling with the perplexities of life we can lay our heads down on the pillow and instead of  replacing all the negatives of the day with counting sheep or goats, we can rejoice in the work of Jesus Christ  and rest easy and wake up engulfed in 'sonshine' when we wake up.

Pains of Mind

Isaiah 53 is a beautiful section full of detailed prophecies and exquisite language worth digging as a fathomless supply of rich treasures  It was written many hundreds of years before the time that Jesus walked this earth. Verses from Isaiah 53 are quoted several times in the Gospels and New Testament and have significant meaning especially in our practical experiences of life.

Verses 4-5 of this chapter and subsequent verses prophecy of the purpose and coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ  exposed the adversary and his effect on a person's life.  Jesus Christ is the solution and answer. Life is full of pressures, twists, disappointments, problems along with the successes, excitements and  blessings. Jesus Christ as God's son is our way in dealing with both sides of life successfully.

4 Surely (Truly) he hath borne ('nasa' lifted, carried and taken) our griefs ('choli' - used 24x {3x as griefs and 21x sickness or disease}, and carried ('sabal' - carried the load for us) our sorrows ('makob' - sorrows, pain, grief, pains of mind) yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isaiah says that they would look at him as someone who 'was stricken, and smitten of God and afflicted.' Jesus did battle with the forces of evil, not God. He did it for all mankind.

5 But he was wounded (pierced through) for our transgressions, he was bruised (crushed, humbled) for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes (blows that cut in) we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5

I have been working the Hebrew word 'makob' found in verse 4. Everyone experiences 'pains of mind'. The word is used 16 times in the Old Testament. Two of them are in Isaiah 53 in verse 4 above and verse 3 where Jesus is described as a man of sorrows. Jesus was fully acquainted with the effect of sorrow and mental pain and he relinquished his pains of mind to his heavenly Father. In verse 4 above, we read that he will load up and carry off our anguish and mental pressures. He can do that when we remind our brain cells  to do just that. Projected fear and worry have no right to freeze our minds because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. We as sons of God and joint heirs with Christ have rights because of his sacrifice for us.