Remember we ended part 1 with verse 18 of James 1 declaring we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. So let me ask you this question. Would you hurt or test your prized possession? Would you purposely harm your children, or lock them in a cellar without food and water to teach them a lesson? How about take them 15 feet in the air and throw them down to teach them a lesson about gravity?
You see what I’m talking about? It not only takes the truth of scripture, but how about a little common sense? Give me a break and a brain. If people would just stop and think about what is truly being shown in scripture, they would reject the false teachings and religious performance requirements being handed down by those who do not have a true understanding of scripture.
Truth that is not experienced is no better than error. People are not necessarily in error. Many times they are victims of their failures to experience the truth they hear or teach.
Now in order to further try and justify their point that God puts us through trials, the Old Covenant preacher takes us to Daniel 3 and presents the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. You know this story. King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and 9 feet wide. Then he had a dedication of this statue. Then he said to all the people, when you hear the music you must bow to the ground and worship the statue.
Well there happen to be three Hebrew children who refused to bow down. So, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered them thrown into the fire. Now I want you to notice something. God didn’t put them in the fire. King Nebuchadnezzar did. Nevertheless, to put fear into the congregants, the minister will say that God put them in the fire.
Now here’s the part that Christians don’t like to hear. Verses 16-18 of Daniel 3.
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
We don’t need to defend the Truth of God’s Word. It defends itself. We no longer try to defend the teaching of the grace of God. We let scripture do that like we have in this teaching and all the teaching before this one. We do not give our opinion, but rather the Truth of what Jesus, The Word, says.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Even if He doesn’t. How many Christians whine and complain when God doesn’t do things the way they think He ought to do them. Millions of professed believers talk as if God were real and act as if he were not.
We boast in the Lord, but watch carefully that we never get caught depending on Him. This type of faith will “fight for its verbal creed”. I like to say that they are prouder of their empty boats than they are the Word of the Lord. They refuse to get into a predicament where their futures must depend upon that very creed being true. This type of false faith always arranges a way out in case God fails. They are more proud of their denominations and rules therein than they are of Jesus and the finished work of the cross.
How does that work? What do I mean by that? Well, they’ll say things like “Lord, we ask that you heal this person of cancer…..if it be thy will”. This is such a failed prayer beginning with “Lord we ask”. In numerous previous teachings I tackle this error of asking in a begging manner, rather than declaring in an ownership manner. The word ask is the Greek word “Aiteo” which means “putting a demand on what is due”. It doesn’t mean begging God for what He has already done.
Then there’s the “if it be thy will” statement. They want to make sure they are covered just in case God doesn’t do it. “I better have an escape route.” Well, I already know it’s God’s will for us to walk in health and that healing has already been provided for us by the finished work of the cross.
His divine power gave us all things, not some things. Not “if it be thy will” things, but all things that pertain to life and godliness. If it’s allowed or existing in heaven then it ought to be so on earth. If it’s forbidden in heaven than it ought to be forbidden on earth. That’s what is meant by “Thy will be done on earth, as it (already) is in heaven”. So, is sickness allowed in heaven? NO.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says “The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it”. Said another way, the will of God will never take you, where the grace of God can’t keep you.
Again, God does not put you in the fire, but He will take you through the fire time and time again, because His grace is sufficient in all things. Grace and Peace.
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