Sinning With Your Lips

Yesterday's passage on Job 1-2 was certainly a lot to process all at once. In particular, the phrase "in all this Job did not sin," was eye-catching. What was even more potent was the repetition of that phrase in the second chapter, while adding "...with his lips."

Did not sin with his lips? What does it mean to sin with your lips?

From the immediate context, we can easily gather that to sin with your lips for Job would probably be to complain, or speak falsely about God. We get this from Job's surrounding circumstances of misery and destruction, and also from the closing chapter of Job in which God asserts that Job spoke of Him "what is right," affirming the lack of sin from Job's lips.

But using Scripture to interpret Scripture, we can uncover far more.

Take for example, James 3. It tells is that the tongue is a world of iniquity, and actually set on fire by Hell (v.6). It also says that with our hellfire-set tongue, we bless God, and curse men at the same time. No doubt, Job blessed God all throughout the account. Apparently, he blesses his friends too (42:10).

Notice that even though our tongues are set on fire by hell, we are not actively sinning. We just have the high probability of doing so. The act of sinning is still up to us, and Job was able to harness his evil tongue, even using such an evil vessel to bless his friends.

Which brings up another interesting point:

An evil vessel can bring glory to God...

Seventh Day Adventists

I just read a book by the Seventh Day Adventists called The National Sunday Law.
I had no idea who it was by, but I found out pretty quickly when the concept of the read eventually made it clear that the "Mark of the Beast" spoken of in Revelation is not a physical mark, but rather, the act of going to church on Sunday.

Is that really what mainstream Seven-dayers believe? Anybody? I hope not. Sounds "works-based" to me.

Why are so many people late to church?

Do you think Jesus wanted to stop by Starbucks on the way to the cross?
No, He was on time.

The Seed on Rocky Ground

Todays reading yields the parable of the sower (Mark 4:16-17). The sower sows the seed of the Word, and as some fall on rocky ground, the initial outcome is immediate reception... and a joyous one at that.
Take for example, the account at Lystra (Paul and Barnabas had just been a part of God's healing of the lame man)

And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, 'The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.' And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. -Acts 14:11-13 (KJV)

As foretold in Mark 14, seed that fell on rocky ground carried an initial response of joy, and yet even in that superficial showing of happiness, we see the dark side of people's humanity coming out as the people gave glory to Paul and Barnabas, instead of God. In the most humiliating way possible, Paul and Barnabas reject the glory, and usher it to God (As we should also, when given the opportunity).
But how do we know the seed (in Acts 14) fell on rocky ground? Because they fell away when opposition arose:

And there came thither [certain] Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew [him] out of the city, supposing he had been dead -Acts 14:13-19 (KJV)

People are immediately receptive to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and yet verses later are compelled to stone Paul close to death, a man whom few seconds earlier, they were attempting to worship.

Does opposition make you run to the Word of God, or away from it?

This quote reminds me of the Emergent movement

"The world is not waiting for a new definition of the Gospel, but for a new demonstration of the power of the Gospel."
-Leonard Ravenhill

"It's hailing it's pouring..."

How sweet was it that as we read in our yearly Bible reading that God sent the plague of hail to strike Pharoah in Exodus 9:18-35, it hailed in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria today ?

The magic "peace-wand"

I recently read a quote by Presidential candidate, Ron Paul, in opposition of the war, state that he "found himself 'annoyed by the evangelicals’ being so supportive of pre-emptive war, which seems to contradict everything that he was taught as a Christian. The religion is based on somebody who’s referred to as the Prince of Peace."(1)

I think its funny and laughable that people are so quick to refer to the biblical descriptions of Jesus as a peace-maker in order to further whatever stance they have on the war, yet tend to overlook the accounts that depict Him as a warrior:

The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is His name. Ex15:3

The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. Zeph3:17,

Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, like a warrior overcome by wine. Ps78:65

The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry He will prevail against His enemies. Is 42:13

Not mention the future war that He will lead, and the armies that He will command...

And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. Revelation 19:14

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. Revelation 19:11

(1) Caldwell, Christopher (2007-07-22). The Antiwar, Anti-Abortion, Anti-Drug-Enforcement-Administration, Anti-Medicare Candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul. New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.