Does the Bible offer any instructions that we can follow to succeed in life? What do we need to do to become successful in our personal endeavors and in the eyes of God?
Eric Rank
How Does the Future Change Our Plans?
The ability to forecast the future is beyond all human capacity. Nobody knows with exact certainty what will happen tomorrow, and even less in the days that follow. We can make predictions based on assumptions, but the variability of life ultimately changes the exact outcome. Certainly, all of us are able to share our own experiences to offer evidence to confirm this fact.
I am personally reminded of the unpredictability of life during my morning routine throughout the week. Every day I wake up to an alarm that’s set for the same time, and that’s when things begin to vary. Between the time that the alarm goes off and my arrival at work, the same general preparations take place, but the way in which the morning events develop are widely different. My children wake up at different times, with different moods, each one of the six members of our family affecting one another. The ingredients on hand for breakfasts and packed lunches are a bit different every day, requiring a variable amount of creativity in the morning. And with babies under the age of two, my wife and I need to be ready to respond to the capricious whimsy of busy toddlers as well. Each morning has two simple goals; prepare the family for work and school, and leave the house on time. Yet, I am amazed at how every single day takes on a level of unpredictability that cannot be controlled. Any attempt at predicting the detail of the morning is futile.
Even though the details of our lives cannot be predicted, there are some events that we can faithfully and confidently expect. The prophecies of the Bible provide us with God’s plan, outlining the changes that must take place in our world. Knowing that God cannot lie, and that He reveals His plans through His prophets, the words of the Bible therefore provide us with a map of the future that cannot be altered. As we read in Amos 3:7, “Surely the LORD God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets.” With knowledge of a certain future that we can trust and rely on even more than our daily routines, it begs a question. What are we doing in our lives to be part of God’s plan? If we have the courage, we may also ask the more poignant question; what do we need to be doing differently?
One individual in the Bible asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, believing that he had done well in working to be obedient to the law. In Matthew 19:20-22, the deeper question is asked of Jesus, “The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” In this example, the rich young ruler knew enough about the certainty of God’s plan to understand the need for obedience. However, he learned in this instance that his dedication must be undivided as well. This is exactly what we need to do today.
There is no doubt that God’s plan will come to fruition. Those who have dedicated their lives to God, living in obedience through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, will become members of God’s Family. It’s a wonderful promise to understand! If we know that the time when Jesus Christ will return to this earth to establish God’s Kingdom is rapidly approaching, are we changing our lives accordingly? What are the reasons for our change? Do we merely change the way that we live because time is short? Or do we change the way that we live because we love God? There is a subtle difference in the way these questions are asked and answered. The way that we approach our role in being worthy of God’s promise makes a difference. Whether time is short or not, our approach should be identical.
Our desire to obtain the promise of eternal life must be exclusively driven by the love for God’s Truth, and not by any deadline or selfish gain. The rich young ruler was instructed to dedicate his entire life to following Christ, which troubled him deeply. With any part of life left undedicated to righteous conversion, we will be deficient in our efforts to please God. Nothing must matter more to us than living according to God’s instructions. If we are able to do this, we will find ourselves so busy with God’s Work that the change in our plans in life will be minimal as the time of Christ’s return approaches. The proximity of Christ’s return makes no difference in the righteousness required of us, even though the realization that the time is short can and should motivate us to live more righteously (cp. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31).
While we cannot predict the future in the details of our lives, we can absolutely trust in the plan of God to be fulfilled. With the knowledge of these certain events which will take place, our dedication to godly righteousness must be unwavering. However, our motives make a difference in our ability to succeed. When we are driven to change our lives because we love God’s Way of Life more than anything else, our hearts are right where they need to be. As Jesus admonishes, “‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’” (Matthew 6:19-21).
Beginning of Sorrows
As the return of Jesus Christ draws near, what events leading up to the Tribulation does the Bible say will take place? And once we know what to watch for, what does the Bible instruct Christians to do about it? The answers to these questions are timely and relevant!
Seek Righteousness and Be Courageous
A large part of living a Christian life involves choosing how to respond to difficult situations. The choices we make when faced with calamity demonstrate our willingness to bring our lives into submission to God. When we find ourselves under pressure, we can find great relief by seeking righteousness and acquiring the courage to put that righteousness into action.
It Takes Work
In the context of maintaining physical strength and conditioning or mental acuity, the phrase “use it or lose it” is commonly applied. If muscles aren’t used, the body is designed in such a way that those muscles lose strength. If our minds aren’t engaged in active thought, memory is lost, and rebuilding our understanding becomes more difficult. The basic principle is simple — if we do not actively put effort into keeping what we have worked to obtain, we will lose it.
This principle applies to our spiritual growth and understanding as well. The job of a Christian is to learn about the Truth, to become converted in the way in which life is lived, and to overcome sin. There will always be more work for a Christian in this regard, until he or she becomes perfected at the time of Christ’s return. Along the way in the journey, milestones will be reached, successes will be experienced, understanding will be obtained, and battles against sin will be won. However, these achievements are fleeting unless effort is continually applied to the maintenance of those successes. If we do not use the understanding that we have obtained, and exercise our proven ability to overcome sin, we will fall backwards and begin losing the spiritual ground we have gained.
The topic of endurance is mentioned in several biblical writings to the early Church for this very reason (compare 1 Corinthians 4:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 10:36; Hebrews 12:2). The race of a Christian takes a lifetime to run, and if one begins to lose focus, and ceases to apply effort, he or she will not win the race and will fail to win the prize. Likewise, even when effort is applied in pursuing a direction that is unsupported by the Truth, the result is loss of understanding. With such loss also inevitably comes the loss of the promised full reward (2 John 8), and in extreme cases, salvation (Hebrews 2:1-3). To become converted, only to halt pursuing Christian growth results in failure. We must remember that conversion and baptism are just the beginning of a lifelong transformation that never ends.
The key to avoiding the dire outcome of a neglected conversion is simple. It takes work. By continually working to improve our understanding, and by application improve our way of life, we are destined to succeed. Jesus Christ provides us with this promise, “‘So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened’” (Luke 11:9-10). The point that we need to understand is that growth is provided to those who ask for it and actively seek it out. With diligence, our efforts to learn and apply the Truth will be rewarded (compare Hebrews 11:6).
If we are fortunate enough to be blessed with godly understanding in this day and age, then we are obligated to do something with this gift. We must remember that the Truth is powerful and provided for our use! We are urged to take advantage of it, using it to direct our spiritual growth. But the Truth will only work for us if we do our part and work to accept and apply it. The parable of the sower informs us that there are many ways in which the Truth can be received, but only one way that leads to success (compare Matthew 13:18-23). We have an active role to play in receiving and using the Truth. If we want to bear fruit that is pleasing to God, then we must never end our efforts to grow in our spiritual development.
My Calling
God’s calling is a very special thing, for it brings one to understand the Truth and learn how to fulfill God’s purpose. When God calls a person, He does so on an individual basis, each person having his or her own personal relationship with God. Everyone who is called becomes personally responsible for individual Christian growth and development. If we are fortunate enough to be called in this day and age, do we treat our calling with the highest esteem and honor that it requires?
Walk Worthy
What do we need to do to be counted worthy of the Christian calling we have received? How does our effort to live in a worthy manner relate to the free gift of salvation through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ and our relationship to God?
How Are We to Understand Psalms that Plea for the Demise of Enemies in Light of Jesus’ Commandment to Love Our Enemies?
Many of the Psalms written by David describe his grief in facing conflict with his enemies. The context of many passages expresses his frustration, often facing dire circumstances, frequently with his life being threatened. In some of the Psalms, David prays for the demise of his enemies. For example, we read in Psalm 143:12: “In Your mercy cut off my enemies, And destroy all those who afflict my soul; For I am Your servant.” In this open prayer to God, it is apparent that David is asking for the death of people who cause him grief.
In Psalm 109 David records a plea for God’s retaliation against those who “have rewarded [him] evil for good, And hatred for [his] love” (Psalm 109:5). Within this chapter of the Bible, we read about several very specific requests. He requests for his accusers to be judged and found guilty (verses 6,7). He asks for the prayers of the one who afflicts him to become sin (verse 7). He prays that this man’s life may come to an untimely end (verse 8). David prays for the demise of his enemy’s family, to make his wife a widow and his children orphans and beggars, and remain unforgiven (verses 9,10, 13). He even prays that his accuser’s mother’s sins may not be forgiven by God (verse 14, 15). While the complete context of the situation is not revealed, it is clear that David was afflicted and troubled by those who betrayed him, and caused him to plea for vengeance.
In stark contrast to passages such as these, we learn about the commandment by Jesus to love our enemies. “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). From this we can see that it is required of a Christian to have a merciful attitude towards those who might cause us trouble in life. We are even told to pray for those with whom we find ourselves coming into conflict. But our prayers for our enemies should not include personal wishes for revenge, death, and destruction. Such desires are not an expression of the love which Jesus has instructed us to have. On the other hand, we read repeatedly that we ought to have the wish and desire for God’s justice to be done on earth.
Seeing that we have a commandment to express love as Christians, even towards our enemies, how are we to understand the Psalms in which it is apparent that death, destruction, and demise are prayed for? Are there situations in which it is acceptable to harbor hateful and vengeful desires in our heart towards others? Do the Psalms pleading for vengeance provide us an example to follow? Is it right to pray for the death of our enemies, and the demise of their families? If we have hateful wishes in our hearts for our enemies, what are we to do? Since the Bible cannot contradict itself (compare John 10:35, 1 Peter 1:25, John 17:17), there must be an explanation.
First, we must realize that in many cases, the Bible just reports words, conduct or actions without evaluation or judging them. In the Psalms, David’s feelings are written down, but we must note that David, even though he was a man after God’s own heart, was a man of war, and it took him a lifetime to learn that war and the feeling and desires leading to war are wrong. This knowledge came to him only very gradually.
As always, the passages about revenge must be viewed in context. The first observation to make involves the sin of those who are the subject of these Psalms. In Psalm 109, recall that those whom David seeks vengeance upon have committed sin, having behaved in “evil” way, with “hatred” (compare Psalm 109:5). Being the victim of sin, David is essentially making a plea for punishment by God for the sinful behavior. Sin, as the Bible teaches, is punishable by death (compare Romans 6:23). These open prayers for vengeance are therefore consistent with the consequences of sin. Quite plainly, David writes “He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth” (Psalm 54:5)(.) Nowhere does David make a plea for the death or demise of an innocent, righteous person. It is frequently apparent that the requests for God’s intervention involve a threat of evil against him. In this context, the prayers for revenge can be interpreted as a plea for God’s judgment against the sinful man to be sentenced. They might also be viewed as prophetic statements regarding God’s conduct and judgment in the future.
The context of the sins committed against David in the cited psalms are not fully described, and therefore we don’t understand the heart of those who are committing them. However, what we do know from the Bible is that sins cannot go unpunished by God. In our booklet, Punishment For Our Sins, we write about the fact that there are automatic consequences of sinful conduct. As such, it may be the case that David’s pleas were for such consequences to be applied and not overlooked:
“We must realize that sin may have automatic consequences. For instance, if we drive under the influence of alcohol and are responsible for a serious car accident, which may result in bodily injury of ourselves and others, or even the death of an innocent person, then these consequences will remain for the rest of our lives, even though God will forgive our sinful conduct upon true and genuine repentance. But the death or the loss of a limb will not be automatically ‘annulled,’ as if it had never happened….
“Consider that even though God forgave David his sins, He later brought up again ‘the matter of Uriah the Hittite’ (1 Kings 15:5), as this was not sinful conduct that was committed because of ignorance or temporary temptation. Rather, these sins belonged to a slightly different category. It was not the unpardonable sin, to be sure, since David will be in the Kingdom of God (compare Jeremiah 30:9; Hosea 3:5; see also Luke 13:28, referring to ‘all the prophets,’ and David was a prophet, Acts 2:29–31). However, they were not sins that were committed ‘in ignorance’ or because of a temporary, passing weakness that had ‘snuck up’ on David. Rather, this was planned, premeditated, carefully designed and thought-out sinful conduct. David thought through very diligently how to cover up his adultery with Bathsheba, ultimately resorting to the murder of Uriah. God brought up the ‘matter of Uriah’ because He was terribly grieved that David would have acted in such a way, and He wanted to impress on the reader the awful consequences of these sins for David, as well as his entire household.”
If the sins that were committed against David warrant such dramatic consequences as are requested, we can conceive that prayers for vengeance against the enemies who sin against David were made out of a desire for justice rather than hatred.
While David clearly made requests for relief and help in the time that he lived, his requests for justice conceivably extend to the final judgment, during the third resurrection. “Behold, God is my helper; The LORD is with those who uphold my life. He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth” (Psalm 54:4-5). Even if those who commit unrepentant sin were not punished at the time of David’s life, God’s justice will ultimately be served. This passage declares the plain fact that God will ultimately punish people committing unrepentant sin by cutting off their lives from the Truth. We are told not to avenge ourselves, but to give place to God’s wrath and His vengeance (Romans 12:19). Again, David’s plea for revenge and God’s intervention must be seen in light of the knowledge and realization that God will act in His due time.
Even if sins committed by the enemies of David were rightly deserving of the horrible consequences prayed for, is this the best example to follow in our lives when we are victims ourselves? Is it best to pray for the death and destruction of those who sin against us, or is there a better way? As the Bible clearly shows, it is always better to be merciful.
Offering forgiveness and mercy is central to the commandment of love given by Jesus Christ (compare Luke 6:27-29). Forgiveness offered to those who sin against us also has a benefit for us. “‘For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses’” (Matthew 6:14-15). We can plainly see that if we want our own sins to be forgiven, we must be willing to forgive those who sin against us once they come to repentance. And we must not harbor grudges and have hatred towards them. By providing forgiveness to others, we show God that we value mercy, and become worthy of receiving it ourselves.
Consider the example of Stephen, who was killed for his testimony. “And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59-60). There is no question that Stephen was the victim of wicked sin in this historic event. Rather than make a plea for the death of those who were murdering him, Stephen makes a plea for mercy. This kind of attitude showing love towards our enemies may be difficult to the carnal man, but it is the superior approach to take when victimized by sin.
Going even further than offering forgiveness and mercy to those who sin against us, we are instructed to react with kind and generous behavior. “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17-21). Rather than respond with pleas for death and the demise of the family members of those who sin against us, it is better, and even required, for us to respond with good works. When we show kindness and mercy in response to evil, there are two important results. The first is that God sees the love that we have for others. The second may have an effect on those who are the ones that victimize us. Just as sin has an automatic consequence, good works have a positive consequence. In this example, guilt is affected in the sinner, likely resulting in correction. By offering kindness and mercy to others who commit sins against us, we propagate a good example of lovingkindness.
Our hearts need to be carefully monitored when we find ourselves victims of sin. Hatred and a desire for death must not take root. Even when we are angry with another, if we do not remove and replace that anger with mercy and love, we place ourselves in danger of punishment (compare Matthew 5:22-23). The Bible also plainly states that hatred that resides in our heart is sinful, causing us to walk in darkness, instead of the light (compare 1 John 2:10-11). There is no place for hatred of another and wishes for another’s death in the heart of a Christian—even though we realize that God’s justice will and must require the death of unrepentant sinners in the third resurrection.
When reading the Psalms that make a plea for sinful enemies to be “cut off”, implying their death, the context must carefully be considered. In some situations, the Scripture may be a plea to God for the automatic consequence of sin to be applied swiftly. In other situations, these open prayers may be considered a request for God to execute His judgment upon unrepentant sin in the future. Always, these Psalms are rightly interpreted as a request for God’s righteousness to prevail over evil. Yet, caution must be observed in using these Scriptures as a model to follow in our own lives. The commandment to love our enemies, offering love and kindness in response to evil inflicted upon us is always the superior path to follow. Hatred must be expunged from the heart of a Christian, always preferring God’s mercy over spiteful vengeance.
Lead Writer: Eric Rank
The Next Level
Like many people in my generation, I spent a fair amount of time in my youth playing video games. The continuous challenge was a genuine source of fun. Most of the games I played had levels that needed to be completed, which increased with difficulty as progress was made in the game. The further I advanced, the more challenging it became. I recall many afternoons – probably too many – trying over and over again to finish a level and make it past the hard part in the game that challenged me at that moment. Being tenacious in my nature, I was able to succeed in several games. But, some were too hard and I was never able to overcome the obstacles standing in my way of finishing the level and proceeding to the next. For those games, I resigned myself to give up and move on.
While the consequences for giving up on the attempt to win a video game are insignificant, the same cannot be said for the Christian Way of Life. If the obstacles that we face cause us to turn away from God and our commitment to Christian living, we will be truly defeated. Giving up the Way of Christian life ends in the end of life that can never begin again.
When Jesus was consulted by a rich, young ruler about what he needed to do in order to inherit eternal life, the answer He gave became an obstacle. Even though the ruler had worked throughout his life to live in obedience to the law, he had more that was required of him. “Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’ But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:21-22). This man allowed an obstacle to block his path towards salvation. His desire to continue indulging in worldly abundance prevented him from proceeding. As a result, he turned away defeated, unwilling at that time to overcome his problem.
It is the mission of a Christian to continuously grow in his or her spiritual development. It is unacceptable and unprofitable to God if we learn the Truth, but fail to make improvements in our lives. The knowledge of the Truth needs to be used! It provides guidance to us so we can become perfect in righteousness. We know that we will not actually become perfect until God glorifies us, but we are instructed to work towards the state of perfection until that time. Right now, our spiritual growth requires us to combine our efforts with the spiritual discernment, strength, and grace provided by the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When we commit our lives to that goal, we will find ourselves progressing further and further.
If we choose to dedicate ourselves to overcoming obstacles that stand in the way of our spiritual development, we should expect to encounter new and different challenges along the way. This is evidence of our progress. Step by step, we learn how to commit ourselves ever more to righteousness, making our challenges of the past trivial by comparison. And since we all sin (compare Romans 5:12), there will always be more to overcome. However, if we become stagnant in our efforts, we put ourselves in danger. Hebrews 6:1 obliges us to “go on to perfection”, compelling us to never stop our development. After providing this instruction, a dire warning is pronounced, informing the reader about the death that results from falling away from the Truth (compare Hebrews 6:4-8). A failure to make progress implies an unwillingness to earnestly continue in the way of righteousness, with a dreadful result.
Our commitment to follow in the path of righteousness cannot be hindered by obstacles that we encounter. The sins that we discover in our lives must not block us without a fight to overcome. With this enduring attitude, and with the help of the Holy Spirit provided by God the Father and Jesus Christ, God promises that we will succeed and advance to the next level.
Will Jesus Christ Return?
For two thousand years, Christians of every generation have anticipated Jesus Christ’s return to Earth, but it has not happened yet. How can we tell that the He will, in fact, return? What should we be doing about it? Do our actions offer evidence of our belief?