Eric Rank

Nothing in This World Really Matters Anyway

by Eric Rank

I recently woke up during a weekday in a pretty grumpy mood. I knew that I had a grueling day at work that was about to begin, and I wasn’t looking forward to it. Even my morning cup of coffee didn’t do much to lift my mood! But I proceeded to face the day, as was my duty.

As I sat down at my desk to begin my workday, I took a moment of pause before getting started. This is a regular habit that I have built into my day. I normally take about a minute before I officially start work to simply write down something that I’m grateful for. Some days, it can be more difficult than others to find something to write, and this particular day was one of them. I began to write, “I am grateful that…”, and stopped there. It took a few moments to contemplate, considering the difficult day that I had ahead of me. But then I continued, “… this stuff in life doesn’t really matter.” Almost immediately, the weight of the day was lifted.

Of course, such a statement as “nothing in this world really matters anyway” is a nihilistic expression that needs to be qualified, rather than taken as an absolute truth. The fact is that there is a lot in this life that does matter. We need to be good stewards of the blessings that God provides us with. We take care of our health, maintain our relationships with others, and dedicate ourselves to the work that we put our hands to do, even when we might not look forward to it (compare Ecclesiastes 9:10). To say that “nothing matters” is not categorically true, but there is an element of truth when put into the right context.

To begin with, the stuff in this life does matter because this is where God presents opportunities for us to grow. We learn to overcome the world by putting our spiritual understanding into practice in the context of our current circumstances. We are training now to live a godly life, walking in the Spirit. And the only way we can do that is by taking advantage of the stuff in life that we have to deal with, both good and bad. The lives that we live are a physical means to a spiritual end.

Knowing that we seek a spiritual change to live an eternal life in the Family of God, we do not work towards an end goal that is physical in nature. In this way, truly, nothing that this physical life has to offer really matters. This is the perspective that God instructs us to have. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). Placing our value in worldly outcomes only leads us away from God.

Regardless, we are bound to live in these physical bodies, in this physical world. This is our place now where we have to learn how to overcome. We cannot yet leave it behind. When Jesus Christ was preparing for His Sacrifice to take place, He prayed to God about us and our circumstances in this life. “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (John 17:18-19). Even though we are not to love the world, we have to be here now so that we can put the Truth of God into practice, and overcome the world through Christ. We are set apart for a spiritual purpose, learning obedience and the love for God’s Way of Life.

The only possible way that we can overcome the world, living and walking in the Spirit, is through the Spirit of God that lives within us. Jesus Christ had to leave the world so that the Holy Spirit would become available to us (compare John 16:5-7). Because of this amazing gift from God, we understand what it means to say that nothing in this life matters. With the mind of Christ, we look forward to a life that is so much better than what we can possibly imagine.

With Pentecost upon us, we have an annual reminder that the Holy Spirit is ours to use. It lives within us, giving us the discernment that we need to overcome sin in this world. When we face our circumstances in life, we can find encouragement in knowing that the glory that God has in store for us is what matters, making everything else worthless by comparison.

When Satan Messes with You

As unpopular as it is to say, Satan is the ruler in this current age. He never ceases to find our weaknesses and exploit them so that we turn away from God. How can we tell when Satan is attacking us and what can we do to overcome his influence, taunts, and temptations?

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Much Will Be Required

It is a tremendous privilege to be called out of this world to understand the Truth of God. With such a privilege, it is our responsibility to use it!

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A Broken Spirit

The Bible tells us that a broken spirit is a sacrifice to God. On the face of it, a broken spirit sounds like something that is a source of discouragement. This might seem contradictory to the faithful, positive attitude that Christians are also instructed to develop. What does it actually mean to have a broken spirit?

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Excuses

If we want God to work in our lives, we have to put in the effort that He requires. When we choose to make excuses instead of taking action, we become unprofitable. By putting our faith to work we give God an opportunity to bless our efforts.

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Something to Look Forward to

by Eric Rank

Having something to look forward to in life gives us the motivation that it takes to get up in the morning and make the most of the day. At times we might have more to look forward to than at other times. The things we enjoy can be as simple as having a good cup of coffee, a conversation with a friend, or the sense of accomplishment after completing a challenging task. They might be big things too, like a long-awaited vacation or the birth of a child. Big or small, appreciating the wholesome things can motivate us to find the joy in life that helps us to appreciate the short time with which God has blessed us.

I’m sure we can all think of something that we look forward to on a day-to-day basis. Though, the magnitude of problems that threaten to squelch our hope demand so much of our attention that it can be difficult to even bring those elements of hope to mind. It’s probably easier to think of things that fight to bring us down. Problems may begin with ourselves, affecting our health or otherwise. Outside ourselves, problems that affect us scale up at every level, ending with the pitiable state of the world at large. We, however, have a responsibility to fight against the dark forces of discouragement.

As helpful as it is to find a source of hopeful anticipation in the physical things in our lives, we know that these things are fleeting. God offers us blessings for obedience in our lives, intentionally giving us reason for joy while we live in these physical bodies. But the world that we live in is passing away. Placing our source of joy in what the world offers us will end in sore disappointment (compare 1 John 2:15-17). If we only place value in the things the world has to offer, we place our hope in a precarious place. The state of the world will only continue to worsen, eclipsing even the simplest sources of worldly joy.

The Bible tells us that there is a better way to live! Our job is to put the Word of God to work in our lives so that we are not found vulnerable to the world’s decay. We have to realize that the true source of joy that we have comes from God. When we have that state of mind, even the most difficult of circumstances give us something to hope for. Consider the perspective of the disciples when they were beaten and imprisoned (compare Acts 5:40-42, Acts 16:20-34). They knew that their worldly circumstances, as dire as they were, served a greater purpose in God’s plan for their lives. With the understanding that the worldly discouragement they experienced was temporary and meaningful, the disciples found something to appreciate – that they could serve God mightily.

We would do well to acknowledge how fortunate we are. The knowledge of the Truth about God’s plan can help us every single day to understand the circumstances of our lives. God is doing a work with us individually, to help us grow, to challenge us, and to do as much as possible with the resources He gives us. Knowing this adds much deeper meaning in the small things of our lives. Anticipating the weekend becomes even richer because we have the Sabbath that God gives us as a day of rest. The joy in seeing the smiles on the faces of our family and brethren becomes more precious because those moments demonstrate the effect of love that God commands. We can also find strength to get through the hard things we experience, knowing that in the big picture, those difficulties will pass and that they will help us to develop the character that pleases God. When we are able to see our life as God sees it, we have much to look forward to.

But even more, God promises us the greatest possible gift, which of course is eternal life as glorified members in His Family. That event lies beyond the boundary of our physical lives, so we cannot experience it until we become glorified (compare 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). However, it is going to be so awesome that nothing compares. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.   For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:18-21). This moment when we inherit the earth to share in righteous rulership under Jesus Christ and God the Father gives us a reason to enjoy the moments that lead up to that time. We know that every moment serves a virtuous purpose.

The world will try to convince us otherwise, but the FACT is that we have a tremendous amount of wonderful things to look forward to. When we have the right frame of mind, we can see God in our lives at every scale. From the micro-moments that put a smile on our face, to the culmination of God’s plan, when all pain and sorrow will be destroyed, we know that everything we experience serves His purpose for us. Now, that gives us something to look forward to!

Who are the “gods” mentioned in Psalm 82?

In Psalm 82 we read about God standing among other gods. This raises questions about who the “gods” are that are in the presence of “God” performing the judgment.

Psalm 82:1-2 reads, “God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods. How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah”.

To understand this passage to its fullest, we need to look into and investigate several questions. First, what are the Hebrew words used to translate into “God” and “gods”? Second, what does this passage reveal about the nature of God? Also, how can we understand the judgment of the many gods by the one God?  Finally, what is the relevance to true Christians? After addressing these questions, we will find out much more about the nature of God and see how elegantly this event fits into His plan.

To begin, we need to understand more about the translation of this passage. Knowing the origin of the Hebrew words that translate into “God” and “gods”, we will learn how to properly understand the meaning of this passage. Are the gods mentioned pagan gods? Are these God’s angels? Are these gods the other two members of the trinity, even though the Bible does not teach a Trinity of three God beings—one Person in three Persons?

To answer these questions, the Hebrew words used in this passage are the place to start. In Psalm 82:1, in both instances of the word “God” and “gods” is the word “Elohim” in the original Hebrew. The structure of this sentence indicates that the first instance of “Elohim” is singular because the verb “stands” applies only to a singular entity. However, this does not mean that the word “God” only applies to one Being. Even though singular, it can refer to the God Family, consisting of twoBeings, the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. The word “Elohim,” even though it may be followed by a singular verb, still can refer to the one God Family, consisting of a duality of Beings. But the word “Elohim” can also refer to either one of the two God Beings. For more explanation on this topic, please read our free booklet, “God is a Family,” which elaborates in more detail how “Elohim” can indicate a plurality even when presented in a singular context.

The second instance, the word “gods” is appropriately translated in the plural form, because the preposition “among” requires more than one entity. Therefore, we can understand this passage as seeing the authoritative God—either the God Family or one of the two God Beings—standing among several gods, over whom God has authority.

Throughout the Old Testament Hebrew Bible, the word “Elohim” is consistently used when referencing the Almighty God, and is indeed referencing the same in this example. Seeing the context of what takes place reinforces this understanding. God is the righteous Judge who presides over the other gods mentioned here. Throughout the Bible, righteous judgment like this comes from God, and no one else (compare Psalm 119:7, Psalm 119:160, Romans 1:32, 2 Timothy 4:8). Clearly, the first instance of the word “God” in Psalm 82 references the Almighty God.

What about the second instance of the “gods”? Since this is a plural form of the same word “Elohim”, what is the correct interpretation of this word? Again, looking at the context of the events in this passage helps to identify the gods through their activities. In Psalm 82:2, those who are gods are condemned for unjustly judging those on earth. Seeing that the activity that they are engaged with involves judging men on earth helps us to clarify who these gods are. The act of judgement is only applicable to a few possible entities, and is not ascribed to others who might be referenced by the word “Elohim”.

Other translations of the word “elohim” can refer to pagan gods (Exodus 20:3), or even angels (compare one possible rendering in Psalm 8:5). In the context of the events presented in this Scripture, we can rule out these options. Pagan gods are not the judges over man, but rather empty concepts invented by man at best (compare 1 Kings 18:20-39, Romans 1:22-23), and demonic entities at their worst (compare Leviticus 17:7, Deuteronomy 32:17, Psalm 106:37, 1 Corinthians 10:20). Demons simply do not play a role in judging mankind, but rather causing them to fall into judgment. Therefore, to conclude that those in the presence of God are the false, pagan gods or even demons doesn’t make sense.

To say that those in the presence of God in this instance are righteous angels does not make sense either. Reiterating, the activity that identifies these other “elohim” is judgment of mankind. While angels have a special, spiritual existence in the heaven, their job is not to judge mankind. On the contrary, the Bible shows that they have a role to serve mankind as ministering spirits. Reading from Hebrews 1:13-14, “‘But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?’” In this example, the author whom we believe to be Paul, compares angels to Jesus Christ, making the point that their role in the plan of God is much different. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, a member of the Family of God, has a role of rulership. He sits on the throne, having the authority to judge mankind righteously. Angels do not have that capacity. As a reinforcement of the role of servitude, in the book of Revelation when John bowed down to an angel in an act of worship, the angel responded: “Then he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God’” (Revelation 22:9). The angels have an important role in the plan of God, but it is not one of authority and judgment over mankind. In fact, we are told that we will judge angels—not, that angels will judge us (1 Corinthians 6:3). Therefore, to interpret the other “elohim” in Psalm 82 as referring to angels is incorrect.

Could the reference to “elohim,” as describing the “gods,” possibly refer to Jesus Christ? The activity of judgment of mankind fits the role of Jesus Christ, but seeing that these other “elohim” are accused of judging unjustly, this cannot possibly fit. Jesus Christ is indeed the Judge of mankind. From 2 Timothy 4:1 we read, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom…” But unlike the “elohim” that judge unjustly, Jesus is a righteous Judge. “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). Even though the description of the activity of judgment is consistent with the role of Jesus Christ, since there are at least some “elohim” who judge unjustly, this cannot possibly refer to Jesus Christ

By reading further in Psalm 82, we discover another clue that can help us understand who these other “elohim” are. Quoting from Psalm 82:6-8, “I said, ‘You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High [a reference here to God the Father]. But you shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.’ Arise, O God, judge the earth; For You shall inherit all nations.” In this passage we see the statement “You are gods” being ascribed to those same “elohim”, again being translated into the same word “gods”. We learn that they will “die like men,” which clearly denotes a mortal, physical existence. It rules out the possibility that it refers to Jesus Christ, angels or demons, since they cannot die. So then, are these “gods” physical people? Before answering this question, we need to fast-forward to the time of Jesus Christ’s physical life on earth.

When Jesus was facing the Jews of His time in the temple, He proclaimed that He was the Son of God (compare John 10:25-32). Remember, He was fully man, completely physical, and proclaiming something that the Jews of His time thought was blasphemous. To provide support for this claim that He was the Son of God, Jesus quotes that same passage from Psalm 82:6. “Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not written in your law, “I said, ‘You are gods’”? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming,” because I said, “I am the Son of God”?’” (John 10:34-36). Jesus makes the point that God the Father said “You are gods”, and applies it also, to some extent, to Himself making it clear that His claim as being the Son of God could not be blasphemous. Therefore, it is clear that those “elohim” from Psalm 82 play a role as sons of God, of whom Jesus Christ is the first of the firstfruits (compare 1 Corinthians 15:20-23). Understanding that Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the Son of God, while He was in the flesh, it becomes clear that those who are referenced as the “elohim” have the same potential to be in the Family of God as Jesus Christ. God warns them not to commit the sin of judging unjustly, because it will result in physical death, losing out on the potential to be an eternal member of the God Family.

Therefore, we can see that the other “elohim” mentioned in Psalm 82 must refer to those who have the potential to become members of God’s Family, but also with the potential to die. This refers to physical man, and it may even include Christians, who are still physical, but have become baptized begotten members of God’s Family. Many in the world have a hard time believing that mankind has the potential to become members of God’s Family, but the Bible is replete with this message.

In God’s eyes, even though true Christians are physical, they are considered to be His begotten sons and daughters in the present tense. Although we have not been transformed into spirit, He considers us to already be begotten children of His Family. John writes, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.   Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.   And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1-3). This clearly reveals that true Christians are considered begotten children of God, now. Knowing that God sees all of mankind, including His begotten children, as those who have the potential to become perfected and glorified through a change from physical into spirit, the other “elohim” from Psalm 82 refers to the potential members of God’s Family while they are still in the flesh.

Other Scriptures in the Bible support this conclusion.

Human judges who have not become converted and who judge unrighteously will not reach their potential of becoming God Beings, unless they repent.  The fact that the other “elohim” are condemned for judging mankind unjustly is also consistent with the admonition of Christians to judge righteously (even though they would not rule as “judges” or jurors in a court of law). Christians have a duty to live to a higher standard, following the perfect example of Jesus Christ, who is the righteous Judge of mankind. Christians too are instructed to judge righteously (1 Corinthians 6:1-6, John 7:24). Yet, we know that Christians are fallible, physical people with the potential to fall into sin, for which the penalty is death (compare Romans 6:23). This understanding is consistent with the warning that unless these other “elohim” don’t change their ways, they will suffer death.

Also, since the other “elohim” are warned that they can “die like men”, this cannot refer to those who have been perfected, for two reasons. First, this cannot refer to those who have been changed to become Spirit Beings in the Family of God, because as born-again God Beings, they cannot sin (compare 1 John 3:9). Secondly, those who have been changed into Spirit Beings as members of God’s Family have inherited eternal life (compare Matthew 19:29). Those who have obtained eternal life cannot die (Luke 20:35-36). Therefore, the other “elohim” from Psalm 82 cannot refer to born-again members of God’s Family who have already been perfected, but rather, when referring to Christians, while they are in a physical state as begotten members of God’s Family.

When looking more deeply into Psalm 82, we can learn a great deal about the plan of God. It shows that mankind has the potential to become perfected, serving a divine role under the authority of God the Father and Jesus Christ. We understand also that Jesus Christ is the firstborn of God, but God’s plan is to bring many more into His Family to participate in divine rulership. Quoting from our free booklet, God is a Family, “After explaining that mankind was to become conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, God shows the underlying purpose in His plan in Romans 8:29: Christ was to ‘be the firstborn among many brethren.’ So important is the purpose of God in bringing many sons and daughters to glory that He was willing to give His only begotten Son in fulfillment of His objective (compare John 3:16).” We also learn that God sees His converted children as begotten members of His Family in the present tense, even though they are still physical. And because of that, those converted Christians have an obligation, if called upon, to judge righteously in their personal dealings with other people, with the warning of death for those who neglect their potential and fail to overcome sin because of Christ’s Sacrifice. The world may be mystified in understanding who these other gods in Psalm 82 are, but we ought to be comforted knowing that this refers potentially to mankind as a whole and also to us, as dedicated Christians, begotten members of God’s Family, who continually work to follow in the perfect example of Jesus Christ.

Lead Writer: Eric Rank

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