To Who Are You Betrothed?
By David A. Wheeler
Introduction
Jeremiah 2
1AND THE word of the
Lord came to me [Jeremiah], saying,
2Go and cry in the
ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the Lord: I [earnestly] remember the
kindness and devotion of your youth, your love after your betrothal [in Egypt]
and marriage [at Sinai] when you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not
sown.
Sunday, August 23rd I was awakened with the question “To who
are you betrothed?” This began a series
of soul searching for myself and I have had the opportunity to share with
several this thought. I have felt
compelled to reduce some of this study to writing and to encourage others to
ponder this thought. I know that this
question is not by accident since we are in the season of “Teshuva” which is a
season of personal examination prior to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
If you are married, do you remember the feelings you had for
your betrothed? Remember how you wanted
to spend every available minute with the love of your life? Remember how your thoughts throughout the day
would turn to your betrothed? Remember
all the times you would meet and plan your wedding day? Remember how you would create a guest
list? Remember how you wanted all you
knew to share in this special day?
I am struck with the stanch reality that we as individuals,
as professing Christians, as a Christian nation have married the wrong
betrothed. We were called to be set
apart. We were called to save ourselves
for the one who died for us. Today, we
are married to the world. We have lost
the love for the Savior and all that He has done for us. Where is the longing for His Presence? Where is the desire to spend all our time
with Him? Where is the passion that
makes us willing to give everything?
Where is the Love that causes us to give all? Where is the desire that everyone we know
experience this same love?
A Call to Our Nation
I was taken to book of Jeremiah. The first chapter is the call of Jeremiah to
be a Prophet of the Lord and his first Prophecy is in chapters 2-6. Due to the length I will not include it in
this writing as I usually do. I
encourage you to spend a little time reading these chapters in reference to
this writing. I believe it describes the
state of the Christian Church in the United States today.
Jeremiah, like most who operate with a prophetic gifting,
gets right to the point. He grabs the
peoples’ attention and waste no time detailing the issues that are before the
people. He is simple and direct with one
message. In Jeremiah 2 we see God making
His case regarding the offense of Israel.
The biggest of which is that they have forgotten who God is to them and
what He has done for them. They have
forgotten their first love.
Jeremiah 2
3Israel was
holiness [something set apart from ordinary purposes, dedicated] to the Lord,
the firstfruits of His harvest [of which no stranger was allowed to partake];
all who ate of it [injuring Israel] offended and became guilty; evil came upon
them, says the Lord.
Israel WAS holiness!
The United States WAS holiness, but we have lost our first love! We have lost our way. Those who would dare stand for doing what is
right are laughed at today. Those who
would speak words of truth and hope are scorned. Those who would dare do what is right to
their neighbor are seen as having hidden agendas. We expect our leaders to speak lies instead
of truth. Why has decency lost its
place in our society? Instead of being
separate from this world system we have joined and become one with this world
system of greed, injustice, blindness (we see what is evil as good and what is
good as evil). Instead of expecting
the best we expect the worst.
The failure for the people of Israel was blamed on the
fathers, Jeremiah 2:5. Fathers have
failed to train their children in the goodness of the Lord. We continue to see the decay of all that is
right and good, because fathers and their role in the lives of children have
been weakened. In many cases the
fathers are absent or have abdicated their role to the women.
As we continue to examine Jeremiah, we see that instead of
being committed to the one true God, Israel had given themselves over to the
mingling of other gods in with their beliefs and worship. They were given over to idolatry, forsaking
the true God, their own God, for other false gods. Jeremiah begins to tell them how
ungrateful they have been to a generous
God. In addition, Jeremiah points out
that it is without precedent that a nation would change their god. They have belittled themselves. They have forsaken their good beginnings and
that their wickedness was too plain to be concealed and too bad to be
excused. They were obstinate and
persistent in their idolatry. The change
of gods Israel had participated in may have gone past the point of return. They were showing no sign of letting up in
the direction they were heading. They
broke covenant! Jeremiah continues by
stating that their shame would be evident when their idols were unable to meet
their needs. Israel had forgotten how to
be betrothed to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
Our nation is in the process of shifting gods. This warning found here in Jeremiah should
serve us well. The past always repeats
itself in the future. We are
experiencing this now! We have given
ourselves over to a humanistic god! We
have, as a nation, distended ourselves in self gratification.
Romans 5:20 (Amplified Bible)
… But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God's
unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded,
An apostate state is given an opportunity to correct its
failures in chapter 3 or Jeremiah. We
would be wise to take heed to this call and respond in like manner. The invitation is given with much
encouragement to repent! Return and
Repent! Regardless of how many
grievances there are we are encouraged to return and repent! In this process we magnify the mercy of God
and His grace superabounds! Even
though our state would seem to require that a Holy God turn His back and leave
us as if He never knew us, God finds enough mercy and grace within Himself to
call us to return and repent. Over and
over in chapter 3 the call to “RETURN” is given. God says He will heal our backslidings
(vv22). There is a call to our nation to
RETURN!!! REPENT!!!!
Will we as a nation return to the Lord? Will we recognize our backsliding state and
stop the downward spiral? Will we stand
for truth and justice? Will we put away
our false gods and marriage to ungodly things from the sight of God, as called
for in Jeremiah 4:1? Will we separate
ourselves? Will we allow the fire of God
to burn all that is unholy with a fire that cannot be quenched?
Our Call to Separate!
There is a call for separation. But this call is not one demanded, but one
given. To each individual they must
sense this call and find their place in it.
As each individual responds to the call, then the nation will be
changed. The call is for all who claim
the cause of Christ, but they live not according to that call. The call is for those who are cheapening His
name and not living in right standing with Him, but stand in the sanctuary on
Sunday as if they are living a separated life.
When will it end? When will you find
your place? When will you embrace your
call and choose to separate yourself?
Romans 12
1I APPEAL to you
therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to
make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and
faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing
to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual
worship.
2Do not be
conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its
external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire]
renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may
prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God,
even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Our need for transformation is great. We believe if we make Christianity more like
the World system we will attract and be more attractive to those who do not
know Christ. But this is the
problem. We have allowed greed, self
accomplishment, and self aggrandizement to accompany our desire to be
attractive. Deep within everyone’s heart
is a desire for separation from these things.
When will we allow the transformation power of Christ to change us into
a new creature? When will we allow God’s
Power to flow through us offering something different to the world?
1 Thessalonians 5
23And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and
through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated
to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete
[and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).
Deep within us all is a desire for peace. Peace that passes understanding. We have not allowed the Peace of God to pass
our understanding. We are trying in our
own minds to understand God, His ways, His calling. Peace comes when we allow it to pass our
understanding. It is only then that
sanctification comes. It is only then
that we begin to embrace all that God desires and separate ourselves from all
that He doesn’t desire. Again I say,
sanctification and consecration to God is not something demanded but it is
something given. Our acts of Evangelism
demanding sanctification prior to people meeting God is damaging. Devine alignment is given Spirit, Soul, then
Body! The first act of sanctification is
the Spirit. When this order is followed
the Soul and Body will quickly come into alignment with all that God desires.
Hebrews 13:12
12Therefore Jesus
also suffered and died outside the [city's] gate in order that He might purify
and consecrate the people through [the shedding of] His own blood and set them
apart as holy [for God].
It is Jesus who sanctifies!
It is His blood that sets us apart and allows us the opportunity to
embrace God’s original design for man; a life without sin. Wow!
Can you imagine life without sin; Life with full knowledge of the
presence of God? We have an opportunity
with a full relationship with Christ to live free from the hindrances of this
life. Jesus here was a sin sacrifice
according to Levitical Law when He was crucified outside the city gates. Thus, he became the sanctifier of all who
would believe both Jew and gentile!
1 Peter 1
15But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also
be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.
16For it is
written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.
We are called to holiness!
We are commanded to be holy.
Today, there seems to be an open door for sin. “You can just ask for forgiveness”, many will
say. But where are we encouraging one
another to live holy lives? Where are we
walking so close with our brother and sister that we can help them live
holy! Many need to hear the words “STOP
IT!” Satan and the demonic power are so
enticing today; Drawing all mankind into wickedness. “Grace Abuse” is an epidemic within the
Church. There is a call for
holiness! Be holy as He is Holy! If we are betrothed to Christ, we must be
holy without spot or wrinkle.
Nothing can be added to Romans 6 to make these points
better.
Romans 6:1-2
1WHAT SHALL we say
[to all this]? Are we to remain in sin in order that God's grace (favor and
mercy) may multiply and overflow?
2Certainly not!
How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?
We are called to live a separate life; to have victory over
sin. Salvation means we die to sin. Have you died to sin? Is the old boyfriend/girlfriend(sin) still
romancing your life? How can you be
betrothed to Christ and still romance sin?
Surely this past relationship must be severed completely. The renewing of the mind the cleansing of the
soul is a must for us to live a life betrothed to Him!
Romans 6:3-11
3Are you ignorant
of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death?
4We were buried
therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised
from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might
[habitually] live and behave in newness of life.
5For if we have
become one with Him by sharing a death like His, we shall also be [one with Him
in sharing] His resurrection [by a new life lived for God].
6We know that our
old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body
[which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for
evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin.
7For when a man
dies, he is freed (loosed, delivered) from [the power of] sin [among men].
8Now if we have
died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9Because we know
that Christ (the Anointed One), being once raised from the dead, will never die
again; death no longer has power over Him.
10For by the death
He died, He died to sin [ending His relation to it] once for all; and the life
that He lives, He is living to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him].
11Even so consider
yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God
[living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.
What a wonderful thought to live in unbroken fellowship with
Jesus Christ. Have you considered
yourself dead to sin? When death comes
there is no life, no response, no entertainment – death is final and it is the absence
of life. When we are dead to sin, there
is no life, no response, no entertainment of sin. Is it possible in this world to be dead to
sin? Yes!!!! It is possible to live a life free from sin,
but it requires us embracing the death and resurrection of Christ fully in our
lives. You can be alive to God, living
in unbroken fellowship with Him! This
is where mankind began when Adam and Eve were in the garden living in unbroken
fellowship with Him! Oh the joy! Oh the peace!
If we can just find that place of unbroken fellowship with Him!
Romans 6:12-14
12Let not sin
therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make
you yield to its cravings and be subject to its lusts and evil passions.
13Do not continue
offering or yielding your bodily members [and [a]faculties] to sin as
instruments (tools) of wickedness. But offer and yield yourselves to God as
though you have been raised from the dead to [perpetual] life, and your bodily
members [and [b]faculties] to God, presenting them as implements of
righteousness.
14For sin shall
not [any longer] exert dominion over you, since now you are not under Law [as
slaves], but under grace [as subjects of God's favor and mercy].
Verse 12 clearly indicates that we make the choice of who or
what is king in our lives. Is sin your
king or are you betrothed to the King of Kings?
Have you yielded your body to its cravings? Are you subject to the lusts and evil passions? Where are you? What king will you serve? What are you allowing to have power over
you? Yield yourself to God! Present yourself in righteousness! Exert dominion over sin! You can do it! You can live a life unencumbered by sin and
the results of sin (Shame, guilt and condemnation). Be free!
Romans 6:15-23
15What then [are
we to conclude]? Shall we sin because we live not under Law but under God's
favor and mercy? Certainly not!
16Do you not know
that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are
the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death,
or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing
with God)?
17But thank God,
though you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient with all your
heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you
were committed.
18And having been
set free from sin, you have become the servants of righteousness (of conformity
to the divine will in thought, purpose, and action).
19I am speaking in
familiar human terms because of your natural limitations. For as you yielded
your bodily members [and [c]faculties] as servants to impurity and ever
increasing lawlessness, so now yield your bodily members [and [d]faculties]
once for all as servants to righteousness (right being and doing) [which leads]
to sanctification.
20For when you
were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
21But then what
benefit (return) did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed?
[None] for the end of those things is death.
22But now since
you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have
your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life.
23For the wages
which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life
through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.
Can you not see that you are free! When you are betrothed to Him you are free
from all other loves. Christ wants all
your attention! He wants all your
love! How much do you love Him? Have you embraced Him in every area of your
life? What wages are you being
paid? Wages of death or wages of life? Choose life in its fullness. Love the lover of your soul! Embrace all that he has for you; all the
plans for your prosperity, you peace, your joy.
To who are you betrothed? Where
is your love life? Are you so in love
with Him that you will give all that you have?
Romans 8:1-2, 12-14
1THEREFORE, [there
is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in
Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but
after the dictates of the Spirit.(A)
2For the law of
the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has
freed me from the law of sin and of death.
12So then, brethren, we are debtors, but not to the flesh
[we are not obligated to our carnal nature], to live [a life ruled by the
standards set up by the dictates] of the flesh.
13For if you live
according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through
the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making
extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really
and genuinely] live forever.
14For all who are
led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
The result of living a separated life is no
condemnation. We must allow the Spirit
of God to rule our life. The Holy Spirit
was sent to walk with us to keep us honest in our betrothal. But many have forsaken the voice of the Holy
Spirit in our lives! Many have set aside
the quiet still voice that encourages us to make righteous choices. Many do not lean on and rely on the Holy
Spirit as the governess of their lives.
They trust others and their own thinking before they trust in a living
God to who they are betrothed! Will you
listen to this companion who will compel you in all things great or small to
make the right choice a choice of righteousness? Will you listen and be obedient? If you are in Christ you are no longer in
debt, but you are free! Life is
promised to those who habitually put to death the evil deeds prompted by the
body! Choose life!
The Reason for Holiness And It’s Challenges
The primary reason for Holiness is the commandments from God
to be Holy. But in addition to that is
the life of freedom this brings to the believer. When we are free from sin and its
entrapments we are liberated to express who God. There is no shame. There is no condemnation. We are able to declare the goodness of God
and challenge others with holy living.
But, when we are able to stand before God and man in holiness we should
maintain a humble posture of love and encouragement for others to live this
same holiness.
Holy living has presented several challenges to the
church. The first challenge is to
profess holiness, but live unholy. This
is the standard that many have kept which has brought the term “Hypocrite” to
the lips of many observers. For those
who live with no standard of holiness, they are ever ready to point the
failures of those who strive to live up to a holy standard of living. The problem today is that those professing
holiness are living unholy and many are not striving for holiness.
Another challenge is to believe our holiness makes us
spiritually superior to those around us.
This religious spirit of measuring our life and deeds as greater than
those around us enables the believer to think that they are better than the
rest. This destroys the teachable spirit
and causes pride. While there is some
measure of sin giving in the Scriptures (specifically regarding sexual sin) the
truth still remains that sin is sin.
The Greek for sin is sin.
Spiritual superiority will stunt the use of other believers’ spiritual
gifts and propagate immature Christian living.
Maturity in Christ is demonstrated by the Fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23
22But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His
presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even
temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
23Gentleness
(meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such
things there is no law [[f]that can bring a charge].
Please note that the term fruit is singular. We all have seen the visuals of this verse
demonstrating different fruits representing the various pieces, but the truth
is that if we possess the fruit of the Spirit in our lives than all of these
characteristics should be exemplified.
When the Spirit of God is active in our life the manifestation of our
life will be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, AND self-control. When a
believe all of the fruit of the spirit but one part then they are not allowing
the maturity of God to manifest in their life!
The last challenge holiness has brought to the church I
would like to address is that of having a judgmental spirit. We have all experienced this judgmental
spirit at some point in our life: The
eye that cast disapproval and shame on our actions; The quick turn of the head;
The shunning of relationship. If we only
wear our holiness to cast judgment on all we come in contact with then we are
doing nothing for the body of Christ other than sowing seeds of rejection. These seeds germinate into the ultimate
rejection of Jesus Christ.
Holiness without love is useless and fruitless. Holiness must be bathed in love. Love is what pierces through the most
challenged heart and will enable us to be more Christ like! Love is what builds relationships to the
point that our standard of living challenges those around us to live better. Examine your life. How are you challenging those around you to
live holy? What example do you
leave? What makes you different than all
those in the world. Will you continue to
leave your garbage for someone else to clean up? Will you drive off in a huff when your food
is not ready in time? Will you speak the
truth in love to a friend who is about to make a mistake? Will you listen to those who are trying to
provide help? Love is demonstrated in
all ways to us and by us. Holiness
without love is simply not holy.
Conclusion!
So, I ask again, “To who are you betrothed?” We as a nation must repent and return, but
this will only happen as members of our nation individually repent and return
to living holy separated lives. And with
this holiness we must avoid or correct our pitfalls of the past.
