Let it be absolutely clear as of first importance that the value of women to God is exactly the same for the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Man! As the Head of every man immediately under Him in God’s order of mankind and Creator, the Lord Jesus also gives full support to the divinely designed value of women to men and families (Matthew 5:27-32; Mark 10:1-16; 1 Corinthians 11:3). Truly, in condescending to become a Man conceived in His mother’s womb, birthed, nourished and nurtured by her, He has firsthand knowledge and appreciation of the experience of His creatures as well. He was raised as any other Male by Joseph and Mary in a Jewish family (Luke 2:21-24, 39-52).
During His ministry years, women were equally with men the beneficiaries of the messianic preaching, teaching and miracles of the Lord Jesus. Indeed, He modeled for all men the disposition God expects of us toward women as a leader, teacher, provider and protector (Luke 4:31-44, 7:1-17, 36-50). Women were well represented among the throngs that flocked to the Lord; becoming devoted disciples and helpers as major supporters (Luke 8:1-3, 10:38-42; John 12:1-8). However, in accord with His Father’s will in the divine order of mankind, the Lord did not appoint any women to become apostles as I explain in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics (Luke 6:12-16).1
The intense love and devotion women are historically known for showed toward Jesus even after His crucifixion resulting in them being the first recorded mortals to hear the news and see Him alive from the dead (Luke 23:50-24:10; John 20:11-18). There is no such thing as coincidence for the God I serve with my whole heart! Thus, to make this last post discussing the value of women to Jesus Christ on Pentecost is completely a God thing since I did not plan it this way. On this day nearly 2,000 years ago female followers of the now, ascended Christ, were also assembled with the apostles who by divine will had just picked the male replacement for Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:12-26).
Surely, Mary, the mother of the Lord or other faithful women who had followed Him from the beginning of His ministry would seem to have been prime candidates as well to replace Judas as an apostle. But the Lord did not give any sign whatsoever of a change in men alone being appointed apostles as was given to Peter at a later date concerning him as a Jew interacting with Gentiles (Acts 10:1-29). Nevertheless, when the Holy Spirit arrived as promised by Christ, He came upon all of the firstfruits assembly without discrimination; all spoke in ecstatic praise of the ‘“wonderful works of God’” not having learned, but using the known languages of the Roman Empire (Acts 2:1-13, NKJV)!
Of great significance about the crowd that had gathered to this miraculous occurrence, was the fact it was largely composed of men. This is because the “Feast Of Harvest” or “Weeks” also known as Pentecost was of the three solemn gatherings in the seven holy feast calendar God had expressly commanded that all the men of Israel were to be present (Exodus 23:14-17, 34:22-26; Deuteronomy 16:9-12, 16-17; Acts 2:5, NKJV). When it came time to explain what was going on and preach the Gospel to begin God’s full harvest of souls among the assembly of mostly male prospects, it was Peter that did so, though again, Spirit-filled women were present and could have too (Acts 2:14-41).
Clearly, God was continuing to be consistent with implementing His order of mankind from Adam! Men are His chosen leaders and He did not change this at the onset of the New Testament era.2 3 As a result, from this beginning point at Pentecost with the Lord’s apostles (Acts 2:42) forward in the rest of the New Testament, formally appointed leaders, elders and pastors in the churches were all men. The ministry of deacons as formal helpers to leadership was made up of men in any oversight of church run operational or ministry activities, while in no shocker, women in their role as helpers served with their husbands to help them. Married or single, some women engaged in personal service and help ministries to church members and leaders (Acts 9:36-43; Romans 16:1-2).
The Holy Spirit was not confused nor should we be walking in Him! For when He fell on that first assembly at Pentecost without discrimination to give new birth to each disciple of Christ and power to praise God, He also distributed their spiritual gifts knowing the Lord’s will for each and honoring the divine order (1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4:7-16). Therefore, just as the Lord used women to prophesy in the Old Testament, none of them including Deborah ever stood before the whole congregation of Israel to do so as Moses or Jeremiah (Exodus 15:20-21; Judges 4:1-14; 2 Kings 22:14-20; Jeremiah 7:1-2; Luke 2:36-38). Neither were women priests or worship leaders. All of this carried over into this New Testament era as the Spirit imparted spiritual gifts to women (Acts 21:8-9)!
The Lord gives women the ability to prophesy, preach, teach or exercise sign gifts according to His will that is always consistent with His eternal Word and standing order of mankind. Prophesy is addressed to individuals He may send the prophetess to or that might seek her out. It might also be combined with the leadership gifts of preaching for proclaiming the Gospel and God’s message or teaching for biblically instructing women and/or children in gatherings small or large. Service gifts supernaturally enhance a woman’s natural abilities to help their husbands and/or the churches serve the Lord’s Kingdom causes. To go beyond the Lord’s will is sin (1 Corinthians 14:33-40)!4 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics is available through all major internet booksellers, by order from your favorite brick and mortar bookstore and in the Strong Man Store. I also discuss and elaborate on this issue as the Lord leads in the January 27-February 10, 2017 three-part blog series, Jesus, Son Of Man and in a June 2017 series, The Value of Men To God and Jesus Christ respectively, all under the category, The Cause.
2 As the Lord leads me to contend in an Appendix of my book, all of the deceitful arguments that are presented within the churches to allow women to preach to, teach and take authority over men within them in these latter days are all predicated on God having made a change of some kind in His attitude toward or implementation of the divine order of mankind. This is preposterous not only because the divine order is perfect and beneficial to mankind in this present age, but also because among other very important reasons it now includes Christ as the Second Adam and the Head of man! Read my April 8, 2018 post, The Second Adam Rules And Judges,
under the categories Call To Repent and Bible Prophecy to consider this point further. You can read my November and December 2007 two-part Commentary, When Did God Change? to walk through the major arguments of deceit that have enabled rebellion against the divine order in God’s house.
3 Unless one is willing to call God “sexist” or “unfair” (which some feminists do, though, most are careful to attempt to cloak this blasphemy by directing their accusations to those like me that would have the audacity to hold to God’s Word as it is written), there is no other option but to accept New Testament instruction and example as it
is. Doing so, of course, means feminism that opposes God’s order must be rejected because both approaches to human organization cannot be right at the same time
and are in fact, mutually exclusive. For more on calling God “sexist” or “unfair” read my May 8, 2016 post, God A Sexist?, followed the next week, May 15th with God Unfair?, both under the category, God’s Creatures.
4 Since so much confusion swirls around the Word of God in these latter days due in major part to poor interpretation, our Ministry as a Christian service continues to of- fer the free resource, Seven Principles Of Bible Interpretation the Lord led me to prepare to help those that honestly want to know how to interpret God’s Word. Distilled
from the excellent book, Knowing Scripture by Dr. R. C. Sproul that I urge you to get, our free resource is available in the Strong Man Store.
With the awesome help of the Holy Spirit, I have presented a strong (if brief in this limited blog format) case for the value of men to humanity, God in salvation and His Kingdom cause in the Gospel as well as families. As a close to this special blog series on the value of men, I greatly rejoice to declare the selected words and actions of Jesus, Son of Man and Christ about His “brethren” from the Bible. Only here will I mention in a non-apologetic, matter of fact way for those offended because of attempting to see spiritual reality through rebel feminist constructed, egalitarian eyes, that Christ’s regard for men in no way diminishes females since His eternal good end includes them too!
Truly we are taught that spiritual reality and wisdom--to include what God has done, is doing and will yet do in the future--is only understood by those with the “mind of Christ” revealed to us by the Holy Spirit (John14:15-17; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, NKJV). In revealing the mind of Christ to us, the Holy Spirit fully draws from the Old Testament along with New Testament eyewitness accounts and instruction of the Bible He inspired (John 16:5-15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21)! As well, the Lord Himself comes near to reveal His mind, teach and direct us as promised (John 14:18-21; Acts 9:10-16, 10:1-16). O, the amazingly incredible, unsearchable and limitless ways of God!
Thus, the mind of Christ toward men is first abundantly seen in the Old Testament when for example, a thousand years before He appears on the earth in mortal form, He speaks through His Jewish royal forefather, David, and declares triumphantly at the end of His suffering and death on the cross: “I will declare Your name to My brethren,” (Psalm 22:1-22a, NKJV). Now, while the Psalm goes on to include expanding groups impacted by His Father’s deliverance (Psalm 22:22b-31), the risen Christ speaks of “My brethren” before all even as He does to the first persons to see Him--women--as He instructs them: “Go and tell My brethren…,” (Matthew 28:9-10; John 20:17, NKJV).
Jesus, Son of Man and Christ seeks out His earthly, Jewish brethren first as God’s fellow elect leaders, apostles and soldiers in the dangerous Kingdom warfare and cause for which He had just suffered and would now send them (John 20:19-23)! They would begin as He did with Jewish men as the first audience and heads of households charged by God to lead and teach them. For Jesus, Son of Man is the Anointed Savior-King of the Jews first, then us Gentiles (Isaiah 49:5-7; Acts 1:6-8, 2:36-39; Romans 1:16). With few exceptions conditioned by evangelistic opportunities, the pattern to reach men first and their households would persist among the Gentiles (Acts 10:17-48, 16:11-34).
The writer of Hebrews gets in on this and writes of the ultimate, eternal end of the Lord’s sufferings as “bringing many sons to glory,” (Hebrews 2:5-10, NKJV). He then speaks of how Christ who has done the work and those that are set apart to God as a result “are all of one;” the reason “He is not ashamed to call them brethren,” (Hebrews 2:11, NKJV). After this, the writer cites Psalm 22:22 and further celebrates this astounding truth by quoting from Isaiah 8:17-18 written 700 years before the Lord’s mortal sojourn; putting Him in the midst of His “brethren” voicing obvious delight in God’s redemptive purposes that brought them forth beginning with those of Israel (Hebrews 2:12-13, NKJV).
Indeed, the restoration cause of Christ in the Gospel goes well beyond saving mankind from sin in this present age as all important as this is as a first step. For Him as God and one of us, it is also about what follows salvation; the divine end game and exceedingly great spiritual reality He prayed for on the way to the cross. The opening up of the God Family to include adopted sons of God the Father and brethren for Christ from among Jews and Gentiles who share in His inheritance of life now through the Holy Spirit by faith (John 17:20-26; Romans 8:12-17; Ephesians 1:1-14, 2:11-22, 3:14-15); the fullness of His inheritance that includes resurrection for most, metamorphosis and immortal glory for all the redeemed at His Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 35-57)!
We know that the present age assembly of His mortal brethren in the generic sense includes women. However, in the future, brethren after the metamorphosis that conforms the bodies of all to Christ’s own immortal body will be used without any qualification (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2).1 At last, the value of man to God as eternal sons and rulers in the divine image and likeness as declared at his creation is fulfilled (Genesis 1:26; Revelation 21:7, 22:5c). With His Father, therefore, the value of men to Christ is their redemption as sons, disciples and servants vigorously now engaged with Him in the perilous and risk filled Kingdom cause in the Gospel to restore others; bringing them as brethren with their households into the God Family and an eternal destiny!2
1 Read the July 10-31, 2016 blog posts under the category, God’s Creatures, where the Lord leads me to write about our coming bodily resurrection or living translation to
immortal bodies.
2 As an excellent supplement to this, the other three posts that preceded it and yes, those still to come dealing with men, I urge the reader to purchase my newly released audio series, “I AM A MAN” available exclusively in the Strong Man Store. All proceeds go to help fund the work of Strong Man Ministries and our passionate cause to restore men!
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love,” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14, NKJV). The foregoing verses are among the final exhortations to the church at Corinth by the apostle Paul in a deeply sobering letter filled with instruction and correction. I pray these verses will find their mark in the heart of every professing Christian American that reads this blog and is searching for how to handle the morality shift of our nation that is retracting the welcome mat Christianity once had in a God pleasing way. To be sure, Paul’s exhortation does not sit well with our reflexive American cultural mind set to go on the offensive for our rights.
However, he is exhorting us to watch for something far superior to America in her best days; we are to watch for the glorious Second Coming and Kingdom of our Lord as He also taught (Matthew 24:42-44)! We are not to back up on Him in the face of opposition, but literally stand still in the faith--biblical Christianity as it is written! We are to be courageous and strong in the Lord while the opposition presses in on us laboring as aspiring strong men and great women of God in Christ’s image (Ephesians 6:10-20)! Finally, we are to do all of what we do in love--the love supernaturally supplied to us by the Holy Spirit--for fellow believers and those who hate us (Romans 5:5).
Presently, many professing Christians are not giving heed to the apostle Paul’s exhortation and have instead, chosen the American way of fighting--which in the right situation legally is not wrong. But what the Lord led me to write in 2013 about a business situation close to home here in Portland with many similar instances around the nation, I remain steadfast in conviction is not the right one to fight since discrimination violates God’s commandment to us and man’s law. Christians are not to show partiality or if you will, discriminate against someone’s person in making judgments (Deuteronomy 1:16-18; 1 Timothy 5:19-21). The subjects of the 2013 blog have since been penalized by the governing authorities for discrimination and others face similar consequences.
In this edited repost of that blog, I use the hurtful experiences I and most of those of my race with other racial minorities have had in being discriminated against in America as a backdrop to try in love to help my mostly white, conservative evangelical Christian brethren get this right going forward. Based on the Anglo-centric mail that I have received from some organizations, though, I see not only that this original word from the Lord through me as an ignorant black man was ignored, but it appears something sadly predictable as another part of the American way is occurring: discriminated against racial minority Christians are intended to be left to themselves.1 Seriously, racism to the end? Where’s the love? Even so, my God will thwart this evil too and prove His Word right (Acts 27:9-21).
Originally Posted March 3, 2013
I greatly empathize with the position Aaron and Melissa Klein who own the bakery, Sweet Cakes By Melissa here in the Portland area have taken not to bake a wedding cake for a same sex couple. They have taken this position out of the biblical conviction that such marriages are wrong which of course, I also share. However, I do not believe they or any other Christian owner of a business open to the public has the right to refuse service to those whose lifestyle they morally disagree.
It would be one thing if this were a church or para-church organization and an immoral person came in demanding that these entities violate the tenets of their faith to allow the individual to become a member, be hired or receive services formally declared to be for Christians only. However, this situation is about Christians that own a business offering services to the general public without any stated restrictions (until now). By their own admission the bakery owners have gay customers and have served them previously.
As a black American, the whole situation is a painful reminder of the evil system of discrimination in this nation that legally permitted businesses to refuse service to blacks based simply on the color of our skin. If service was offered, blacks were humiliated in having to go to the back or side doors to receive it. Many of the white business owners then were good church members and believed they stood on Christian values in their discriminatory conduct as taught and reinforced by their leadership.
In shame, even many nominal white Christians today in honesty would have to admit this kind of targeted discrimination was morally wrong and unbiblical. Yet, many have stood to support the cause of this couple’s right to unlawfully discriminate (with thanks to God and the perseverance of those in the Civil Rights Movement, discrimination in public commerce and accommodations is illegal now) against two gay customers just because they want to marry each other which all Christians with a biblical worldview agree is wrong.
In line with the thinking of the late Chuck Colson and others concerned that we Christians hold to our biblical worldview in every corner of our nation’s secular culture, we are to engage unbelievers and rebels against the divine order in a winsome way. If Christians are going to open businesses serving everyone in the general public, they can be winsome about it for example, by using tactful signage that affirms in a positive way their standing as Christians with a biblical worldview. Their lifestyle, demeanor and conversation should also reflect the joy of relationship with Christ.
Any customers that come in know that this business owner is devoted to Christ and the Word of God and most will respect that. The few who do not respect this and want the Christian business owner to provide their product or service to them should be served in the love and humility of Christ who taught us to love our enemies and healed the cut off ear of one of the men sent to arrest Him (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 22:49-51). The message on a receipt for a product or service rendered can share the Gospel or for instance, read: “Served with love from the God who loves and forgives sinners!”
As I wrote back on December 16, 2012 in the Powerlessness Of Being The Minority, Pt.1, Christians are fast becoming a despised minority in America. Christian businesses which are important and strategic outposts for the Gospel do not need to incite our future persecutors by unnecessarily breaking the law through discriminating against them at this stage of things. In short, while I commend their willingness to take a stand, this is not a Rosa Parks moment for the owners of Sweet Cakes By Melissa, other Christian business owners or Christians at large. If a Christian that owns a business open to the public cannot in good conscience serve same sex couples, close it down. Similarly, if thinking of opening a business with the same conviction, do not open it!
Truly, already Christians are being discriminated against and our values rejected by our once welcoming society (Matthew 5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23). We are not to return evil for evil (Luke 6:31; Romans 12:17-21). The foretold severe persecution just for being willing to confess Christ draws near. As aspiring strong men and great women of God we will have plenty of opportunities to take a stand for Christ and I hope many will in all faithfulness and obedience (Revelation 13, 14:9-13).
1 Examine the art work, photos and primary victims displayed in a sampling of white, conservative evangelical Christian publications addressing the impact cultural change is
having on largely white evangelicals. While most assuredly I appreciate what their proclaimed intentions are, in the 21st century, to call “an oversight” the failure to in- clude the continuing fight against discrimination by all racial minorities, but especially their brothers in Christ as a related and worthy cause is beyond incredible. Of course, being the president of a small non-profit, I do also see the fundraising dollars and cents of this “oversight.” Nevertheless, I hope our Christian readers from all
backgrounds will consider donating to our Ministry because of the fair, balanced and truthful way in the Lord I deal with everybody’s stuff including my own!
In a recent radio interview discussing my book, one of the hosts and sister in Christ shared that from her experience, most women--Christian or not--want a strong man. While this may be true, contemporary feminist ideology--which at its core seeks for a separate and independent identity from men in what is called “equality”--sabotages this aspiration more so than any failures men may have that do so. Truly, there is nothing innately wrong with men that God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and power of the Holy Spirit cannot fix. However, willful rebellion against God’s order by women that are guilty including those professing to be Christians exacerbates the problems men in sin weakness have and provokes the wrath of God against them as rebels.
As the Lord led, I wrote about the issue of re-defining men, women, their roles and responsibilities that coincides with what is also being done with sin in the second chapter of The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. As is plainly shown in His Word, God did not create two heads in the order of the human family. Indeed, as I have taught over the years, we instinctively understand a two headed anything is not natural or normal. God created the man first and brought forth the woman second from out of him specifically to be his companion and helper (Genesis 2:7, 18-25). She was fully equal to him in person, but God gave the couple different roles and responsibilities that are also plainly seen in their bodies.
The man was to be the head over his wife and chief leader in the family. This was not about inequality, but divine will and order for humanity; order that is everywhere apparent within the family of God, Heaven and its ranks of angelic majesties, the cosmos and every kind of display of life on planet earth. Truly, God is One (communicating absolute unity and equality of Person) and yet, within the triunity of God, the Father is the Head, Christ the Word is the Son and the third Person is the Holy Spirit ready to do the will of the Father and Son (Genesis 1:1-3; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19; John 1:1-5, 14-18, 14:28, 15:26). Read my July 27, 2014 blog, God Of Order under the category, Instruction to learn more about the divine display of and commitment to order.
So, men are to be the heads over their wives by the express will of God in consistency with the divine order in which the woman came from the man for him, but since then, both are dependent on the other in the Lord’s continuing program of marriage and procreation (1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-12). Understanding from the Holy Spirit the surpassing greatness and blessing of God’s order of marriage framed within the Christian faith, the great apostle Paul purposely taught it to first century Christians (Ephesians 5:22-24; Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:1-5). With consistency, he also taught how God’s order of marriage in male and female roles and responsibilities were to be carried out in all of the churches largely made up of Gentiles since the Jews already knew from the mosaic law and had been obedient since Abraham’s day (Genesis 3:16b; 1 Corinthians 14:33-40; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 1 Peter 3:1-6).
Yes, in general historically, men have blown it big time as it concerns being the kind of ruler God designed after the image and likeness of God and perfectly modeled by our Lord Jesus Christ (Genesis 1:26; Ephesians 5:25-33; Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7). I own this truth in the book and apologize to my sisters for it. However, I also say the failure of men does not warrant a full on rebellion against God by women in these latter days since the failure of men is due entirely to the fall and sin as an indwelling reality going forward. Though because of his status before God as the head, Adam’s disobedience condemned the race (Romans 5:12), nevertheless, it was Eve who led the way as the first human sinner (Genesis 3:6; 1 Timothy 2:14).
Now, today, will the women who are guilty as Eve’s daughters also lead a rebellion against God’s order and expect that their sin will set everything right? Apparently they think so since the rebellion is in progress and has been growing for a generation. At this point, as the Lord leads, I especially speak from the heart to the women of my own race and people. I know so many of you have had to step in to fill the void left by missing men since slavery and not all from the demoralization of our experience that affected those without Christ the most. Some were irresponsible as men weak in sin then, as the many are today. By default and for your children, you had to become the head of the family as Deborah also had to save Israel when the men were weak before God (Judges 4:4-22).
We who are learning the way of the strong man of God in the image of Jesus Christ understand from the foregoing that we owe you a great debt of gratitude. But if in these latter days a significant number of us will successfully rise up from the dead of sin weakness into the restoration of strength through Christ to become strong men of God in His image, those of our sisters who are guilty must repent from the pride of feminism and relinquish your grip on headship to return to honoring God’s order in the home and churches as it is written in His Word! Two independent heads of the house sounds good to the rebel heart, but in practical application engenders conflict and blocks a man from becoming strong in his role and responsibility to lead as God has hard wired into his existence and is revived in the strong man of God message and cause.
Too, as is well known, what is being done right now in rebellion is not working to facilitate intact families. The high levels of single females who feel obliged to be sexually promiscuous and enable male irresponsibility by financially supporting them to attract their interest, domestic violence, divorce, shacking and single female headed households (many with children from different absent fathers) amply demonstrates the truth. If women of the world will not return to God’s program, then, surely those professing to be Christians should though some of my strongest opposition to restoring men over the years has come from this group because they do not want to abandon their selfish ambitions for position, power and recognition in the churches inspired by the flesh and feminism not God! Let all unrepentant rebel females be warned that since God shows no partiality, they equally face His wrath with guilty males (Romans 2:1-11).
So, how can willing professed Christian women who are guilty return to God’s program and help restore men as aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ? The first step always where sin is involved is to confess and repent from it before God. Second, accept the fact God is the Author of the roles and responsibilities of men written in His Word not mortal flesh and submit to Him. Third, if relinquishing the authority of headship is a problem for you, in your fresh submission to God ask for the heart of John the Baptist who as the Lord Jesus greater in role and responsibility came on the scene said, ‘“He must increase, but I must decrease,’” (John 3:30, NKJV). John understood and accepted his role in God’s program (John 3:22-36). So should every aspiring great woman of God in the image of Christ today as divinely appointed helpers and spiritual descendants of those from ancient times recorded in the Bible and history that God may be glorified in you!
There is no other way to say it but directly: those of you who have been and are being taught by whomever Jesus Christ is only lowly, meek and mild are being deceived! Truly, by His own testimony the Lord Jesus does invite persons weary and heavily weighted down from the “labor” of life in sin and religion to “Come to” Him, “take” His “yoke upon” themselves “and learn from” Him because He is “gentle and lowly in heart.” In doing as He says, these persons “will find rest for” their “souls,” (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV). To the humble, He presents Himself gentle and humble. But the proud in their sins should beware; this same Jesus holy and strong is King and Judge of all mankind!1
Even His Personal advance man, John the Baptist, was concerned if in fact Jesus of Nazareth was Israel’s long awaited Anointed of God--her promised King and Deliverer. After sending back word to John, the Lord essentially gave his eulogy and followed this sharply rebuking three cities of the Galilee that had been privileged to see many of His mighty works of power including Capernaum where His ministry was headquartered (Matthew 11:1-24). Then, the Lord Jesus prayed to His Father in the hearing of all present and on the basis of Their mutual knowledge and relationship, immediately pivoted to His hearers to issue the invitation cited in the opening of this post (Matthew 11:25-30).
Their King stood in their midst loving on them, but they did not receive Him because He did not fit their preconceived profile nor subscribe to their practice of external religion that blinded them as evidenced by what happens in Matthew 12:1-45. He invited faith in Him by the same kind of humble persons He had previously called “Blessed” in a sermon proclaimed to those assembled to Him on a mountain (Mathew 5:1-6, NKJV). Gentle and humble as “The Lamb of God” is part of the character and demeanor of Christ He still presents to those at this very hour that come to Him humble and broken in their sins (Psalm 51:16-17; John 1:29; Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Peter 1:18-19, NKJV).
Unfortunately, either through genuine or willful ignorance or purposeful deception, many have portrayed the Lord Jesus as only “The Lamb” or worse, still the cute, harmless “Babe” in the manger. This has led to many false teachings such as Christ being not just tolerant, but accepting of biblically defined sin, His endorsement of other gospels including that built on covetousness for prosperity at all times and syncretism that seats Him at the table with religious figures and idol worshippers antithetical to His Word. And as if these were not enough as examples, many professed Christians deny God's Word denying Christ is now, “the Judge of all the earth,” (Genesis 18:25, NKJV)!2
Blinded by flawed presuppositions, reading into Scripture, purposeful corruption of the same and personal desires for what they want Christ to be, the false teachers also fail to see who He is in fullness not only as “The Lamb of God,” but “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,” (2 Samuel 7:12-17; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:30-33; Revelation 5:5-6, NKJV). Validated by His resurrection, in strength and manner of a warrior He commenced issuing commands out of His delegated royal authority and continued reigning from the throne He shares with His Father upon being seated after His ascension (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:4-11; Ephesians 1:15-23)!3
To this hour the risen Christ reigns and as Judge is directly responsible for giving authorization for every judgment that has been and will be carried out on earth just as His Father assigned Him (John 5:24-30; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; 2 Timothy 4:1, 8; Revelation 20:11-15). He judges with the ready mercy He displayed at Sodom, as foretold of and taught by Him (Genesis 18:23-33; Isaiah 11:1-5; John 7:24).4 Thus, not the righteous or the unsaved humble He foreknows will come to Him need fear. It is the proud wicked to include religionists who resist the Gospel and insult His Person and cross by inventing other ways for folk to come to God besides Him that have much to fear at His soon coming in wrath (John 14:6; Acts 4:8-12; 1 John 2:18-23).5
A proud, overzealous religionist and Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus came to understand something of the terror involved encountering the risen Christ in His glory. In persecution of Christ’s followers, he was on his way to Damascus, Syria to round up and bring any back to Jerusalem in chains. A light “suddenly” engulfed him “from heaven.” “He fell to the ground and heard a voice” not gentle in tone, but resolute and full of authority. The Speaker identified Himself as “Jesus” and Saul “trembling” addressed Him “Lord,” (Acts 9:1-8, 22:6-11, 26:12-15, NKJV). Jesus in royal posture and fearful roar will be gloriously revealed from Heaven for all to see with the foretold results (Jeremiah 25:30-31; Matthew 24:29-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 1:7-18, 6:12-17, 19:11-16)!
When He comes, He as King and Judge will reign as He has from His resurrection; doing so in His whole eternal character and demeanor as foretold in prophetic Scriptures.6 For example, Psalm 99 declares His universal worship alone as “the LORD our God” and repeatedly emphasizes His holiness (vss. 1-3, 5, 9, NKJV). In His strength He loves justice and sees that it is administered with equity and righteousness; giving His laws as He once did with the saints of old (vss. 4, 6-8). Indeed, He will not be defeated in bringing forth justice for all (Isaiah 42:1-4)! This reality precludes the resumption of abominable idolatry, sorcery, sexual immorality, lying, exploiting and oppressions of any kind during His reign for He “will be a swift witness against” the guilty as Judge (Malachi 3:5-6, NKJV).
1 Read the three-part post beginning January 29, 2017, Jesus, Son Of Man, under the category, The Cause.
2 The Lord did not lose touch with any of His eternal designations or former experiences as deity in His permanent incarnation as the Man, Jesus of Nazareth. In fact, in
Genesis 18:25 Abraham spoke truthfully in that moment of His eternal standing as God the Judge and also prophetically, as the Man his future Descendant since He
stood before him in Human form (John 8:56-59)!
3 As the second Adam, Christ gloriously reigns fully God and fully immortal Man! See the August 11, 2019 post, The Man From Heaven, under the category, Glory To God!
4 Read the two-part post beginning July 18, 2021, God: No Repentance, No Peace, under the category, Call To Repent.
5 See the March 28, 2021 post, The Righteous Wrath Of God, under the categories, Bible Prophecy and The Cause.
6 I present Christ’s blended character and demeanor of Lamb and Lion as that of the Strong Man of God and what the Father wills to conform His adopted sons to as His
image in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. The book and companion Strong Man Of Men’s Group Study are available at your favorite internet book
seller and in the Strong Man Store.
Critical to a human family as God designed it in perfection is a devoted wife and mother. For while a man as the head of the family importantly initiates, gives visionary leadership and overall governance to it, a devoted wife and mother provides bonding love to all and excellent management skills that keeps it running smoothly. Regardless of family size, her job is incredibly challenging and requires all that God has designed a woman to be naturally and because of sin, supernaturally in nature, character and demeanor to pull off successfully! Therefore, being a devoted wife and mother as a woman is not something inferior or trivial, but very significant and precious to her family.
The struggle many women of child bearing age have today balancing education and career aspirations with the demands of being fully devoted wives and mothers is taking a devastating toll on them and their families. From personal mental and physical health issues to the multifaceted drama of marital strife often leading to divorce and traumatized children, many affected 21st century women attempting to live out 20th century feminism’s narcissistic ideal to “have it all” are suffering greatly. In the process, virtually gone are the days women as devoted wives and mothers joyfully gave themselves in self-denying, sacrificial service to their husbands and children and were still fulfilled.
From the 18th century industrial age women have been pressing their way into male dominated workplaces. While the Woman’s Suffrage Movement sought to politically enfranchise them in the 19th century, by the middle of the 20th century, feminist descendants expanded their objectives to include the right to be free from the ancient biblical, Judeo-Christian expectation of marriage and family. As I wrote in a previous Mother’s Day post, Betty Friedan is generally credited with voicing the rallying cry for “Women’s Liberation” from what she and others she surveyed felt were the mundane and dissatisfying tasks of just being wives and mothers especially for those that had been educated.1 2
Since Friedan in the mid-sixties, feminism has urged women to pursue their dreams in all fields of endeavor and to do so without guilt concerning marriage, family and their own biological clocks to find the significance and fulfillment they equally deserved with men. But there yet remains stubborn resistance by the large number of struggling women to an all out abandonment of marriage and family as a valid avenue of female experience. Indeed, among them are many professed women of faith who like others still wanting marriage and family as devoted wives and mothers in accord historically with God’s design for them, struggle too, because they cling to Satan’s lie in feminism.
For a generation women have heard the lie that they should not be satisfied and in related evil, envious and resentful toward men in authority. However, faithful contemporary women of faith find themselves in a long line of sisters that begins in the Bible who were well adjusted, satisfied and fulfilled as devoted wives and mothers of significance and blessing to their families. These women receive satisfaction from their God designed roles and praise from their families because they start not in narcissism with themselves, but Him as the woman of Proverbs 31:30. Interestingly, it is a mother’s instruction to her son that reveals why such women are relatively few (Proverbs 31:1-3, 10).
A woman that knows and fears God loves and is devoted to Him first! In that devotion, she is joyfully eager and willing in all submission to embrace the roles and responsibilities He has assigned in order to please Him and do His will. As a result, with His guiding wisdom and strength, this great woman of God purposefully commits her life to being the best possible wife to her husband and he knows it (Proverbs 31:11-12).3 With his trust, encouragement and support because he and the whole family also benefit, she works in and outside of the home using her God given talents to operate businesses without neglecting her family (Proverbs 31:13-24). Because she knows the Lord, she is a woman of compassion, strength, dignity, wisdom, kindness and diligence (Proverbs 31:25-27).
Amazingly, because her significance is tied to her God’s love, acceptance and approval, the great woman of God is completely satisfied with her life. She also truly has it all since she uses every fiber of her being, knowledge, talents and skills to serve the purposes of God in her roles and responsibilities as a devoted wife and mother. Blessed, her family rises up to “call her blessed;” her husband “praises her” as does the watching community (Proverbs 31:28-31; NKJV). Foolish is the man that would oppress such a wife; treasure her, she is from God!4 My sisters that are guilty: repent from buying into the lie of feminism; put God first then your husband and children (Psalms 37:3-4, 111:10; Isaiah 55:1-3). The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 See the May 11, 2014 post, Motherhood In A Time Of Rebellion, under the category, God’s Creatures.
2 Read about Betty Freidan and her impact on American feminism at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Friedan.
3 Learn more about the great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics available through all major internet book-
sellers, by order from your favorite brick and mortar bookstore and in the Strong Man Store.
4 My grandmother, Eunice Campbell, featured on the Great Woman Of God Mothers CD cover worked nearly all of her sixty-six year life as have most black women from
slavery, including her daughter, my mother, Bettie Kelley and my wife, Mary, when our children were in the home. Momma as an aspiring great woman of God main-
tained an excellent Christian witness to her nominally professing Christian husband and family. While being an excellent wife, mother, homemaker and working full-
time as a Civil Service Food Service Worker with AAFES at the Fort Ord Army Base, she still went to mid-week and Sunday church services. She only took my siblings
and me to church as children on many Sundays where we were exposed to Christianity. Momma was overjoyed later when as a young adult, I came to Christ and gave
her a preview of my exercising the gift of preaching as a babe before her departure. We called her blessed while she was with us; I declare her so again in sweet mem-
ory of her this Mother’s Day! The Great Woman of God Mothers CD is available in the Strong Man Store.
As I wrote in last week’s post, the immortal saints of God “will reign in holiness, righteousness, justice, truth, firmness against sin and mercy for the poor.”1 They will do this in the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s perfect King!2 Scripture repeatedly informs us of His perfect nature, character and demeanor as the unique God-Man.3 While God has favored some kings over the millennia for their attributes--David for example, was ‘“a man after’” His ‘“own heart,’” only Jesus did He “decree” and later affirm: ‘“You are My Son, today I have begotten You;’” inviting His request for the nations to rule as an inheritance and promised “seed” of David (Psalm 2:7-9; Mark 1:11; Acts 13:21-25, NKJV)!
The first man, Adam, was created in the image and likeness of God to rule in nature, character and demeanor as God does (Genesis 1:26). But he sinned in disobedience to God’s direct command bringing ruin and death upon the creation, himself and his progeny (Genesis 3:6-11, 17-19). Jesus Christ, the second and last Adam, came from Heaven into the world as the “express image of God” by way of a virgin to redeem willing fallen mankind and reign as the perfect King over us as foretold and fulfilled to date (Isaiah 7:10-14, 9:6-7; Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-14; 1 Corinthians 15:45-47; Colossians 1:15-18; Hebrews 1:1-14, NKJV). He was perfected in character through suffering (Hebrews 5:7-9).4
Of Jesus Christ, God’s elect King it is written: “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,” “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” Truly, “His delight is in the fear of the LORD,” (Isaiah 11:1-3a, NKJV). At His first coming we are privileged through the witness of the Gospel accounts to see the Holy Spirit come upon the Lord Jesus and encounter His perfect wisdom, knowledge and understanding by way of His teaching as He walked the dusty roads of Israel (Matthew 3:13-17, 22:15-46). We also see the display of His power, hear His perfect counsel and fear of His Father in love enough to endure the cross at His command (John 6:1-40, 8:26-30, 10:14-18, 12:27-33, 14:28-31).
King Jesus is not any different now, in nature (Galatians 5:22-23) and character (John 13:12-17; Acts 4:27-30; Philippians 2:3-8) seated at the right of His Father than He was when He came to Israel 2,000 years ago nor will He be at His return (Hebrews 13:8)! Just as He taught, He will judge “with righteousness” and “equity” for the “poor” and “meek” of the earth. But let every rebel watch out; He will use “the rod of His mouth” to “strike the earth” and with “His lips,” “slay the wicked” because His eternal character is “righteousness” and “faithfulness,” (Psalm 72; Isaiah 11:3b-5; John 7:21-24, NKJV). Indeed, for the surviving mortals blessed to live under His perfect rule, they will see the cry of the generations for true justice, righteousness and peace fulfilled (Isaiah 65:20-25; Amos 5:24)!
Nevertheless, not being born again, innumerable multitudes of these surviving mortals and their progeny that benefited from the righteous millennium reign of Jesus Christ, God’s perfect King, will rebel against Him through the instigation of Satan, “released from his prison” at its end (Ezekiel 38:1-13; Revelation 20:7-8, NKJV).5 Thoroughly deceived, these unregenerate souls assemble together from their nations to march on and surround “the camp of the saints” at Jerusalem only to be met by the fiery wrath of God poured out upon them, the whole earth and universe followed by the King’s judgment (Ezekiel 38:14-23; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:9-15, NKJV)!6 As it is written, “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet,” (1 Corinthians 15:24-28, NKJV).
1 Read the November 6, 2022 post, No Election For Christ And His Saints, under the category, Glory To God!
2 Those professed Christians that mock and belittle this Ministry’s cause to restore men through preaching the biblical Gospel to them for salvation and teaching them the way of Christ as the Strong Man of God asserting “it don’t require all that” among other standard lowering put downs, are clearly not reading or taking what the Bible plainly says seriously or both. Aspiring strong men of God being “conformed to the image of” Christ now, during their earthly sojourns are among the saints perfected to rule in His image forever (Romans 8:29-30, NKJV)!
3 As the Lord led me, I wrote about the nature, character and demeanor of aspiring strong men and great women of God in His image in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. I also developed a curriculum drawn from it, the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study for the equipping of the saints in the home and churches. Get the Leader Kits that contain a Soft Cover Edition of my book, a respective Leader Guide and Participant Work- book as well as CD-Roms featuring PowerPoint Teaching Assistance, Pledge Sheets and Evaluation Forms for both studies exclusively in the Strong Man Store.
4 See the three-part post that begins January 29, 2017, Jesus, Son Of Man, under the category, The Cause.
5 God allows this rebellion which among other things proves His superior wisdom in demonstrating that even under the administration of a perfect King and Kingdom, unre- generate hearts ruled by sin do not change. He then is all the more magnified by us the redeemed in this epoch for His work to transform our hearts through new birth lead- ing to perfection!
6 Please note the word “camp” is used to describe the headquarters and residence of the saints. A camp is purposely intended to be temporary. This means neither the cur- rent heavenly city nor the millennium quarters of the saints on this present earth were intended to be permanent, but only “the holy city, New Jerusalem” on “a new earth,” (Revelation 21-22:5).
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