Honesty with God

Quoting from this quarter's lesson; "The fingers crossed behind the back is a classic gesture of dishonesty. It shows us holding something back in the face of God's great sacrifice for us. The open environment also reflects the futility of trying to lie to an omniscient God."

Humanity or mankind are social beings because we are created in the Image of God according to Genesis 1:27. Both male and female. God is Love in 1 John 4:8, His Character and Principality is Love. Therefore, by default, humanity are social beings-we are relational beings… Though the consequences of sin was reaped by the earth and humanity considering the Fall of Man in Genesis 3, while mankind’s nature shifted from Love to selfishness, mankind is still a “Relational” or “social” being due to their creation… In any relational issues whether with God or with fellow man, honest is something very important to take into account. According to Oxford Advance Learners dictionary, honesty can be defined as 'the quality of being honest. On the other  hand, honest can be defined as, 1) always telling the truth, 2) not hiding the truth about something, etc…' As social-relational human beings, our relationship with God should be based on honesty!

Firstly, we must come to understand that nothing under the sun or in this entire universe is hidden from the sight of the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent Creator God Who is Love! Jeremiah 17: 10 reads, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doing.” Here we see how, only God can read our minds and hearts knowing everything in it-no one, not even the angels or demons could do that! That is how God is an omniscient God in a narrow perspective! Romans 8:27 reads, “Now he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercessions for the saints according to the will of God.” Here we see, how specifically it refers to Jesus Christ or God the Son, Who is now our High Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary, interceding on our behalf! 1 Chronicles 28:9 reads, “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.” This is actually an advice from King David (a man after God’s own heart) to his son Solomon, clearly stating that God (the only Holy One) who searches the minds and the hearts of every creature, knowing everything within... Yes, nothing under the sun or within this entire universe is hidden from the sight of God! Therefore, God already knows every intents of our thoughts in our minds and hearts-not even satan or any demons or angels have such capabilities! 

Our relationship to God should be based on honesty knowing that the Omniscient God already knows what is in our minds and hearts and every intent of them! This is a capability satan, demons nor any other angels or human being have, only God (our Trinity God)! Every intent of our thoughts and of our hearts, He already knows-only God can read our minds and our hearts! Therefore, why waste time (which is a scarce resource) in not being honest within our relationship with God. Thus saying, when we fail God in sin (whether it be hidden or known), we should confess our sins and seek forgiveness from God through the blood of the Lamb (none other than Jesus Christ) considering 1 John 1:9, which reads, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Our hearts should be like the good ground in the parable of the Sower! Even Jesus Christ emphasized on this issue while he was here on earth! Luke 8:8 in metaphor reads, ‘“But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has hears to hear, let him hear.”’ The encoding of this metaphor above is in Luke 8:15, which reads, “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” Bearing fruit above refers to bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. For more information into the fruit of the Holy Spirit, click and visit the following link; http://peterjnrbebi.blogspot.com/2015/07/fruit-of-holy-spirit.html For futher understanding I suggest you read the entire parable and its denotation in Luke 8:1-15!

Wonderful things happen when we ensure that our hearts are like the good ground in Luke 8:8,15! "Ensuring", meaning, every time when we fall into sin, we should come back to God seeking His forgiveness and truly-honestly repent from our sins with His help! Furthermore, the Holy Spirit will never abide in us when we have stains of sin in our hearts without God’s forgiveness, seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit through pray without seeking forgiveness and repentance first, through pray. Even Jesus Christ stated very clearly that we need to seek forgiveness and repentance first before seeking the baptism of The Holy Spirit according to John 3:5 (the meaning of being born again). Baptism of repentance must come first before baptism of The Holy Spirit! For more information about specifically following John 3:5, click and visit this link: http://peterjnrbebi.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-it-means-to-leave-all-and-follow.html When our hearts are like the good ground, we become good stewards of God, not only good stewards in money, talent, etc.., but most importantly good stewards of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our God! For more information into good stewards of the gospel, click and visit the following link;http://peterjnrbebi.blogspot.com/2018/02/stewardship-of-gospel.html

To conclude, 1 John 2:15 clearly states that we should not love any things in this world more that God! In this world, meaning,  your girlfriend, your wife, your work, your school, your car, money, pleasure, etc.., God should be first in your heart considering 1 John 2:15. When we love the things of this world,  God (Who is Love in 1 John 4:8) will not be in us (in our hearts)-specially God the Holy Spirit (in this Day and Age that we are currently living in)! Only those with a heart like the good ground in Luke 8:8 & 15 will love and keep God’s commandments considering John 14:15! Thus saying, “OUR CONNECTION TO THE TRUE VINE IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE SINCE IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH!” Mind you, Jesus Christ the True Vine in John 15 is currently in heaven, interceeding on our behalf as the High Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary. He is not here in this planet earth! We connect to the True Vine through the Holy Spirit! That is how important the Holy Spirit is in our connection to the True Vine in John 15. Not only will we be good honest stewards of Jesus Christ and His Gospel (with regards to all other areas of stewardship) and bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit naturally from within-going-outwards, but we will also have that eternal life in John 3:16! The power of choice is yours to ensure that your heart is like the good ground in Luke 8:8 & 15-every choice has a consequence: eternal life in John 3:16 or the wages of sin which is death in Romans 6:23 entirely depends on your personal choice! 

Stewardship of The Gospel

We must come to realize and understand that God gave mankind the stewardship of earth during creation. Man according to Genesis 1:27 refers to both male and female-humanity or mankind, which are created in God’s Image: God is Love in 1 John 4:8 (His Principality and Character in which man were created in by default during creation). God gave mankind the stewardship of earth and every living creature that roams the earth. Genesis 1:28 reads, ‘Then God blessed them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that walks the earth.”’ Here we see clearly that not only mankind had dominion or stewardship over the earth but also the creatures that live on the earth (creatures of the air, sea and land that are part of God’s creation). Mankind is only a steward but not the owner! Genesis 2:15 reads, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Mankind was to tend and keep God’s Garden and creation on the earth (creatures) as faithful stewards but not ‘OWNERS!’ However, this all changed due to the Fall of Man in Genesis 3 (when mankind disobeyed God). Fast forwarding the scene to our Current Day and Age, today in the Seventh Day Adventist Church the topic of stewardship is upholded and presented commonly during seminars-in which covers a wide range of categories, like for example; stewardship of time, stewardship of money, stewardship of spiritual gifts, etc… That is general but is not our focus.

Our focus is on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12. We will be focusing mainly on verse 4… One of the greatest stewardship task in which God gave man was the stewardship of His Gospel. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 reads, “But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.” Our keyword in the verse above is ‘entrust!’ Mankind lost their place in the Garden of Eden when they disobeyed God considering Genesis 3, in which led to the consequences of their sin in verses 15-19 and their eviction from God’s Garden in verse 24. However, after, Jesus Christ defeated satan and was victorious within this Great Controversy considering Mathew 27:24-54, He entrusted mankind with His Gospel-which is commonly referred to as The Great Commission considering Mathew 28:16-20. What a way for mankind to be saved-which is also to be proven trust worthy stewards of God’s Gospel. Just imagine, out of every perfect unfallen creatures in heaven, God chose the fallen human race or mankind to be stewards of His Gospel. What a way to be redeemed! Praise God and all Glory be to God!

The Gospel is God’s Gospel and not mankind’s gospel. Mankind is only a steward of the gospel and not the author or commissioner (owner or inventor)! 1 Thessalonians 2:5 & 6 reads, “For neither at anytime did we use flattering words, as you know, nor cloak for covetousness-God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.” These clearly shows how we too, should not try to make this gospel our own by using flattering words, seek glory from our fellow men (in tokpisin: seekim praise wokim nem), etc…

So how do we “NOT” make the gospel our own and uphold it as God’s Gospel? Well our answer is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12! Open your Holy Bible and read it to confirm it…

Considering 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12, we would be good stewards of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our God proven trust worthy by establishing and maintaining our connection to the True Vine in John 15! John 15 :5 reads, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” This clearly shows how, when we connect (and maintain) to the True Vine, we bear the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, in which relates to verses 7-12 (what we should do naturally from the heart outward). For more information on The Fruit of The Holy Spirit, click and visit this link; http://peterjnrbebi.blogspot.com/2015/07/fruit-of-holy-spirit.html  The True Vine is also the Way, the Truth and the Life in John 14:6. He is currently up in heaven as our High Priest interceeding on our behalf. However, before ascending to heaven, Jesus Christ promised his disciples The Comforter the Holy Spirit-in which they received on the Day of Pentecost. For more information on the Infilling and baptism of The Holy Spirit, click and visit the following link;http://peterjnrbebi.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-it-means-to-leave-all-and-follow.html

Even the good outcomes and accomplishments of good stewardship of God’s gospel is because of God and not the stewards (ourselves)! For example, if a pastor that maintains his personal relationship with the True Vine in John 15 everyday prays for a seek person and he is healed, it is not him that does the miracle but God! When an elder preach to a multitude and hundred thousand people take the stand to be baptize, it is not him that does the conversion but God through the Holy Spirit. When a Gospel group sings and a woman is touched and accepts Christ, it is not the singing group that does the conversion but God through the Holy Spirit, etc… That is how important The Holy Spirit is-also, the only means of our connection to the True Vine in John 15!

To conclude, God is Love in 1 John 4:8 that is why He gave us all the power of choice. Love does not force love into or onto someone else-that is just Who Love is: the opposite of Love is selfishness (satan’s principality and character). Even though Jesus Christ is already victorious within this Great Controversy considering Mathew 27:24-54, He will never force you and I to accept Him. And if we do (become Christians), He will never force us to follow Him (all His footsteps or examples according to His Word to us The Holy Bible) and be good stewards of His Gospel here on earth awaiting His Second coming-it will depend entirely on our personal choice. The power of choice is yours-every choice has a consequence: eternal life or the wages of sin which is death depends entirely on your personal choice!