Someone told me this week that he was doomed because his entire family was under a curse passed down from previous generations. Isn’t it sad to think that your life is burdened with the actions of people you have never met? Unfortunately some faulty teaching has not helped to dispel the misunderstandings that abound about that issue.
I have heard some insist that demons are able to torment people based on the actions of their ancestors. You can, they would say, inherit red hair, freckles and a family demon from your parents. Let me set your mind at ease about that scary idea. The Bible never describes any demon as a curse. Neither demons nor the devil have the ability to curse a person and they don’t attach themselves to families.
Others claim that generational curses are family illnesses, like cancer, that result from the sins of an ancient ancestor. Continual financial difficulties, mental problems, persistent irrational fears and depression or anything that seems to be a persistent struggle or problem may be labeled a generational curse. It’s almost enough to make us join the besieged Israelites who cried out, “Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their iniquities.” (Lamentations 5:7)
The concept of generational curses comes from several passages in the Bible, like Exodus 34:6, 7, where the Lord describes Himself as “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." So to understand this idea we need to camp on the text for a while.
The text tells us that the Lord “visits” the iniquity of the fathers. Is the Lord’s visitation a curse? The Hebrew word actually means to attend to or pay attention to someone or something. It can refer to either blessing or judgment, but when our sin attracts the Lord’s attention, we can be sure that some sort of judgment is implied.
You may also notice that it is the “iniquity” of the fathers that attracts the Lord’s attention. This does not mean that God judges anyone for sins he or she has not committed. It does mean that when one person allows a consistent pattern of sin in his life, his children and grandchildren are likely to repeat the same sin and be judged for it. It’s the iniquity, not the family connection that is judged.
Remember Abraham? He was a great man of faith, but he had a problem with honesty. Genesis records two near disasters that resulted from his pattern of telling people that his wife, Sarah, was his sister. This was half true, because she was his half sister, but it was also completely a lie. Genesis 26 records the pattern repeated in his son, Isaac, who also told people that his wife, Rebekah, was his sister, another lie. Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, was also famous for his dishonesty and even planned an elaborate hoax to deceive his father and cheat his brother. Three generations picked up the same sinful pattern of dishonesty.
However, when God ‘visited’ Jacob, He was not judging the grandson for sins of Abraham but for his own iniquity. That’s why no one can call himself “doomed” by the sins of the prior generation. When God encountered Jacob by the Jabbok he limped away from the experience with a bad leg, a new name and a changed heart. (See Genesis 32) You will never find another example recorded in Scripture of deceit or dishonesty on Jacob’s behalf. The pattern had been broken. Let me suggest that’s why you can see evidence of the old family sin in his older sons but not in his younger sons, Joseph and Benjamin.
Yes, we are all influenced by patterns of sin we learn from our ancestors, but by God’s grace we can change. Those patterns can be broken.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18
Friday, September 24, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Signs, Wonders and Flying Footballs
I was making my rounds as a military chaplain one day, visiting other soldiers who were also in the field when I arrived at one of our units and found a very ill soldier. In fact, he looked so bad that I expected him to be evacuated as soon as possible. As we talked, I shared some Scripture with him and prayed for his healing before continuing with my visits. Because his condition was serious, I made it a point to visit the same unit the next day to see how he was doing and was surprised to discover that he had recovered completely and was back on duty. When I located the soldier he said that he had never believed in God before our talk, but that while I was praying for him that he could actually feel himself recover. He was convinced that it was God at work.
A poll published by Newsweek in May, 2000 reported that 84 percent of Americans believe in miracles and 48 percent of us say we have witnessed or experienced one. Include me in both groups because God can and does work in our world today. However, quite a few people have questions about “signs and wonders” and the way they fit in with contemporary Christian life. The Roman Catholic Church regards evidence of miracles as a requirement for sainthood. Some charismatic groups consider miracles to be a part of normal life for every believer. So let’s take a look at what the Bible says about the subject.
The prophet Joel predicted that when the Day of the Lord took place, it would be accompanied by, “wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath.” (Joel 2:30) At Pentecost Peter applied Joel’s prophecy to the gift of the Holy Spirit and the miracles that were taking place at that time. And yet the prophecy still applies to future events, which is why the term interests so many Christians today.
Is there a difference between a sign and a wonder? There is, and it may be helpful to begin there. A sign is a physical manifestation that demonstrates a spiritual truth. It refers to things that can be seen which provide insight about things that can’t be seen. For example, if you were standing on a sidewalk in front of your house when a football came flying over the roof, your natural conclusion would be that there was someone you couldn’t see on the other side of the house who either threw or kicked that ball over. The flying football, something you could observe and study, was a “sign” of a reality you couldn’t see. That’s why all miracles recorded in the Gospel of John are called signs.
A wonder is something so unusual that it is beyond what is possible in the material world. It’s an event so amazing that it makes a person want to investigate further. When the New Testament uses this Greek word, it is always combined with “signs”.
A sign places emphasis on the doer. A wonder places emphasis on the observer. When Jesus turned water to wine, it was called a sign because Jesus used it to allow the disciples to see His glory through a miracle. Those who saw the miracle take place would call it a wonder. They aren’t two different miracles, but the same event seen from two different points of view.
It’s interesting that the combination “signs and wonders” is used 17 times in the New Testament. Peter used it twice in his sermon on Pentecost to confirm the ministry of Jesus. It is used nine times to confirm the ministry of the apostles. Both the ministry of Jesus and the work of the apostles were related to the start of the Church age and its authenticity as a genuine work of God.
Are signs and wonders for Christians today? Unlike those who lived in the apostolic age there is no need to confirm the authenticity of the Church. That message has already been confirmed by God through Scripture.
Are signs and wonders a means to bring the unsaved to faith? No, faith is always a gift from God as we are told in Ephesians 2:8, 9. That’s why the disciples believed when they saw miracles while others saw the same miracles and did not believe. In fact miracles not only don’t lead to saving faith, they can be a means of deception. The New Testament mentions signs and wonders as characteristic of the ministry of the Antichrist, with the result that people will be deceived by what they see. (See, for example, 2 Thessalonians 2:9.)
Miracles are, however, a means for believers in any age to accomplish God’s will. We should never limit God to specific patterns of behavior that conform to our finite expectations. We should never allow the gift to take our eyes off the giver. Faith healers who claim that God always heals in response to their ministry are presuming upon the Holy Spirit. Those who claim that God never heals are doing the same thing. The Spirit moves like the wind, beyond human understanding, but we can affirm that that His work is always exactly right.
The soldier God healed did not make a profession of faith while we were in the field and I have never seen him since. Only the Lord knows the rest of that story. He did, however, promise to find a Bible preaching church and seriously investigate the gospel, so there is hope because that is the true picture of how God uses signs and wonders today.
A poll published by Newsweek in May, 2000 reported that 84 percent of Americans believe in miracles and 48 percent of us say we have witnessed or experienced one. Include me in both groups because God can and does work in our world today. However, quite a few people have questions about “signs and wonders” and the way they fit in with contemporary Christian life. The Roman Catholic Church regards evidence of miracles as a requirement for sainthood. Some charismatic groups consider miracles to be a part of normal life for every believer. So let’s take a look at what the Bible says about the subject.
The prophet Joel predicted that when the Day of the Lord took place, it would be accompanied by, “wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath.” (Joel 2:30) At Pentecost Peter applied Joel’s prophecy to the gift of the Holy Spirit and the miracles that were taking place at that time. And yet the prophecy still applies to future events, which is why the term interests so many Christians today.
Is there a difference between a sign and a wonder? There is, and it may be helpful to begin there. A sign is a physical manifestation that demonstrates a spiritual truth. It refers to things that can be seen which provide insight about things that can’t be seen. For example, if you were standing on a sidewalk in front of your house when a football came flying over the roof, your natural conclusion would be that there was someone you couldn’t see on the other side of the house who either threw or kicked that ball over. The flying football, something you could observe and study, was a “sign” of a reality you couldn’t see. That’s why all miracles recorded in the Gospel of John are called signs.
A wonder is something so unusual that it is beyond what is possible in the material world. It’s an event so amazing that it makes a person want to investigate further. When the New Testament uses this Greek word, it is always combined with “signs”.
A sign places emphasis on the doer. A wonder places emphasis on the observer. When Jesus turned water to wine, it was called a sign because Jesus used it to allow the disciples to see His glory through a miracle. Those who saw the miracle take place would call it a wonder. They aren’t two different miracles, but the same event seen from two different points of view.
It’s interesting that the combination “signs and wonders” is used 17 times in the New Testament. Peter used it twice in his sermon on Pentecost to confirm the ministry of Jesus. It is used nine times to confirm the ministry of the apostles. Both the ministry of Jesus and the work of the apostles were related to the start of the Church age and its authenticity as a genuine work of God.
Are signs and wonders for Christians today? Unlike those who lived in the apostolic age there is no need to confirm the authenticity of the Church. That message has already been confirmed by God through Scripture.
Are signs and wonders a means to bring the unsaved to faith? No, faith is always a gift from God as we are told in Ephesians 2:8, 9. That’s why the disciples believed when they saw miracles while others saw the same miracles and did not believe. In fact miracles not only don’t lead to saving faith, they can be a means of deception. The New Testament mentions signs and wonders as characteristic of the ministry of the Antichrist, with the result that people will be deceived by what they see. (See, for example, 2 Thessalonians 2:9.)
Miracles are, however, a means for believers in any age to accomplish God’s will. We should never limit God to specific patterns of behavior that conform to our finite expectations. We should never allow the gift to take our eyes off the giver. Faith healers who claim that God always heals in response to their ministry are presuming upon the Holy Spirit. Those who claim that God never heals are doing the same thing. The Spirit moves like the wind, beyond human understanding, but we can affirm that that His work is always exactly right.
The soldier God healed did not make a profession of faith while we were in the field and I have never seen him since. Only the Lord knows the rest of that story. He did, however, promise to find a Bible preaching church and seriously investigate the gospel, so there is hope because that is the true picture of how God uses signs and wonders today.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Is it a sin to have one beer?
Ask Pastor Mark Driscoll this question and his answer will be, “No problem.” In fact, he may even buy the first round.
Obviously Christians disagree about social drinking. Many of my heroes of the faith would disagree with me, and in all honesty, I haven’t even convinced everyone in our own congregation! Even so, I must let the Bible answer that question, which I’ll do here.
It was a caller from North Carolina who put this in the form of asking about one beer. Why one? Why beer? He didn’t say, but he may have been asking the question many others would like to ask. Perhaps he was looking for a verse in the Bible that commands, “thou shalt not drink.”
Would it make a difference to you if I could show you one verse that requires total abstinence from alcohol? How about three?
Consider first the command given to priests in Leviticus 10:9. "Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.” (Leviticus 10:9) God’s rationale behind this command is, “that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken”
Then there is the command given to Nazarites in Numbers 6:2, 3. “When either a man or woman consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD, he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink.” (Numbers 6:2, 3) God’s reasoning in this case is that, “All the days of his separation he shall be holy to the LORD.”
Thirdly, I’ll also mention the case of the royal family because the Bible teaches us that, “It is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted. (Proverbs 31:4, 5)
Our Southern caller, if he is reading today, might be thinking that this is all OLD Testament stuff. Ancient laws concerning Jewish priests, Jewish Nazirites or Jewish kings have absolutely nothing to do with New Testament Christians, right? Before he makes that argument, however, I’d encourage him to meditate on 1 Peter 2:9, where Christians are called “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” It does seem that the Lord intends for there to be some correlation between those ancient laws and the Church.
But even beyond that, my friend, there is a principle that Scripture is teaching through this pattern. Why do you think that God would want to spoil the party for these fine people by giving them a commandment that did not apply to others? From the rationale given in the text we can conclude that these three groups of people were to represent God’s highest ideal, and alcohol in any amount would interfere with holiness, judgment, their ability to apply God’s will to daily life. These are things to which believers in any age should aspire.
Because of God’s requirement for priests, Nazirities and kings it is reasonable to conclude that He considers this a higher standard for His people and is one He would like to see in those who aspire to be close to Him. And because God doesn’t change, I would conclude that the same is true today. That’s why contemporary Christians today can apply these principles to our lives.
That brings us to the bottom line then in applying the Bible’s teaching concerning alcohol. Your own answer to the question will depend on your personal goals. If your goal is to find the lowest standard possible for a Christian, then I’d say drink up. If you are truly a child of God, Happy Hour is not going to keep you out of heaven. I would have to say, however, that if that’s all you desire from the Christian life, you have reason to be concerned.
If, however, your goal is to find God’s very best for your life. If your passion is holy living and a closer walk with the Lord, then I would strongly encourage you to follow the pattern given to us in the Bible and stay away from alcohol in any form and in any amount.
My great desire is for all of God’s people to experience the best that God has in store for them. So this morning, I’ll raise my Starbucks travel mug and propose a toast. “Here’s to God’s very best for you today.”
Obviously Christians disagree about social drinking. Many of my heroes of the faith would disagree with me, and in all honesty, I haven’t even convinced everyone in our own congregation! Even so, I must let the Bible answer that question, which I’ll do here.
It was a caller from North Carolina who put this in the form of asking about one beer. Why one? Why beer? He didn’t say, but he may have been asking the question many others would like to ask. Perhaps he was looking for a verse in the Bible that commands, “thou shalt not drink.”
Would it make a difference to you if I could show you one verse that requires total abstinence from alcohol? How about three?
Consider first the command given to priests in Leviticus 10:9. "Do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.” (Leviticus 10:9) God’s rationale behind this command is, “that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken”
Then there is the command given to Nazarites in Numbers 6:2, 3. “When either a man or woman consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD, he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink.” (Numbers 6:2, 3) God’s reasoning in this case is that, “All the days of his separation he shall be holy to the LORD.”
Thirdly, I’ll also mention the case of the royal family because the Bible teaches us that, “It is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted. (Proverbs 31:4, 5)
Our Southern caller, if he is reading today, might be thinking that this is all OLD Testament stuff. Ancient laws concerning Jewish priests, Jewish Nazirites or Jewish kings have absolutely nothing to do with New Testament Christians, right? Before he makes that argument, however, I’d encourage him to meditate on 1 Peter 2:9, where Christians are called “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” It does seem that the Lord intends for there to be some correlation between those ancient laws and the Church.
But even beyond that, my friend, there is a principle that Scripture is teaching through this pattern. Why do you think that God would want to spoil the party for these fine people by giving them a commandment that did not apply to others? From the rationale given in the text we can conclude that these three groups of people were to represent God’s highest ideal, and alcohol in any amount would interfere with holiness, judgment, their ability to apply God’s will to daily life. These are things to which believers in any age should aspire.
Because of God’s requirement for priests, Nazirities and kings it is reasonable to conclude that He considers this a higher standard for His people and is one He would like to see in those who aspire to be close to Him. And because God doesn’t change, I would conclude that the same is true today. That’s why contemporary Christians today can apply these principles to our lives.
That brings us to the bottom line then in applying the Bible’s teaching concerning alcohol. Your own answer to the question will depend on your personal goals. If your goal is to find the lowest standard possible for a Christian, then I’d say drink up. If you are truly a child of God, Happy Hour is not going to keep you out of heaven. I would have to say, however, that if that’s all you desire from the Christian life, you have reason to be concerned.
If, however, your goal is to find God’s very best for your life. If your passion is holy living and a closer walk with the Lord, then I would strongly encourage you to follow the pattern given to us in the Bible and stay away from alcohol in any form and in any amount.
My great desire is for all of God’s people to experience the best that God has in store for them. So this morning, I’ll raise my Starbucks travel mug and propose a toast. “Here’s to God’s very best for you today.”
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