Unity of the Scriptures motivates me . . .

Amos 6:1–7:17, Acts 10:1–33, Job 20:12–29

This devotional series shows how the Old and New Testaments in the Bible connect. They are united in what they say. Even though written by dozens of men, the ideas and principles do not vary. Each of the three passages for today agree on at least three truths.

The first is that many sinners hate the message and try to destroy the messengers. Amos was a farmer sent by God to tell His people that judgment was coming and they needed to repent. He interceded with the Lord, but God who knows hearts planned drastic measures. Then the priest Amaziah told the king about Amos and told Amos, And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.” (Amos 7:12–13) This priest knew that Amos was in danger.

Amos boldly answered, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now therefore hear the word of the Lord. “You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac’ . . . . your land shall be divided up with a measuring line; you yourself shall die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land. ” (Amos 7:14–17) He was in danger, but he continued to speak God’s words to the sinning nation.

Second, true prophets never fudge the truth. Amos didn’t. Job’s ‘friends’ were not as concerned with the truth. They offered Job advice that God later said was “not right.”

One of those ‘not right’ messages was that the wicked do not prosper, that they are miserable and in constant torment. Bildad gave several so-called examples and applied them to Job. One fate of those who prospered but were wicked (supposedly Job) was, “He will give back the fruit of his toil and will not swallow it down; from the profit of his trading he will get no enjoyment. For he has crushed and abandoned the poor; he has seized a house that he did not build. “Because he knew no contentment in his belly, he will not let anything in which he delights escape him. There was nothing left after he had eaten; therefore his prosperity will not endure. In the fullness of his sufficiency he will be in distress; the hand of everyone in misery will come against him.” (Job 20:18–22)

Job responded by saying this was not true; the wicked often prosper and are happy and contented in their prosperity. Only if the Spirit of God convicts them will they question the importance of their riches.

This is reality. Christians cannot claim that those who do not believe are miserable. Eventually, they will be but not necessarily in this life. We cannot assume otherwise and must come to grips with the truth that believing in God is not about how it makes us feel. Both believers and nonbelievers can be rich or poor, happy or sad, content or frustrated. Faith in Christ is not about externals, but about truth and a relationship with Him.

Third, even ‘pagans’ can respond to God. In the OT, outsiders came to faith. In the NT, this also happened. At first, the church was almost 100% Jewish, but God made it clear that “whosoever will may come.” Acts tells the story of Cornelius, a wealthy Roman centurion, “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.”

God sent a vision so he would listen, and then another vision to Peter so he would receive a Gentile. Then God put the two men together and Cornelius described his vision: “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” (Acts 10:30–33)

Peter spoke and this ‘pagan’ believed the truth. This also happened in the OT.

Clearly, some will reject the Word of God eternally. Sometimes God’s people even turn their backs on truth for awhile. Many hate both the message and the messenger. However, rejection does not mean I or any of God’s people should stop telling people about Jesus.

Neither can I assume that everyone is miserable without Christ, but I can assume that God can reach any heart of His choice. My job is to continue sharing what I know, trusting Him to use truth according to His plans and by the power of His amazing grace.

Transformation does not require a degree

The marvel of becoming a Christian and beginning the process of being transformed into His likeness is that anyone can embark on that journey. Jesus invited tax collectors and sinners into a relationship with himself. He also invited children to come to Him, as well as those women who followed Him with amazement that He treated them with respect and consideration. He said that rich or poor, with status or none, whosoever will may come.

I’ve often felt peeved at those who equate knowing God with intellect or education, as if being smart gave a person the upper edge at being like Jesus. Jesus himself did not have a college degree.

The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” (John 7:15)

Knowing Him in a deeper way does not mean that I must have a degree either. No doctorate or formal education of any kind can change my life so that I am more like Jesus. This transformation is available without any special instruction or place in life.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

Spurgeon says that any Christian should be a striking likeness of Jesus Christ written out in words and actions. If I am what I profess to be, I should bear such striking likeness to Him that others can say that I also have been with Jesus. 

Certainly He teaches me, and of course knowing the Word of God has great value, but more than that, I must allow the Living Word to control what I say and do. Relying on anything other than the power of the Holy Spirit can boost my ego and feed my pride. This borders on idolatry and is selfish and sinful.

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23–24)

Knowing God does not require study and memorization, being wise or having money. Knowing God is the result of His grace and mercy. Being like Jesus is an incredible gift. If there is anything I can do to further the process, it would be to drop all pride in any of my so-called accomplishments and simply do what He says.

---

Jesus, You have gifted me with the incredible privilege of becoming like You. May I never hinder the process by thinking I have the power to transform myself. Even obedience is Your work of grace in Your people. You can use education, or money, or wisdom, or status for Your purposes, but You need none of these to change a life. My heart is filled with gratitude that You are at work in me --- no matter what I have or do not have.

The Way Out

Imagine being in a burning building, confused by smoke and not knowing the way out. Someone comes up and says, “I’ve worked for six years here in this building. We go up and left. Follow me.”

Right then, another person approaches. He says, “I designed and built this building. The only way out is down and to the right. Follow me.”

Many religious systems claim to be the right one or the only one. Some are classified as a sect that deviates from a more traditional form. These may call themselves Christian but have abandoned traditional Christian beliefs, even the Bible as their final authority. 

I’m not sure about the basis for those exclusive claims. A group comes to mind that claims their founder had a vision. Another is told that their organization provides the only way to God seemingly because their leaders find this helps them have a good hold on their fearful adherents. Whatever the reasons, I’ve always been told to watch out for those religions that claim they are the only true way to God. 

Yet I’ve learned that those who say there are many ways to God are just as dangerous. Even logic says that two opposite views cannot both be correct (unless they come from two blind men both describing what they can touch on the opposite ends of an elephant). Even if they sound good or are obviously faulting, all these claims can be confusing.

From examining the voices out there, my decision about the way to God is not based on any teaching from others or the claims that they might make. I follow Jesus He made the building. He created the universe. He did what no man can do — besides miracles of healing and turning water into wine, He died for the sins of the world, was buried, and after three days rose again. Not only that, it was not His followers but Jesus who made the claim . . .

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

Jesus also made promises. One of them is that those who believe would experience conviction of sin, confession, repentance, and then forgiveness, freedom from guilt, and ever-increasing victory over sin. He also said that His followers would receive answers to prayer, peace with God, and fullness of joy.

He kept all those promises giving me reason to doubt that He will keep this one about being the way (not a way) to the Father. 

Christians have been accused of being dogmatically exclusive, yet it isn’t our idea. Jesus made this “no one except” statement. He claimed to be the way, the only way. Yet He made another one that takes the exclusive out of faith in Him. He said,

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. (John 11:25)

---

Lord, I’ve been particularly amazed this week that You save anyone. We are sinners stumbling around in the smoke of our self-centeredness and sin. By ourselves, there is no way out. Many simple will follow the first person that comes along making a claim that sounds good. Yet like the creator of a burning building, You know more about our need regarding sin than we do, and certainly more about the way out. In fact, You simply invite us to take hold of Your nail-scarred hands and You become the Way for us.

(Clip art source)