The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 16:1,
"One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to
spend the night with her."
In Deuteronomy 23:18 we are told the Lord detests prostitutes, male
and female. The Israelites were told not to degrade their daughters by
making them prostitutes or the land would "be filled with wickedness".
Leviticus 19:29. If a priest's daughter became a prostitute, the
Israelites were told, "she must be burned in the fire.", Leviticus
21:9. Samson's prostitute was a Gentile, but it is clear how the Lord
feels about prostitution. Not so many years after the Lord gave Israel
the law through Moses, Samson, who led Israel for twenty years,
engaged prostitutes (at least this one anyway), even though he was a
man dedicated to God from birth as a Nazirite.
Samson is a hero in the pages of Scripture. In Hebrews 11:29-33, he is
commended for his faith. He is among those whom "God is not ashamed to
be called their God", Hebrews 11:16, that God has prepared "a city for
them". Along with Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, Samuel and the prophets, we
are told the world was not worthy of him, Hebrews 11:38. Samson was
selected by God to lead Israel, to vanquish Philistine rule over
Israel. We are told the Spirit of the Lord stirred in Samson, Judges
13:25, and that the Spirit of the Lord would come on him "in power",
Judges 15:14, etc.
Several thoughts come to my mind as I consider this. The first is,
where else in religious literature do you find the faults and foibles
of its heroes openly acknowledged and reported? This does nothing but
further underscore for me the reliability, authenticity and
truthfulness of my Bible.
The second is, Samson was not commended for being a do-gooder. He was
commended for his faith. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were
commended for." Hebrews 11:1-2. "These were all commended for their
faith..." 11:39, where the many heroes of the faith are enumerated,
among whom is Samson.
The third thought that comes to mind is that faith does not make us
perfect. Faith should impact our lives such that we begin to live for
the Lord who gave himself for us. Faith must be manifested in the
things we think, do and say, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man
claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?...
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what
I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe
that—and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith
without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20. James makes clear that the
saving kind of faith is the kind that will manifest itself in the
things we do. James does not say faith makes a man perfect. While
there is certainly no need to provide anyone a corner for sin, it
hardly seems appropriate to tell ourselves that faith does something
Scripture never tells us: perfection in our thoughts, words and
actions in this life. It certainly didn't in Samson's life and it
certainly doesn't in mine.
I am reminded of John's words that tell us of the impact the Holy
Spirit makes in our lives, "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact,
sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might
take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him
keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or
known him." 1 John 3:4-6. Also, "No one who is born of God will
continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on
sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the
children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who
does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who
does not love his brother." 1 John 3:9-10. John speaks here of our
lifestyles. We are no longer slaves to our sinful natures as Paul
tells us in Romans 6, but he is not saying that we become perfect in
the things we think, do and say.
John tells us why he wrote what we call his first letter. He says, "My
dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if
anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our
defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice
for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole
world." 1 John 2:1-2. Our acceptance with God is based on the
atonement of Jesus Christ, not on our ability to be a do-gooder. Faith
brings God's forgiveness for our sins because of the atonement,
(Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross), but it does not make us
perfect in this life. This is why John speaks of Jesus Christ as our
defense when we sin as believers, as "My dear children".
I am mindful that we have the indwelling Holy Spirit in a way Samson
never had, prior to the birth of the church on Pentecost. He had
amazing powers given him when the Holy Spirit would come upon him,
things I will never do. However the Lord has provided us an abiding
companion by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell within each believer.
Through this indwelling, we have something Samson didn't, something
within us that battles against our sinful natures (that still reside
within us) and frees us from its domination. "For the sinful nature
desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is
contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other,
so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit,
you are not under law." Galatians 5:18-18. Paul tells us, "You have
been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
Romans 6:18.
I may not be perfect, but freedom is a wonderful thing! And, how I
look forward to the resurrection when that ugly sinful nature of mine
is finally left behind for good!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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