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 heart and mind in 2 Samuel 8:6b,
"The Lord gave David victory wherever he went."
After listing David's military victories over the Philistines, the Moabites, Hadadezer of Zobah, and the Arameans, this comment is made. It is repeated again in verse 14 after the mentions of David defeating Edom, Moab (again), the Ammonites, the Philistines (again) and Amalek.
Why did the Lord give David victory "wherever he went?" Was David God's "teacher's pet"? Did God owe David something? Was David deserving of these victories because of the way he lived his life? I think none of these things.
What I do think is that God had his own agenda and pursued it through David - a man of faith, a man whose faith informed him of both God's purposes and the future that would be David's in God's kingdom yet to come. God knew that in spite of the fact that David's faith didn't make him a perfect person, it did make him the perfect person to pursue his agenda that would ultimately culminate in the coming of Jesus Christ to accomplish God's program of redemption and the building of his kingdom. We read in Acts 13:22, "I [God] have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do."
In spite of David's faith, it was not a debt that God owed David that prompted him to give David victory wherever he went. Our faith in the Lord, like David's, is always rewarded by him, but does not incur a debt on God's part towards us. Many have misunderstood what faith actually is and the part it plays in a potential relationship with the Lord. Some, contrary to the teaching of Scripture, equate faith as some kind of "work" that would render God indebted to us. Therefore, they reject out of hand the truth of salvation by faith.
Here is some of what the Scriptures say in regard to this very important issue of faith not being a "work", "Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 3:4-5. Notice, a person who trusts in God is not a person who works. Also, "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone." Note that a righteous standing is come by faith, not "as if it were by works." Simply put, faith is not a work and our faith does not incur a debt God owes us.
David's victories in this life were due to the agenda God pursued through a man of faith, not a reward for his faith, as if David's faith had been a good job done by him that incurred a debt from God, paid back through giving him victories.
"The Lord gave David victory wherever he went."
After listing David's military victories over the Philistines, the Moabites, Hadadezer of Zobah, and the Arameans, this comment is made. It is repeated again in verse 14 after the mentions of David defeating Edom, Moab (again), the Ammonites, the Philistines (again) and Amalek.
Why did the Lord give David victory "wherever he went?" Was David God's "teacher's pet"? Did God owe David something? Was David deserving of these victories because of the way he lived his life? I think none of these things.
What I do think is that God had his own agenda and pursued it through David - a man of faith, a man whose faith informed him of both God's purposes and the future that would be David's in God's kingdom yet to come. God knew that in spite of the fact that David's faith didn't make him a perfect person, it did make him the perfect person to pursue his agenda that would ultimately culminate in the coming of Jesus Christ to accomplish God's program of redemption and the building of his kingdom. We read in Acts 13:22, "I [God] have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do."
In spite of David's faith, it was not a debt that God owed David that prompted him to give David victory wherever he went. Our faith in the Lord, like David's, is always rewarded by him, but does not incur a debt on God's part towards us. Many have misunderstood what faith actually is and the part it plays in a potential relationship with the Lord. Some, contrary to the teaching of Scripture, equate faith as some kind of "work" that would render God indebted to us. Therefore, they reject out of hand the truth of salvation by faith.
Here is some of what the Scriptures say in regard to this very important issue of faith not being a "work", "Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." Romans 3:4-5. Notice, a person who trusts in God is not a person who works. Also, "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone." Note that a righteous standing is come by faith, not "as if it were by works." Simply put, faith is not a work and our faith does not incur a debt God owes us.
David's victories in this life were due to the agenda God pursued through a man of faith, not a reward for his faith, as if David's faith had been a good job done by him that incurred a debt from God, paid back through giving him victories.
This may seem to be a bit far into the weeds, but the great heresy of our day is the rejection of many in the church of the doctrine of salvation by faith, in favor of a doctrine of salvation by appointment. For these folks, faith is simply the manifestation of salvation, not what brings it. Their confusion is over an understanding of what faith is and what faith is not.
Faith is not a work, but our faith in Jesus Christ brings us a place in God's kingdom, a place at his table! How wonderful is that?!
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment