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 Chronicles 19:7b,
"...for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery."
This observation was made by King Jehoshaphat when he provided instructions to judges he appointed throughout the land. The Judges were to be just, impartial and fair. They were not to be influenced by anything that might distract them from this approach to their duties as judges, such as taking bribes. As judges over God's people, they were to both fear the Lord and to emulate the Lord.
Something that has not gone unnoticed by me and I'm sure others (maybe you as well) over the years is the proclivity of some to develop unwarranted doctrines or teachings where there is no provenance from the Scriptures. An example: the notion of the "age of accountability".
Perhaps you can show me in the Scriptures where this "age of accountability" is provided, but I certainly have never seen it. When I have asked the grounds for this teaching it becomes apparent that some seem to struggle with what King Jehoshaphat told his judges about the Lord. The Lord is fair and just.
The reasoning goes like this: since we learn from the Scriptures that salvation is by faith, if an infant dies and there was no opportunity for a response of faith to the gospel, a compulsion is felt to develop a doctrine to insure the baby makes it into heaven. Hence, "the age of accountability". Since the baby is under this "age of accountability", the baby is not a sinner and goes to heaven.
The first problem with this is that our theology, our doctrines, don't do anything. God does things, our doctrines don't. Our doctrines should faithfully reflect what God has taught us, and they should not embellish or "improve" upon what God has revealed to us. Even if it might make us feel better.
Here are what the Scriptures do teach: "Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies." Psalm 58:3. "Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright?" Proverbs 20:11.
I am quite certain that those who have had no opportunity to respond to the gospel (aborted babies, infants, the mentally infirm, etc.) by the usual means the Lord has provided are not condemned. But I don't arrive at that conclusion by an invented doctrine. I arrive at it because the Lord has revealed to us that he is just and fair, as King Jehoshaphat told his judges.
Rather than me being busy about insuring I "improve" on what the Scriptures "lack", I find it much better to embrace what the Lord has to say and rest in him. And, what he has to say is that he is just and fair.
Exactly what 'ole Jehoshaphat said!
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.
"...for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery."
This observation was made by King Jehoshaphat when he provided instructions to judges he appointed throughout the land. The Judges were to be just, impartial and fair. They were not to be influenced by anything that might distract them from this approach to their duties as judges, such as taking bribes. As judges over God's people, they were to both fear the Lord and to emulate the Lord.
Something that has not gone unnoticed by me and I'm sure others (maybe you as well) over the years is the proclivity of some to develop unwarranted doctrines or teachings where there is no provenance from the Scriptures. An example: the notion of the "age of accountability".
Perhaps you can show me in the Scriptures where this "age of accountability" is provided, but I certainly have never seen it. When I have asked the grounds for this teaching it becomes apparent that some seem to struggle with what King Jehoshaphat told his judges about the Lord. The Lord is fair and just.
The reasoning goes like this: since we learn from the Scriptures that salvation is by faith, if an infant dies and there was no opportunity for a response of faith to the gospel, a compulsion is felt to develop a doctrine to insure the baby makes it into heaven. Hence, "the age of accountability". Since the baby is under this "age of accountability", the baby is not a sinner and goes to heaven.
The first problem with this is that our theology, our doctrines, don't do anything. God does things, our doctrines don't. Our doctrines should faithfully reflect what God has taught us, and they should not embellish or "improve" upon what God has revealed to us. Even if it might make us feel better.
Here are what the Scriptures do teach: "Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies." Psalm 58:3. "Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright?" Proverbs 20:11.
I am quite certain that those who have had no opportunity to respond to the gospel (aborted babies, infants, the mentally infirm, etc.) by the usual means the Lord has provided are not condemned. But I don't arrive at that conclusion by an invented doctrine. I arrive at it because the Lord has revealed to us that he is just and fair, as King Jehoshaphat told his judges.
Rather than me being busy about insuring I "improve" on what the Scriptures "lack", I find it much better to embrace what the Lord has to say and rest in him. And, what he has to say is that he is just and fair.
Exactly what 'ole Jehoshaphat said!
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.
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