Proverbs 26:20-21 

Where there’s no wood, the fire goes out;

And where there’s no talebearer, strife ceases.

As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,

So is a contentious man to kindle strife.

Contention:

When I think of the seven Churches spoken of in Revelation, I used to think that the two which stood out as most beautiful, were Smyrna and Philadelphia; of the 7 Churches, they were the only ones who weren’t told to repent. However, I’m reminded that the love of God isn’t applied to individual Churches, it’s applied to individual members of His body, the Saints, these are His Church.

God’s disposition toward His Saints is impartial, and His love in the form of patience, is extended to all the Saints, as well as to mankind, by way of Him calling men to repent rather than Him simply binding them in chains to await the final day of judgement and delivery to the lake of fire (as is the case of  the Angels who didn’t get a second chance),

Another example of His love, is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This amazing love of God should be active in the saints, so that the World will see the love of God in His people.

Those who were in the other five Churches, who hadn’t participated in the evil within those Churches, were given such amazing words of encouragement from God, while they were living in the midst of conflict and many other evils; these words of encouragement were recorded for the benefit of all His people, not just those of that particular time, and here’s what the Spirit says:

  • He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.
  • To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.
  • Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.
  • You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
  • As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

The Word says not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good, and this response was being accomplished by the members of each of the seven Churches who had ears to hear, just as it is, and will be accomplished today, by all obedient Saints with ears to hear and hands to work.

In the 2 Churches in particular where there was no instruction to repent, there’s a more extensive account of the action of the love expressed by the members of the body in those Churches:

  • Smyrna (meaning Myrrh) was characteristic of suffering for God, and appropriately named: Myrrh was used in the process of preparing a body for burial, as was bought for Christ’s..    In obedience, the Saints were taking up their cross’s as an act of love for God, it meant suffering, but their suffering was nothing compared to the coming glory to be revealed to them Rev 2:10 “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life. Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power,…” Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” This promise of salvation in writing, with the peace of Holy Spirits presence, was God’s strength to the Saints and still is. Pain “suffering”, is felt by the natural man, as he’s denied his way by the new man. The new man’s content no matter what circumstances he’s in (even though the old man screams out at these times). It can take time to realise that the “suffering” we often feel is the old man in pain trying to maintain his rights and trying to have his voice heard in the activity. I’m not intending to detract from the suffering that the New Man experiences during the time of occupying the human body. He’ll grieve and weep for the state of unrighteousness in the church, and for the sin in his own flesh:(Ezekiel 9:4 ALord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.)(Jeremiah 31:19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bea.);

    He may be hated on account of Christ, he may be separated from natural relationships, if he chooses to suffer along with the people of God rather than enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, and due to the fall of man, he’ll feel physical pain which may even lead to death, until this mortal is swallowed up by life.

    But the New Man rests in God’s promises.

  • Philadelphia was characteristic of Love (G25 Agapao). selfless unconditional, persistent serving love. Revelation 3:8 “I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name.” Revelation 3:10-12 “Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown. Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”.  Where Agapao love is active, there’s preservation of the integrity of one brother by the other and matters are sorted out according to scripture: Matthew 18:15-17 “Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church:”. God has set systems of government in place to manage sins and relationships among Christians and when these systems aren’t applied, the body suffers. Division occurs when instead of obeying God’s Word, such as is written in Matthew 18, Christians spread their evil perception of a brother to other members of the congregation (Including their own spouse or family), contrary to Matthew 18. The word instructs those that have ears to hear to avoid any who create division among the people of God:

    Romans 16:17  “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.“.  The Word says that we’re not to accept an accusation against an elder unless there are two or more witnesses, but many Christians are prepared to accept and spread accusations against fellow Christians without even going to the accused to check the accusation, this is evil. When someone commences speaking evil against another brother, we’re to reject it even if possible before it’s completed. This rejection needs to be applied in love, not from a position of superiority but as an equal, considering myself in the knowledge that I have and will, sin also. But to accept the defaming of one brother against another, is to indicate approval of the statement. We’re not to partake in their wickedness for even a moment. Love doesn’t respect men over God; It obeys God rather than man and in this obedience, we’re strengthened in spiritual response.

    The rejection of someone speaking against the brethren, may even be by way of using terms similar to Christ’s when He said to Peter “Get behind me Satan: you’re an offence unto me: for you savor not the things that are of God, but those that are of men.” Matthew 16:23 The knowledge of when and how to respond in such a way, isn’t found in the old man, it’s only found in the man who’s strengthened by Christ, meditating on His word.

Love isn’t present in one where there’s a contentious heart of the type spoken of in 1 Corinthians 3:3 “For you are still carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men?”,

and there can’t be sweet fellowship with God, nor with His children, when there’s hate of one brother toward another:  1John 4:20 “If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he’s a liar: for he that love’s not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he hasn’t seen?”.

When anyone “called brother” maintains and promotes a disposition of hatred against a fellow Christian, they’re not walking according to the gospel of the New Creation preached by Christ. When they’ve been rebuked for holding such a disposition, and they defy the rebuke, and hold to the disposition of hatred, and spread their evil perspective to others, the result of the evil communications is often accepted by others from a legal perspective (applying judgement according to Moses law), then these others who receive the evil communication grow in pride in themselves; they do this by speaking condescendingly and in degrading and/or judgmental terms of the one or one’s who are the focus of the accusation/s and so the evil spreads leavening more of the lump, and these ones participating in the evil are in many ways dead though living, because they’re not living in the fullness of the joy’s of love and obedience to God but instead are practicing the ways that Christ has come to release us from. Evil communications corrupt good manners, trees in this ground don’t produce fruit to God’s glory as do those that are planted by water:

Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and what ever he does shall prosper.”

The definition of scornful is: a feeling, attitude or expression of contempt or of looking down on someone. or expressing derision.

The word speaks in James 3:11-12 of the condition of one professing to be a Christian, who practices evil: “Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”

Again the scripture says that we’re to withdraw from those who deliver and promote evil communications.

  • 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
  • 1 Corinthians 5:11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer*, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.(*Railer: to utter bitter complaint or vehement denunciation).

Management of evil within the Church is limited to a level of responsibility that God’s given to the righteous man. At the end of man’s responsibility (who operates under God’s authority) it’s solely in the hands of the One who is the Judge and Saviour, and that One is Christ.

For man to attempt to work outside scriptural instruction, by taking on responsibility of “fixing things” among the brethren, he’ll likely bring stress to self and stir up more embers. Faith & trust in God relieves man from the anxiety which only serves to paralyse and consume him, but instead of anxiety, when he trusts in God, his hands and mind are free to pursue the responsibilities of growing in Christ and bearing the peacefully fruit of righteousness.

I love considering the prophets in their responsibilities to the children of Israel, for so much of their lives (while acknowledging that they were still as human as us), they were divorced from the personal weight of the politics, sins and foolishness of the people of Israel. they understood so much of God’s sovereignty and their limitations of responsibility.

Isaiah 33:15-16 “He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his hands from holding of bribes, that stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.”.

The new man can have all the resource of God’s instruction and wisdom, but the flesh in me can still draw me to respond to contention by thinking less of (hating) the contentious one, but peace and stability comes with submission and application of God’s word as we’re directed in Matthew 5:44 “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them who despitefully use you.” and Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven:”

Some walk in ways of contention as part of their daily life, but in Romans 16:17, we’re told to stay separate from those who, although they meet with the brethren, they continue to create division by selfish evil ways, in words and actions: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them.”.

1 Timothy 2:20-21″But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

In the churches of Revelation 2 and 3, it’s evident that although in many cases there’s substantial corruption, The Spirit of God is still there ministering to the Saint’s, and those who had ears to hear were benefiting from that ministry. Anxiety isn’t a fruit of the Spirit, it can be a result of disbelief of God, and/or fear of man over God, but trusting God brings the peace that’s fruit of The Spirit and life to the body.

Don’t be concerned at the content of accusations against you or others, or of the one/s making it;

But rather, fix your eyes on Christ, be occupied with the work at hand, and be filled with faith, to produce fruit for God’s glory, then you’ll be able to say with the Psalmist… You Prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalm 23:5-6

None of what’s written here is intended to deny the responsibility to “earnestly contend for the faith
which was once for all delivered to the saints;” Jude 1:3

I pray that what is written here, is active of that very responsibility.

Sometimes, God calls us to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD.  Enter His rest; its not rational, but the natural man can’t understand the ways of God, they’re spiritually discerned and they’re a place of peace and security to those who have ears to hear.

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things with which one may edify another.

Romans 15:13

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

APO 23Sep2018