What an undesirable condition, to be blind. We may attempt to minimize this condition by touting the by-product of heightened awareness in the other senses; however, there is no virtue to blindness, but only social dependence, constant darkness, and visual depravity. We have assumed that one cannot miss what he never had; however, even this born-blind man wanted to see.

Yes, this man was born blind and wanted sight, but what of us who have sight but seem to prefer blindness? Can you imagine having sight but acting as though you are blind: asking people to lead you around, walking and tapping a stick on the ground, utilizing a seeing-eye dog? Can you imagine not responding to that which is obvious, bumping into walls that are apparent, stumbling over things in the floor that are in plain view?

This man was born blind by no fault of his own, nor the fault of his parents, yet his blindness comes through his parents as a result of the Adamic rebellion. However, for us who have already come in contact with Christ, our blindness is not a matter of malfunctioning faculties, but of covering our eyes with fleshly obstruction. It is an issue of doubt, obstinacy, and refusal to consist with a clear view of the Savior.

Yet it is human tendency to love darkness rather than light. To thoughtlessly be led around by others: choosing the non-contentious ease of worldly conformity, giving in to the persistence of peer pressure, or the fuzzy warmth of compromise. Perhaps believing the personal accountability that the virtue of sight ultimately requires can be avoided. Sight ushers one into unquestionable realities, undeniable responsibilities, and unavoidable worldly resistance to the wonderful truths of God.

How often it is that the eyes of parishioners are opened by sermons and bible studies and that the truth of God is communicated with incontrovertible clarity? The faithfulness due our savior amid His enemies is plain. The righteous answers to those who oppose our Christ are made obvious.

We have received sight but continue to trip and stumble as though we cannot see. We have been healed by the master and yet persist in denying the realities, shucking the responsibilities, and fearing the worldly resistance that our faith fosters.

Yuri Solomon

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Christ’s beauty is shared with all those who have union with him. Washed in his blood, robed with his righteousness, and adorned with his graces. Every believer is made beautiful through His beauty.

Reader, has Christ’s beauty caught your eye, penetrated your soul and transformed your life? His beauty can remove the ugliness and stains of sin. While we were yet sinners, He set His heart upon us, choose us, died for us, and called us. Open your heart, ask Jesus to come in and plunge into this fathomless, boundless ocean of love and beauty ! It will cover all your sins, it will efface all your guilt; it will flood over all your unworthiness.

Now people will see the beauty of Christ in you.

Scriptures
Psa 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

Patrica Bankhead

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Romans 3:25-26

God put [Christ] forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

Introduction

One of the reasons it is hard to communicate biblical reality to modern, secular people is that the biblical mindset and the secular mindset move from radically different starting points.

What I mean by the secular mindset is not necessarily a mindset that rules God out or denies in principle that the Bible is true. It’s a mindset that begins with man as the basic given reality in the universe. All of its thinking starts with the assumption that man has basic rights and basic needs and basic expectations. Then the secular mind moves out from this center and interprets the world, with man and his rights and needs as the measure of all things.

What the secular mindset sees as problems are seen as problems because of how things fit or don’t fit with the center - man and his rights and needs and expectations. And what this mindset sees as successes are seen as successes because they fit with man and his rights and needs and expectations.

This is the mindset we were born with and that our secular society reinforces virtually every hour of the day in our lives. The Apostle Paul calls this mindset “the mind that is set on the flesh” (Romans. 8:6-7), and says that it is the way the “natural person” thinks (1 Corinthians 2:14, literal translation). It is so much a part of us that we hardly even know it’s there. We just take it for granted - until it collides with another mindset, namely the one in the Bible.

The biblical mindset is not simply one that includes God somewhere in the universe and says that the Bible is true. The biblical mindset begins with a radically different starting point, namely, God. God is the basic given reality in the universe. He was there before we were in existence - or before anything was in existence. He is simply the most absolute reality.

And so the biblical mindset starts with the assumption that God is the center of reality. All thinking starts with the assumption that God has basic rights as the Creator of all things. He has goals that fit with his nature and perfect character. Then the biblical mindset moves out from this center and interprets the world, with God and his rights and goals as the measure of all things.

What the biblical mindset sees as basic problems in the universe are usually not the same problems that the secular mindset sees. The reason for this is that what makes a problem is not, first, that something doesn’t fit the rights and needs of man, but that it doesn’t fit the rights and goals of God. If you start with man and his rights and wants, rather than starting with the Creator and his rights and goals, the problems you see in the universe will be very different.

Is the basic riddle of the universe how to preserve man’s rights and solve his problems (say, the right of self-determination, and the problem of suffering)? Or is the basic riddle of the universe how an infinitely worthy God in complete freedom can display the full range of his perfections - what Paul calls the “riches of his glory” (Romans 9:23) - his holiness and power and wisdom and justice and wrath and goodness and truth and grace?

How you answer that question will profoundly affect the way you understand the central event of human history - the death of Jesus, the Son of God.

I introduce our text (Romans 3:25-26) with this long meditation on the power of our starting points, because the deepest problem that the death of Jesus was designed to solve is virtually incomprehensible to the secular mindset. That is why this truth about the purpose of Christ’s death is scarcely known, let alone cherished, as part of everyday evangelical piety. Our Christian mindset is so skewed by natural and secular man-centeredness that we can barely comprehend or love the God-centeredness of the cross of Christ.

“The Innermost Meaning of the Cross”

Our focus is very limited. We will go beneath the issue of justification and reconciliation and forgiveness to the bottom and foundation of it all - to what C.E.B. Cranfield calls “the innermost meaning of the cross” (The Epistle to the Romans, Vol. 1, I.C.C., Edinburgh: T.&T. Clark, 1975, p. 213).

What you should listen for as we read this text is the problem in the universe that the biblical mindset (God’s mindset) is trying to solve through the death of Christ. How does it differ from the problems that the secular mindset says God has to solve?

God put [Christ] forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed. (Romans 3:25)

Boil that down to the most basic problem the death of Christ is meant to solve. God put Christ forward (he sent him to die) in order to demonstrate his righteousness (or justice). The problem that needed solving was that God, for some reason, seemed to be unrighteous, and wanted to vindicate himself and clear his name. That is the basic issue. God’s righteousness is at stake. His name or reputation or honor must be vindicated. Before the cross can be for our sake, it must be for God’s sake.

But what created that problem? Why did God face the problem of needing to give a public vindication of his righteousness? The answer is in the last phrase of verse 25: “because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed.”

Now what does that mean? It means that for centuries God had been doing what Psalm 103:10 says, “He does not deal with us according to our sins or repay us according to our iniquities.” He has been passing over thousands of sins. He has been forgiving them and letting them go and not punishing them.

How David Despised God

King David is a good example. In 2 Samuel 12, he is confronted by the prophet Nathan for committing adultery with Bathsheba and then having her husband killed. Nathan says, “Why have you despised the word of the LORD?” (2 Samuel 12:9).

David feels the rebuke of Nathan, and in verse 13 he says, “I have sinned against the LORD.” To this, Nathan responds, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.” Just like that! Adultery and murder are “passed over.” It is almost incredible. Our sense of justice screams out, “No! You can’t just let it go like that. He deserves to die or be imprisoned for life!” But Nathan does not say that. He says, “The LORD has put away your sin; you shall not die.”

Why is Forgiveness a Problem?

That is what Paul means in Romans 3:25 by the passing over of sins previously committed. But why is that a problem? Is it felt as a problem by the secular mindset - that God is kind to sinners? How many people outside the scope of biblical influence wrestle with the problem that a holy and righteous God makes the sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45)? How many wrestle with the apparent injustice that God is lenient with sinners? How many Christians wrestle with the fact that their own forgiveness is a threat to the righteousness of God?

The secular mindset does not even assess the situation the way the biblical mindset does. Why is that? It’s because the secular mindset thinks from a radically different starting point. It does not start with the Creator-rights of God - the right to uphold and display the infinite worth of his righteousness and glory. It starts with man and assumes that God will conform to our rights and wishes.

Sin is a Belittling of God’s Glory

Notice verse 23: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” What’s at stake in sinning is the glory of God. When Nathan confronts David, he quotes God as saying, “Why have you despised me?” We could imagine David saying, “What do you mean, I despised you? I didn’t despise you. I wasn’t even thinking of you. I was just red hot after this woman and then scared to death that people were going to find out. You weren’t even in the picture.”

And God would have said, “The Creator of the universe, the designer of marriage, the fountain of life, the one who holds you in being, the one who made you king - that One, I the Lord, was not even in the picture! That’s right, David. That’s exactly what I mean. You despised me.” All sin is a despising of God, before it is a damage to man. All sin is a preference for the fleeting pleasures of the world over the everlasting joy of God’s fellowship. David demeaned God’s glory. He belittled God’s worth. He dishonored God’s name. That is the meaning of sin - failing to love God’s glory above everything else.” “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Therefore the problem when God passes over sin is that God seems to agree with those who despise his name and belittle his glory. He seems to be saying it is a matter of indifference that his glory is spurned. He seems to condone the low assessment of his worth.

The Insult of Acquitting Anarchists

Suppose a group of anarchists plot to assassinate the President of the United States and his whole cabinet, and almost succeed. Their bombs destroy part of the White House and kill some staff, but the President narrowly escapes. The anarchists are caught and the court finds them guilty. But then the anarchists say they are sorry, and so the court suspends their sentences and releases them. Now what would that communicate to the world about the value of the President’s life and the importance of his governance? It would communicate that they are of little value.

That is what the passing over of sin communicates: God’s glory and his righteous governance are of minor value, or no value.

Apart from divine revelation, the natural mind - the secular mind - does not see or feel this problem. What secular person loses any sleep over the apparent unrighteousness of God’s kindness to sinners?

But, according to Romans, this is the most basic problem that God solved by the death of his Son. Let’s read it again: “He did this [put his Son forward to die] to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance (or patience) he had passed over sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous . . .” (verses 25b-26a) God would be unrighteous if he passed over sins as though the value of his glory were nothing.

God saw his glory being despised by sinners (like David) - he saw his worth belittled and his name dishonored by our sins - and rather than vindicating the worth of his glory by slaying his people, he vindicated his glory by slaying his Son.

God could have settled accounts by punishing all sinners with hell. This would have demonstrated that he does not minimize our falling short of his glory - our belittling his honor. But God did not will to destroy. “Indeed God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17).

Do We Know (and Share!) God’s Deepest Passion?

This truth, we know well. We know well that God is for us. We know that our salvation is his goal in sending Jesus. But do we know the foundation of it all? Do we know that there is a deeper goal in sending the Son? Do we know that God’s love for us depends on a deeper love, namely, God’s love for his glory? Do we know that God’s passion to save sinners rests on a deeper passion, namely, God’s passion to vindicate his righteousness? Do we realize that the accomplishment of our salvation does not center on us, but on God’s glory? The vindication of God’s glory is the ground of our salvation (Romans 3:25-6), and the exaltation of God’s glory is the goal of our salvation. “Christ has become a servant to the circumcised . . . in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” (Romans 15:8-9).

Can Self-exaltation Be an Act of Love?

Someone may ask, “How can it be loving for God to be so self-exalting in the work of the cross? If he is really exalting his own glory and vindicating his own righteousness, then how is the cross really an act of love to us?”

I fear the question betrays a common secular mindset with man at the center. It assumes that, for us to be loved, God must make us the center. He must highlight our value. If our worth is not accented, then we are not loved. If our value is not the ground of the cross, then we are not esteemed. The assumption of such questioning is that the exaltation of the worth and glory of God over man is not the very essence of what God’s love for man is.

The biblical mindset, however, affirms the very opposite. The cross is the pinnacle of God’s love for sinners, not because it demonstrates the value of sinners, but because it vindicates the value of God for sinners to enjoy. God’s love for man does not consist in making man central, but in making himself central for man. The cross does not direct man’s attention to his own vindicated worth, but to God’s vindicated righteousness.

This is love, because the only eternal happiness for man is happiness focused on the riches of God’s glory. “In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forever more” (Psalm 16:1 1). God’s self-exaltation is loving, because it preserves for us and offers to us the only all-satisfying Object of desire in the universe - the all-glorious, all-righteous God.

Why Is the Cross Folly?

The root reason for why the cross is folly to the world is that it means the end of human self-exaltation, and a radical commitment to God-exaltation. No - “commitment” is not quite the right word. Rather the cross is a call to radical “exultation” in God-exaltation. The cross is the death of our demand to be loved by being made the center. And it is the birth of joy in God’s being made the center.

How Is the Cross Your Joy?

Test yourself. What is your mindset? Do you begin with God and his rights and goals? Or do you begin with yourself and your rights and wishes?

And when you look at the death of Christ, what happens? Does your joy really come from translating this awesome divine work into a boost for self-esteem? Or are you drawn up out of yourself and filled with wonder and reverence and worship that here in the death of Jesus is the deepest, clearest declaration of the infinite esteem of God for his glory and for his Son?

Here is a great objective foundation for the full assurance of hope: the forgiveness of sins is grounded, finally, not in my finite worth or work, but in the infinite worth of the righteousness of God - God’s unswerving allegiance to uphold and vindicate the glory of his name.

I appeal to you with all my heart, take your stand on this. Base your life on this. Ground your hope in this. You will be free from the futile mindset of the world. And you will never fall. When God’s exaltation of God in Christ is your joy, it can never fail.

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

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For my name’s sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.

I have found that for many people these words come like six hammer blows to a man-centered way of looking at the world:

For my name’s sake!
For the sake of my praise!
For my own sake!
For my own sake!
How should my name be profaned!
My glory I will not give to another!

What this text hammers home to us is the centrality of God in his own affections. The most passionate heart for the glorification of God is God’s heart. God’s ultimate goal is to uphold and display the glory of his name.

God chose his people for his glory:

He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace. (Ephesians 1:4-6, cf. vv. 12, 14, NASB)

God created us for his glory:

Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, every one who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory. (Isaiah 43:6-7)

God called Israel for his glory:

You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified (Isaiah 49:3).

I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory. (Jeremiah 13:11)

God rescued Israel from Egypt for his glory:

Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works . . . but rebelled by the Sea, at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power. (Psalm 106:7-8)

God raised Pharaoh up to show his power and glorify his name:

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Romans 9:17)

God defeated Pharaoh at the Red Sea to show his glory:

And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord . . . And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen. (Exodus 14:4, 18; cf. v. 17)

God spared Israel in the wilderness for the glory of his name:

I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. (Ezekiel 20:l4)

God gave Israel victory in Canaan for the glory of his name:

Who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? (2 Samuel 7:23)

God did not cast away his people for the glory of his name:

Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord . . . For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake. (l Samuel 12:20, 22)

God saved Jerusalem from attack for the glory of his name:

For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David. (2 Kings 19:34; cf. 20:6)

God restored Israel from exile for the glory of his name:

Thus says the Lord God, It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name.. . . And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name. . . . And the nations will know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 36:22-23; cf. v. 32)

Jesus sought the glory of his Father in all he did:

The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. (John 7:l8)

Jesus told us to do good works so that God gets glory:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16; cf. 1 Peter 2:12)

Jesus warned that not seeking God’s glory makes faith impossible:

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)

Jesus said that he answers prayer that God would be glorified:

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13)

Jesus endured his final hours of suffering for God’s glory:

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again’ (John 12:27-28).

Father, the hour has come; glorify your son that the Son may glorify you. (John 17:1; cf. 13:31-32)

God gave his Son to vindicate the glory of his righteousness:

God put [Christ] forward as a propitiation by his blood . . . to show God’s righteousness . . . It was to show his righteousness at the present time. (Romans 3:25-26)

God forgives our sins for his own sake:

I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

For your own name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. (Psalm 25:11)

Jesus receives us into his fellowship for the glory of God:

Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Son of God:

He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:14)

God instructs us to do everything for his glory:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (l Corinthians 10:31; cf. 6:20).

God tells us to serve in a way that will glorify him:

Whoever serves, [let him do it] as one who serves by the strength which God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (l Peter 4:11)

Jesus will fill us with fruits of righteousness for God’s glory:

It is my prayer that . . . [you be] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9, 11)

All are under judgment for dishonoring God’s glory:

They became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images. (Romans 1:22, 23)

For all havesinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Herod is struck dead because he did not give glory to God:

Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory. (Acts 12:23)

Jesus is coming again for the glory of God:

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:9-10)

Jesus’ ultimate aim for us is that we see and enjoy his glory:

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)

Even in wrath God’s aim is to make known the wealth of his glory:

Desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, [God] has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory. (Romans 9:22-23)

God’s plan is to fill the earth with the knowledge of his glory:

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)

Everything that happens will redound to God’s glory:

From him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

In the New Jerusalem the glory of God replaces the sun:

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives its light, and its lamp is the Lamb (Revelation 21:23).

By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org

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Here Pilate’s humanity is caught in the vortex of Divine will. When we arrive at this scene, make no mistake about it, Christ must die!

The choice that appears is not there. Yes we will acquiesce that our sin demands Jesus’ death, and yet fail to see that our righteousness is just as demanding.

Jesus’ death is not at Pilate’s will. Jesus’ death is not at the people’s will. He stated it, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down.”

Pilate must have wondered that day “How did this man end up in my court?” He talked to his wife; she tried to help. And maybe his hand washing was an attempt to apply her advice. However, Pilate is a Politician. The root of the word “politics” is “pole.” The politician hopes that he can make all the people happy. If this is impossible, then the majority rules. Rarely is a politician a leader and rarely is a leader a politician. People like politicians; they don’t like leaders.

Pilate believed in and advocated for Jesus’ innocence. Then as a last resort he attempted to mediate a compromise. Yet neither would avail; because, Jesus is not dying because He is guilty, but because He is innocent; Jesus is not dying because the crowd is angry, but because they are sinful; Jesus is not dying because of man’s will but because of God’s will. And what can change God’s will: a declaration, a vote, a compromise?

Pilate selfishly served Caesar. Pilate selfishly served the people? Likewise Pilate believed he could selfishly serve Christ. However, one can never do God’s will without great cost to himself. A man must back up on his own life, put it down, lose his life, deny himself, forsake it.

The only proper answer for any man at the crucifixion is to die with Jesus. Die to one’s old agenda Die to one’s prestige and popularity Die to the crowd’s acceptance Die to positions of power Die to the prosperity of this world

On that day there were two voices calling for Jesus’ death, both God and the crowd. Which voice will you hear concerning His death? If you hear the crowd you will try to save Jesus, but if you hear God, you will desire to die with Jesus.

Yuri Solomon

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Discernment is the process of exhibiting keen insight and good judgment. It is the ability to understand and use discretion. It is recognition, perceptiveness, and caution.

Spiritual discernment is necessary to perceive what is of God and what is not of God. This world has many false prophets and teachers who are ready to deceive. They appear holy and anointed. They are given power from the devil, literally possessed with evil. They are charming, charismatic, and manipulative. These “sunshine” speakers love to tickle the ears of the listener. They teach self-improvement or prosperity. They know the right words to say to seduce the listener and captivate the audience. They prey on the weak, immature, and unlearned. Sometimes, even the elect of God are deceived. We always want to see the good and forget that this world is full of corruption.

Don’t be naive. The Bible speaks of the wolves in sheep’s clothing. Those who have the appearance of good, but evil is lurking within. These people are motivated by selfish reasons: praise, status, wealth, and power. They use their victims to reach their goals. It is scary to know how many people are led astray daily. The number would be staggering.

Attentively examine the atmosphere, speech, actions, and attitudes. Distinguish if it aligns with the truths given to us by God’s word. If something just doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. This happens when the Spirit is in disagreement with what is taking place. Discernment is for our protection.
Cindie York
I have been a Christian for 18 years. I am one of the Sunday School teachers at our local church. I enjoy Bible study and growing in the knowledge of God’s word. My Christian friends and I enjoy writing Bible studies for one another and I would like to share them with others.

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I believe everyone has the ability to listen if they wanted to; even Jesus speaks it many times to the churches that “All who have an ear let him hear what the spirit is saying.” Well, we all have ears and that was Jesus point. He gave us two ears and one mouth .and that alone should tell us something.

The bible says be swift to hear and slow to speak. The word “swift” means to be capable of moving at a quick speed. In other words, be quick to listen and hear what’s being said to you. There are many times we want to rush to say something, rush to give our opinion or rush to make a point and the entire time we’re not listening to the other person and furthermore in reality we are preparing in our mind what we want to say next, so we really didn’t hear everything the other person said.

If people knew that half of the time people aren’t listening to them, they probably would never want to speak to us again. It’s a good thing people can’t read minds or we would never have any friends. The point is, listening is something we have to be willing to learn how to do and practice.

Listening does not come naturally to most of us and if it did I believe there would be more lay counselors and ministers reaching out. I say this because sometimes the best medicine you could ever give someone is your ear to listen and your shoulder to cry on.

They don’t want you to fix their problem as much as they need someone to talk to and someone to care. So how can we become better listeners?

I put together some helpful tips to become a better listener:

Pray: Ask God to help you to listen and hear what the person is saying and ask God to give you wisdom and discernment. By saying a silent prayer to God at that moment you are doing three things. You are asking God to help you listen, you are inviting the Holy Spirit into your conversation and you are also listening to what the spirit wants to say to them through you through the wisdom that God gives you.

Eliminate Distractions: If someone approaches you while you are among a group of people, tell them to hold their thought as you take them five or ten steps away from everyone else. This not only will help you to listen more intently without distractions but it will also send a message to others around you that you are having a private conversation.

Stay Focused: Try to restrain from interrupting the other person but stay focused on listening to what they are saying. The most common occurrence is after someone speaks two or three words we automatically want to chime in with a solution or opinion. This is where you practice restraint and allow the person to finish their thought or what they want to say. By doing this you will get the full picture of what is going on or see the bigger picture and can then be able to minister effectively because you have listened intently focusing on what was said and even noticing what wasn’t said but the Holy Spirit gives you wisdom.

Find the Purpose: As you are listening; also listen for clues to why they are talking to you and what they need from you. Do they need prayer? Are they coming to you for comfort? Are they just venting and need a sounding board? Do they need assurance about something they are struggling with? Do they just need someone to listen? Do they need encouragement? By understanding what their purpose is coming to you, you can then respond appropriately.

Don’t Make Assumptions: I can’t stress this enough, DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING. Making assumptions or having pre-conceived ideas about someone or their situation is bringing in your own thoughts, ideas and opinions into their situation and can lead you off track spiritually. Biblically, our thoughts, opinions and ideas mean nothing and amount to nothing. The bible says that wisdom comes from above, it comes from God and it is God that gives us His divine wisdom through the Holy Spirit and His Word. By jumping to conclusions, we short circuit what God wants to speak or do for the other person through His Word and at the same time, we stop listening to the Holy Spirit because we are then drawing from our own conclusions on the matter and not God’s.

Listen with Compassion: Having compassion with humility of heart will help you to relax and help you listen patiently. We are in a tyranny of the urgent society and if someone is taking longer than a minute to finish their thought our minds start wondering and we try to cut the conversation short. Remember that people matter to God more than your time. We all have places to go and things to do, but your five or ten minutes of your time to listen and talk to someone could make all the difference in the world in that person’s life and could actually change their life. Not because you are that good but that God’s ministering power is at work through you to them.

Respond Biblically: If you follow all the steps prior you will be able to respond in the spirit and biblically. Not hyper-spiritually but biblically and practically. Encourage them, offer comfort and hope for their situation or if they just wanted someone to listen offer to pray for them. Sometimes that’s all they really want is someone to listen and pray for them.

Be Honest: After you have listened and you have a situation where you don’t know what to say, be honest with them and offer to pray for them, comfort them and direct them to someone that can help them. Being a good listener sometimes is all they need. They will appreciate your time more than anything else and your honesty.

Know God’s Voice: One of the most important parts of ministering is hearing God’s voice because you want to minister His Words and not your own. So how do you do this? Jesus said that the sheep know His voice. They know His voice because they know Him. They have been cared for by Him, fed by Him and loved by Him and they know Him intimately. Just as a child knows their father’s voice so the sheep know the Shepherds voice. It comes by knowing God through His Word and spending intimate time with Him daily. When you hear a voice speak in your heart and it not only matches with God’s Word, it is pure, it is love, and it is un-selfish, it usually is God. What does the bible say about wisdom from above? It is first of all pure. You have to test everything especially if you are not used to hearing His voice. The most important thing is to know God’s Word and know God intimately and begin to listen to His still small voice and He is faithful. Pray and ask God to help you discern between your voice and His.

Practice: Continue to practice listening every chance you get. You will find that as you practice focusing and listening patiently and prayerfully that you will become a good listener before you know it. It will not only make you more effective in ministering but also more selfless and compassionate because listening is more about doing for others and less about you.

Filoiann M. Wiedenhoff

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In that Scripture the Lord said, “I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” Wow! What a powerful statement and promise from God to Israel!

Even though Israel was unfaithful, God still loved her and promised her release from captivity. The Holy One of Israel created her, He redeemed her, He promised to be with her through all trials and difficult times, and He will protect her - for Zion is desired as His dwelling place and resting place forever (Ps. 132:13,14).

Just as it is with Israel, we can also claim His promises. When we repent and by faith alone accept Jesus into our life as Savior and Lord, we instantly become royalty. We become sons and daughters of the most-high sovereign God - Who not only made those promises to Israel, but they are valid promises for us today. As a child of the King, we become worthy heirs to the kingdom of heaven. Revelation 3:4 promises that the faithful in Christ will walk with Him in purity and righteousness. The Apostle Paul stated in Galatians 3:29 NIV, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Can you truly claim the promises in God’s Word as your own? Do you belong to Him? Are you able to say with absolute confidence and assurance that, “I am His, and He is mine?” If so, then one day soon you will hear Jesus say, “My child, I have redeemed you, your sins once as scarlet are whiter than snow - you are Mine forever!” Oh, what wonderful words of lifeeternal life!

John 10:27,28 NKJV
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

During retirement, my prayer is that I might serve the Lord by sharing the Gospel through my writing. As the Lord leads, my work will inform, challenge and encourage. I also enjoy Biblical theme woodcarving, Bible studies and Christian music. Watch, pray and keep looking up!

Donald Mehl

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