In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul defends his authority against the claims of false apostles who had entered the Corinthian church, this incident is in chapters 10-11, here we will look at a small portion to illustrate our point.

“For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.” 2 Corinthians 11:19-20.

Another passage in Galatians has a similar ring to it.

“As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these try to compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh.” Galatians 6:12-13.

See also these verses in the book of Jude.

“Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’ These are murmurers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But, you beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: How they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” Jude 14-19.

These are, among other things, control freaks; they want you under their thumb. The desire of these domineering, often incompetent people is to have you do things the way they think they should be done, that they might use you and glory in the power they have over you.

You see this in a domineering husband or wife, or in someone who has sought out a position of power in politics, government or other type of endeavor, unfortunately also in church hierarchy, their quest is to always be right, and for your unquestioning loyalty.

It is obvious here that they do not represent God, and indeed are willing to twist the word of God to their own advantage, all to bring you into bondage to them.

“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” 2 Timothy 4:2-4.

Many people fall victim to this type of person in the church and assume that God is the same. Satan wins when, as quite often happens, people become discouraged by them and turn from following God.

When a nation embraces error like this and turns from God to idols, God removes His favor from the nation in an effort to bring them back to Him.

This is a necessity because if God continues to bless them, they will continue to spiral deeper into evil just as our nation is sinking even now into a morass of evil like idolatrous Jerusalem did about two thousand six hundred years ago before they were carried away by Babylon.

“Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave not a bone till morning, her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.” Zephaniah 3:3-4.

“O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ and You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds.” Habakkuk 1:2-4.

Do not look for evil men in government to repent and follow our Constitution again, nor will they cease from destroying our country, they seek only money and power, wickedness is in their hearts continually and the people be damned!

Do not look for Christians to pray and save this nation. Unless we as Christians confess our sins to God and repent of our carelessness and worldliness in the way we live.

And unless we seek to renew an intimate relationship with our beloved Lord Jesus and our Father in heaven our prayers will lack any power.

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59:1-2.

Our God does not like turning a deaf ear to His children at all, but if it is the only way to get their attention to show them that they are falling away and leaving their first love then harsh as it is it is necessary.

“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.” Revelation 3:19-20.

This is fellowship with our gentle and loving God. God’s greatest desire is that we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and let Him comfort and care for us, and that we care for each other for His sake.

See what Peter says to the elders (overseers) of the churches.

“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.” 1 Peter 5:2-4.

Just as God describes Himself as a mother hen, so God also shows Himself as a shepherd.

Now a shepherd is different from one who herds cattle, insofar as the shepherd leads his sheep, whereas the cattleman drives them along, this is a tremendous difference in leadership styles, but I am sure you realize that.

Notice that Peter tells the elders to be examples to the flock; this is a difficult thing to do consistently, especially in the world’s dealings, but God leads by example.

God did not shout from heaven for us to toe the line or else. He came to earth in the form of a man and took the lowest place as an example for us. He obeyed His parents and the authorities, and while He spoke out against evil without wavering and taught the people righteousness, He did it in all humility.

We will always have to follow someone, though many men have a strong tendency toward anarchy, however, like it or not someone will be out front leading. Who will you follow, our shepherd Jesus or a merciless driver?

“But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.” 1 Thessalonians 2:7.

Paul is speaking here of how he had conducted himself among the Thessalonians, not flattering, not seeking glory, nor making demands on them, but gentle. Can you imagine anything more touching than the scene presented in this verse?

This is how God draws us to Himself, gently with cords of love. God is not out to bend us to His will this is a common misconception brought on by church types who think they understand the will of God.

It is easy to see why this error can happen, what with all the verses that tell us that, God is angry with the wicked every day, and that God will turn sinners into hell, and the soul that sins shall surely die.

These are all true statements, but why would anyone want to stay under the wrath of God when he can be utterly cleansed from sin and justified before God, and indeed become a child of God. As it is written:

“…just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” Galatians 3:6-9.

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14.

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2.

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:20-21.

You can see here that all the work of salvation has been done by God, and He only calls us to Himself in the gentlest of voices.

If there is a hell, why not compel us to obey and bend us to His will? Would that be better than the consequences?

This takes us back to the boy on the riverbank in Part 1 of these posts does it not? Again, we see God doing nothing when there is dire peril.

Now I know that it irritates the average person when they are dragged off somewhere against their will. I am afraid that goes for heaven too, God does not want a bunch of unhappy people in heaven, that would make heaven no better than earth.

If you look at the above verses you will find that the only thing necessary for us to do is to accept the offer by repenting of our sins (rebellion against God) and accept the cleansing from sin by the blood sacrifice of Jesus.

Heaven at your fingertips, “…. but you were not willing” Luke 13:34, not ignorant, but not willing, the horrors of hell await those who reject God. Alas, a life separated from God, then an eternity separated from Him, still men blame Him.

Men willfully endure a life here on earth without God and they find pain and frustration continually, through no fault of God’s, indeed nothing more than His absence is enough to disorient.

How will they find hell any better, it is described as a place where there is weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, but God will not be blamed this time. Everyone in hell will know exactly why they are there, because they chose to be!

Be assured, the torment of hell this time, will be because there is no God in hell. The atheist gets his wish and finds that his existence has become meaningless for eternity. This is the agony; the self is turned inside out and we find that we are empty without God to fill our lives with purpose.

So, the fire roars as the screams of the damned fill our ears and life’s missed opportunities pass before our eyes as they are regurgitated by a restless mind that recalls even the minutest details.

God speaks, and indeed even pleads with us to be reconciled to Him.

“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord,
”though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18.

Salvation in Jesus is complete and needs nothing more than our acceptance of it and confession that we have sinned (and all have sinned), and desire to follow Him as our shepherd.

“…but you were not willing.” Luke 13:34, we tie God’s hands when we resist His call to us.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

We can be willing to hear the Lord Jesus Christ, or we can wander off like so many chicks seeking their way through the darkness.

Sickness, Disease, Pestilence, and Death! Part 4 taken from godisrevealed.com posted on 8-23-15, updated on 3-30-24 ck.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.