I have included several scriptures that refute OSAS. Of course, this is a very small list and there are numerous others that exist.
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The problem with newer translations:
Wow. I knew the newer versions took out verses, but I haven’t seen which ones until now. This is why you should not read most newer translations without comparing to an older version. This is NIV vs. NKJV (NKJV is very similar to KJV, just a little easier to read. I use both.)
The beginning of the verse (no condemnation) only applies to those who meet the requirement in the end of the verse (those who walk according to the Spirit). And how do we know someone is walking according to the Spirit? By seeing their fruit; the fruits of the Spirit and fruits of the flesh are listed in Galatians 5.
NIV
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” -Romans 8:1
NKJV
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” -Romans 8:1
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Philippians 1:6 excuse debunked:
If you use Philippians 1:6 (“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”) to support OSAS or to say it doesn’t matter what we do, you must watch this video (with an open mind). So much clarity should be gained from his explanation. https://youtu.be/Onb0un5yC4Y
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” -Matthew 7:21
“Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” -Romans 11:22
“And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” -Galatians 3:29
“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” -Romans 8:9
The way we know someone is in the Spirit (and therefore has the spirit), is because they are not walking in the flesh. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ, and therefore is NOT saved. Only those who are His will inherit the promise.
We must believe the WHOLE gospel, not just part of it. Being sanctified from sin and striving for holiness is part of the gospel. Repentance is part of the gospel. OBEDIENCE IS PART OF THE GOSPEL.
“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” -John 14:23
If you love God, you WILL Lee His words, and the Father will love you and make His home in you. LOVE = OBEDIENCE
“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” -Galatians 5:24-25
“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,” -Colossians 2:11
“3Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God [a]is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” -1 John 2:3-6
“And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,” -Hebrews 5:9
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Take up your cross – 1/18/21
I would assume the majority of Christians believe you must follow Jesus to be saved, for Jesus is the only Way. (If you don’t, then you have errors greater than what I’m addressing)
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” -John 14:6
What does it mean to follow him?
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” -Matthew 16:24
We must pick up our cross and follow him daily. This is something we must DO, which is a work/action. We can’t just sit back, relax, and do nothing. Obviously we can only be saved through what Christ did on the cross, but this verse says that if anyone will come after him, he must deny himself and carry his cross! What do you think it means to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him?
Ever wonder how you can serve God in your youth or feel like you can’t do anything for God? Read this:
“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
You can serve him in what you say and do, through the way you love others, by your faith, and in your purity. You don’t have to go do something big and great in order to serve God. For some, that may be God’s calling on their life, but for others, they are meant to be right where they are. The way we conduct ourselves has more importance than some may think, because we are supposed to be examples of what we profess to believe. If we don’t walk the walk, then we are merely hypocrites if we try to persuade others to do so. If you claim that Jesus is your Savior, and 1 John 3:8 tells us that he came to save us from sin and to destroy the works of the devil, but yet you continue in willful sin, what kind of example are you setting? If you belittle the importance of holiness and separation from sin, what really has Jesus saved you from? And if you say he’s your Master and King, but don’t follow his commands, what kind of servant are you? You don’t just get a free ticket to Heaven once you say a small prayer and think you’re good to go. Your faith, if genuine, will produce works and change you from the inside out. It will not stop with a pray—that is merely the beginning. Jesus says come as you are, but you will not stay as you are! You will CHANGE, if sincere. Even if you feel unable to serve God due to possible circumstances, you can serve him in the way you treat others and how you live your life. The way you respond to unkindness and hateful remarks. The way you turn the other cheek instead of defending yourself. The way you put others above yourself and how you have joy no matter what comes your way. How you possess patience that so many think impossible. The peace you have and lack of fear for dying, knowing that death is your transport to Heaven… These are only a few characteristics of a disciple that can lead people to Christ. Do all to the glory of God. Hypocrisy brings shame on the Gospel.
Your calling isn’t necessarily about what you’re supposed to do, but about WHO you’re supposed to be. No matter where God has placed you, he is molding you into the person he wants you to become. Even if you feel that you aren’t doing anything meaningful, doesn’t mean that God is not still working…on you. No matter what season you are going through, God is still in control. He may have you right where he wants you for the time being. There is a purpose for everything.
God’s calling isn’t always to do something, but it IS always to be something; to be a warrior for Christ, a witness to those around you, a faithful and humble servant, a loving friend, maybe a submissive wife and a caring mother, or a father that is a leader and provider, set apart children of God; kind, pure, holy, obedient, etc. Even if you feel like you’re on the bench while everyone else is in the game, doesn’t mean you are not fulfilling your purpose. You can serve God in every aspect of your life, both big and seemingly small, through your actions and your words, through your faith and your conduct. Even small acts of kindness to strangers can glorify God. Be who God has called you to be, no matter where he has placed you; no matter where you are and what you’re doing. Your role is not without value.
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“You boast about having God’s law–but do you bring shame on God by breaking his law?” -Romans 2:23
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” -1 Corinthians 10:32
“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” -1 John 3:8
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” -Romans 8:28
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:19-20
“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” -Psalm 138:8
We are not saved by our own works, because we still stumble and fail. We are not saved by our own love, because our love is not made perfect. We are saved by believing in the Son of God, who sacrificed himself for us through the most unfailing love of all, and this faith, if sincere, will lead to our striving for holiness and perfection, despite how many times we fall. We cannot claim Jesus as our master if we do not serve him as such. Though we are imperfect, therefore our works are imperfect, God can see if our heart is sincere and if we’re truly trying or not. He has compassion on those who fear him, and both fear and faith leads to obedience. If you really believe what he says, you will strive to do what he says.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” -Matthew 7:21
This verse shows that just because you profess to believe does not mean you will be saved. Faith alone does not save you. Faith without works is dead. True faith produces works.
Being a Christian doesn’t mean you’ll never fail, but it does mean that you keep picking yourself back up and continue to press on. You must endure until the end and give God your all. Though we aren’t saved by our own works but through what Jesus did on the cross, that doesn’t mean we can continue in willful sin. His sacrifice is not our free ticket to Heaven. Only those who undure until the end will be saved. Only those who do the will of the Father will be saved. And only those who abide in Christ will be saved. Keep clinging to Jesus and never give up! His mercies are new EVERY morning!
Our lack of obedience is a lack of faith. We truly are saved by our faith and belief, but what many don’t understand is that our faith is proven by our works. We are not saved by our works alone, but our faith produces works. If you really believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and you believe what he says to be true, you will do what he says. Our faith should continue to strengthen and grow, and though not perfected, what’s inside will flow outwardly. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” In Mark 9:24, this man believed, but he still had unbelief. Even still, Jesus healed his son because of the faith that he did have. So be encouraged. Jesus doesn’t expect our faith to be perfected right away. He will be there by our side to pick us up when we fall. Even Peter, though Jesus was right in front of him, lacked faith which caused him to start to sink. But here again, despite his unbelief, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. He said to Peter, “You of little faith… why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31) This greatly increased the faith of all that were on the boat, and they worshipped him. “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:33) If you start to sink into sin, that doesn’t mean that’s the end of it. That doesn’t mean you should give up because you feel like it’s impossible to be holy. Jesus is waiting with arms reached out for you to humble yourself and admit that you can’t do it on your own. You need him to catch you before you sink, and if you do sink, he is able to carry you safely back to shore, but you must draw near to him. And remember, his mercies are new EVERY morning.
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“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” -James 4:7-8
“Give all, for God gave all for you.” -JS
“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” -Matthew 24:13
“For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.” -Proverbs 24:16
“It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:22-23
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” -Romans 6:1-2
“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” -1 John 3:8
“14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [f]your works, and I will show you my faith by [g]my works. 19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [h]dead? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [i]perfect? 23And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [j]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.25Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” -James 2:14-26
“For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.” -Proverbs 24:16
My mom reminded me of this verse and it was very encouraging considering what I have been going through lately, struggling with the same things and at times feeling like giving up. That’s what Satan wants though! He wants us to give up, but we must continue to endure and press on until the very end, no matter what struggles we are faced with. No matter how many times we fall. No matter how much we feel like we suck and don’t deserve God’s forgiveness. No matter how unworthy we feel!!!
If we fall, we must get back up. Being a Christian doesn’t mean we’ll never stumble. It’s being able to get back up, despite how many times you fall, and growing through it, remembering the Lord’s mercies are new EVERY morning. And having the humility to admit you need help from God – EVERY MORNING. No matter what happened the day before, his mercies are renewed and we have yet another opportunity to keep trying. Even if you fail again today, try again tomorrow! Even if you fail tomorrow, try again the next day! God can see your heart and your sincerity. He can see if you’re really trying or just taking advantage of his grace and mercy. He has compassion on his children.
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”” -Lamentations 3:22-24
“Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” -Psalm 103:13
Fathers have compassion on their children even though they continue to have to discipline and correct them. Even though their children are not perfect, they still love them and can see if they’re trying. Because a father loves his children, he must correct them when they do wrong so that they may learn and grow. If he doesn’t exhort his children, they may never learn to walk uprightly. True love warns and corrects, just as God does for us. His judgement is not without mercy to those who show mercy towards others. But to those who have not mercy, the same will be done to him.
“For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” -James 2:13
“I opened two gifts this morning. They were my eyes.” -unknown
There is always, always something to be thankful for. It’s our perspective that determines how we view our life and what God has given us.
I go though different seasons in my life where I may feel very strong in my faith and so content and thankful and realize that I am so blessed beyond measure, and then there are other seasons where I feel so weak spiritually and struggle to be content with the situation God has given me, and I just feel so lost at times and don’t know what to do. I know that I am very blessed and have all that I need and more, but sometimes there is still this feeling of emptiness that I get, like I feel like I need to be doing something more. It’s hard because I’m almost 18, and most of the people my age are in school, fixing to head off to college, and perhaps have jobs. They all have their friends and dreams. For me though, I am homeschooled, almost graduated, and I have no desire for college. I have few friends that I see in person, though I am so grateful for the ability to use technology to connect with believers far away. It’s difficult to find likeminded brethren, and it can be a lonely walk, but remembering that we aren’t along because we have Jesus by our side is greatly important. I continue to seek God and his guidance and ask that he will lead me and that I would be willing to follow. I pray that he will give me peace and help me to be joyful and not longing for anything other than him. He has helped me so much with this in recent months, leading me to have a more content attitude, but I still don’t know what his plan is for my life. What has helped me a lot is to make an effort to say thank you God for not only the big things in life, but also the little things. For example, one of my dear friends was encouraging me in this area and suggested I do this and said to even thank him when I see a patch of sunflowers, because she knows those are my favorite flowers! So when I see a patch of flowers, I say, “Thank you God for the flowers!” This is a good way to practice being thankful and it really does help. It often times makes me smile when I make a conscious effort to thank him. The more thankful and joyful I choose to be, the more I am able to feel his peace and presence. This is not to say that I don’t feel close to him when I’m going through trials. I do believe God allows us to go through hard times so that we may learn to draw near to him, and it’s often in our darkest times that we lean on him the most. What I am saying is that when we choose to only focus on the negative things and can’t see all the gifts God has given us, it creates this void in our hearts that we feel like we have to fill, but nothing other than God can fill that void. No earthly treasures or pleasures will make us feel fulfilled, and once we truly realize that God is all we need, not just mentally knowing it, but truly feeling that in our heart, then we won’t seek after earthly fulfillment any longer. I believe thankfulness, and contentment is an important part in reaching that destination, because it leads to having joy, and that joy leads to peace. It is only with the help of God that we may find true peace.
“If you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any moment.” —Carlos Santana
No matter what season we are going through in our life, we can choose to have inner joy despite however great the pain or sorrow is.
May we learn to have a joy that is so divine that it is undisturbed by all outside events. A joy so unshakable that no matter what pain and struggles we face, both physically and spiritually, that we never fail to see God’s hand in our every day lives, his blessings continually raining down, his grace so abundantly poured out on us, and most importantly, his unfailing love shone brightly upon the earth. He is the Great I Am; lover of my soul.
”Find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing. For to miss the joy is to miss all.” -Robert Louis Stevenson
“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” -Marianne Williamson
If you think of death as merely a bridge between this life and the next, it can change your perspective on the way you deal with the loss of a loved one. Of course it will still be hard and sorrowful because we miss them and long for their presence, but if we remember that death is only a bridge that leads from this world to the next, then that can bring us abundant hope! For Christians, we have the hope of seeing our fellow brethren again once we too walk across the bridge of death. For the Christian, death doesn’t really exist; it is only a door – a door that leads to a beautiful, magnificent home with Jesus. Death should not be something we fear when it is what brings us to him. It is better to go and be with our Lord than to dwell here in this world. This world is not our home. Jesus is our home, and he offers us life everlasting. A place where no more sorrow exists; no more pain and no more tears – no more suffering. The Lord himself will wipe away every tear from our eyes, all because he loves us. Jesus is the only way. If one is not a Christian though, their death leads to something far worse than this world’s sorrows. This is why we should be laboring night and day for lost souls, that we may show them the hope that is in Christ Jesus, found nowhere else. That we may lead them to find true happiness; a joy that is unlike what the world has to offer. Lead the lost to the cross; the only destination that offers eternal life and peace. We are not promised continual outward peace, but rather a steadfast inner peace. A peace knowing that Jesus is with us and that we have no need to fear what comes our way. A peace knowing what lies ahead, despite our current circumstances. A peace knowing that God is in control. A peace knowing that death is our door to Heaven, Jesus is the way in which to get there, and love is the key.
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“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” -Revelation 21:4
“He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.” -Isaiah 25:8
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” -Philippians 1:21
“For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” -Philippians 1:23
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”” -John 11:25-26
“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 inquire in his temple.” -Psalm 27:4
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” -John 14:27
Why do so many people ask how your school is going or what your plans after graduating are — “Do you plan to go to college?” “What do you want to be when you grow up?” — but they don’t ask “How is your relationship with God”, “How’s your faith”, or “What have you been studying in the Bible lately?” What is more important, our high school and college education, or a thorough knowledge of the Bible? Is your mindset that we can’t know everything, therefore making an excuse that we need not put so much emphasis on studying the Word of God? Why not use the same logic for worldly education?
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“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” -2 Timothy 2:15
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Is our academic journey and educational success of more value than our relationship with God and growth in Christ? Is our spiritual growth not more crucial than our job status? Why is more value and importance placed on our earthly knowledge rather than on our biblical knowledge? Why do we spend more time studying in school than we do in studying the Bible? Why do we spend more time chasing after a career than chasing after souls? If you ask me, “What are your plans after high school?”, is a “I plan to go to college to be a {doctor, nurse, lawyer, teacher, etc. etc.}” answer going to impress you more than a “I want to be a missionary”, “I want to serve God”, “I want to get married, have children, and stay at home”, or even a “I’m waiting on God” type of answer? What is really important to you? What is really valuable in the end? What is really in your heart? Examine your heart and priorities to see if they like up with God’s priorities. Jesus calls us to be fishers of men and to spread the gospel to all people. That is his main priority, therefore that should be ours as well.
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“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” -Mark 16:15
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“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” -Matthew 4:19
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“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” -Luke 9:23
I want to do whatever is God’s will. If he wants me to travel and spread the gospel then that’s what I’m gonna do. If he wants me to get married and stay at home, then that’s what I’m gonna do. If he wants me to have my own business, then that’s what I’m gonna do. Even if I don’t pursue an education higher than high school, doesn’t mean I’m not successful. Even if I don’t get a high paying job, doesn’t mean I’m not rich. Even if I don’t do what other people think I should do, doesn’t mean I am not fulfilling my purpose. God has a will, far greater than our own, and he does not judge the way the world does. He doesn’t judge us according to how much money we make or for how good our grades are in school. He doesn’t judge us based on our social status or for our earthly achievements. He judges us based on our deeds, whether good or evil. He looks at the way we live our life, the way we love others, the way we serve him and others. When we are content with having only food and clothes, then are we truly rich!
We must seek the kingdom of God first, above all else, and everything else will fall into place, according to God’s perfect plan.
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“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” -1 Timothy 6:6-10
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“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” -Matthew 6:33
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“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” -Galatians 1:10
When you seek God with all your heart and delight in him, he will show you which path to take, and he will give you the desires of your heart. This doesn’t mean that he will give you whatever you want though. What this really means is that once you truly seek God and take delight in him, his desires will become your desires and his will becomes your will. You will want what he wants when you truly surrender to him and have faith that his will is what’s best for everyone. You’ll no longer seek after your own vain pleasures and desires.
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“Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” -Proverbs 3:6
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“Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.” -Psalm 37:4
If you sincerely love God, then you will want to please him and obey him. You will seek to know what he desires of you. He calls you to deny yourself, leave your life of sin, and follow him. He commands us to make disciples of all nations.
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“He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” -John 21:17
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“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” -Matthew 28:19
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**I want to clarify that I am not saying that an earthly education is not valuable or unimportant. I am also not saying that we shouldn’t work to provide for our families. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 and 1 Timothy 5:8 make it clear that a man must work to provide. What I am trying to get at is that what is most important is our walk with God and doing HIS will, even more so than our education or career. Many Christians put too much focus on earthly desires rather than thinking on things above and working for Jesus.
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“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” -Colossians 3:2
So many people these days live beyond their means. We don’t need to live as elaborate as most people do.
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“Live simply so that others may simply live.” -Gandhi
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For His Glory,
Korali
Edit:
So I wrote this late in the night, then today I decided to pick up one of my devotional books that I haven’t read in several days and read where I left off. The devotional went right along with this post! It was about the first being last and the last being first and not making your job and career more important than fishing for souls. Our priority should be the salvation of souls. It’s really neat how God works.
I was reading a Bible study book on Job, and it gave me a few passages to read about whether or not it is okay to question God, and one of them was Habakkuk 1:1-11. So I read that, but then I decided to keep reading the rest of Habakkuk since I’m working on reading the whole Bible all the way through again for the second time, and that way I could check it off. So I finished reading it, but didn’t really understand too much about what I read, then I got on Facebook real quick and the first thing I see is a post from a sister in Christ with photos of her and her sisters, and the caption was Habakkuk 2:14: “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”
I commented, telling her briefly what happened, and I just thought that was so neat. She thought it was cool too. Like out of all the books in the Bible, it just happened to be a verse from the book I literally just finished reading. That must have been from God. So I decided maybe I should read it again, because maybe God is trying to tell me something. I googled a study on Habakkuk and read through the book again. I found that this book begins with Habakkuk questioning God for why he was allowing evil to exist among the people, and why he wasn’t doing anything about it, then God answers him and tells him he is going to send the Chaldeans to judge them.
“O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!” (Habakkuk 1:2)
“Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, whichye will not believe, though it be told you. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.” (Habakkuk 1:5-6)
Though Habakkuk was surprised, he knew that God is eternal and holy, and he knows that God won’t completely destroy his people. He also acknowledges that God is the Rock; the firm foundation of his faith. But what Habakkuk still doesn’t understand is why God would use a nation that is even more wicked to destroy a less wicked nation.
“Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?” (Habakkuk 1:12-13)
He then questions how long God will allow the new nation to last. He ends his conversation by telling God that he is going to the tower to watch and patiently wait for God’s answer. God does eventually give Habakkuk an answer. He describes the specific sins of the Chaldeans and what their punishments for each sin will be.
“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.” (Habakkuk 2:1)
In the last chapter of Habakkuk, he seems to have a more simple prayer of wanting God’s will to be done and for his works to be made know. He also praises God for his mighty power.
“Lord, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:2)
Though he is choosing to trust God, he trembles at the thought of the coming judgement, yet he exclaims that no matter what happens, even if it’s the worst of the worst, he chooses to rejoice in the Lord, the God of his salvation. Though he is physically weak, the Lord God is his strength, and he makes his feet like hinds feet. God gives Habakkuk strength, and he knows that God is all he needs.
“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” (Habakkuk 3:17:19)
Both Job and Habakkuk (two of my favorite books now) have powerful lessons that teach us to trust in God no matter what and can serve as examples for us. God is mightier than all, and his will is higher than ours.
What I got from reading the book of Habakkuk:
Habakkuk is now one of my favorite books, and I think it was meant to be that I read it more in depth. I now appreciate this book a whole lot more than before, because now I understand what it’s talking about. Sometimes when we read a passage in the Bible, we may not really understand what we’re reading, or it may not seem as significant as it would if we really meditated on what the author is trying to show us and apply it to our daily lives. I think the reason why I appreciate this book is because in a way, I can relate to this story, because I have struggled with certain things and questioned God for them, and sometimes I wonder why he allows certain things to happen. I don’t always understand why things happen the way they do, and I struggle to be patient, trusting God’s timing above all else. I must learn to trust Jesus and trust that his timing is perfect. God uses difficult circumstances to teach us lessons and for us to grow. It is oftentimes through the hardest trials that we make the most growth. I also appreciate this book because it is another way God is showing me what joy is and how to have joy even in tough situations. I love how different times God will be teaching me something different and it seems like many things I read have to do with that topic. One example was patience and waiting on the Lord, and another was love and what true love is. Currently, God has been teaching me how to be content and joyful; knowing that true fulfillment is only found in him. Scripture tells us that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy set before him. He didn’t just see the present, but he looked to the future and what would become of us after he died on that cross. It brought him joy! He had joy even though he knew he was going to be killed. Joy is not based on circumstances. We can choose to have joy through even the hardest situations, knowing what lies ahead of us in Heaven. Jesus is our home and nothing is worth throwing that away. No trials we go through here on earth compare to eternity with Jesus.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
What I believe God is trying to show us through Habakkuk’s story is that though we may not always understand why God does or does not do something, we must remember that he is good and his will is far better than our own. His will is what’s best for everybody. He sees the whole picture, from beginning to end, and all people in the future, not just in our present time. He is a just God, but our idea of justice may not be the same as his. It’s okay to question God in sincere wonder and confusion. I’m sure all of us have had questions or confusion about God’s plan, and from reading this book I believe it’s okay to wonder and question God, having faith that he has the answers, but it’s a different thing to question him in disbelief or skepticism, lacking faith that he is able to do all and is in control of all things. God sees our heart and our intentions. He knows if we are genuinely seeking answers or if we are questioning his abilities. An example of this difference in the Bible is when Zachariah (New Testament) and Sarah (Old Testament) questioned how God would allow them to have a child in their old age, but they were questioning God’s abilities and lacked faith. Sarah also lies and says she didn’t laugh. On the other hand, when Mary questioned how she would have a child while still a virgin, but she didn’t lack the faith; she was just genuinely seeking the answer because it didn’t make sense to her.
May we grow in faith and understanding, learning to trust that our God is The Great I AM, possessing all answers. May we be filled with a joy that only comes from God, that guides us through life, causing us to rejoice in all circumstances!
I really like how in lesson 6 she encourages readers to be careful of what songs we listen to, because words put to music tend to be easy to memorize. We should be cautious that we listen to edifying words, rather than worldly or unimportant ones. Habakkuk‘s prayer is an example of good words to sing. It was probably an encouraging word to the people, meant to teach and edify and remind them of the power of God.
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Just how Satan works through people to accomplish his plan for evil, God works through HIS people to accomplish HIS plan for GOOD. If that sister on Facebook didn’t post that verse from Habakkuk, I likely wouldn’t have done this study or reread the book, but God must have put it in her heart to do so, therefore putting it in my heart to do this study.
Notes of Charity 