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The Shout of a King (A Star Out of Jacob #2)

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INTRODUCTION

This second blessing pronounced by Balaam doubles down on the first, insisting that God is determined to bless Israel because He always keeps His promises. On top of that, God insists that He sees no evil or trouble in His people. This doesn’t seem right to us, and that’s why we need to be reminded how His grace works.

THE TEXT

And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain (Num. 23:18-24).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

God address Balak with a “shema” summons to hear, just as Israel is command (cf. Dt. 6) (23:18). God assures him that he doesn’t lie and he doesn’t change his mind like men; what He has promised to do, He will surely accomplish (23:19). Balaam repeats that he has received another instruction to bless; God has blessed and it cannot be reversed (23:20). But this isn’t merely a refusal to curse; God does not see any iniquity in Jacob, no reason to curse Israel (23:21). The Lord Himself is in the midst of Israel, and therefore God only hears the voice of a great king (23:21). God brought them out of Egypt with the strength of a unicorn, so there is no incantation or divination that can come against them and the whole world is impressed with what God has done (23:22-23). Therefore, Israel will be a conquering nation, like lions that devour their prey (23:24).

UNBREAKABLE COVENANT PROMISES

When God says He isn’t a man who changes his mind or breaks his promises, He is pointing back to the covenants He has made and kept. God made covenant with Adam in the Garden after the Fall, promising to one day crush the seed of the serpent (Gen. 3). God renewed covenant with Noah, saving his family and promising never to flood the world again (Gen. 9). God renewed covenant with Abraham and promised that in his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 15, 17). God kept those promises by delivering Israel out of Egypt (Ex. 3) and renewing covenant at Sinai (Gen. 19-24). This track record has only increased, as God kept covenant through the judges and renewed His promises to David (2 Sam. 7). All of these promises are being fulfilled in Jesus. This is what Mary and Zechariah sing about at the coming of Jesus (Lk. 1:55ff). All the promises of God find their “yes” in Jesus (2 Cor. 1:20). God is not a man who lies or goes back on His word. But God is the kind of God who loves men who have.

WHAT GOD SEES

We noted last week that Balaam’s first blessing is already incredible since God pronounced a blessing on a nation full of complaints and unbelief, but God goes even further here insisting that He has not seen any trouble or wickedness in Israel (23:21). On the surface this is outrageous, since the book of Numbers chronicles Israel’s troubles and evil. But the same verse explains how this is possible: God Himself is in Israel, the shout of a king is in their midst (23:21).

What Balaam is prophesying is God’s covenant love and promises. The God who calls light out of darkness and life from the dead, calls those things which do not exist as though they did (Rom. 4:17, cf. 2 Cor. 10). God promises the complete remission of our sins, a perfect standing, and His complete approval and everlasting blessing in Christ crucified and risen from the dead. Faith in Christ is being fully convinced that what God has promised, He is able to perform (Rom. 4:21). And when that kind of faith receives those promises, an individual is justified. Faith sees Christ for us, and God simultaneously sees Christ in us. God forgets all our sins in the blood of Jesus, and the status of Christ’s perfect obedience is imputed to us (Rom. 4:22-24).

In the covenant, God declares His love and intention to bless. In the covenant, He declares us holy, saints (1 Cor. 7:14, cf. 1 Cor. 1:2, Eph. 1:1, etc.). And when that love is received, when that promise is believed, we are justified, and all that God sees in us is Christ. All He hears in us is the shout of our King. And one of the most glorious things our king shouts is: It is finished. In Christ, He doesn’t see any trouble or evil in you. This isn’t a blind, sentimental love; it’s a bloody, truthful love.

CONCLUSION

Christianity is a militant religion, but what is frequently misunderstood or misconstrued is the fact that our militance is driven by God’s fierce grace. What do we want to see fill Moscow? God’s grace: His fatherly, covenantal affection. So, fathers, are you for your children? Can you pronounce this blessing on your family?

Do you have a critical eye or a covenantal eye? A covenantal eye is not blind to flaws or weaknesses, but it is inclined to overlook them, wants to see them repented of. Love covers a multitude of sins, and love confronts some sins. But God’s grace is lavish, and we are called to give what we have been given.

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Let Me Die the Death of the Upright (A Star Out of Jacob #1)

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INTRODUCTION

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, we will spend the next four Sundays looking at four prophecies of the coming hope of Israel from an unlikely source: Balaam, the scoundrel prophet of Israel. Despite the circumstances, these are some of the greatest benedictions of Scripture describing God’s determination to bless Israel through the coming Messiah and in Him, all the nations of the earth.

THE TEXT

“The Balaam said to Balak, ‘Build seven altars for me here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me here…’” (Num. 23:1-13)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

The backdrop to these verses is famous: Balak King of Moab hired Balaam to curse Israel apparently because he intended to go to war with them (cf. Josh. 24:9). On the way, the Lord’s angel confronted him, but only his donkey could see the angel. After beating and threatening the donkey, the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and he spoke and then Balaam’s eyes were opened to see the angel. Having been severely warned by God, Balaam arrives and instructs Balak to set up an elaborate set of altars and offerings, and speaks this “parable” saying that Balak has called him to curse Israel (23:1-7). But Balaam asks how he can possibly curse whom God has not cursed, and how can he denounce whom God has not denounced (23:8)? Therefore, out comes a great blessing: Israel is a great and mighty nation that can be seen from the tops of the rocky crags of mountains, and Israel is famous among the nations – well known, unique, and not mistaken for any other nation (23:9). Israel is very numerous – who can count the dust of Jacob? Who can even number a portion of the dust of Israel (23:10)? Finally, Balaam insists that Israel is righteous and upright, and so blessed, that there could be no better death than to die among them: let my end be like his (23:10).

A PROVERB IN THE MOUTH OF THE KING

The word translated “parable” or “discourse” is the word for “proverb.” And while this word can sometimes refer to a “byword,” a sort of cautionary tale, clearly something more “proverbial” is going on here: there is deep kingly wisdom at work here. But it isn’t Balak or Balaam. Notice the layers of irony: Why in the world would a pagan king hire an Israelite prophet to curse Israel? Apparently Balak knows that Israel has the upperhand and he wants that mojo. Balaam would apparently be willing to curse, and yet all that can come out is a blessing on Israel (four times). Add to this the fact that Israel is not really in great shape. Remember the unbelieving spies and all the complaining in the wilderness (Num. 13-14), and even though Balaam couldn’t curse Israel, he was involved in the relatively successful plot to seduce the Israelite men with Moabite women (Num. 25, 31:16). This is all high octane providence, which is just another way of saying God is King over all. Sometimes people object to the doctrine of providence because they think that God will be harsh, unfair, or petty, but this story illustrates God’s abundant patience, overwhelming kindness, and amazing sense of humor. Left to ourselves, we seek and deserve cursing, but God the Wisest King works all things according to His counsel because He is determined to bless (Eph. 1:11).

Balaam is hired to pronounced curses, but the only thing that can come out is blessing: “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? Or who shall I defy, whom the Lord has not defied?” (23:8). And so it is in all things in this world: Joseph: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Gen. 50:20). “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). This same providence was at work in a Roman census that sent a young couple to Bethlehem, and an evil king’s plot to kill a young child (Mt. 2, Lk. 2). The center of this doctrine of providence is the Cross itself: “Him [Jesus], being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, yet by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay” (Acts 2:23). God is King, and this world is His proverb.

THE DEATH OF THE UPRIGHT

The final benediction of this first prophecy is really striking. One suspects layers of irony here as well. Many of the Israelites will be dying shortly after they fall into sin, and Balaam will die in battle (Num. 31:8). But the straightforward meaning of the blessing is that there is no better way to die than being among the tribes of Israel. Death is a curse (Gen. 3:19), and death is an enemy (1 Cor. 15:25-26). And yet, the Bible also says that when a man puts on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’ (1 Cor. 15:54).

Balaam’s blessing is that all would die the “death up the upright,” that all might have his end (Num. 23:10). This is Jesus, the seed of the woman, the descendant of Eve, the seed of Abraham, who came to crush the seed of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). Jesus is the upright one, the Righteous One, and in His death, He crushed the head of the serpent, the devil. He destroyed his power by taking all the accusations he could bring against us and they were nailed to His cross, taking away the fear of death (Col. 2:14, Heb. 2:14). The death of the Upright Man took away the sting of death (the law and our guilt) so that it is only “sleep” for those in Him.

CONCLUSION: TAKING UP HIS CROSSES

The call to follow Jesus is the call to take up His cross. He calls us to die, but if we can see that summons from the tops of the mountains where Balaam prophesied, we can see that call to die with Him as the greatest honor, the greatest blessing. Jesus was born to die, so that we might die with Him, so that we might rise with Him.

It has been said that everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help mom do the dishes, which is just to say, the really hard part is choosing the right death. “Everyone dies, not everyone truly lives” is just another way of saying not everyone chooses the right death. You can lay your life down by helping with the dishes; you might also need to lay your life down to lead your family in cheerfully doing the chores. Your car might need fixing, but so might your five year old’s heart. You may be burdened with many cares, but have you considered that your cross may be to lay them down? This death is a blessing. Maybe not easy, but it’s always good.

Fundamentally the right death is the obedient death. Many of these deaths are straightforward (repent), but when it gets really gnarly, trust Christ our wise King who knows how to turn all things for our good. This is His story, and He knows the way out of every grave.

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Sing Because He is There

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INTRODUCTION

Living as we do in insane times, we need to be reminded regularly of what we’re supposed to be doing. Otherwise, it is easy to get distracted by the next kamikaze clown car that pulls into town. We have said, and we will not get tired of saying, that our central duty is to worship the Lord, centrally here in corporate worship, but the point is for that gladness and thanksgiving to pour out into our homes and work. And it’s fitting that we take time periodically to make a point of that, as we do in our country for Thanksgiving. So this is a message about celebrating Thanksgiving in the presence of our enemies, Thanksgiving for insane times. Psalm 98 gives us glorious words to sing, to meditate on, to believe, and to live.

THE TEXT

“O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory…” (Ps. 98).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

This song calls out to everyone and everything to sing to the Lord a new song because God has done wonderful things right out in the open for everyone to see: the pagans and the house of Israel and all the ends of the earth have seen it (98:1-3). Not only should all the people sing, but all the earth should rejoice loudly, with strings and horns, because the Lord is King (98:4-6). Let the sea churn with loud praise and everyone on the sea and on the coastlands, and let the rivers clap their hands and the whole congregation of mountains should shout at the same time (98:7-8). All of this is “before the Lord” because He is there, and therefore He is judging the whole world in perfect justice (98:9).

A NEW SONG

While it is certainly fitting to write and compose new songs for praise, like Israel did on the banks of the Red Sea (Ex. 15) or when Mary did at the approaching birth of Jesus (Lk. 1), the fundamental point is that our gratitude and praise need to be new. Our hearts need to be new. This psalm is gloriously generic: “for wonders He has done.” Perhaps the psalmist is thinking of the Exodus or maybe other victories in battle or deliverances, or perhaps even creation itself. While this psalm does anticipate new acts of salvation, the emphasis is on new praise, new gratitude because God is there. A constant search for novelty often leads people away from Christ who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). God’s mercies are new every morning not because God changes in the slightest but precisely because He doesn’t. New hearts sing new songs of thanksgiving because they see what’s right in front of them.

A PUBLIC SALVATION

As we have noted, this psalm doesn’t give any one particular historic moment for this call of praise, but do not miss the fact that this is a psalm of praise for past salvation in hope of ongoing and future salvation. “… his right hand, and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory. The Lord has made known his salvation…all ends of earth have seen the salvation of our God…” (Ps. 98:1-3). But then, having called everyone and everything to celebrate that, the final verse says, “Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity” (98:9). This is a song of praise not for a moment where there are no dark clouds in the sky. This is a psalm of praise for when God’s people need justice and vindication. Why should we sing this new song of praise? Because God has acted in the past to judge and save (98:1-3) Because He is King (98:6), and He is there (98:9) and He comes to judge the world (98:9). This is not merely the justice of the end of the world (although it includes that). The kind of salvation this psalm is celebrating and anticipating is the kind He has done before, the kind that is “openly shown” and “all the ends of the earth have seen.”

THE RIVERS DO CLAP

While we know that all of creation groans in eager expectation, waiting for the redemption of mankind (Rom. 8:19-23), nevertheless, all of creation has always and will always still declare the glory of God (Ps. 19:1-2). While it will one day be completely free of the curse of sin, the sea roars right now in praise of the King. The rivers clap their hands together now because Jesus is King. The mountains do shout joyfully in allegiance to their Maker. In other words, we call on the whole creation to sing with us right now, but they are singing already and the Bible says that in general, it’s people who need to catch up. Creation is telling the glory of God every day, and it’s people who tend to miss it, ignore it, or willfully suppress it (cf. Rom. 1:18-20). Thus, the existence of the glory and majesty and beauty and order of creation proclaims to us and the whole world that God is King: He is present and at work judging the world now.

CONCLUSION

If Israel could sing this song having creation, the patriarchs, the exodus, the judges, and some of the kings and prophets, how much more do we have reason to sing? We have all of that, plus the rest of the Old Testament, and the fulfillment of all those promises in Jesus: His birth, life, miracles, His teaching, His courage and compassion, His love unto death, His public trial, beatings, mockings, and crucifixion, His resurrection from the dead, ascension into Heaven, and the pouring out of His Spirit. We have the ministries and testimonies of the apostles, the early church fathers, the martyrs, the evangelists and missionaries for over two thousand years: His forgiving, saving, delivering, comforting, blessing – the wonders He has done.

What do you do when the world has gone mad? What do you do when it is dark? You smile and you sing before the Lord. That means you know He’s there. He’s present. And if He is here, then He sees and He is judging until everything is right. The central way you know this is because He sent His only Son into the world: that was the greatest victory, the greatest salvation, His full righteousness in the sight of all the nations. He remembered His mercy and truth at that point in history as the most public display that He will never forget His mercy and truth to His people. He came in person so that we (and the whole world) might know that this is His world.

So sing. No really: you have to sing. I don’t care if you can’t carry tune in a bucket full of holes. Neither can the mountains. Make a joyful noise. Men, sing. Sing in your homes. Sing around your table. Practice. Learn. Keep trying.

God’s goodness towers over the current darkness. Do not be distracted. Keep your eyes fixed on the King. And make a point to celebrate His towering goodness this week. Let your tables be filled with good things and laughter and singing before the Lord. He is King, and He comes.

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Repentance & Restitution (Leviticus #5)

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INTRODUCTION

The Sin Offering taught us that the guilt of sin not only needs to be paid for but also cleansing. Here, the Reparation/Guilt Offering teaches us that sin must always be repented of and some sins require us to do restitution.

REVIEW

Leviticus 1: Ascension Offering – God invites us to draw near with all that we are: the whole animal goes on the altar.
Leviticus 2: Tribute Offering – God provides our daily bread and all things, and therefore, He claims our full allegiance: bread on the altar.
Leviticus 3: Peace Offering – God invites us to have fellowship with Him and one another with a meal: the fat goes on the altar and we eat together in the presence of God.
Leviticus 4: Sin Offering – Our sin defiles us and our land, but God takes it upon Himself so we can be clean: the blood goes in front of the veil and on the altar for cleansing and the carcass is burned outside the camp.

THE TEXT

“Now if a person sins after he hears a public adjuration to testify when he is a witness, whether has seen or otherwise known, if he does not tell it, then he will bear his guilt…” (Lev. 5–6:7)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

It is unclear how the Reparation Offering is related to the Sin Offering (if at all), but the clear emphasis here is on the effects of certain sins: failure to testify (5:1), thoughtless oaths (5:4), sins against the sanctuary (5:2-3, 15), sins of deception, theft, or damage (6:2-3). In these instances, it seems that a sin offering would ordinarily be offered and then depending on the exact offense, a Reparation Offering would also be required (5:6). For those who could not afford the ordinary Sin Offering, two birds or even a grain offering without oil might be offered (5:7-13). The Reparation Offering was always a ram without blemish and included twenty percent restitution (5:14-6:7).

PUBLIC TESTIMONY & OATHS

On the one hand we know that “whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears” (Prov. 26:17), but we must not close our eyes or remain silent when injustice is being perpetrated right in front of us (Lev. 20:4). Here, the first situation seems to be a public hearing presumably for a crime (Lev. 5:1). The law requires two or three witnesses to convict someone of anything (Dt. 19:15). Failure to speak up when you know that a witness is lying or else you were a witness that can provide other crucial information is not only bearing false witness but participating in the miscarriage of justice and unjust penalties. False witnesses are liable to receive the punishment that would have fallen on the falsely accused (Dt. 19:16-21). This is part of the problem with anonymous witnesses: they cannot be held accountable.

RESTITUTION

When someone is convicted of their sin, they are to confess their sin to the one they sinned against and to God (Lev. 5:5-6), and they are to restore what was damaged in full plus twenty percent (Lev. 6:1-5, cf. 5:16). The principle is full replacement plus a double tithe. The double tithe seems to be based on the ordinary requirement of the law of double replacement for stolen items that are found (Ex. 22:4). This is based on the lex talionis (“eye for eye”): what you intended to do to another is done to you (but no more) (Lev. 24:19-20). When a thief repents, he restores what he stole plus the double tithe as an admission on his part that he deserves to have to restore double. If there is no one to give the restitution to, it is given to the Lord (Num. 5:5-8). But unrepentant thieves who sell or destroy stolen goods can be required to restore up to four or five times the value (Ex. 22:1), which Zacchaeus did when he repented (Lk. 19:8).

WHAT IS REPENTANCE?

Don’t miss the fact that when Zacchaeus announced his restitution, Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house… For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk. 19:9). Notice that Jesus didn’t say that Zacchaeus was being legalistic and shouldn’t worry about paying people back since we’re under grace and not under law. No, Jesus calls this “salvation.” In fact, the New Testament repeatedly calls unbelievers to “repentance” for salvation (Acts 3:19, Lk. 24:46-47). Repentance means turning away from sin and turning to God (Acts 26:18). Faith in Christ is the first movement of repentance, but a faith that does not follow through with the fruit of repentance is no real faith (Lk. 3:8ff). Also notice that this restoration process is part of what Jesus came to save. When Jesus saves lost people, He also restores economies, livelihoods, and families through repentance.

CONCLUSION

Once again, Jesus is the fulfillment of this sacrifice. Isaiah 53 says that the Suffering Servant (Jesus) would become our Reparation/Guilt Offering (Is. 53:10). And just as God provided the ram as the substitute for Isaac on Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:13), Jesus is our ram on Golgotha, our full restitution to God, so that times of refreshing may come (Acts 3:19).

While the notion of “reparations” has been highly politicized in our day, Christians do not object to concrete wrongs being put right, even old ones. We believe in the healing of real restitution, but we object to the tapeworm of reparations: guilt that can never be forgiven and grievances that can never be put right. And part of this means trusting that full justice awaits the final judgment.

Many Christians wonder why they feel like they’re running on fumes; one reason is often failure to fully repent and do restitution. Christ died not merely that you might be made right with God, but also that you might go make it right with anyone and everyone you have wronged. This fruit of repentance is not a harsh duty but the real fruit of Christ in you. When Christians live consistently in that kind of repentance it is truly refreshing to everyone, and when millions of Christians begin living that way, we will have a Reformation on our hands.

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Christian Basis for Freedom

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INTRODUCTION

Freedom is a thoroughly Christian principle. The ancient pagan world knew nothing of true freedom, and despite secular humanism’s attempts at claiming it, there is no other liberty apart from the living God. Christian liberty is grounded in freedom to worship the Triune God, and when our hearts are turned to Him, we are set free from all bondage and set free to serve.

THE TEXTS

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery… For you were called to freedom brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Gal. 5:1, 13-14).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

In context, Paul is warning the Galatians against Judaizing, that is, adding Jewish ceremonial laws to Christ perhaps as an attempt to feel more secure, perhaps as an attempt to avoid persecution from zealous Jews (Gal. 5:2-11, cf. Gal. 1:4-9).  But every form of legalism is a crushing yoke of slavery, and to return to Egypt is to sin against Christ who set us free (Gal. 5:1). The mentality of slavery is simple: just do as you’re told, but true freedom brings responsibility (Gal. 5:13). This means that true liberty is directed by God’s law of love (Gal. 3:14).

FREEDOM FOR WORSHIP

In the Exodus story, one of the fundamental lessons we learn there that freedom is for worship: “Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness” (Ex. 5:1, cf. 10:25). But Pharaoh instinctively knew that if Israel was set free to worship God, they would never be slaves again. True worship of the living God sets the captives free. This certainly begins as moral and spiritual freedom with regeneration (and hearts that can’t stop singing), but freedom from sin teaches men to think like free men. This begins with personal responsibility (confession of sin and forgiveness) and flows out to covenantal responsibility in the spheres of authority assigned to us by the Lord Jesus: family, church, and state.

When they are healthy, all three spheres mutually check and enforce one another, but throughout Scripture worship is the tip of the spear: Abraham built altars throughout the land of Canaan, the priests blew trumpets and carried the ark around Jericho, the choir went out in front of the army under Jehoshaphat, and Jesus sent us out into the world to preach and baptize and celebrate the Lord’s Supper as the vanguard of the Kingdom. Daniel shows us the centrality of free worship both in the refusal of the three friends to bow down to the statue (Dan. 3) and in Daniel’s resolute prayer despite the king’s decree (Dan. 6). Christians are free from every decree of man that would require idolatry or prohibit the worship of the living God. While there is freedom in some of the particulars of when and where worship is conducted, Christians must be zealous for freedom to worship because Christ is worthy and because all of our other freedoms flow from there. When you think about preserving freedom, first think about worshipping the King who grants all freedom.

FREED TO SERVE

This freedom that Christ gives is for serving one another in love, and that love is measured by the second greatest commandment: love your neighbor as yourself (Gal. 5:13-14). But Christians must not be simplistic or naïve in this. Remember first of all the gospel: “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 Jn. 4:10-11). God did not love us in the way that we thought He should; He loved us in the way that we actually needed. And we must love one another like that. This is truly serving one another in love: doing what is needed for long term physical and spiritual health, blessing, and success.

How does Scripture teach us to love like Christ? It says husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies, like Christ has loved the church and gave Himself up for her, providing for them and protecting them (Eph. 5:22-33), and fathers are to provide for and raise their children in the nurture and admonition of Jesus (Eph. 6:1-4). This includes the duty to care for the health, safety, medical decisions, welfare, and education of all in the family. Failure to do so is functional apostasy and worse than a run of the mill pagan (1 Tim. 5:8). This spiritual and religious duty to care for your family is why Christ set you free. This is what your Christian freedom is for. And you are under orders not to relinquish this freedom. Wise men will need to consider various tactical courses to protect this freedom but protect it we must.

CONCLUSIONS

One of the ways our freedom is under attack is through well-meaning appeals from other Christians that we need to be willing to lay our freedoms down for the sake of the gospel. Don’t be selfish! This is one of those half-truths that can sound more godly than it actually is. The half truth is: do not use your freedom for the flesh, to serve yourself, to serve your lusts, to bite and devour one another (Gal. 5:13-15). Don’t use your freedom to act like Egyptians. But keep the image of the Exodus firmly in mind. Christian liberty is fundamentally freedom from Egypt (sin, death, the Devil) and freedom to love our people in obedience to Christ. Therefore, no Christian is free to go back to Egypt. Lay our freedom down? That’s like saying lay your obedience down, lay your duty down, lay your family down. God forbid. Christ has set us free.

For another example, when drag queen story hour first burst on the scene in all of its lugubrious shame, some of our most prominent conservative, even “Reformed” leaders told us that this was merely the price of “freedom” in a country like ours. If we want to continue to have the freedom of speech, the freedom to express our religious convictions then we have to make room for gaudy perverts. Notice the hidden unbiblical assumption here is that “freedom” is merely power of choice. But that is like saying that in order to be a truly free country you must allow for the option of slavery. Not hardly. True freedom is walking in the light of Christ, walking in the relief of forgiveness of all our sins. No, the price of freedom was paid by Jesus on the cross, and He died to set us free from all that darkness. And loving your neighbor means doing all in your power to share that freedom with them.

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