–Lloyd E. Foley  (Spirit of Lone Warrior)

       “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.  Anyone who does what is good is from God.  Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”
                    –3 John 11 (NIV)
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First of all I want to apologize for some errors in punctuation and spelling in yesterday’s email.  I could blame it on spell-check, but most likely it was from fat fingers.  I do want to clear up the quotation by John Dob.  “Do not hearken to the reports of such wicked persons as seek to defame others and detract from their good name…”  Thanks for your understanding and continued reading.  
     One of the most misunderstood concepts in the church today is that of legalism.  Understand, legalism is when you add works to aid in your salvation.  You are doing something to help the Lord.  Salvation comes only from the blood of Christ and man’s acceptance of that divine sacrifice.  Then, because of salvation we do “works.”
     Some of the most legalistic people are those who use their freedom wrongly.  True, where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom, but freedom from what, for what, and to what?  Freedom from the chains of sin–slavery to sin.  However, as Paul tells us, “What then?  Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?  Certainly not!” (Romans 6:15, NKJV)  I now can party-hardy, booze it up, flaunt a lifestyle that is contrary to the teachings of God’s Word.  Certainly not!  And that is not legalism!  Paul writes that we are now to “present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.”  (Romans 6:19, NKJV)  I hear very few who clamor against legalism delve into that verse.
     Most who holler, “that’s legalism” do not want to be slaves of righteousness for holiness.  Their antilegalism has become a form of legalism itself.  Dr. H. Maurice Lednicky declares, “What is too often defined as legalism is nothing more than carnality refusing to be crucified?”  It is self-undulation and self-love promoting a form of Christian relative truth.  When you see Christians holding a bottle of alcohol and flaunting it on social media, how is that “freedom” instead of self-love?  It is ignoring the truth of Romans 6:19 and the verses in Scripture warning us about being friends with the world (cf. 1 John).
     The anti-legalist as well as all Christians must always remember the “weaker brother” considerations.  We read of Paul’s teaching this in 1 Corinthians 8 regarding his teaching concerning meat sacrificed to idols.  The emphasis of responsibility is clearly on the stronger Christian.  They should always have the interest of the weaker Christian in mind.
     Also, I should remind, “exercising rampant Christian freedom does not necessarily mean one is a strong Christian.  It could indicate that one is too weak to control one’s passions and is hiding behind the argument that they are a stronger brother,” (Probe Ministries) and cry out, “legalism.”  It is imperative that we continually examine and reexamine our motives.  Do not cause others to stumble because of your “spiritual freedom.”  Do not be “legalistic” in your actions regarding freedom.  Remember, it is freedom from the law and sin, and also do not forget, and this is important, that with freedom comes great responsibility.  Don’t gloat over your freedom.  Know that “much of the conversation today about ‘legalism’ is nothing more than the flesh seeking an acceptable method for approval and self-justification.” (Lednicky)  I reiterate Paul’s instructions, “present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.”

                    –Dave P. Fisher  (Where No Man Rules)

       “The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.”
                    –Proverbs 12:22 (NIV)
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               “Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.”  –Proverbs 10:18 (NKJV)
               “The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.”  –Proverbs 10:18 (ESV)

     Here we see another example to add to our list of a fool.  The liar, the slanderer,the hypocrite are all mentioned or implied–whomever does these things is a fool.  God gave instructions to Moses, “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor:  I am the LORD.  You shall not hate your brother in your heart…”  (Leviticus 19:16-17, NKJV)  Note this, that the hypocrite and slanderer are one and the same person.  Bob Bealey informs us, “In your presence, the hypocrite hides his hatred of you, and may even speak words of friendship.  But when your back is turned he slanders you like you are his worst enemy.”  
     This fool is one who has self-love and wants even those he hates to think well of him.  The words of the law remind us that we are not to “flatter a man when you actually hate him.”(J. Vernon McGee) and the New Testament warns us about having hatred in our hearts towards others.  Look at the list in Romans 1 and we see whisperers, backbiters, boasters mentioned by Paul as those whom God will judge.  He mentions the following in his letter to Timothy, lovers of themselves, boasters, slanderers whom he says “will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all…” (2 Timothy 3:9, NKJV)
     The person who spreads gossip is a fool.  Flores calls him a “malignant flatterer.”  Malignancy–cancer, the man who gossips is like a cancer not only to himself, but to those to whom he spews his lies.  Always remember, the liar, the slanderer, the talebearer always follows the lead of his father–the devil, that father of lies who was a liar from the beginning.  Think about a liar:  he is a fool because he fights for a weak cause.  “When a case can only be made out by lying it is manifesting a bad one.” (Flores)  He is a fool because he makes use of a weak weapon.  The lie cannot stand against the truth.  One more thing that makes him a fool for by lying he degrades his moral character.  Soon, he will be known as he is known–a liar, a person of unclean lips, a fool.  
     It was said  of King Philip of Spain that his smile and dagger were never far apart.  That may at times be practical, but think of it.  Could he be trusted?  Two great warriors and Abner has come to join David.  Joab is wary of Abner and to protect David, he lures Abner out with him.  The Bible says, “Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach.” (2 Samuel 3:27, NKJV)  Now there is much more to the story, and I am not saying at all that Joab was a fool, but the manner in which Joab acted was one of a person who hid hatred with lying lips, luring his prey away privately to kill him.
     Then we have those sneaky conspirators, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem.  “Come on down and meet with us Nehemiah.  Let’s have a friendly meeting.”  Ha and Nehemiah recognized the ruse for he knew the men who offered the appeasement.  He saw that they “thought to do me harm.” (Nehemiah 6:2, NKJV)  I like the way Nehemiah replies to these fools, “I am busy, too busy to meet with fools.  I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.” (verse 3, paraphrased)  See these men concealed their hatred by lying, a “friendly meeting”?  
     Beware of those around you.  Let the Holy Spirit discern the hearts of those who seek to do you harm; those who seem to flatter you.  Beware of “boot-licking-lackeys” for they have their own agenda, and it is that of a fool.  John Dod, the great theologian said this, “Do not hearken to the reports of suck wicked persons as seek to defame others and detract from their good name; they are but foolish and base pedlars that utter such infectious wares.”  So add to your list, another characteristic of the fool.

                    –Zane Grey  (Western Union)

 

       “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us…if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”
                    –Romans 12:6, 8 (NIV)
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          “Blessed are the merciful:  for they shall obtain mercy.”  –Matthew 5:7 (KJV)

     Have you noticed that the first four beatitudes deal with our condition before God?  Now we turn our attention to those that deal with our attitudes towards others.  This morning we look at mercy.  James writes, “Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.  Mercy triumphs over judgment!!” (2:13, NIV)  Does that mean that we let lawbreakers go scot free?  No, absolutely not.  This is not dealing with lawbreakers, though at times mercy is indeed needed, but in our relationship with others.
     Note, this is not a requirement for salvation.  This is a duty that turns into a reward.  Salvation comes to our hearts, then afterwards we show the effects in mercy.  John Stott says that “Mercy is compassion for people in need.”  When we find mercy in the Lord’s sight it causes us to want to have mercy to those who have wronged us.  Stott continues, “Nothing moves us to forgive like the wondering knowledge that we ourselves have been forgiven.  Nothing proves more clearly that we have been forgiven than our own willingness to forgive.”
     There is actually no word to translate the Greek word for mercy, “eleemon.”  It is to sympathize, but more; it is the ability to get right inside the other person’s skin until we can see things with their eyes, think things with their mind, and feel things with their feelings.  Simply then, to walk a mile in their shoes.  Mercy is a deliberate effort of the mind and will to be literally going through what that person is going through.  
     We read in Proverbs 11:17, “The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.” (NKJV)  Mercy is helping others, but it is also good for the one showing mercy.  Pink says that mercy is the “gracious disposition toward man.”  It is the kindness and benevolence that feels the miseries of others.  It regards with compassion the suffering of the afflicted.  It is the scorning of revenge; a person with a forgiving spirit that is nonretaliating.
     Let’s look at three points regarding mercy.  First of all, it is not being sensitive in our way of thinking.  Look at the example of Martha.  She wanted to serve Jesus, please Him, to do right by Him by preparing a meal, a clean home, when all Jesus wanted was some peace and quiet.  Sometimes we go about being merciful with right motives, but with wrong methods not understanding the reason for the person’s condition.  That is the second point, understanding the reason for the person’s need.  That helps in determining how to show mercy.  Sometimes mercy is what we call “tough love.”  There is a French proverb that states, “To know all is to forgive all.”  Understanding the reason then is vital.
     One more point we must remember and not forget.  Jesus showed mercy, first of all by the incarnation–by coming to earth as a man.  “God knows what life is like, because God came right inside life.” (William Barclay)  That is the supreme instance of mercy–the coming of God in Jesus Christ.  The writer of Hebrews proclaims, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities…” (4:15, NKJV).  J.B. Phillips translates it this way, “For we have no superhuman High Priest to whom our weaknesses are unintelligible–he himself has shared fully in all our experience of temptation, except that he never sinned.”  Yes, as God, He fully knew in His infinite knowledge, but for us, to remind and help us in our trials, Jesus came to feel and experience the troubles of man.  Barclays says, “Because of God’s mercy we now act mercifully toward others.”