How Do You Respond To God's Cutting Truth?
"Truth strips them of their vices, sacrifices their idols, darts its lightnings against their easily besetting sins and absolutely requires a conformity to a crucified Christ." - Adam Clarke
Are you turning away your ears from God's Cutting Truth?
Answer these questions to find out -
How do you respond to Truth that "strips you of your vices," demands the "sacrificing of your idols," "darts its lightnings against your easily besetting sins, " and "absolutely requires a conformity to a crucified Christ"? Just how passionately are you hanging on to the "vices," "idols," and "pet sins" in your life? Do you find it highly offensive, repulsive, annoying, or even disgusting to be required to "conform" to a "crucified Christ" Who demands a "death blow" to your will and way?
How important is it to have "ears to hear"?
The Scriptures say much about the ears and hearing. To be able to hear with attention or interest, listen to, give heed to, yield to, and obey the Scriptures is a great blessing.
In fact, the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 13:16 - "But blessed are...your ears, for they hear." Deuteronomy 29:4 - We see from the Scriptures that "the hearing ear" comes from the Lord - "Yet the Lord hath not given you...ears to hear..." Proverbs 20:12 - "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them."
Psalm 78:1 - The "hearing ear" listens to and is obedient to God's law - "Give ear...to My law..." It is bent or stretched out towards His promises and commands - "...incline your ears to the words of My mouth." Proverbs 4:20 - It pays attention to His utterances - "My son, attend to My words..."
So basically we can explain an "hearing ear" by three simple commands - "Give ear... to My law"; "Incline your ears to the words of my mouth"; "attend to My words."
The "hearing ear" is sensitive to God's Word and obeys it.
Two Scriptures that depict it are found in the Book of Proverbs - Proverbs 15:31 - "The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise." Proverbs 13:1 - "A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke."
The "hearing ear" is one that listens to correction...gives heed to reproof and rebuke...and receives all punishment and chastisement from the Lord. It "heareth the reproof of life." In a wise son, it hears the Father's instruction - which includes all the checks and restraints...rebukes and reproofs...correction and instruction that come from his heart.
Are all of God's children "wise" sons and daughters? Do they all hearken to His commands as outlined in His Word? Do they all "hear" His chiding and reproof?
No, Proverbs 13:1 tells us that "...A scorner heareth not rebuke." These are those who are arrogant boasters and mockers of "harsh" or corrective words from the Lord.
2 Timothy 4:3 tells us about those who have "itching ears." They are desirous of hearing "pleasant" things from the Lord. They want "smooth" words which conform to their carnal wishes and feelings - the kind of instruction that will allay their restless and uneasy sinful desires.
2 Timothy 4:4 tells us about those who "turn away their ears from the Truth" and turn them unto fables and falsehoods.
Adam Clarke's Commentary so explicitly tells us what God's Holy Word actually does - "Truth strips them of their vices, sacrifices their idols, darts its lightnings against their easily besetting sins and absolutely requires a conformity to a crucified Christ."
These kind of people - mentioned by the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:4 - do not want this kind of Truth. In fact, they have gone so far as to "change the truth of God into a lie"(Romans 1:25). They have turned away their ears from such piercing Truth to believe any kind of "nonsense" that comes under the label of "Christian" or "God."
Lastly, Proverbs 28:9 tells us about those who turn away their ears from hearing the Law. They will not read the Bible nor expose themselves to any hard-hitting, sin-exposing, or plain-truth messages from the Scriptures - "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination."
John 10:27 says - "My sheep hear My voice..." Nonetheless, Hebrews 3:15 warns - "...TO DAY IF YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS..."
Even though we are God's children and hear His voice, there are times when He speaks things to us that we do not like to hear. The temptation presents itself to become stubborn or obstinate to His command.
The Scriptures abound with example after example of times when the Father cried unto Israel - His people - and they would not hear.
Psalm 81:11 tells us - "But My people would not hearken to My voice; and Israel would none of Me." They were supposedly God's sheep, yet they would not give heed to His Word. They did not like His terms and refused to be ruled by His commands.
"Israel would none of Me." What does this mean? They refused or rejected God - did not incline their ear to Him...worship Him...find satisfaction in Him...were no longer attached to Him or cleaving to Him as their All-in-All.
Other Scriptures which demonstrate this resistance to God's commands are as follows -
Proverbs 1:30 - "They would none of my counsel..."
Proverbs 1:25 - They "...would none of My reproof."
Psalm 81:11 - "...Israel would none of Me."
Ezekiel 20:8 - "...they rebelled against Me, and would not hearken unto Me..."
Zechariah 7:11 - "...they refused to hearken...and stopped their ears, that they should not hear."
In Jeremiah 13:10, God called them "...evil people, which refuse to hear My words..."
We can hear the Father's cry of anguish for all of His children in Psalm 81:13 - "Oh that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways!"
He desires for us to have an "hearing ear" - one that pays attention to His Word and obeys it. He desires that we receive His checks and restraints - rebukes and reproofs - upon our lives.
After all, Revelation 3:19 tells us - "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten..." He does not cater to our whims and fancies. Today, if we hear His voice speaking to us, we must be careful not to harden our hearts against Him because it is not what we like or want to hear.
Job 9:4 - Let's remember the admonitions found in the Book of Job - "...who hath hardened himself against Him, and hath prospered?"
Revelation 2:7 - and the Book of Revelation - "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith..."
And let's be sure to always make this our earnest plea - Lord Jesus, grant unto us an "hearing ear" and - at all events - keep us from hardness of heart.
Connie
www.walkingintruth.org
Connie Giordano P. O. Box 383016 Duncanville, TX. 75138-3016
Copyright 2004 by Connie Giordano
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