Author: Lee A. Robinson

How to Handle Tragedy

/ Lee A. Robinson / 1 Comment

*This article pretty much assumes that the reader is at least familiar with the story of Job. If you are not familiar with it, I would recommend reading at least the first two chapters of the story before reading this (and thanks for reading by the way)… 

Anyone who traverses this world for any length of time will no doubt experience pain, heartache and suffering. This life is riddled by difficulty which every person encounters on various levels. There are also times, which are more infrequent, when people experience extremely difficult, life-altering tragedies, which can really shake the core of who you are and how you view the world: it may be through successive deaths of near relatives or friends, a long term, severe health issue, or heartbreaking, family destroying decisions and/or actions of people, etc. Many times these catastrophes will cause people to doubt (understandably so) God’s existence, goodness or wise providence of the world. You may be going through a time like that right now in your life. Thankfully, we are never alone in such circumstances, and also Holy Scripture is not silent on the subject either. There is an entire book in the Bible devoted to this specific subject, which most Bible scholars agree was the first piece of divine Scripture committed to writing in the world. Perhaps the biggest and most puzzling question of mankind, “Why is there so much pain and suffering in the world?” was the first question God answered for man in written form. The following are fifteen brief lessons we can learn from the story of Job’s tragedy…

  1. “Bad things” happen to “good people.”

The very first line in the story of Job summarizes his character, “[Job] was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed (rejected) evil.” (Job 1:1) By God’s own testimony Job was a very godly man. He was not just religious, but internally, genuinely pious – he loved God. He also did right by man. However, in one day his very successful business was all stolen, many of his employees killed and all of his children (seven sons and three daughters) were killed altogether in a tragic accident. Soon following Job was struck by a horrible disease in his flesh that went from the tip of his toes to the crown of his head. The trials of Job were not the direct result of Job being punished by God for something evil he had done. There were much bigger purposes involved, which we will get to. The point here is to simply say that just because tragedy has happened, does not automatically mean that you are being judged by God, or that God has forgotten about you. It may be that God is trying to get your attention about something not right in your life, but not necessarily. It was not the case in Job’s situation.  

There is a wrong tendency that we have as weak, fallen creatures, which is to assume that it is always the case that “good things” happen to “good people,” and “bad things” happen to “bad people,” but this simply is not true. Consider the story of the man that was born blind. John 9:1 says, “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” (John 1:1-3) God allowed (actually purposed) this man to be born blind, for many reasons, but ultimately the purpose was so that he would be miraculously healed by Jesus and be at the center of an amazing experience and testimony of God in the world. One of the things his story did was inspire one of the greatest Christian hymns of all time – Amazing Grace, which has the famous line, “I once was lost, but now I am found; was blind, but now I see.” The ultimate example is the passion of Christ. He experienced horrendous suffering – in the will of God – yet he was the godliest man to ever live (God in the flesh). There was a much greater purpose to His sufferings.    

  1. There really are no “good people” in the world. 

When people say, “Why do bad things happen to good people?,” it is usually assumed that we all understand and agree on the standard of what a “good person” is, but we most often have an arbitrary, man-centered standard that is not supported by Scripture. According to the Bible, God is the standard of “goodness.” God is good, which means that He is morally perfect, pure, without fault or defect in any way. So if someone is “good” by God’s definition, they would be morally perfect, or without sin. By this standard (God’s standard) we have all fallen short, which is what the Bible teaches: “for all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Since Adam & Eve sinned, the human race has been a fallen race, and the world has been a fallen place. Evil, sin, suffering and death are all byproducts of the corrupted world we live in. Not only is it the world we live in, but we ourselves are all sinful and selfish from the womb. The Bible says that we are estranged from the womb and go astray as soon as we are born, speaking lies (Psalm 58:3), which is why we all need to be Born Again. But what this means is that ultimately any measure of comfort, peace and prosperity we enjoy is actually a mercy from God, gifts that we do not deserve. Things truly could be a lot worse.

  1. We humans tend to overlook the blessings, taking them for granted, but highlight the struggles and tragedies we encounter.

It is very easy and natural for us to breeze through days, months or years with things going well without much thought, and perhaps without much thanksgiving to God; but when tragedy strikes we are all of sudden bent out of shape with a “woe is me” “I don’t deserve this” entitlement attitude. I know that I am certainly this way (wrongfully so) when I am physically sick. I am thankful for generally good health, and give thanks to God – at least quietly, but when I get sick I tend to shut down and think, “Oh no! How could this be happening! Not now! When is this going to end?!” At least those near to me will hear about it! 

Perhaps the better question for us to ask more often is, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” That is what we should truly be suprised about! Perhaps we would be better off to be more vocal in our gratefulness when things are well, and reserved and thoughtful while things seem to be falling apart. We certainly should not fall into the pit of blaming God for tragedy, if all the while when blessings were being showered on us we were silent about attributing all of that to God. 

In the movie Courageous, a family lost a young daughter in an accident involving a drunk driver. The father began to be bitter and would have nightmares about all of the things he would not get to experience with her (graduations, a wedding, etc.). In counseling, a minister gave him some very profound advice which we would all do well to take heed to. He said, “You are going to have to make a choice. Are you going to be bitter about all of the time that you will not get to have with your daughter, or will you be thankful for all of the time that you did get to have with her?” 

  1. In general, blessing does accompany obedience to God and judgment disobedience (the law of sowing & reaping), buuuut…be very careful to not judge others’ situations  according to the appearance.

In the meat of the story and in the midst of Job’s sufferings, his “friends” basically told him, “Job, we know that you did something evil. God is righteous and doesn’t overlook sin, so it’s obvious you did something wrong, which is why all of this is happening to you. Just confess it and be done with all of this.” Unfortunately, they had an immature and incomplete perception of reality and the way God and the world work. Things are not always the way they appear. You might think someone is suffering because of sin when in reality they are truly, deeply righteous. Also, you may think that someone is prospering because they are righteous, but they are actually not right with God. Be careful. Things went well for the first seven days that Job’s friends were there to visit him, but this was because they didn’t say a word in those seven days – often that’s the best thing that we can do for someone who is laboring through tragedy. 

  1. God promises that every “bad thing” will become a positive in the end, for the Christian. 

In the end Job was restored twice as much as he had before: he was completely healed from his sickness, he was given seven more sons and three more daughters, and he was given double the amount of livestock than he had originally. Not only on the physical level, but more importantly on the spiritual level, much good came out of the situation: Job’s understanding of God and of life was massively heightened, the Devil was shamed in the spiritual realm and exposed for his accusations and lies, Job’s “friends” and society were well aware of the situation as saw God’s restoration in his life, and not the least of which was the publication and preservation of his story, which has given countless encouragement and hope for millions of people over the course of thousands of years now. Romans 8:28 says, “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.” The ingredients to make a cake, if eaten individually, are either not very tasty or inedible, yet when they are mixed together and put through the fire they become delicious. If you love God, you will encounter some things that will seem too hard to bear, but take courage, God is mixing it all together into something beautiful to be seen in its time. Did the sufferings of Jesus churn any good into the world? 

  1. Job’s trials did not happen by accident or chance. 

There is an amazing insight given to us in the story of Job (I think certainly one of the most striking features of the whole story). The revelation is that God was the one who suggested Job to Satan and then afterwards authorized him (twice) to disturb Job’s life (Job 1:8). Satan did not come to God looking for permission to hurt Job. Instead, God proposed Job to Satan. Our natural tendency when tragedy happens is to think that it was not what God intended and that certainly God was far removed from being the origin of it, but this doesn’t seem to be the totality of what is being communicated in the story of Job and other parts of Scripture. God was the initiator in the series of Job’s sufferings. He wasn’t the one physically hurting Job, but He was ultimately responsible for it. Satan is responsible for his evil intentions and actions, but God is also responsible for His intentions and actions. Was God willing that Job would suffer? Well, in one sense, “Yes,” and another, “No.” God’s heart is that of a Deliverer, a Savior and Healer, but in this fallen world God also knows the way to the ultimate goal of Salvation sometimes involves suffering. Sometimes a physician will break a bone in order for it to heal correctly. This can seem overwhelming, but I think if we are willing to receive it, it becomes deeply, deeply comforting and reassuring. It means that there is no purposeless evil in the world. God not only allows evil, but He also (at least in some sense) superintends all evil. We must confess, based on Scripture, that God does and cannot do morally evil things, yet at the same time no evil exists outside of His will. The ultimate Power behind all things (or situations) – good and evil – is God: a pure, unchanging, all powerful, benevolent Being, Whose name is Love who cannot be manipulated or sleight handed in this universe. Satan and no other power or force in this world can sneak tragedy into our lives. Whatever the trial, God has always been with you, not standing far off, but intimately involved in the whole entire process. 

The greatest example of this again is the crucifixion of Jesus. Before the foundations of the world (also before evil existed) God ordained that Jesus would be crucified in order to bring about salvation to the world. The cross (which remember was a torture device) is central to the will of God, not only for the good of mankind, but also for the exaltation and glory of His Son, Jesus Christ. It was God’s will for Jesus to suffer. Sometimes it is God’s will for us to suffer, but always for our good and for His glory. God brought Job into this tragedy without his permission. Good thing He doesn’t ask us before He does it in our lives, because we know what we would answer. Some people get bitter at God for evil, but does that help to take it away at all? Bowing before God’s sovereignty brings joy and the best understanding that can be attained, albeit it may be imperfect, but we have the promise that He will give us peace that passes all understanding.  

  1. We must realize that our lives serve a much greater purpose than ourselves. 

After God suggested Job to Satan it says that, “Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.” (Job 1:9-11) Essentially God and Satan are disputing about whether Job will love and serve God only when God blesses him, or whether he will remain faithful to God even if God allows evil to strike his life. God and Satan are “betting” on Job’s reaction as if he is a contender in a ring, and he has no idea that he is even in this “competition.” There were certainly purposes of God for those who were on the earth, but the bigger and greater purposes for Job’s trials were actually in heaven, or in the spiritual realm. We are bound by flesh, and are therefore naturally limited in our perception and tend to focus only on what happens on the earth. Our lives are real, we are not puppets or chess pieces, but what was more important in the story of Job – the good of Job or the glory of God? Every situation that happens has at least three elements to it – the punishment of the wicked, the complete salvation of the righteous and the glory of God, but the glory of God overarches the other two. Justice on evil is good and helps mankind, but ultimately it serves a greater purpose – to magnify the justice and righteous indignation of God towards evil. Salvation serves a wonderful purpose for those who experience it, but still here the greater purpose is to bring attention to and glorify the profound mercy, grace and love of God!    

Did we mention yet that Jesus and His sufferings at the Cross are the best example of this??? 

The Cross was the grand, climactic showdown between God and Satan. Jesus struck Satan with a death blow, and how? By a cross and through death. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15) The picture I believe that is being painted is that after Jesus won the victory, his ascension and return into heaven was a triumphal victory procession, and among the parade was the devil himself (the arch enemy) bruised, beaten and chained up, for all the universe to see – angels, demons, saints and God himself! The ultimate tragedy of the ages – the suffering of Christ – became the catalyst through which God would most publicly shame the Devil, in the most awesome way!  

If we handle tragedy, by the grace of God, with joy, reservation, patience and hope; recognizing that our personal skirmish is in the context of the greater, comic, spiritual war; we will be accurately and powerfully declaring the glorious Gospel of God, not only for this world to see, but also for all those in the spiritual realm to see.

I hope that one or some of these lessons were an encouragement to you. Stay tuned for part 2…

Salvation Clarification

/ Lee A. Robinson / 2 Comments

Periodically (and sometimes regularly) I hear Christians express that the Biblical doctrine of salvation is confusing to them, especially the relationship between faith & works – “Wait, so are we saved by faith alone, or is there something we need to do? If all we have to do is believe, then does it matter how we live as long as we have been “saved?” Can we lose our salvation? How do we know that we have truly believed? Etc.” I wish here to gather up some statements about salvation (with supporting Scriptures), along with qualifying statements, that will hopefully bring clarity to some reader. We cannot overemphasize how important it is for our soteriology (doctrine of salvation) to be crystal clear – It is the foundation, the bedrock of all that we believe. So, here we go…      

  1. Salvation/forgiveness of sins is totally, 100% a gift from God. It is not in any way, shape or form earned by any actions that we do. It is totally based on the merits and works of Jesus Christ. It is by grace alone. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

  1. The merits of Jesus Christ are applied to us by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Both repentance and faith are internal realities, or spiritual experiences – a change of heart and mind. No outward actions are required. 

Mark 1:15 The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 

  1. No “religious” activities are required for salvation (repeating the sinner’s prayer, being baptized, partaking of the Lord’s supper, going to church, reading the Bible, praying, evangelizing, etc.). However, a regenerated heart will cheerfully seek after these things to one degree or another. The activities are born out of a heart of worship and love, as opposed to a checklist someone forces themselves to follow.

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.     

  1. A change in lifestyle is not required for salvation. However, a change in life is inevitable if someone has experienced true salvation. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

  1. We are not in any way shape or form saved by our works, but works (good fruit) assure us that we have been saved, along with the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 7:20-21 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

  1. Someone can have all of the outward signs of salvation, but not have not experienced genuine regeneration.

Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

  1. Being born into a Christian home does not in any way, shape or form guarantee salvation.

John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

  1. If someone has truly been born again, they will never and can never become un-regenerated (un-born-again). The gift of eternal life is a gift, and it is eternal.

Hebrews 10:10,14 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

  1. Ultimately, salvation is based on Election- God’s choosing us, as opposed to us choosing God. If God be for us, who can be against us? The ultimate power that brought us to Christ is the same power which will keep us in Christ.   

Romans 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

  1. A true Christian will not be sinless, but he will sin less. There should be a hatred of sin and love for righteousness. A true Christian can sin, but does not want to sin. There should be a war inside during temptation, and guilt after sinning. 

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

  1. A true Christian can sin; even have a besetting sin, and perhaps even be out of fellowship for a while, but he will always return to Christ. The only way we can have confidence that we have been truly saved is if we are currently in a state of repentance and faith in Christ- however little strength we may have. 

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

  1. We cannot (and should not) ever make a final judgment about whether someone else is saved or not. God is the ultimate determiner of salvation.

In Conclusion, if we acknowledge our need for forgiveness from God, and our hope of forgiveness is resting in Christ, and in Him alone, we have no need to fear the judgment of God (Hell). If we are trying to earn anything from God on the basis of our efforts, we are sadly mistaken – our works will never be good enough. 

I hope you have the sweet assurance of salvation in your life! 

1 John 5:11-13 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it with others. Just copy this link (https://leearobinson.wordpress.com/2022/06/03/salvation-clarification/) and share with your friends or on your social media pages. Thank you! – BrotherLee

Leggings & Jeggings

/ Lee A. Robinson / 2 Comments

Leggings & Jeggings

Well it’s obvious that leggings, jeggings and related articles of clothing have been the “in-thing” now for a while among women – including Christian women. I personally haven’t heard anyone speak about it Biblically. So, here we go…

My goal for writing this is not to tell you what you should or shouldn’t wear – that is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit, your husband (if you’re married) and your parents (if you’re under their authority), so ultimately you should be in submission to your appropriate Head. My goal here is to help Christians think biblically about Christian modesty and to suggest how Biblical principles may apply to clothing choices, particularly here the wearing of leggings. I write from the perspective of a Christian pastor, teacher, husband and father of three maturing daughters. 

My prayer is that you would have a passionate zeal and commitment to please God above all things – above comfort, trends, your environment, society, the status quo and your own desires. Jesus charged us, “If any man (the same is true for woman) will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) Following Jesus is not always easy or popular – most of the time it is not, but this is what we are called to do, and this is the way to please God. Are you willing to hear and obey the Word of God and the Voice of God in regards to what you wear? 

First, let’s start with the basic question: Is there such a thing as right and wrong dress? Biblically, yes there is, since God instructs women to wear modest apparel (1 Timothy 2:9). So, from God’s perspective there are some clothes that are modest and some that are immodest. God does care about what Christian ladies wear (and of course what men wear as well, but that is not the subject for today). He does approve of some and disapprove of others. It’s not merely a heart issue (although this is central to genuine modesty, we’ll get to that later). Do you agree? Are you willing to confess the fact that there are some articles of clothing that you should not wear – regardless of how you feel about it, your friends feel about it, or how popular it is in the world, or even among the church? I would venture to say (I would hope) that nearly 100% of Christians, who are even remotely concerned about pleasing God, would admit that there are some clothes that would never be permissible to wear (the understanding here is the wearing of clothes in public). For example, would it be acceptable for a woman to wear lingerie underwear in public (assuming that is all she is wearing under the waistline)? O.k. now let’s think…If that is not acceptable, then would it be o.k. for her to simply wear regular underwear? If not, then would it be o.k. for her to wear skin-tight biker shorts? If not, then would it be o.k. for her to wear skin-tight biker pants – or we could call them yoga pants or leggings? Again, I’m not trying to make laws that I think you should obey. What I am trying to point out is this – by what standard are you choosing what you wear? How are you determining what God considers modest or not? Is it merely based on how you feel; or what is comfortable; or what other people think is acceptable? I’m urging you to pause and think deeply about what your rules are. What are the principles that guide you? If you desire to please God, the principles you employ should be Biblical principles. So let’s think about some of those principles and see how they apply.   

#1 Women should wear clothes (and carry a spirit) that are clearly characterized by modesty.     

1 Timothy 2:9-10 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with reverence and self control; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

Christian women are here instructed about what kind of clothes to wear and what kind of spirit to carry. They should wear modest apparel. The word “modest” has the idea of respectable, honorable, appropriate, suitable or moderate. The word modest in english is defined as: dressing or behaving so as to avoid impropriety (being improper) or indecency, especially to avoid attracting sexual attention. So Christian ladies should aim to wear clothes that show respect and honor to themselves and those around them. Are you dressing like a prostitute, or a “loose” woman would? Or would you more so be characterized as “godly?” Christian ladies should wear clothes suitable for a representative of Christ – the Holy One of God; clothes that are not showy or seductive; clothes that are not designed to draw attention to the lady wearing them. In your practice as a Christian woman, is honor and respect at the forefront of your heart and mind as you decide what to put on? Have you meditated on what that means?  

The spirit Christian women should “wear” is reverence and self control. The word reverent may also have the idea modest, or unassuming, mild or self-effacing. Putting these things together, the kind of spirit a Christian woman should carry is that of mildness, meekness, or not flaunting themselves; respectful of the people around them. They should have an air about them, that they are dignified and are in control of their lives and passions. Peter’s description matches Pauls: 1 Peter 3:2-4, “While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear (reverence). Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” 

What kind of spirit do you carry? Are you looking for people to notice you, on the basis of your appearance? Do you crave that people would think that you are attractive? If so, you are carrying the wrong spirit; your priorities are wrong.  

What would you say are some character traits about a woman that would bring true, deep honor to herself, her husband or to her father? It would be things like – purity, wisdom, sobriety, joy, peace, love, diligence, prudence, etc. None of those really meaningful traits of a “wise woman” have anything to do with her clothes or appearance, but are rather character traits. She is a spiritual woman, not a carnal, fleshly woman. “Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:31) What is your goal – Is it to bring attention to Jesus through your sweet, gentle, unassuming spirit and quietly doing good works in His name? Or is it to bring attention to yourself through striving to be physically attractive and presenting or flaunting your attractive flesh to others?

#2 We should be striving for excellence in every area of our lives. 

1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

All things are lawful – True Christianity is not following a set of rigid rules. Man-made rules is one of the things that Jesus came to deliver us from. If there is a doctrine or practice that is not clearly defined in Scripture then we are to allow for liberty in our decisions. However, Paul here is teaching that although all things not condemned specifically in Scripture are lawful, all things are not expedient: advantageous or profitable. Not all acceptable practices are the best practices. Not all lifestyles lead us to our desired goal – which is Christ-likeness, holiness. Scripture doesn’t explicitly condemn drinking Coca-Cola, but is it advantageous to drink, especially regularly? The answer is, “No,” which should lead us to the logical conclusion that if excellence in health is your goal, then it is not a good choice. So, there may be some clothes in and of themselves that may not necessarily be sinful, but are they the best choice, the wisest choice? If you desire to be a mature, growing Christian – a vessel of honor – you are being called to more than just not crossing over the line into sin. You are being called to stay far away from the line. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh…” (Galatians 5:13) Also, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-23, “Prove (examine, test) all things; hold fast that which is good (kalos – beautiful, fine). Abstain (keep away) from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And, Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”

Whatever you would determine is definitely immodest for you to wear (or what is determined for you by your appropriate Head), you should not go one step safer and make that your standard for what you wear, you should be heading at least several steps in the more conservative, modest direction.

So what is your goal in your dress choices? In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor (2 Timothy 2:20-21). Are you striving to be “a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use” or a vessel to dishonor, one that is used for something, but nothing special in comparison to the excellent vessels? If you wear leggings or approve of others wearing them – can you honestly say that they are an excellent choice for women striving to be modest, reverential, non-seductive, and self-effacing in appearance?  

#3 Do your dress choices conflict with what you truly believe is righteous?

1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

As Christians, we should only be under the control of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). If there is anything else controlling our behavior, then that thing has become sinful to you. If you have an addiction to video games, social media, or to a particular person, those things that are controlling you may not be sinful in and of themselves, but to you they are sinful because they are controlling your life. What is controlling your decisions for what you wear? Is the controlling factor whether you “look good” or not? Is it the current trend? Are you being controlled by comfort, the status quo, or what is acceptable to your friends or community? 

Romans 14:20-23 “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” In other words: if you don’t have a clear conscience about it, then it is wrong for you to partake of that practice. Just because another Christian wears it, doesn’t mean it is ok for you to. Your Pastor’s wife may wear it; the most godly woman you know may be wearing it, but that should not be your standard. Is it possible that these women could be wrong? Is it possible God is not pleased with the choices they are making? And even if God does approve of it for them, that is not to be the standard for your wardrobe. If you put some clothes on, and there is an inner voice saying to you, “This is not the best option.” Then don’t do it. Don’t wear it. 

I encourage you, next time you’re about to put something on, or you’re trying something on at the store. Pray a simple, but sincere prayer like this, “Father, I know you love me and I can rest assured that ultimately the only attention I need is from you. Is this piece of clothing acceptable to you? Reveal to me the purpose for why I would choose to wear this – Is it so others will notice my body or be drawn to Jesus in me.” 

#4 Is your dress causing a brother to stumble? 

1 Corinthians 8:13 “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.”

Men are sexually stimulated visually – very much so. This is demonstrated all through Scripture – David saw bathsheba washing herself; Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?” “Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.” (Proverbs 6:25); Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) 

Men know this naturally, women for the most part I don’t think realize it as much. There doesn’t have to be any kind of emotional attachment whatsoever involved. If the right body parts advertise themselves in the right way it is a temptation for men to think the wrong things. Men’s eyes are drawn to a woman’s body as gravity pulls downward. God created women to be beautiful and attractive, and he created men to be attracted to them, so it is on purpose; and within the sanction of marriage it is an awesome and blessed experience. However, we are a fallen race, and tend to do things in inappropriate ways, and at inappropriate times, which means that we need to be on our guard against doing anything that would fuel the fires.  

Ladies also need to understand that in our particular generation, male minds are so bombarded with sexual perversion through the internet and media’s use of pornography. There is an almost absolute saturation of our culture with sexual perversion. It may depend somewhat on your particular society, but its likely that many of the men that you know are probably regularly watching pornography. That means that their heads are already in the gutter. If men are regularly conditioning their mind to think sexually about other women, they are going to do the same with you. Do you want to encourage them to do so, or discourage them from doing so? Your choice of dress will determine that (not whether they choose to lust or not, but rather that your choice of dress will determine whether you are encouraging them to lust or not).  

Men are ultimately responsible for their eyes and thoughts. And thank God, that with the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, the strengthening of accountability, and for the benefits of marriage, men have the ability, with God’s help, to avoid the temptation and sin of sexual lust. Notwithstanding, Paul makes it clear, “All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” There was disagreement in Paul’s time as to whether some meats should be eaten by Christians or not because there was meat that was being sold in the market that had been offered in sacrifice to idols. There was also the consideration of the Mosaic law that forbade the eating of certain meats under the old covenant. But the point is that there were some things that Paul simply would not eat (even though he didn’t have a conviction against it) because of his consideration of other brethren. It was more important that Paul serve the brethren and protect their conscience, than for him to enjoy his liberty. 

So are you willing to exercise humility and Christian love, to tailor your outfits so as to do everything in your power to discourage another brother from looking at you with lust in his heart? If you are not willing to do this, and your attitude is, “Men just need to get their minds out of the gutter.” Then you are sinning. They are responsible for their minds; but just as much- you are responsible for your appearance. This is like husbands talking rough to their wives and saying, “You just need to toughen up girl and let it go.” that would be sinful for a husband to not be considerate and gentle with his wife, for her sake. 

However, if your heart is to please God and to serve your brother, I encourage you to ask at least three mature, godly, spiritually minded Christian men that you know and trust (may be a pastor, husband, brother, or anyone) and ask them if your dress would at all be fall into the category of attracting or suggesting sexual attention. Some general considerations would be – the more skin that is showing the more likely it is seductive; the tighter it is the more likely it is seductive (which you cannot be more tight than most leggings); the more your body parts are clearly defined through your clothes the more seductive it is. The fact that they are called “leggings” indicates that it’s basically your legs that are showing, with a different color over them.

“Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.” Yes, men do look on the outward appearance, which is why you have the responsibility to accommodate your brother, in genuine Christian love, so as to discourage them from utilizing your body to fulfill their sinful lusts. 

#5 The Special Call for Modesty in the Assembling of God’s Church.

 Every verse in the Bible has a specific context, and that context is of utmost importance in determining the right interpretation and proper application of the passage. We must emphasize what God emphasizes, in the context that God emphasizes them, while deemphasizing the things God does not emphasize, in the contexts God does not emphasize them. For example: in the context of marriage, husbands are commanded to love their wives, whereas wives are commanded to respect their husbands. Of course, husbands should respect their wives, and wives should love their husbands. But, there is a reason (a divinely wise reason) why God emphasized the particular commands to the particular people in this particular circumstance. We don’t even really need to know why (although I believe there are always good reasons for why God commands what He does, to whom He does), we just need to make sure that we focus on doing what He says with the emphasis in which He says to do it. 

It just so happens that the premier verses relating to women, modesty and clothing are in the specific context of how to behave in the local, gathered Church. It’s almost to say, “Christian women- daughters of God- above all things, when you come to the gathering of the church, make sure above all things that you are not dressing or presenting yourself in a way that is going to be a hindrance to the assembly. Jesus is supposed to get all of the attention. DO NOT come in a way that will avert the attention of others (especially men), away from Jesus to you.” Yes, every believer is responsible for all of the commands of God when they gather with the church, however, there is a definitively special weight of importance given to women about their appearance as they come to worship. 

Why do you think that above all things, when God gives specific instructions for women, how to behave in church, He centers His instructions directly on modesty? To me it seems that God knows that this is an area, or perhaps the area, in which the greatest weakness lies – women desire to be attractive, and especially when many people are gathered together, there is the felt-need to be accepted and loved. If there is any place that women feel the need to be “worthy” it would be in the assembly of God’s people. Add to this that the Devil knows that the church gathering is prime time for his scheming and strategizing so as to make as much of a distraction as possible. And as a result there is the temptation to dress inappropriately, or immodestly. Church of all places is not the place for showing off. Christian women should take this command very, very seriously. 

It is very disheartening to me when I see women coming into Church obviously wearing seductive clothes. More men than you think do not like it- even the men who struggle with sexual lust in their thinking. Godly men are coming to church, hoping to escape the world along with its lusts, and yet they have to be on guard, in battle mode, even while attempting to worship God in His own house. This ought not to be. If there in one place where there ought to be no question at all from anyone about whether you are dressed immodestly, it is in the house of God. Dear sister, are you sure that you are giving the proper emphasis to this command in your life in regards to how you dress for church? 

I hope these five principles have been helpful to you. Perhaps this was more of a meditation on modesty in general, but I hope you are able to apply these things in regards to leggings. My personal opinion is that pretty much all leggings, worn solo under the waist, are at best a compromise of excellence in Christian modesty for women, and at worst sinful and seductive. You are not obligated to agree with my opinions, but I hope you have considered about this subject prayerfully and thoughtfully and are able to articulate with a clear conscience how you are in agreement with God and the principles He has laid out in His Word. May Jesus be pleased with all his people, and may we be a holy church, without spot, without wrinkle or any such blemish.  

Can You Endure Seeing Others Blessed? 

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

Luke 4. Early on in Jesus’ ministry he was in his hometown synagogue at Nazareth. He read the portion in Isaiah that describes the coming of the Messiah, that he be a healer; he will set captives free; he will preach the gospel to the poor, etc. It says that the people “wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.” A beautiful setting, the people loved to hear his words, and had a sort of eager expectation about this man. But then something changed the mood…

Jesus then said, “You will surely say unto me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.” Then he basically began to tell his hometown people that they were not going to receive his ministry, and that in fact, this was not anything new, for a “prophet is not without honor, save among his own country, and among his own kin.” He reminded them that when Elijah was the prophet in the land that he was not sent to any widows in Israel (although there were many widows in Israel), but rather to the widow of Zarephath – a gentile (1 Kings 17). And also, when Elisha was prophet in the land, the only leper he was commissioned to heal was Naaman the Syrian – another gentile (even though there were many lepers in Israel). And here is the big moment I want to focus on…

At this moment it says, “And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.” (Luke 4:28-29) Apparently Jesus touched on a very sensitive nerve here. The question I have is – Are you able to endure seeing or watching other people be blessed? Do you rejoice for them and add fuel to their rejoicing? Or is it the opposite for you – Does it make you angry and furious? Does it make you want to take their little stinking trophy and smash it on the ground? Does it make you want to pour ice cold water all of their joy-fire? 

These Nazarenes were like Jonah – they could not endure even the sound of hearing that God would overlook the needs of a Jew and minister to Gentiles. It was so evil in their ears that without any trial at all they in total agreement wanted to throw Jesus off of the cliff of their city! 

Why do you get so angry when you see other people blessed? It may be seeing a fellow employee get a promotion – deserved or undeserved, it really doesn’t matter. It may be seeing another Christian be gifted a new car or something that you have wanted. You may be a Pastor or Christian leader and you are upset that other people’s ministries are growing and that special things are happening there. You may be a woman who is upset that some other woman has be blessed with many children or a successful husband, and they have many nice things in their life, but not you. Children get upset with their siblings when they get the bigger piece of the pie. Whatever the situation – what is the condition of your heart? 

The Pharisees had Jesus killed because they were jealous, envious of his success. Saul sought David every single day because he could not handle David’s success and fame. 

If you have a problem seeing other people blessed, your real problem is with God. God is the ultimate source of every good gift, and if you are not happy with God giving out those gifts to others, you are being selfish and simply angry with God. You have concluded that God is unrighteous for giving gifts to them as opposed to you. “Doesn’t God know that I deserve those gifts and not them???” Have you forgotten what you actually deserve? The only thing you deserve is Hell, and anything less than that is mercy, and anything more is grace. So, what about your neighbor – do they deserve any good thing they receive? No, it is the same with them – anything less than Hell is mercy, anything more is grace. That puts God as the one responsible, ultimately, for the distribution of every good gift. 

We are supposed to “rejoice with them that rejoice.” (1 Cor. 12) True love does not seek its own (1 Cor. 13). Philippians 2:4 “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Be glad when you see others promoted, blessed, healed, congratulated, etc. 

The selfishness and greed of the Nazarenes of Jesus’ day did not procure more blessing, but rather repelled God’s blessing away from them. You are much more likely to attract favor if you rejoice at the favor given to others. Amen.     

The Only Essential Ministry Resource

/ Lee A. Robinson / 1 Comment

What are the bare minimum, absolutely necessary resources needed in order for us to have the most successful ministry possible? Another way to put it would be – Are there certain things (I’m mainly thinking tangible resources) we need in order to have a successful ministry? For example: do we need a church building? Like, is it definitely a requirement in order to be fully successful? If so, would you say that it has to be a particular kind of building, with specific features in a specific location? How about money – is money crucial? If so, how much money? How about personnel – talented and skilled personnel? How about advertising and marketing campaigns? Is it possible to max out your impact in the world without advertising? What about books or printed materials? What about cutting edge technology – live steam, audio and video? What about acceptance into certain groups or networks?

If you were to sit down and make a list (which I encourage you to do so. Actually, maybe stop reading right here, make the list and then come back) of what you feel are all the absolutely necessary resources you would need as a baseline for being completely and fully successful, what would be on the list? 

My belief is that there is only ONE THING that should be on that list. It is not a building – unique or common; it’s not comfy chairs, bright stage lights or cool neon backdrop lights; it’s not money – massive amounts or pennies; it’s not gifted and skilled people at your bidding; it’s not a great band or awesome choir; it’s not instruments; it’s not talented administrators; it’s not a carefully planned out marketing campaign; it’s not facebook ads; it’s not sound equipment, recordings, screens, or a seamless, professional website. 

The one and only thing that is needed is this…a body. A human body.

Hebrews 10:5-7 “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

We have to look no further than the example of the Lord Jesus Christ – the One who successfully accomplished all of the will of God…When Jesus came into the world what did He have? Nothing but a naked body. Did he fulfill the will of God as a baby and as a young child?

When Jesus entered into his public ministry, what did he have that made Him so successful? Did He gain possession of the great Temple in order to defeat the Pharisees? Did He amass a great army with the best weapons to defeat Pilate and the Romans? Did He have the coolest scrolls to teach from? Did he need a strong horse to ride on to accomplish his preaching itinerary? Did he need a centralized system of synagogues?

When Jesus performed the work of Redemption at the Cross, what did He need? Nothing but His body. He did the work on the Cross with absolutely nothing – He was even stripped of all His clothes. He didn’t need buildings, money, a paycheck, chairs, lights, recommendations, the right friends, music, advertisements, good weather, etc. All He needed to reconcile Mankind back to God was his flesh and blood, human body. 

What did He need in order to rise from the dead? His Body. He didn’t need lively music to rouse Him. He didn’t need great crowds to cheer Him on; only the power of God.

What did He need to ascend to the heavens and to sit down on the right hand of the Majesty on High? Only His Body. 

Now, is not all of this an example for us today, who desire to partner with Jesus in winning the world to Christ? If all Jesus needed was a body, if it was sufficient to shake the world and rattle the foundations of Hell itself, why would we think that we need all of these other things? The question to ponder is, “Are you relying too much on these earthly things in order to get the heavenly work accomplished that your Father has called you to?” “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3) 

Now, Jesus won the world – conquering sin, death and Hell – with his body. Of course, it was not any ordinary, common body, but rather a body consecrated, devoted to the will of God. He did not rely on a tall, striking body like Saul, or an unusually strong body such as Samoson. “…He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2) His life was powerful because the pure, dynamic, holy, power of God was flowing without measure through his physical “tabernacle.” But still, the point is, that all that was necessary on the physical, earthly level, was a human body. If this was good enough for Jesus, why would we lean on other, earthly, things for success?

Christian brother – Is your body yielded to God’s control? Is your mind surrendered to the Word of God? Is your will broken and surrendered to the Father’s will? Is your church ministry relying on the “seen things” in order to reach your area? Have you concluded that there is some kind of ministry that you cannot accomplish until you are able to acquire ___________ (fill in the blank). The level of success you are going to have for God is the level of surrender you have towards God. Period. Spiritual work is created by God alone, and He has chosen to do that work through His people – a body hast thou prepared me. 

Ephesians 1:22-23 “And [He, Jesus] hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church (His body, the people) by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Physical resources do not produce spiritual generation or spiritual growth.    

What is the work of the Church? It is to call dead men out of their slumber and raise them to spiritual life; to fan the flames of the Holy Spirit in God’s children, that they would revive again and again, burning with holiness, zeal and passionate love for God and man. What can we purchase that will accomplish these things? Nothing. The work of God is spiritual. The resources needed must all come from Heaven.

You don’t need a building. You don’t need funding. You don’t need anything that can be purchased or given by man. You need your body – body, soul and spirit, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. There is no telling what you may accomplish in this world if you are truly yielded to Him, depending on Him completely, and not your own understanding and resources. If you are truly God’s son, no other person in the world has an advantage over you. You have full access to God. Love Him. Trust Him. Obey Him, and watch the power of God poured out through your life.   

I intentionally waited until the end of this to clarify that there is absolutely nothing at all wrong with the utilization of any kind of resource to do the will of God (provided that it is not sinful). Jesus utilized clay, donkeys, boats, buildings, houses, food, trees, etc. So it may absolutely be God’s perfect will for you to have a building, funds, personnel, vehicles, equipment, etc. The temptation (and it’s such a subtle yet powerful temptation) is to rely on those things instead of the power of God! 

I think a key observation in the life of Jesus is that all of the things He used were transitory, or gifts. They were not things that He actually bought and possessed, but were rather received by Him at the time and moment they needed to be used. He didn’t own them, control them and regularly rely upon them. He walked, moment by moment, by the Word of His Father. The power came through His Words and through His Hands – parts of His body. May our words, our hands, and our actions become more like His! 

May we search our own hearts, as well as the heart of our ministries, and see if there is anything we are relying upon to get the job done apart from the raw, unadulterated, pure power of the Word of God and the Spirit of God. 

God is looking for a Man – a surrendered man, with the Bible in his hand and the text burned in his heart; not comparing himself to any man other than Jesus; and not trying to be like any other man other than Jesus. Let’s watch this man turn the world right side up for the glory of God!   

“You never have to advertise a fire. Everyone comes running when there’s a fire. Likewise, if your church is on fire, you will not have to advertise it. The community will already know it.” – Leonard Ravenhill

Jesus: Better Than The Angels (Book of Hebrews)

/ Lee A. Robinson / Leave a comment

NOTES

Hebrews

Better than the Angels

*All of the quotes are from the OT – which the Hebrews would accept as divine

*All of the quotes here were accepted by the Jews as speaking about the Messiah, in the first century.

The Jews saw the Law as having been not only given by prophets, but attended by angels as well. This is a step up from mere prophets. Yet Jesus is still higher rank than the angels.

Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Deu 33:2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. 

Act 7:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. 

Psalm 68:17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?

So much better – refers to exalted rank/position; or to personal character as well

1 Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Name: names represent character/authority. The name of God has more power than any other name; it requires more of us than any other name; is carries more authority than any other name.

Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 

Psalm 2:7 thou art my Son…

How much more exalted in a Son that a Servant?

*in a business setting. We should obey the biddings of the employees, but if the Son comes, there is no question about whether to go against him or not.

How does God speak of his Son in the OT? Does the OT talk about the Son of God?

It may seem that the Trinity is only brought up in the NT, but the idea is “hidden” in the old and “manifested” in the new.

Pro 30:4 what is his name, what is his sons name?

This day have I begotten thee

Acts 13:33 this is directly applied to the resurrection of Jesus.

Pre-eminence – first begotten

Resurrection – first begotten from the dead

And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

2 Samuel 7:14 Solomon

6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

First begotten – first-born; preeminent one

First-born refers to his rank, not that he was a created being.

Some Jews even used the term first-born in reference to God himself.

Psa 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. 

Who would receive worship from angels other than God himself?

Deu 32:43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people. 

Psa 97:7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods. 

7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Psalm 104:4

The psalm describes God’s majesty, and the mighty ways that he controls nature. He makes his angels or messengers like wind and fire, they are quick and powerful to do his will.

Ministers – the angels have the humble rank of being a mere minister/servant, and not a son.

Spirits/flame of fire – the angels are of the highest power and zeal, but still no comparison compared to the Son. If the angels are the ministers of God, the Son is their commander.

8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Psalm 45  –  This psalm describes the Messiah as the Mighty King, easily triumphant over his enemies. He is beautiful and majestic. His battle is the cause of truth and righteousness, with meekness. His bride is said to worship him in this psalm.

*The angels are wonderful servants of God, but the Son is in actual possession of the Throne itself. He controls and governs the affairs of the universe and every being in it.

O God – specific, clear, direct reference to the Son being God himself.

Thy throne is for ever and ever – his ruler ship is eternal, only God’s can be

10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

Psalm 102:25-27

This psalm is speaking directly about Yahweh, God. There is no direct reference to the Son. Yet here it is applied to the Son, indicating that there is absolutely no difference in the mind of the writer here that the Son is indeed of the exact same nature and substance as God.

Laid the foundation of the earth – Creator

Thou remainest, thy years shall not fail – Eternality

Thou shalt fold them up – Consummator of all things 

13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Psalm 110 the LORD said unto my Lord. (a psalm of David)

God never said this to an angel, but he did to the Son.

Messiah is the son of David. Why then does David call his descendant Lord? It is because the Son was actually before David and greater than David. Amen

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Ministering spirits – attendants. The Son is their Lord, the angels their servants.

The comparison is being drawn again that the Son is exalted far higher than the angels.

Whatever the angels have given and done to people in the past, no matter how great, the Son gives more, has done more, and requires more.

*One sign of a religion or doctrine to not follow is if their ultimate claim for truth came through the agency of an angel to mankind. Faith in Christ places dependence upon not the word of an angel, though dependable, but in the Son of God himself in human flesh.

*Angels are not to be seen as the authority, but rather attendants to bring people to Jesus (the salvation that we have now!)