Sin is not to be considered a light matter. In other words, it is not to be mocked. Only a fool would demonstrate this kind of behaviour toward sin.
Man has corrupted the simplicity of salvation. Some say entrance to heaven is based upon following some set of creeds, joining a church, being baptized, or expressing some heartless prayer. Others have suggested that God will put each man’s good works in a balance with his bad works, and so long as the good outweighs the bad, man will find entrance into heaven. Still others suggest there is any number of ways to gain entrance into heaven. How can man possibly wade his way through the confusion and be certain that heaven will be his future destination? To a great extent, this was the question that the Philippian jailor posed to the apostle Paul. Paul boldly answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Paul told the jailor the truth and then prophesied that the family would follow his lead in salvation.
Undoubtedly, there are many personal traits that serve as the building blocks for a good reputation. Yet, the scripture plainly identifies one particular trait that serves as the cornerstone of a good reputation: Faith! Hebrews chapter 11, commonly known as the “Hall of Faith,” chronicles how the saints of old developed good reputations by and through faith. Though these men and women performed great works, the works were accomplished through faith. The Bible plainly declares that it was by faith that “the elders obtained a good report” (Hebrews 11:1-2). To reemphasize this truth, the Lord repeated this thought in Hebrews 11:39 when He said, “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith.”
Rebellion thrives upon the self-will of any individual or group of individuals. It parallels stubbornness, hard-heartedness, and a stiff neck. The first use of rebellion in the Bible indicates that it is a refusal to submit to the will or authority of another (Genesis 14:4; see also 2 Kings 18:7). Sometimes, rebellion may be the refusal to go at the command of another (Deuteronomy 1:26), while at other times, it is the refusal to stay (Deuteronomy 1:43). The point is that rebellion is a refusal on the part of a person or group to submit and yield to the rule of another. It involves a conscious decision to cease from following, and though there may be times when resistance needs to be made against the world, “God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD” (Joshua 22:29).
Every person cannot give the same amount, but every person can give. According to our passage, “Every man shall give as he is able.” Because some people might use this as an excuse not to give, the Lord further states that giving should be “according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.” The New Testament repeats this same principle in 1 Corinthians 16:2. Every man is to give “as God hath prospered him.” The book of Acts gives a practical example. In Acts 11:29, the disciples sent relief to their brethren and every man did so “according to his ability.” Each believer should give to the Lord corresponding to how the Lord has prospered him.
Because of certain false teachings, there remains a great deal of confusion concerning the matter of confessing sins. However, when we accept the Bible as our sole authority, the confusion dissipates and disappears. Our earlier study showed that actions must follow confession, but to whom should we confess? Some religions falsely teach that we confess our sins to man, but this is simply untrue. The Bible requires that man confess his sins to the Lord. This truth is confirmed repeatedly throughout the word of God. Our First John passage teaches this, but the Bible provides several additional witnesses (Psalm 32:5; Joshua 7:19; 2 Chronicles 30:22; Ezra 10:1; and Daniel 9:4, 20, for instance). Our next study delves into the subject of Christians confessing something to men, but confession of sin or sins must be made solely to God.
