A young employee secretly misappropriated several hundred dollars of his business firm’s money. When this action was discovered, the young man was told to report to the office of the senior partner of the firm. As he walked up the stairs toward the administrative office the young employee was heavyhearted. He knew without a doubt he would lose his position with the firm. He also feared the possibility of legal action taken against him. Seemingly his whole world had collapsed.

Upon his arrival in the office of the senior executive, the young man was questioned about the whole affair. He was asked if the allegations were true, and he answered in the affirmative. Then the executive surprisingly asked this question: “If I keep you in your present capacity, can I trust you in the future?”

The young worker brightened up and said, “Yes, sir, you surely can. I’ve learned my lesson.”

The executive responded, “I’m not going to press charges, and you can continue in your present responsibility.”

The employer concluded the conversation with his younger employee by saying, “I think you ought to know, however, that you are the second man in this firm who succumbed to temptation and was shown leniency. I was the first!  What you have done, I did. The mercy you are receiving, I received. It is only the grace of God that can keep us both.” *

You need forgiveness, as do I…  “As it is written, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one.  For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23).

“It is only the grace of God that can keep us both…”God has extended His grace to us through the gift of His Son who died on the cross for our sins (Titus 2:11; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 8:9).  We accept His grace through an obedient faith: believing in Him (Acts 16:30-31), repentance of sin (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).  

Once we have been forgiven of our sins, we need to be forgiving of others! Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Have YOU been forgiven?  Have you also been forgiving?

David Sargent

I’ve heard two stories lately with a common theme:

     Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick tells a story from his own childhood days.   His father had said to his mother, upon leaving the house one Saturday in  the morning hours: “Tell Harry that he can cut the grass today, if he feels like it.”  Then, halfway down the walk, his father turned once more to add:  “And tell Harry that he had better feel like it.”

     A similar story:

     A new elementary school was raising the American flag for the first time. To make the day special, they had invited a Marine Corps color guard to come out and perform the duty for them. The day before the ceremony, the Marine in charge of the unit called to confirm directions to the school.   After doing so, he was asked by the school secretary whether he was sending Marines who like children.  There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before the man replied, “Ma’am, if I tell them to like children, they will like children.”

     Both of those stories emphasize the point that there is a big difference between doing something and wanting (or liking) to do it.  And,
as much as a father or a Marine sergeant may command someone to enjoy what they’re doing, it’s just not that simple!

     I wish that it was!  I can make Christians attend worship, but what I really desire is for them to WANT to attend worship.  I can make Christians give more, but what I really desire to for them to WANT to give more.  I can make Christians serve in a variety of capacities, but what I really desire is for them to WANT to serve more.  It’s so much harder to change what people want to do than it is to change what they do.

     But it’s not just hard to change it in others — it’s hard to make that change in my own life as well.  I often find myself thinking that I need to
pray more, study more, visit more, when what I’d really, really like to find such joy in those things that I WANT to do them more.

     When you peel away the outer layers of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and get to the core of what Jesus is saying, this is the principle you find.
Jesus doesn’t just want followers who don’t murder; he wants his followers to WANT to live in love.  He doesn’t just want followers who don’t commit adultery; he wants his followers to WANT to be people of commitment and integrity.  He doesn’t want followers who merely DO the right thing; he wants followers who WANT to do the right thing.  He doesn’t just want the actions; he wants the heart.

     “Now the purpose of the comamndment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.” (I Timothy 1:5)

     I continue to struggle with how to change people’s hearts.  I continue to struggle with how to change my own heart.  May we seek to submit
ourselves to the only One who can shape and mold us into what we were made to be.

–Alan Smith

You can be a firecracker Christian or a rifle shot Christian. It’s a matter of focus. Paul was a highly focused, rifle shot Christian. He declared, “I press toward the mark for the high call of God in Christ Jesus.”

You can be a firecracker parent or a rifle-shot parent. One makes a lot of noise. The other gets results. It’s a matter of focus.

 The cedar tree is mentioned some 75 times in the text of the Bible. The cedar trees in Lebanon were, at one time, the most prominent in the world.

In Psalms 92, the Bible says:

The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of
sap and green…
Psalms 92:12-14

The wood, bark, cones, and even the leaves were saturated with resin. The inside, or “heart,” had a reddish cedar color, and the exterior was whitish.

King Solomon selected these famous trees for the construction of many of his famous structures, especially in the Temple (1 Kings 6:15). Scripture refers to them as “lofty and lifted up” (Isaiah 2:13, ESV). In a symbolic way, the great cedars of Lebanon suggest grandeur, beauty, power, and majesty. Given the physical makeup, there are several loose spiritual applications we can make from this tree:

1. The heart is a reddish color, bringing to mind a heart that has been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb of God, — Jesus Christ.
2. The exterior is a whitish color, making us think about a life holy and without blame.
3. The wood, bark, cones, and leaves are filled with resin (the sap of life), which calls to our remembrance our commitment to present our whole bodies as living sacrifices, filled with the Spirit of life.
4. The cedar of Lebanon is tall, stately, and very beautiful to behold, symbolic of one’s stand for the Lord, reflecting and projecting His beauty.

While I would certainly hesitate to say these allusions are inherent in the text, understanding the makeup of the great cedars of Lebanon is very helpful in reminding us of these fundamental spiritual truths.

Brett Petrillo

It is not surprising that many celebrities are rich.  It is also not much of a secret that they tend to be very materialistic.  They always want the best of the best, the newest and shiniest, even if an average one would be just as good.  Even though this is a known fact, there are not many stories I have heard of that tops this one. 

As I was listening to a sports talk show on 104.3 The Fan, the guy began talking about the outlandish story of Paris Hilton and her new doghouse.  Now, this wasn’t just any doghouse, this was a dog mansion.  This new dog mansion cost her $350,000.  It is equipped with all of the upgrades you would find in a normal house, such as a chandelier, posh dog beds, a balcony, wardrobes, couches, a fancy staircase, heating, and even air conditioning (although I don’t think I could ever see any dog “enjoying” a chandelier, a wardrobe, or many of these other features).

After hearing this story, there is little doubt, if there ever was any before, that Paris Hilton is a very materialistic person.
Now, while we probably will not be tempted to spend $350,000 on a doghouse, there are many aspects of this world that we must be careful about.  TV broadcasting has become incredibly skilled at making new cars, TV’s, games, houses, and just about any other item that looks appealing.  It is no wonder that materialism is such an issue with today’s culture.  It is not hard to find ourselves desiring the newest phone, the fastest car, the most popular games, the biggest house, etc.
As Christians, we have been called to a high standard of living.  No I am not talking about a high standard of physical living, but spiritual living.  Matthew 6:24 states, “…You cannot serve God and wealth.”  Let’s also not forget what was said in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with much grief.”

It is clear that God does not want us to get caught up in physical possessions and money, but to trust in him for the items we need (Matthew 6:25-34 explains this very well).  We are to be good stewards of the money God has blessed each one of us with.  We are to use it wisely, not compulsively.
God truly blesses each and every one of us.  In fact, He has given us something much more valuable than anything we could ever obtain here on earth, our soul.  However, we must be careful with materialism in our own lives, especially with all of the pressure from our culture to “keep up with the Joneses.”

Let us never forget this passage, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).  As we go throughout this life, let’s focus on the aspects that are truly important, and do our best to stray away from the love of money and materialism.

–Brett Petrillo

Thousands of internet web addresses have the word BIBLE in them. There are not dozens of these, hundreds of these, but thousands and thousands of web addresses (such as the one I own – www.abiblecommentary.com) that somehow contain the word “Bible.”

Men have criticized the Bible and tried to destroy it. In spite of great opposition, the Bible lives on, even to the point where thousands of people have created web domains with BIBLE somewhere in the name.

No other book is like the Bible. It is literally “God’s power to salvation” (Rom. 1:16).

1 Peter 1:23 says, “the word of God, which liveth and abideth.”  Jesus said “His words” will “never pass away” (Mt. 24:35). 

The “word of the Lord abides forever” (1 Pet. 1:25).

If you do not own a copy of the Bible, please get one. If you have a copy but rarely read it, please make that a priority this year. If you have a copy, know what it says but are not abiding by it, there is no better time to start than now. If you know the book, are following it, try to communicate the value of its contents to others.

May this year be a time when all draw closer to the word of God.

Are we “called by God”?

One of the interesting ideas in scripture, and especially the New Testament, is being “called of God.” Today a person will often claim “God called them.” Others do not believe they were “called by God.”

What is the truth about being called by God?

The Bible does associated a “calling” with Christianity, but it is not quite what many allege. Paul spoke of Christians being called in places like 1 Cor. 7:20. In this context “called” is a metonymy for “conversion” (becoming a Christian). If the text is carefully studied, readers will notice from verse 22 that this “calling” occurs in Christ!

According to the Bible, a person is “called by the gospel” (2 Thess. 2:14). When a person obeys the information in the New Testament (Heb. 5:8-9), they are then “one of the called” (1 Cor. 7:22). Rather than use special dreams, messages, visions, etc., the Bible says the gospel is God’s power to salvation (Rom. 1:16). God’s word calls people because the word of God is the Spirit’s power (Eph. 6:17).

Do not be fooled by the false claims made by people who say “God called them.”

You probably suspected it, but the Internet is not limited to English.

There are Hispanic search engines, German search engines, Asian search engines, etc. There is a Japanese Google, a German Yahoo, AOL in Spanish, and MSN in Chinese.

Computers help break down and overcome language barriers, but such technology did not exist when Christianity began. This is why God gave the miraculous gift of “tongues” (the ability to speak in known languages). Giving people the ability to speak in languages they had never studied allowed the gospel to more rapidly spread throughout the ancient world.

Notice how the gift of tongues was directly associated with evangelism (Mk. 16:17-20): “And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.”

Tongues, like the ability to handle snakes without harm, were signs to “confirm the word.” Since the word has now been confirmed (we know it as the New Testament), the gift of tongues and the other abilities listed by Jesus are gone.

A ten year old boy decided to study Judo despite the fact that he lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. So he took lessons from an old Japanese Judo master and he was doing pretty well. But after three months of training, the master had only taught him one move and it was the same move. It was complicated and complex. Finally the young boy said, “Sansei” (a word meaning teacher), shouldn’t I be learning more moves?” Sansei replied, “This is the only move you will ever need to know.” The boy didn’t quite understand, but he trusted and believed the teacher so he dutifully kept on training and became better and better. Several months later the Sansei took his young student with only one arm to a Judo tournament. Amazingly, the boy won his first two matches. The third match proved to be a bit more difficult, but after some time the opponent became impatient and charged him. It was then that the boy used his one move and he won the match!

Amazed by his success, the boy reached the finals. Now the opponent was big, strong, and an experienced champion. For awhile the boy appeared to be completely over matched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time out, and was about to stop the match when the Sensei intervened and said, “No, let him continue.” The match was resumed. Then the opponent, big, strong and tough made a critical mistake. He dropped his guard and instantly the boy used his one and only move and pinned him. He won the match and the tournament. He was the champion!

On the way home the boy and the Sensei reviewed every move and every match. Finally the boy asked, “Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one arm and one move?” “You won for two reasons,” the Sensei said. “First, the one move that I taught you is the most difficult throw in all of Judo and you have mastered it. The second reason is there is only one defense against that move, and that’s for your opponent to grab your left arm.” The boy’s weakness was his strength!

Without the WAY you cannot go.
Without the TRUTH you cannot know.
Without the LIFE you cannot grow.

THERE IS NO question that the Bible teaches there is only one race — the human race…

God created mankind in His image and in His likeness. We are the pinnacle of His creative activities. The Bible clearly states that all of the lineage of humanity came through one woman, Eve. She is defined as the “mother of all living” (Gen. 3:20). But do we really believe that?

While congregations would argue that they are not racist, the fact remains most congregations remain segregated. While we preach about diversity and everyone having a special role in the body of Christ, we do not promote or celebrate integration — because for many it is not comfortable. Pulpits herald messages about loving all people, but dark hallways echo the sounds of racial slurs and jokes. We use terms like “brothers and sisters in the faith,” but many treat individuals of different color like “step-families.”

How many times have conversations been started in which a Christian says, “I’m not a racist or prejudice, but…” But what?! How many times have “faithful Christians” or one color uttered hateful generalizations against people of a different color? Do we secretly believe (or hope) that there will be a heaven for each individual race? As sad as it is, I think an honest evaluation of the church reveals that we are still struggling with race relations. I am afraid many have forgotten that God is the Creator of Jews and Gentiles. Christ is the Savior of blacks and whites. If we are going to purify the hearts of our children and grandchildren we need to stop playing the blame game and start actively teaching them the biblical perspective that there really is only one race. (Brad Harrub)

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth'” (Gen. 1:26).
–Mike Benson

No man is an island unto himself. We cannot make it alone (Ecc. 4:9). You will not stand among the redeemed in heaven without having had your many encouragers to uplift you. Nor will you so stand without having lifted up the discouraged yourself.

Amalek was a powerful opponent of Israel at Rephidim. God’s people had just fled mighty Egypt, and they continued to face adversity. Their leader, Moses, went up a hill at Rephidim with God’s staff in his hand. Aaron and Hur accompanied him. As long as Moses held up his hand, Israel was winning the battle. When his fatigued arm drooped, sagged, and dropped, Amalek got the upper hand. Imagine holding your hand up for a protracted period of time. The aching and pain soon compounds. Exodus 17:12 says, “But Moses’ hands were heavy.” Physically, he was at his limit. Thankfully, Moses had an Aaron and a Hur to support his hands, “One on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set” (13). Ultimately and consequently, “Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people” (14).

Look to Aaron and Hur for your example. All around you are people with “heavy hands.” Will they successfully make it to the setting of their sun? Many do not. Many would, if they had someone to encourage them. Our congregation has so many with “heavy hands.” Christian adults without a Christian spouse need us to lift up their hands. So do widows and widowers, whose “help meet” has gone on ahead of them. What about our young people, still in the fledgling stages of their personal battles with peer pressure and identity? Lift up their hands! Elders, burdened with the responsibilities of leadership and shepherding, are not exempt from weariness of spirit in their fight with Satan. Hold up their hands. Young parents, for whom a typical church service can be a twelve round contest with their little one(s), need to be encouraged.

Make up your own list of heavy-handed folks. They may be losing ground to their spiritual enemy, ready to give in and give up the fight. Your overtures and comfort might turn the tide for them. Take Paul’s admonition to heart, and “encourage one another, and build up one another” (1 Thess. 5:11).

In their book, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul, Conybeare and Howson have this interesting note:

It [the Greek religion, TW] was a religion which ministered to art and amusement, and was entirely destitute of moral power. Taste was gratified by the bright spectacle to which the Athenian awoke every morning of his life. Excitement was agreeably kept up by festal seasons, gay processions, and varied ceremonies. But all this religious dissipation had no tendency to make him holy. It gave him no victory over himself: it brought him no nearer to God. A religion which addresses itself only to the taste, is as weak as one that appeals only to the intellect. The Greek religion was a mere deification of human attributes and the power of nature…It had no real power to raise him to a higher position than that which he occupied by nature (pages 28-281).

I found that statement to be of interest insofar as it relates to what seems to be taking place in our society. I read somewhere that more than 85% of our population professes some sort of religious faith. The same article pointed out, however, that less than 15% of those surveyed admitted that their religion had any direct bearing upon their lives. In short, their religion is no better than that of the Athenian citizen. There is no real power to transform them into something different, spiritually and morally speaking.

We have all seen the pitiful soul who plays the part of the hypocrite. He has a “form” of religion, but possesses no real substance. James pointed out that “faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26). It seems that our society has moved ever closer to having the type religion characteristic of the ancient Greeks. Human wisdom is deified, and men today, like those in Athens, spend “their time in nothing else but to either tell or to hear some new thing” (Acts 17:21). When they have determined some “new thing,” they glory in their knowledge, failing to realize that such knowledge just might be wrong. Witness if you will the constant change in our encyclopedias and libraries. Volumes hot off the press today are out-of-date history tomorrow. Knowledge without God is vain, at best. The Greeks placed the emphasis upon that which appealed to the flesh and the gratification of the same. It is really sad to see men today, while professing a sense of religion, failing to control the flesh. In fact, they go so far as to engage in the things of the flesh in the name of religion. The bottom line? Philosophy without application is a dead philosophy, and religion without power to change is useless. — Tom Wacaster

The P.C. train is getting longer and more unsightly. Self-appointed elitists shelter their pet groups and blast and decry any who offend the sensitivities of these select groups in any way. Seattle’s PC squad will be clamping down on Thanksgiving, since it is a “time of mourning” for some. Under the Political Correctness shelter are certain minorities, homosexuals, anti-Christian groups, and the generally philosophic liberals. Certain words mobilize their police force, terribly offensive words like God, Bible, work, men, patriotism, SUV, and sin.

Despite all the foregoing, I have decided that I want to be “P.C.” In fact, I think God wants us all to be. Let me explain.

I want a “pure conscience.” The New Testament word “good” (1 Tim. 1:5; 1 Pet. 3:21; etc.) modifying “conscience” means upright and excellent. It is possible to have an unbothered or permissive conscience, but we can get this from blindness to our own faults, improper teaching, or by being guided by feelings over truth. I want a conscience, trained, softened, and guided, by a diligent attempt to know God’s Word and please God’s heart.

I want to be a “passionate Christian.” We can get passionate about our ideas, pet projects, feelings, opinions, and worldly interests, but that’s not what I mean. I want to be in love with the Lord. I want to care deeply about those things about which He cares deeply– lost souls, truth, the church and each member thereof, etc.

I want to be a “peace creator.” It’s easy to do this through compromise and unscriptural change. That’s not true peace (cf. Jer. 6:14). Yet, I do not want to be the center of strife, division, and conflict among God’s people however I can help that (1 Cor. 1:10). I want people to be truly at peace with their Lord (Eph. 2:17). I want harmony to follow in the wake of my path.

I want to be “pride crusher.” I do not want to be a crusader that stamps out others’ pride. That’s their cross to bear. I want to look at myself in THE mirror (Jas. 1:23) and see myself as God sees me. Wherever I find pride in my heart and life, I want to eradicate it (cf. 1 Pet. 5:5ff). I want true conviction that “pride goes before destruction” (Prov. 16:18) and that “selfish ambition” invites “disorder and every evil thing” (Jas. 3:16). I want to remember that “every way of a man is right in his own eyes” (Prov. 21:2; cf. 12:5), but that does not clear me with God’s perfectly discerning eye!

Let me be “P.C.” in these ways, at least for starters. I am not out to please the world or to sacrifice my relationship with God to make either sinners or the self-absorbed happy. In these and other ways, I can truly be a “Paradise chaser.” I want that! Don’t you?
— Neal Pollard

Forget about Tupperware and candle parties–men and women can now attend TASER parties. Here is a sample announcement:

A SHIELDHER TASER PARTY IS COMING SOON TO A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU!

Curious about what party representatives are now offering? Here is the sales pitch:

The TASER C2 is the most sophisticated personal protection system ever developed. TASER systems are Electronic Control Devices (ECDs), which use a replaceable cartridge to deploy two small probes that are attached to the TASER C2 by insulated conductive wires with a maximum length of 15 feet (4.5 meters).

The TASER C2 transmits electrical pulses along the wires and into the body of the target, over stimulating the sensory and motor functions of the peripheral nervous system, causing overwhelming incapacitation.

How much does it cost to stun potential attackers? $388.29 (tax and activation included in amount). There are even four color choices: pink, titanium, electric blue and black.

Thought: How sad to see a world seeking protection in every place but the right one. We should realize this is not a new problem. Jesus said of the Jews, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings , and ye would not!”

Be smart. Find the true and eternal protection—trust in God and follow His word.

IN THE BIBLE THE WORD “UP” IS A VERY IMPORTANT WORD.

a) We find this word being used in places such as Mt. 6:19-20.
b) Jesus said we can “lay UP” treasure.
c) There is a sense in which we can store up some wealth.
d) Mt. 6:19-20 – READ
2) Imagine a man who spends all he has during has during his working years and never saves anything.
3) When his 75th birth comes along he says, “I need to save up money for my later years.
4) How much can a man start to save when he turns 75?
5) When we are in good health and in the younger years, that is the time to lay up earthly treasure.
a) When we get to the later years, we still want to be laying up treasures in heaven.
b) Instead of “getting started” when we retire, we want to keep building in our later years.
6) If we look back over this past week, did we lay up any treasures in heaven?
7) What if anything did we do to honor God and spread His kingdom?
a) Our next reference with “up” comes from Mt. 10:19.
b) If we are trying to lay up treasures in heaven, not everyone is going to be pleased with us.
c) Jesus knew His apostle were going to face some opposition.
8) Mt. 10:19 – READ
9) In first century times Christians were sometimes “delivered up” to others.
10) This usage of the word “up” tells us that not everyone is going to be enthused about our being a Christian.
a) Some think faithful Christians are “too committed” to the Christian faith.
b) Notice verse 21 in Mt. 10 – READ
c) Friends and family may not look at Christianity the same way we do.
d) If we are a child of God, we need to be as committed as we can be.
11) Mt. 13:7.
12) Jesus said there are some people who embrace the gospel and they “spring up” (Mt. 13:5).
a) We can plant seeds and small plants and they start to grow; they “come up.”
b) Other things – weeds and thorns – also come “up.” Verse 7 of Mt. 13 – READ
13) In our Christian life there are always weeds and briars that want to come up (grow).
14) The word “up” encourages us to live a Christian life.
15) It is also encourages us to live in exactly the way the Bible describes.
a) Scribes and Pharisees came to see Jesus about a question (Mt. 15:1).
b) Verses 8-9 is where we start – READ Verse 13 – READ
16) If a religious group is not doing what the Bible says, Jesus said God will “root it up.”
a) Mt. 16:24 – READ
17) Mt. 17:23 says Jesus was going to be “raised UP” on the third day and this happened.
a) Jesus had to bear His cross for a while, but He was eventually released from that burden.
b) We must also bear a cross for a while, but one day we get to lay it “down.”
18) In many respects “up” is associated with Christian responsibilities.
19) It is also associated with the way we become a Christian.
20) Acts 22:16 says “arise” (get up) and be baptized.
21) Have we gotten “up” and become a Christian?
22) Are we laying UP treasures in heaven?
23) Are we picking UP our cross?
24) Are we so committed to Christ that we are willing to be delivered UP for His sake?

My son, Dale, excitedly told me that he read somewhere that the mongoose builds up immunity to cobra venom by eating smaller poisonous creatures, from spiders to scorpions to wasps. My own research cannot yet verify whether that is true, though some sources say that the mongoose apparently can ingest the head and fangs of a cobra safely, so long as the fangs do not puncture its insides. My investigation did lead me to discover the world of “ophiophagy,” which one can read about on a sub page of Wikipedia. Ophiophagous animals are those which hunt, kill, and eat snakes (including the poisonous ones). Many of these kinds of animals are thought to be immune from their prey’s venom, and they have antineurotoxic antibodies in their blood. However, the most venom-resistant animal known to science is the wild and exotic Virginia opossum. They do not build up immunity, but rather seem to be born with this resistance.

As a Grade-A Snake Hater, my skin is already crawling. However, what a splendid application there is. In Genesis three, we are introduced to a creature some take to be nothing more than a serpent. While this could be true, Satan is referred to in symbolic terms as “that ancient serpent” in Revelation 20:2—a seeming allusion to the garden scene (cf. Rev. 12:9). Is it coincidental that the beguiling serpent is mentioned in the same context as Satan’s beguiling work in 2 Corinthians 11 (cf. 3 + 14-15)? Whatever may be concluded about any connection between the serpent of Eden and the devil, there are some potent comparisons. Like a poisonous serpent, Satan is destructive and deadly (cf. 1 Pet. 5:8-9). As such creatures can strike suddenly and without warning, Satan can do the same (cf. Matt. 4:3). Just as these can cause fear, so can the devil (Heb. 2:14). The devil can be made to flee (Jas. 4:7), just as those nefarious reptiles can.

Keeping with our analogy and original illustration, can we build up immunity against the devil? Yes and no. We cannot, in the sense that we can ever court sin and temptation and hope to come away unscathed. The wages of sin are always the same (Rom. 6:23). However, in another sense we can. By drawing close to God, we can build up devil-resistance (Jas. 4:7). Building a proper relationship with the Lord serves the dual purpose of helping us stand against the power of the devil (see Eph. 6:10ff). By being and remaining in Christ, we are free from the effects of the sting of sin and free from the spiritual death brought thereby (1 Cor. 15:56-58; Heb. 2:14-15; 1 Pet. 5:8-9). Let’s work to protect our souls from the ravaging effects of sin by building righteous, submissive, and holy lives!

–Neal Polard