Defeating A Vindictive Heart

DEFEATING A VINDICTIVE HEART

God will always remind us of reality. When we stray from Him, we begin to slip into a world of fantasy. Our imagination is typically lauded well in our culture, but we know that imagination can just as soon get us into trouble. A misread signal can bring bitterness and hatred to our minds if not properly handled. Someone slights us, maybe even without them knowing, and we can carry that burden for the rest of our lives.

So much of what God wants us to do is to let go of these poisonous attitudes, and assume the best about our brothers and sisters in Christ, until proven otherwise. How can we go about that?

Stop Assuming.

We cannot make any undue assumptions about anyone.

Assumptions: Beliefs taken without sufficient evidence; acceptance of religious ideas based on a personal sense of right and wrong, that seem to us to be right...

Assumptions may or may not be true!

Sometimes people believe things that are actually based on evidence, but THEY may not have personally verified the evidence – what may be “assumed” by one person may not be an assumption on the part of others , who may have actually determined it to be true based on proper evidence.

Assumptions are dangerous!

God’s approval is based on TRUTH...(Jn 8:32 ; Jno 17:17 ; 1 Pet 1:22 ,23 , etc.)

“Paul THOUGHT he was right..” Acts 26:9

Naaman THOUGHT there would be another way – 2 Kings 5

Religious TRUTH is only found in the word of God. Ideas coming from man, not having their origin with God, are not true.

If we do not verify our beliefs by a personal study of the Bible – accepting what others have said, or operating from a personal sense of “truth”, we RISK our salvation...

NOTE:

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

People may have the truth “by accident”...by associating with those who HAVE verified the doctrine by the truth.

The religion of many is based on “ASSUMPTION”, NOT ON truth...

1. Assumption #1 – That God’s love will cover our shortcomings whether or not we actually seek to address them in a scriptural way.

A. Note: We LEARN of God’s love through Scripture – the truth....But it is dangerous to acknowledge that God does love (a fact), without determining if there are conditions attached to it resulting in His favor (Jno 3:16 ). Only the truth will save us, and it is only determined by investigating in scripture the nature, extent, and conditions of God’s love...

2. Assumption #2 – That “grace” and “obedience” ARE mutually exc lusive...

The idea of salvation by grace has been mistakenly taken to men that since man is UNABLE to save himself, that salvation is unconditional. The fact is, grace does not rule out conditions, it simply deals with a result that is undeserved!While salvation is “not of ourselves”, God’s gift of it is based upon obeying the conditions He attaches to it.

3. Assumption #3 – That God’s grace rules out ANY human activity as being involved in our salvation.

This involves a mistaken idea of what “works” is. In fact, when the context is examined, every specific reference in scripture deals with certain KINDS of works, not just activity.

“Works” are demanded ! Jas 2:24

“FAITH” is a work! Jno 6:29

Ineffective works are “those of which man can boast” – Eph 2:8-9

“Works of righteousness which we have done..” Titus 3:5

“Works alone” – Rom 3 and 4...

4. Assumption 4 – That being right on scriptural teaching does not matter

5. Assumption 5 – That God saves men in all human denominations

Start Trusting.

Ezekiel 7:1–9 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “And you, son of man, thus says the Lord God to the land of Israel: ‘An end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land. Now the end has come upon you, And I will send My anger against you; I will judge you according to your ways, And I will repay you for all your abominations. My eye will not spare you, Nor will I have pity; But I will repay your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst; Then you shall know that I am the Lord!’ “Thus says the Lord God: ‘A disaster, a singular disaster; Behold, it has come! An end has come, The end has come; It has dawned for you; Behold, it has come! Doom has come to you, you who dwell in the land; The time has come, A day of trouble is near, And not of rejoicing in the mountains. Now upon you I will soon pour out My fury, And spend My anger upon you; I will judge you according to your ways, And I will repay you for all your abominations. ‘My eye will not spare, Nor will I have pity; I will repay you according to your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst. Then you shall know that I am the Lord who strikes.

Hebrews 10:30–31 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Be Wise.

Romans 12:17–21 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1 Peter 3:8–12 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

2 Peter 2:10–11 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”