walkworthy.org

Preaching & discipling the whole Gospel and purpse of God worldwide

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Testimonies
  • Archive Listing
  • Video-Audio
  • Resources
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

HOLY SUBMISSION TO GOD, TO GOVERNMENT, TO HUSBANDS, THEN TO EACH OTHER [DEAR BRETHREN 19]

April 15, 2016 by jesusislord 2 Comments

submissve wifeDear brother and sister,

There is tremendous confusion in the modern body of Christ over the subject of submission. Let us do our part to clear the air and point to the Word of God, Christ’s example, and the good sense God endows us in the Holy Spirit as His beloved.

One of my favorite commentaries, The Complete Biblical Library, rightly puts in this way: 1) submit to God in everything, 2) submit to governing authorities in everything, 3) submit to husbands in everything, 4) submit to one another when it doesn’t interfere with the above.

Personally, I will change the order of importance in that after submission to God, then the wife is to submit to her husband in everything.

Submission is being subject to (i.e. accepting or yielding) a superior force, and/or will and/or authority of another person or thing. In our examples here, it is God, a husband, the government, then other believers. When we see this in action, we are “subjects” to the entity. We are the loyal “subjects” of God, the government, etc. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Best of Walk Worthy - most popular, controversial, & convicting, Dear Brethren - advice to and from the saints, Escaping the American Jesus - discovering & following the real God, Marriage - building block for the family, Men and Husbands - God's loving warriors, Respecting Your Husband - the key to a man's heart, Women and Wives - God's respectful helpers Tagged With: Biblical submission, submit to each other, submit to the government, wives subject to their husbands, wives submit to husbands in everything

SEX FOR YOUR HUSBAND IS ALSO PHYSICAL, A MATTER OF PHYSIOLOGY – BY DEBI PEARL [AT THE BATTLE FRONT 125]

November 9, 2014 by jesusislord Leave a Comment

sex 2Brothers and sisters,

Sex…

Oh boy, you might say, “Here we go.” As a current renowned teacher of God’s word declares: to you is sex god…gross…or gift?

There’s three things a husband needs from his wife. And they’re the same whether you all are saved or lost! Imagine that…sort of like gravity that works for everybody who is mortal.

Of those three, joyful, proactive, frequent sexual celebration is the #1 way a husband is respected by his wife and knows the world is as it should be with her at the time. If sex is important to Satan, then it’s important to God.

Again…it’s the #1 way men know all is right with the world and with his woman, his wife.

There’s both great fruit and much scorn over Michael and Debi Pearl’s ministry called No Greater Joy. Countless marriages and families have been radically changed by their advice, especially that advice devoted to the wife. Some things I vehemently disagree with and have written about them and to the Pearl’s from time to time.

Sister Debi’s main work on marriage is her book Created To Be His Help Meet. Overall, 80-90% of the book is excellent, and the stories are priceless.

The overriding theme is that wives have a much greater influence on their husbands than vice versa. And, if a wife wants her husband to change, she must change first, quit hassling and controlling the husband, and honor him all the days of her life. We completely agree and have seen the results in marriages ourselves. You may read our work on the wife’s 400% influence on marriage right here.

But be forewarned: the demons hate these kinds of books like the Pearl’s and many Christian women and wives will seek vigorously to discredit this work. They care to continue to rule over their husbands, even if they are deceived about it! I’ve seen and heard of Christian women throwing the book across the room, or throwing it away in disgust.

The book must be on to something!

Debi says a husband is putty in the hands of a wife he can trust and honors him. She’s absolutely right. And a rigorous, proactive, and honorable sex life is the key ingredient.

Two cautions: Michael Pearl writes in the book that the wife should get her instruction from her husband only, but he instructs women right in the book! Next, Debi relates a story of one wife who praises the husband as being wonderful in all ways when he clearly was acting abusively like a jerk. This one instance, we believe, is lying. But the wife can almost always find things to praise and honor their man on a daily basis unless there’s physical or extreme emotional or verbal abuse and she must leave the scene if that’s her current situation.

Also, the Bible in 1 Peter 3 speaks to women as winning their husbands to Jesus without a word by their chaste and respectful behavior. Debi has made a few appeals to Michael over the years. But it seems that more appeals may be in line than what she recommends.

Other than that, it’s a great resource.

Remember, Christian wife, respectful sex is a matter of physiology to your husband. In other words it’s a physical need…not a “want.” If you continue to have problems reconciling that with your life, please take it up with God. Sex is His idea, and we say ‘Go God!’

And, we certainly don’t want to be causing anyone to stumble in any way, shape, or form.

+++

Taken from Created to Be His Help Meet – by Debi Pearl

Loving him means putting his needs before your own. I am the minister or if you are a wife, you, too, are a minister. Our ministry is directed toward our husbands and then our children. We were, and are, created to be help meets. Every day and every night we need to be ready to minister to his needs…

A normalsex 4 guy (writes to us):

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Pearl,

I am in a dilemma in need you guys to write my wife and tell her what I say is true. My wife thinks I am a sex pervert because I need sex. She feels I am not sensitive to your needs when I want sex and she doesn’t, which is most of the time. She will give me sex, but it hurts her feelings that I do not love her enough to consider her first. I tried to explain to her that to a man sex is just like having to eat. When I am missed a meal I consciously roam the kitchen, opening cabinet doors, and peer into the refrigerator, just looking and looking.

I told her that a few days without sex leaves me in the same condition sexually no matter how much I love her and respect her feelings and needs. I still have this overwhelming sexual need to drives me until it is satisfied.

There are very few times when everything is just right for her. She is exhausted…or whenever she comes up with. I tried to explain to her that she is setting me up for temptation, and that really set her off. Now I am not only a pervert, I am also unfaithful in my heart, so she is upset every time a good-looking girl walks by.

Please tell her that I am just downright need my woman. That’s the bottom line, I am normal, all guys need a woman. She said I made it until I was 23 without sex, so why do I have to have it now? I told her when I was single, I did not have to see one undress or lie in the bed and now I could if I wanted to. I just want to come home and be a family man. I want to crawl into bed at night with my woman who was glad that I am remaining, and I want to make love every few days so I don’t have to think about girls at work.

You write her and explain all this to her? Maybe she heard it from you she might understand that I have feelings too, physical feelings as well as emotional feelings.

…for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined under his wife, and a two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. Ephesians 5:31-32

+++

God’s goal for you is to meet your man’s needs…God’s original intention was that a woman would spend her life helping her husband fulfill his dreams and ambitions.

From the beginning, God meant for us to comfort, be a blessing, a friend, bring encouragement, and be a right-hand woman.

+++

Frame of reference (for men)

A man’s concept of love and marriage is different from a woman’s, especially after has gone without sex for a few days. This book is not a sex 6“how-to” for a man. I will skip his part, and deal with the ladies part. God describes marriage as “two shall be one flesh,” which is, their bodies coming together.

Many men feel that marriage is not quite what they thought it was going to be. Some men spent their youth dreaming about the wild passion that they are going to experience with one woman they love more than life. It is their expression of the oneness they will have with her alone. This is truly God’s design for a man in the department of love.

The man remembers the passionate and loving looks his sweetheart had for him before marriage. He had naturally assumed that she would always think of him in that at all consuming, loving way. When they were courting, that is the way she made him feel. He saw it reflected in her face. All he wanted was to satisfy that hungry animal he thought she was, and, for a while, she was all he had hoped for, but then it faded away.

She wasn’t interested anymore.

Her disinterest in him sexually is a reflection of her heart, and he knows it. There are a multitude of excuses women use to explain why they she would “rather not” or why they “cannot respond” sexually. I believe I’ve heard them all. Her husband knows in his spirit that all your excuses are just that: excuses for not wanting him.

When a woman is not interested in his most consuming passion, he feels that she is not interested in him. When a woman just “allows, cooperates, and tolerates,” he leaves a man feeling sick at heart. If, to a man, sex was just copulation, he would make his deposit and be satisfied, but to him it is intimacy, a merging of spirits, a way of saying, “I love you… I need you… I like you.” A man’s most basic needs are warm sexual love, approval, and admiration. For his wife to be willing but indifferent, speaks of neither sex nor love.

A woman is a fool to believe her own excuses or to think she can convince him that what she says is the truth. Her half commitment makes him feel incomplete and unloved. By not obeying God in this arena of sex and love, a woman is putting a terrible curse on her husband. When a woman forces a man into that position, it is the equivalent of a man saying to his wife, “You are a stupid, ugly, lousy wife, and I will still be a good husband and kiss you today.” The man’s wife has more influence on his frame of reference than any other thing or person in life.

Man is driven to succeed. Hormones drive him to be the best at work, to drive aggressively, to build the best building, or to write the finest musical piece. But his most pressing drive is to be a successful lover. Making his wife feel glorious when he touches her is the ultimate test of his manhood-the very measure of the man. He cannot view life differently; that is the way God made him. He needs a wife, a help meet, a helper who will meet the need God put in him. If the wife does not meet his intimacy and sexual needs, she is a help-not-meet, a helper not suitable to the task for which God created her.

Great Sinsex 8

No woman really loves her husband if she does not seek to please him in this most important area. If you are not interested in sex, at least be interested in him enough to give him good sex. If you are not loving your man, you’re in danger of blaspheming the word of God -“to love their husbands.” The Bible says, “therefore to him who knows what to do, and not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:17. Hopefully, you just didn’t realize that your lack of sexual interest in your husband was sin, but now you know.

Your God Ordained Ministry (Christian wife…)

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Pearl,

We enjoy your writings and hope you can help us. Our question is what does a Christ centered, sexually fulfilling, intimate marriage look like? We have an exceptionally wonderful marriage except for intimacy in the sexual. My husband feels that a switch turned off in me after having the children and that I no longer enjoy relations like I used to. I feel he is correct in his assessment of this.

I sometimes feel turned off by the whole act and feel that oral sex is wrong, although I used to enjoy it. We have prayed to the Lord for some sort of guidance with this. My husband has turned off the sexual desire, and so we live as best friends or do everything together except make love. Any help or device you can give us would be greatly appreciated. We both want to get to the bottom of this matter once and for all.

Mrs. C.

1 Corinthians 7:1-6 (NASB) Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Dear Mrs. C.,

You would not be writing unless you are both unhappy with your current relationship. You know what is wrong. When you married you signed up to become a minister to his needs. Your life’s work is to minister to your husband. Marriage means becoming one flesh. It does not mean being best friends.

In practice you are not in a marriage relationship with her husband. You and your husband are effectively living in a divorce state, having put each other away. God commands in 1 Corinthian 7 that you don’t defraud each other and give Satan an opportunity for temptation.

God clearly told us that not having regular sex is giving Satan an opportunity to get married couples. Wife, your job is being a minister to your husband and to be his totally enthusiastic sex partner, ready to enjoy him at all times. To do less is a grave error. If you love your husband,…you will always seek to give him pleasure. And in so doing you will fulfill your role as a suitable helper.

When the angel announced to the 89-year-old Sarah that she and Abraham would copulate and have a child, she responded by laughing…pleasure is what Sarah remembered and experienced with her man. She is recorded in Hebrews 11 as one of the pillars of faith.

Sarah’s son, Isaac, got comfort for sorrow after his mother’s death with sexual fulfillment with his new wife, Rebekah (Genesis 24:67)

One entire book of the Bible, the song of Solomon, is dedicated to singing praise to God for the joyful expression of love in the sexual union of a man and his wife. It is so graphic in this description of erotic pleasure that is embarrassing for some to read or hear it read aloud. My husband wrote commentary on it called Holy Sex.

Blaspheming The Written Word Of God

Dear Mr. Pearl,

I would ask a question. Would it be a sin to castrate myself? I’m a husband and father, and I just cannot satisfy myself with my wife because she does not want sex very often. The Bible says when one looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Would it not be better in my case to be castrated? I have talked with my wife, and she does not care. I’m tired of sinning.

Mr. Miller

This is a real letter from a man named Mr. Miller. We were shocked!

What do we tell this man who was willing to lose his manhood to avoid the lust caused by his indifferent wife? The gravity of his wife’s sin is staggering. She has no fear of God Almighty. She has blasphemed the word of God with her selfishness, thinking of only her own needs and not loving her husband. Never, never, never be guilty of such a grave sin. The husband needs to know that God says, “the wife does not have power over her own body but the husband. defraud ye not one the other…that Satan would tempt you…” God grants the marriage partner full access to his spouse’s body for sexual gratification…

A Matter Of Physiology

God made man to need sex. He must be relieved of his built-up sexual desire, even if it means spilling his seed in his sleep. One Corinthians 11:9 states, “neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.” Men are all somewhat different in their sexual needs. If they are sick, tired, stressed, scared, feel rejected, or are even distracted by a big project, their sexual need may be diminished or even put sex 7on hold for a week or two…

Healthy food makes a positive difference. Vitamins, herbs, and exercise all play a vital part. Men have enhanced sexual drive after excitement or physical exercise. If he is keyed up with success, he may have a stronger than usual need. Even the weather affects a man’s drives.

A man is negatively affected by a halfhearted response from his wife. The poor guy is never fully relieved and therefore never feels totally satisfied, making him think he is a sexual pervert or something, because he needs sex so often. It is like eating a tiny snack, a little bit here and there, yet never sitting down to eat a big, juicy steak and salad.

A good wife knows that the greater her response, the more pleasurable her man’s orgasm can be, and the more complete and long-lasting will be his satisfaction. When you respond halfheartedly, it says to him, “you only have half of my heart.” A halfhearted response from a wife can turn a sweet, teddy bear of a man into a mean, old dog. It can make a man who is high strung morph into an emotional jerk at work, home, and even church.

God created man with a regular need for a woman, and God commanded the man’s wife to see to it that his need is met, Do your yourself and everyone else a favor, and devote at least 15 minutes every few days to totally pleasing your man.

For a wife to defraud her husband of this vital need that God has instilled in him should cause her to tremble in fear of the consequences. And remember his entire ego is tied up in the sexual experience and to him it is the also the expression of his deepest love for you, the fullest measure of intimacy with you. He can imagine his entire body, soul, and spirit are caught up in the Earth’s “heavenlies” in this one act of sharing that love with you, the very measure of his person.

Hormones 101

We ladies all have basically the same hormones. Over the last 50+ years, my hormones have fluctuated some, but I have still been fully a female during all that time. Amazing, isn’t it? Through adolescence, marriage, pregnancies, worse, periods, menopause, you name it, our whole hormones were always there, to maintain us is a female. For the most part, all ladies have the same sexual drives.

Do you love your husband the way he needs loving, the way you were created to love him? If you don’t score high points here, you are providing an opening for your husband to be tempted by other women. It is a man’s duty to walk in truth and have high integrity, but a woman who trusted a man’s ability to endure all things, while providing circumstances that testing to the max, is a fool. It is your duty to fill his sexual needs. His faithful responsibility is to you, and you staying to him are both equally important, and we wives will give an account before God for faithfulness in this area. I call it “ministering” to my husband. He says I am a mighty fine minister.

Intimate Couple --- Image by © Royalty-Free/CorbisFor a woman, sexual expression starts in her mind and heart. Love is giving up your center, your self-interest. It is choosing another’s needs above your own. A woman chooses to be interested or not interested in her husband’s needs…when a woman’s first commitment is to her own needs and feelings, she is necessarily going to view sex as strictly a carnal experience, for then she does indeed have an entirely hedonistic outlook – her self-gratification.

But if a woman views sex as a ministry to her husband, then it is a selfless act of benevolence. He need not wait until she is stimulated to desire eroticism; she need only seek to fill her husband’s needs. I have a tip for you: when you make your husband’s need central, you will get turned on to the experience yourself. That is the way God meant it to be. The principle is universal. Compare our Christian duties. We don’t minister to others because we are blessed-we minister to others because we want to bless them.

It is completely incidental that the byproduct of selflessly blessing others should result in our being blessed also. Eve was created to be Adam’s helper. It is not in seeking personal fulfillment that she is fulfilled, rather, it is in doing her duty to bless him, that a blessing is returned upon her.

Hormones respond to stimuli. You remember the story of Ruth . She gave her baby to old Naomi to nurse. It is a fact that an old woman who has not had a baby in 20 or more years can produce milk in her breasts and be able to nurse a baby. It just takes the physical stimulation of the baby attempting to nurse to provoke her glance into producing milk. Even a woman who has never been pregnant and nursing baby if a baby stimulates her breast by nursing. It might take a few days, or even a few weeks, but if she sticks with the stimulus, it will work.

I repeat a known medical fact: hormones respond to stimuli. A woman whose heart and mind are focused on pleasing her man has hormones ready to be awakened to answer her husband’s desires. Before those hormones kick in and get active, a good woman should respond with great enjoyment toward her husband, simply because she finds joy in his pleasure.

Don’t talk to me about menopause. I know all about menopause, and it is a lame excuse. Don’t talk to me about how uncomfortable or painful it is for you. Do you think your body is special and has special needs? Do you know who created you, and do you know He is the same God who expects you to freely give sex to your husband?

Stop the excuses! Determine to find a way past your “excuses,” and provide the pleasure your husband wants only from you. Your Creator knows your heart. When you truly love and reverence your husband, the very thought of him loving the likes of you should thrill your soul and make you long to give him pleasure.

If your heart is right with God, you will fall on your knees and lay aside your own selfish, prudish attitude. The hormones are there, ready to be unleashed. Go to your husband with the intention of having a good time with him. A sober woman plans ahead.

You need to read the book Holy Sex by Michael Pearl.

Awake, My Beloved

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Pearl,

When I picked up your book, Holy Sex, I was afraid to read it. I thought he would tell me that what I was feeling was wrong-but you didn’t, and instead you gave me a wonderful gift. We’ve been married for 26 years, and our love is getting better as we grow older. Sex is always been fulfilling; we seek to please each other, I have a wonderful partner in bed, and I am blessed.

Enjoyisex 10ng my husband has always been fine with me, but I’ve experience a deeper longing and a hunger for him. I thought this was wrong. Times when I kissed and touched him from head to toe, were feelings of adoration and sometimes worship of him (note from Marc: obviously this is wrong, but you get the point), and I felt it was wrong. I love him so much, and I desire to pour all of my being into him, I struggled with whether it was right to do so.

There are times when I am so into him at the end of our loving, I weep. He is asking why, and I can’t explain other than, with all that I am, I feel grateful for his love. I feel completely satisfied. You have helped me accept that our Creator designed us to be spirit, soul, body, and that oneness in flesh can be more than physical; it can have a spiritual and emotional essence that is pure.

It was two morning when I finished your book. I woke my beloved and shared myself with him without reservation. I wept in his arms afterwards, and all was good. Thank you for your book, Holy Sex.

Brenda

Marriage between a man and a woman is a picture of our relationship with Christ. It is a great mystery. The physical union between a man and a woman is so beautiful, so otherworldly, that God uses sexual intercourse to illustrate our relationship with him.

The great mystery includes spiritual closeness, emotional openness, the intensity of feelings, and the act of loving copulation. Marriage in all its completeness is what God chose as an example of Christ and the Church. It wasn’t something figured out by Adam in Eden and passed down through the ages us.

“Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled.” Hebrews 13:4

Brenda’s great satisfaction did not come because her husband was so spiritual, sensitive, or endowed with some special sexual gift. The couple is experiencing what God intends for all married couples. In husband and wife relationships, God always speaks first of the wife, telling her to submit, and then to the husband, to love. Brenda’s relationship with her husband started with her attitude of honor and thanksgiving toward him. You can see where it took her.

Exception: sexual perversions

Anal sex is a homosexual act and no normal man or woman desires this. Use of pornography is a perversion. Any sexual contact with children is a perversion.

Traits Of A Good Helpmeet

  • a good helpmeet glories to answer your husband’s needs
  • she learns to know his needs even before he is aware he has them.
  • she at least reminded the cares of the world saw her body can respond to him with eagerness.

Traits Of A Wife Who Is In Danger Of Blaspheming The Word Of God..

  • accuses her husband of lust toward her because he wants sex more than she does.
  • accuses her husband of being insensitive when he needs sex and she doesn’t feel the desire.
  • excuses for lack of wanting to satisfy him sexually on the grounds that ____ (you fill in the blank. The “excuses list” can be very long)

Make A New Habit

Make a list of personal plans of how you’re going to love your husband. Be sure you come up with lots of bright ideas. I would suggest at least one special day a week. Plan on a different addition to your “birthday suit” each week such as: ribbons, jewelry, lace, jeans, scarves, feathers, ragged T-shirt, a chain of wildflowers, or whatever! Just use your imagination.

Getting Serious With God

The song of Solomon is a 22nd book of the Bible. It is a love song and play that was written by Solomon about his wooing and wedding of the shepherd girl. All eight chapters tell the story and graphic political detail of longing for the lover, finding the lover, and what the lovers did when they were together. Most commentators find a need to turn the passage into a spiritual picture of Christ’s love for the Church.

I sincerely believe that old Solomon was thinking of the sexual expression of his love for her when he wrote it, and I think the same when I read. What do you think? As you read God’s novel about sex, ask yourself if you feel toward her husband the same hunger as a shepherd girl did for her lover. Make a written list of things you are going to do that will start to change your actions. Your feelings will follow suit.

Several Good Reasons To Be Sexy For Your Man

  • It’s fun.
  • It’s healthy. Studies prove regular sex makes a person healthier.
  • It provokes a man to appreciate you.
  • It causes him to feel good about himself.
  • It mellows a woman out and helps keep her hormones balanced.
  • It safeguards your husband from wily, sinful women trying to mark his integrity.
  • Children benefit from having a mother and daddy who are terribly in love.
  • It is intended by God to be an earthly example of divine worship intimacy.
  • It makes sweet babies.

    mike-and-debi-pearl

    Debi and Michael Pearl

+++

CREATED TO BE HIS HELP MEET – BY DEBI PEARL

HOLY SEX – BY MICHAEL PEARL 

+++

For helpful posts and articles about sex and marriage, click here.

+++

Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.

Your friend and brother in fighting the good fight,

Marc

+++

Saints, we’re one day closer to Home, and Him! Love Him wholeheartedly!

Marc and Walk Worthy are supported in part by the body of Jesus Christ. Please consider donating on a regular basis:

www.WalkWorthy.org/donate

You may view our Archives here: AT THE BATTLE FRONT – ARCHIVES; Complete Archives. May our Father richly bless you with His grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in order to walk worthy of His name.

Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.

Marc White, Director, Walk Worthy Ministries, www.WalkWorthy.org


Filed Under: At The Battle Front - becoming victorious overcomers, Best of Walk Worthy - most popular, controversial, & convicting, Marriage - building block for the family, Men and Husbands - God's loving warriors, Women and Wives - God's respectful helpers Tagged With: debi pearl, Michael Pearl, sex and philosology, sex in marriage, sex is physical for husbands

IRRECONCILABLE TO CHRISTIANS & THE LAKE OF FIRE [MONDAY MANNA 165]

July 28, 2014 by jesusislord 4 Comments

split

Dear friends,

There may be no more important work we can do at Walk Worthy than this teaching. It’s that sobering and deadly serious. Your eternal destiny is determined in part by your deeds in this crucial area.

Don’t think Almighty God would eventually send His human creatures to the lake of fire for failing to practice reconciliation? Well, be sure to read on then…

As a young boy I grew up on Keokuk Avenue in a blue collar neighborhood right in the heart of Chicago. My unsaved but law abiding parents would throw many parties in our flat. And the drinking of alcohol was the star of the show. Mild drunkenness was the rigor of the day. It all seemed so right for it was all I knew.

My Dad would exclaim, “Let’s have a libation…or two…or three!” Eventually, at the age of 10 or so, my Dad would give me a taste of both his Canadian Club bourbon and occasionally a Tavern Pale beer. I never really liked it, but I felt it was the socially acceptable thing to do. And the “libation” was the way we all knew we were united as dear friends…in agreement with each other and not unreconciled.

We’d frequently offer a “toast” and the clinking of glasses as they came together in a further sign of unity.

Eventually over the ensuing years, the alcohol would win and I’d become a nightly drinker and closet alcoholic even while keeping high paying jobs, and being an entrepreneur at times.

This “libation” tradition came alive to me in a greater way as a young boy of 9 years old as Hollywood made a rare mistake in making a fairly good movie about the power and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

libation 1 ben hurHollywood Makes A Movie

In the 1959 riveting movie Ben-Hur, the winner of 11 Academy Awards, wealthy entrepreneur Judah Ben-Hur of Jerusalem and his boyhood friend Masala, now a Roman soldier, reunite. At first they would rekindle the old fellowship, and seal this with an arm-around-arm libation. But Judah suspects Masala has an agenda against his fellow countrymen.

Masala is the new commander of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem. The next day at Judah’s city estate, he demands from Judah the names of the local Judeans (Jews) opposed to Rome. When Judah refuses and Masala declares him an enemy of Rome, he becomes irreconcilable towards his old friend Judah, quickly has him condemned to death, and sent to the sea in the belly of a Roman galley warship.

Gods used this movie to begin drawing me to Himself even back then. I would see the move at least 8 times over the next 15-20 years before being saved. Each time the salvation scene at the end sparked by Christ’s blood off the cross would convict and overwhelm me with tears. Judah Ben-Hur’s forgiveness towards his enemies would strike a dagger in my restless heart. It would take another quarter century until that rebellious heart libation 2 ben hursurrendered to the King of Kings.

His Word Speaks Clearly About Disagreement

The Word of God has a lot to say about being one in the Holy Spirit, being in unity, being reconciled if things come apart, and what we must do with those who are irreconcilable.

The body of Christ these days is more characterized by divisions than unity and with irreconcilability vs. reconciliation. How often do you hear the statement, “we can just agree to disagree.”

What “agreeing to disagree” really means is, “no, I won’t even eat with you to find agreement in this. I want to stand apart from you in this since you’re wrong and I’m right. We can just focus on Jesus.”

True?

Our brother the apostle Paul directly assaults his Corinthian church plant head on since they are in huge trouble with this demonic attitude of divisions, sects, and irreconcilability.

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

No divisions. No disagreements. The same mind and judgment. Made complete and 100% by the humble Spirit’s wisdom and conviction. When was the last (or first) time you’ve heard a message on this, beloved?

We expect pagans devoid of the Holy Spirit to be irreconcilable over even the pettiest of disagreements and offenses. But the holy body of Christ with the Head residing in the spirit of His children? God forbid.

As I read and hear brethren comment on the passage above, virtually all I hear is, “well, what he really meant to say is….blah, blah, blah.” Oh, really? They always turn the passage on its ear to say exactly the opposite.

Again, our job description as kingdom citizens is as ministers. Of what primarily?

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

lords supperThe Main Reason We Meet

Now…according to Paul, was is the main reason we meet in the New Covenant body of Christ?

To hear a sermon? Listen to and sing contemporary Christian music? Spend time in small groups away from the main meeting? Attend Sunday School for the kids? Lead a Bible study?

Paul is taking them to task here.

1 Corinthians 11:18-20 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions (Greek: skisma; a split) exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions (Greek: hairesis, where we get the word ‘heresy;’ sects) among you, so that those who are approved (read more about approved-disapproved here) may become evident among you. Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper…

Furthermore, some are getting drunk in the home meetings. Despicable, actually.

1 Corinthians 11:21-22 for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you.

We have two major clues to God’s holiness here.

First, eating together is the sign of true unity – and before we do so, we’re to seek complete 100% unity in reconciliation. Why? We insult and dishonor the blood of Jesus Christ if we remain unreconciled.

Second, if we persist, God may very well just kill us. Yep, you heard that right. God killed some who were dishonoring Him and His people at the supper. He’s serious about the sacrifice of His Son.

1 Corinthians 11:27-32 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.

For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

poured-outThe Libation In Ancient Times

Now, Paul also illustrated how important the “libation” was in life since it was a central part of pagan worship and a part of their past pagan experiences before Christ.

Philippians 2:17-18 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering (Greek: spendo, a libation) upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

The Complete Biblical Library Commentary put it this way:

Paul expressed his unselfish willingness to give his life as a martyr for the Lord. Several years later he used nearly the same terminology just before he actually did suffer martyrdom (2 Timothy 4:6). He used the metaphor of a cup of wine being poured upon a burnt offering. He wrote about the pouring out of his blood upon the sacrifice which was the Philippians’ testimony and service for God. The Philippians understood very well this type of language. They often saw (demonic pagan) public ceremonies where animals would be sacrificed and wine would be poured on top of the sacrifice.

Paul continues to model the servant lifestyle by examples. Brother Craig Keener, in his IVP Bible Background Commentary, teaches us this about this passage:

Ancient religions regularly poured out libations to the gods, usually wine but sometimes water or another substance. Paul is being poured out (cf. Phil. 2:7) as such a “drink offering” to the true God, a willing offering on their behalf that joined their own sacrifice.

The last written chapter of Holy Scripture in the remarkable life of our brother, the apostle Paul makes this stunning declaration.

2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering (spendo), and the time of my departure has come.

What Happens To The Rebel?

But…what does the Lord say about the rebel who refuses to reconcile? And in our day and age, many (most?) of those in the west in pews and chairs in homes will fit this category I’m afraid. We all might for a moment be disunited, but the real lover of Jesus will drop everything to make it right.

Here’s one list of sins these rebels display against God. Look very carefully at the other sins in the list. Scrutinize them with prayer. Itstonewaller’s terrifying, actually, at least to me. Hopefully, to you as well.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men (people who profess Christ) will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power. Avoid such men (people) as these.

The word here for irreconcilable in Greek is aspondos (as-pon-dos), taken from a (no) and spondê (truce, libation). So then, it’s “without libation,” i.e. without truce, hence the admitting of no truce. It eventually came to mean a person not willing to make peace, or to come to an understanding. In the Jerusalem Bible they call it “unappeasable.” You just can’t appease these people.

A common attitude in these people can be encapsulated by the phrase, “God told me (so buzz off),” and “God can tell me but you can’t.”

Once again, The Complete Biblical Library Commentary speaks truth to us on verse 3.

The six sins listed in this verse are those (1) “without natural affection” (astorgoi, from storg?, “family love”); (2) “trucebreakers” (aspondoi, from spondai, “truce, agreement”); (3) “false accusers” (diaboloi, “slanderers”); (4) “incontinent” (akrateis, “without self-control”); (5) “fierce” (an?meroi, “brutal, savage”—describes wild beasts); (6) “despisers of those that are good” (aphilagathoi, “haters of good”—i.e., all that is good, whether in people or things).

From Old Testament times, a truce was often reached and consummated around a meal, a drink, with a libation.

But who are the people in this passage we’re to avoid, and not even to eat with such a one? You might be thinking that we’re supposed to be “friends” with everybody, just forgiving them, and “let bygones be bygones” so to speak.

leaving churchThe Word declares to us the truth here.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13  I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES (Duet. 3.5, 17.7, 21.21, 1Cor. 5.2).

It can’t be much more clear, can it? We’re in the world with His Light, evangelizing, discipling, preaching the clear clarion call of full reconciliation with Christ.

But…Marc, you might say, are you suggesting we’re to remove the sinning, irreconcilable brother-sister, and their evil, from any fellowship until they repent and make it right?

Yes. Here it is in full array. Deuteronomy 13:5, 17.7, and 21.21.

But this is quoting an Old Testament verse, right? How can this be for today, you may muse. See the eternal value of the Old Covenant record here and here.

This holy deed, this purging, is called “delivering one to Satan” in the very name and power of our Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 5:4-6 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?

Even Christians have every work, every deed, judged by the King when He sits on His judgment seat over us.

2 Corinthians 5:10-11a For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men….

We all know the goal is complete restoration is a spirit of humility and gentleness. reconciliation

Now What About Us

The vital question, then: are you reconciled to all as far as it depends on you? Or are you really a stonewaller? Would God consider you a reconciler…or a rebel against true unity?

So…dear friend…are you, in any way, practicing this heinous sin akin to witchcraft and severe contention?

1 Samuel 15:23a For rebellion is as the sin of divination (witchcraft), and insubordination (pushing and pushing) is as iniquity and idolatry.

Wife, are you fully reconciled to your husband in obedient respect. Husband, to your wife in obedient protection and provision? To your family? To the members of His body?

Brother, are you offended and not going to your offender as Matthew 18 specifies? Or are you causing someone to stumble, and refusing to reconcile? Sister, is the same happening to you?

Or are you mostly “agreeing to disagree” and trampling under our feet the blood of the covenant by which we were sanctified and insulting the Spirit of grace? It’s a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (1 Cor. 10)

Moreover, we must repent, or perish.

Luke 13:1-5 Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Reconciliation first moveMy dear brethren, make it right with the people and groups you’ve stood apart from recently and over the years. Now. If they won’t reconcile, then shake the dust off your feet. But you must make the effort.

Matthew 5:23-26 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

Being irreconcilable is also akin to practicing dissensions, to stand apart. God always blesses by bringing people together around His Truth. And He curses by dividing people up.

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions (those who stand apart), factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 16:17-18 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.

That’s why the truce, the reconciled act, the “libation” is so precious to our great God. And if not, I myself will have to avoid you…which is not at all what I desire to do, since I truly desire to be unified as one in the Spirit. I couldn’t even eat with you…to have a “libation.”

When anyone says, “we can just agree to disagree” a bell ought to go off in our head. Pray to Almighty God that those words never, ever again pass between our lips. That the mouth, the rudder of our ship, will be so controlled by His Spirit that all we will do – ever again – is to be ministers of reconciliation.

Proving Our Love To Christ

Are you really a new creature in Christ since He will no longer count our sins against us if we endure to the end?

Prove it then…for again we quote His holy Word.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

God Himself reconciled you and me – rebellious wretched sinners – through Jesus Christ even before we were saved…before the foundation of the reconciliation 3world through the blood of His torturous and murderous cross. Amazing.

We can do no less – no less – unless we are still, or have fallen away to again become, the devil’s children…or are presently being seduced by evil, demonic spirits and the teaching doctrines of demons themselves.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith (lose their initial salvation by not enduring to the end), paying attention to (seduced by) deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron…

For when you practice irreconcilability, God must be true to the justice of His holy character. He must act to purify His kingdom from those who would pollute it by their hypocritical lives.

Even our dear brother Daniel records the promise and warning of the visiting angel beginning at the end of Chapter 10 as he closes the book that bears his name.

Daniel 12:2 “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt…”

God awaits your reconciliation since as a new creature He expects you to go and sin no more. It’s the normal life for a little Christ…a little Messiah.

1 John 2:3-6 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep (guard) His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

And in the last chapter of His sacred writings, we find the following.

Revelation 22:14-15 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.

Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

So, then. Are we breaking Jesus’ commandments in practicing lying by standing apart in disunity?

Just how vital it is to avoid being irreconcilable and practice the ministry of reconciliation?

Eternal life and death.

Revelation 20hell 6:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds (like being irreconcilable).

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds (like being irreconcilable).

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Do we truly have ears to hear?

Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.

Your friend and brother in fighting the good fight,

Marc

+++

Saints, we’re one day closer to Home, and Him! Love Him wholeheartedly!

Marc and Walk Worthy are supported in part by the body of Jesus Christ. Please consider donating on a regular basis:

www.WalkWorthy.org/donate

You may view our Archives here: MONDAY MANNA – ARCHIVES; Complete Archives. May our Father richly bless you with His grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in order to walk worthy of His name.

Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.

Marc White, Director, Walk Worthy Ministries, www.WalkWorthy.org

 

 

Filed Under: Best of Walk Worthy - most popular, controversial, & convicting, Holiness - without living holy no one sees the Lord, Monday Manna - new week equipping for the spiritual war Tagged With: christian unity, irreconcile, lake of fire, ministers of reconciliation, reconcile

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 12
  • Next Page »

Registration – by email Get FREE Video series “Helping Jesus Grow His Kingdom!”

We respect your email privacy

 

Share This Content

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Categories

  • All The Words of Jesus – listening to and obeying all His Words
  • At The Battle Front – becoming victorious overcomers
  • Best of Walk Worthy – most popular, controversial, & convicting
  • Bible Commentary
  • Bible Stories Today – paraphrase updates for modern times
  • Bible Verses Containing English Words – knowing how the Word describes God
  • Bible Words – understanding New Testament Greek & Old Testament Hebrew
  • Body of Christ – the "church"
  • Communication: biblical & honorable – a key to solving disageements and preserving lasting unity
  • Cry of Today's Prophets – the ancient Prophets words for our modern times
  • Cultural Schemes and Lies
  • Dear Brethren – advice to and from the saints
  • Dear Friend – the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ
  • Escaping the American Jesus – discovering & following the real God
  • Eternal Rewards & Torment – treasure up God's rewards & flee from eternal hell
  • False Teaching, Prophets, and Leaders – identifying those causing people to stumble
  • Family – building block for His kingdom
  • Featured Videos
  • Friday Fire – kindling the fire at week's end
  • Giving An Account – defending the faith against pagans & believers
  • History of America – the occultism and rebellion that spawned the biggest movement of humanism ever
  • Holiness – without living holy no one sees the Lord
  • Jesus' Ancient Parables for Today – the Master's updated teachings for today
  • Kingdom Bible College: Video Series – the Word of God as the Life of Christ
  • Kingdom Briefs – short, concsise teachings and doctrines
  • Kingdom Definitions – understanding the doctrines and devil's schemes
  • Kingdom of God – the eternal purpose of our Father that He carried out through Jesus Christ
  • Kingdom Quotes – hastening "Your kingdom come"
  • Logic In The Kingdom – avoiding foolishness
  • Love Your Enemies – are we a Christian or not?
  • Marriage – building block for the family
  • MEAT – the Modern Expository Amplified Text
  • Men and Husbands – God's loving warriors
  • Mercy of God – His lovingkindness is upon all those who love and fear Him!
  • Monday Manna – new week equipping for the spiritual war
  • Money – Do Not Store Up Treasures on Earth – what part of "do not" is confusing?
  • Music Videos – songs to "muse" on the Lord God!
  • Names of God – the Creator is identified by 100's of wonderful names
  • Out Of The Depths – crying out to the Lord!
  • Poli-tricks and Christians – the bankrupcy & seduction of the political system
  • Prayer – speaking with God
  • Preparing for Great Tribulation – like no other time in human history
  • Prophets & Prophecy – God's calling to holiness
  • Raising Children – the top prize for God or Satan
  • Renovating the Spirit, Decorating the Soul
  • Resources – key help in loving God & living in His kingdom
  • Respecting Your Husband – the key to a man's heart
  • Rightly Dividing The Word – understanding basic eternal Bible truths
  • The Devil's Schemes – we are not ignorant of them
  • Travel – for God's missions
  • Understanding the Bible – living holy lives to bring Jesus pleasure depends on our understanding of His Word
  • Updates, Alerts, & Prayers – our communication to you, our ministry supporters and partners
  • Video List
  • Walking Worthy – loving God through obedience
  • Walking Worthy of Christ Daily – walking worthy is a requirement to enter the Kingdom
  • Weekend Works – a listing of works for enCOURAGEment
  • Women and Wives – God's respectful helpers
  • Words of Jesus – the King of kings speaks
  • Your Comments to Us – teach, proclaim, exhort, admonish, as iron sharpens iron