Justifying Wickedness
Part One
“He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 17: 15 NASB).”
The condemnation of the righteous is something in which every advancing disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ will become quite familiar (Matt. 5: 11/Gal. 4: 16/2Tim.3: 12). “Sunday-morning Christians” may never experience this “condemnation” or the “persecution” spoken of in 2Tim. 3: 12. The reason for this that where they are along the road to spiritual maturity poses no threat to the opposition. In fact, they can unwittingly be used by the devil right where they are right now!
What I mean by a Sunday morning Christian is a born again believer that attends or otherwise connects with a local assembly once a week for an hour or so, goes through the motions, but whose overt life for the remaining 167 hours each week is no different than the unbelievers around him/her.
In this presentation, we will focus on the justification of the wicked part of Proverbs 17: 15.
We will begin our study with a few definitions and principles associated with Proverbs 17: 15.
Wickedness is anything that the Bible identifies as being evil or morally wrong. The key word here is Bible.
Evil is anything that violates, adds to, takes from, distorts, or contradicts what the Word of God (The Bible) actually has to say. By this definition, those with spiritual discernment can see that some forms of evil (false gospel, doctrines, practices) are no strangers to many areas of what is generally considered to be a part of the Christian Community. No wonder our Lord, the Head of the Church, made praying for the deliverance from evil (Matt. 6: 13) a part of the lesson when He taught His disciples not so much what to say, but how to pray (Matt. 6: 9).
Ignorance or denial of the presence of evil WITHIN the Christian Community at large that “religious” authority has established plays right into the hands of the devil. One would think that a pulpit would be the last place from which one would expect evil to come forth, making it the strategically ideal place and means to promote it.
Sin is committed when we do anything that the Word of God prohibits or when we fail to do anything that the Word of God requires. This underscores the need for Biblical Discipleship in the lives of those who desire to “follow” Christ.
To some degree, we all sin every day (1John 1: 8) by what we think, say, do (or fail to do), confirming the need for the ongoing confession (1John 1: 9) and forsaking (John 8: 11) of sin. This is a major part of the process of being conformed to the likeness (Romans 8: 29) of Christ. Conforming to His likeness is one of the ways we follow Christ (Matt. 16: 24). A born again believer has already been saved. What the advancing disciple is “following” is the road to spiritual maturity.
Just as joining and going to a gym does nothing, in of itself, to benefit one's physical condition, the same can be said about joining and going to a church. It is those who choose to make the best out of their time while in the gym or while in the church that benefit from doing so.
Not all gyms or churches are the same. The right equipment coupled with the right guidance is necessary in both gyms and churches if the maximum benefits from attending either one is going to be achieved.
Providing that the church one attends is of the type that God designed, a church is only one of many places that God the Holy Spirit can use to present the unadulterated Gospel Message, affording one the opportunity to be saved. Being saved is a one time event that can take place anywhere God the Holy Spirit chooses. According to the plan of God, connecting with the type of church outlined in Scripture is an ongoing activity (Heb. 10: 25) affording born again believers the opportunity to celebrate the Lord's Supper and to be taught the Word of God (2Pet. 3: 18).
The stated (1Cor. 12: 24, 25) purpose for celebrating the Lord’s Supper (Communion) is to bring into remembrance what took place on the cross, keeping participants anchored to the solid Rock and securely placed on the foundation. The teaching of the Word of God is the “inside” part of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19, 20).
Disciple is an English translation of the original Greek Word mathetes meaning a technical student, in this case , of the Word of God.
Many of the “religious” beliefs and practices that have evolved WITHIN the Christian Community are based on human viewpoint and religious traditions of men (Col. 2: 8) that do not have the support of Scripture. In some cases, they actually contradict Scripture.
There is something about seeing it for oneself that makes a deeper impression. For this reason, I encourage readers to take the time to read all of the Scripture references in these presentations.
. . .
To justify means to make something right.
As of The Fall (Gen 3), there was/is NOTHING that Man could do, then or now, to make things right again with God. If the lost souls of Man were/are to be saved, it would (and did) take something beyond their reach and ability.
Just as physically dead men and women can do nothing in the natural realm, spiritually dead individuals can do nothing in the spiritual realm. Man can become very religious, apart from God, but not spiritual (John 15:5).
As of The Fall, we come into this world physically alive, but spiritually dead. As of the Church Age, the one and only resolution to this spiritually dead condition is the Titus 3: 5 regeneration that, being the work of God the Holy Spirit, takes place the moment one is born again (John 3: 5, 7). There never has been, is not now, or ever will be a religious tradition or ritual of Man that can provide one with eternal life (John 3: 16).
In futile attempts to regain the fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) lost at the Fall, and to receive eternal life (John 3: 16), Man has created and embraced many different religions of the world (Psalms 96: 5) over the course of human history.
The one thing that they all have in common is that NONE of them can provide their followers with eternal life. This is why Satan promotes them all.
Man made religion of ANY brand are among the things that man holds in high esteem, but are abominations in the sight of God. (Luke 16: 15).
As far as salvation is concerned, justifying wickedness takes place whenever something else, other than or in addition to placing one's faith (trust and confidence) in the Person and the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ is promoted as being the means to obtain or retain salvation.
This includes the additives that have been planted and have grown deep roots in the Christian Community over the course of the Church Age.
In addition to the type of wickedness (false gospel messages) associated with salvation, wickedness encompasses all other forms of sin and evil as well, but with different consequences.
The salvation that a born again believer has already received remains secure (Romans 8: 1). Never-the-less, by engaging in other forms of sin and evil (not related to salvation) there are other earthly (Heb. 12: 6) and eternal (1Cor. 3: 15) consequences to be experienced.
. . .
There is a comfort zone that we can come to experience when we justify wickedness. We are disturbed when the comfort zone of our wickedness is rattled by the truth. It is not a pleasant experience, leaving us with only a few options. Option #1 is to have the humility to acknowledge the truth and make the necessary arrangements. Option #2 is to deny the truth, or to rationalize it is away. Option #3 is to know in our heart of hearts it is the truth, but change the subject by turning the tables by attacking (Matt. 7: 6) the short-comings of the communicator.
Because NONE of us will ever be without faults, we are all subject to the option #3 response by others. Our only recourse is to be like the Apostle Paul and ask, “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth (Gal. 4: 16 NASB) ?”
Q. How does a comfort zone develop?
A. It begins with one sin, usually with the motivation of gaining something that we may not likely otherwise receive, or receive as soon.
For example, when we self-justify lying, it makes it easy to defraud, deceive, cheat, and swindle.
The comfort zone of wickedness is reinforced every time one experiences the seasonal pleasure (Heb. 11: 25) of sin or ill gotten gains (Proverbs 10: 2) that many forms of wickedness DO provide. Disciples have found the prosperity of the wicked to be a hard pill to swallow until they realize the end result (Psalms 73).
Jesus turned down the devil's offer of fame, glory, and earthly prosperity for us (Luke 4: 6). Had He accepted the offer, He would have disqualified Himself as the Lamb of God, rendering Himself unable to fulfill the work He came to do. His advancing disciples will not allow anything or anyone to get in the way of the plan that God has in mind for them.
Do you know what that general and individual plans are?
The general plan calls for being born again, followed up by identifying and executing the type of post salvation spiritual life outlined in New Testament Scripture. The individual plan for each born again believer calls for identifying the specific spiritual gift and the accompanying area of service that God has in mind (See 1Cor.12) for him/her.
One will not have the desire to take on the inevitable adversity (2Tim. 3: 12) that a godly life will bring as long as one chooses to remain in the comfort zone of wickedness.
False doctrine and their accompanying practices contribute to fostering the comfort zone of the type of wickedness established and promoted by the religious traditions of men. They are “wicked” abominations in the sight of God because they leave the participants with a false sense of security, believing all is well.
Another contributor to the comfort zone of wickedness is seeking guidance from and/or intervention by powers or personalities outside of the Trinity. Every time one hears what he/she wants to hear, or believes that he/she has gotten what one desired through such means, his/her confidence is increased.
The Bible does NOT dispute that there are powers and personalities (Luke 4: 6/Eph. 6: 12), real (Exodus 7: 11) and imagined (Psalms 96: 5) outside of the Trinity that have (or are perceived to have) the power and ability to bring both about “blessings” and adversity in the lives of individuals or groups. What one needs to discern is the source of the blessing or adversity and for what end result is the “provider” offering or conveying the blessings or adversity (Exodus 7: 11/Math. 24: 24/Luke 4: 6).
Does the “blessing” bolster one's faith in God, or in someone or something else? Did the adversity ultimately destroy something, or did it serve to make us spiritually more mature?
Satan mimics and counterfeits the work and activity of God. I believe that just as God gives supernatural abilities to His spokespersons to bolster the unadulterated Gospel Message and the accurate doctrine they promote, the devil does the same through those that do his bidding. These supernatural abilities, used by the Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil can manifest both prosperity (Luke 4: 6) and adversity (1Pet. 5: 8), but always with a diabolical objective in mind.
Ever wonder why so many promoters of evil have so much and are so frequently in the public spotlight?
The question is by whom (Phil. 4: 191/Luke 4: 6) and for what reason is this prosperity being provided. When the devil is behind it, the ultimate objective is someone’s destruction (1Pet. 5: 8). If he can lead thousands astray by providing prosperity to a few (e.g. celebrities), its an investment he is more than willing to make.
Developing the spiritual discernment to know where the prosperity or the adversity is coming from is critical for success in the realm of spiritual combat (Eph. 6). Will getting what we want when we want it bring us further along the road to spiritual maturity, or lead us astray?
Note that when God says that no weapon forged against us will prosper (Isa. 54:17), our victory or defeat is based on OUR response. God does not say that we won’t be attacked (Eph. 6: 16/2Pet. 5: 8), but that when we are under attack, we can defend ourselves with the shield of faith. Faith, in this case, consists of possession and application of accurate Bible doctrine.
These attacks can come in the form of distractive prosperity, or in adversity. It matters not (to the devil) if can take you captive via prosperity or via adversity, as long as the end result goes in his favor.
By seeking guidance and intervention of powers and personalities outside of the Trinity, instead of or well as from God, one can not know for sure from where the outcome came from. Both Satan (Luke 4: 6/Eph. 6: 16) and God (Job 2: 10) will use both blessings and adversity to accomplish their objectives.
One of the objectives of Satan is to deny God as much glory as possible. God will share the glory due Him with NO ONE (Isa. 42: 8).
Q. What is it that a power or personality outside of the Trinity can do for anyone that God could or would not do (Phil. 4: 19), if what we want is in line with the plan that God has mind?
A. NOTHING!
That being the case, even common sense would suggest that one would be wise not to avoid the consequences of offending God by going to third parties when seeking guidance and/or intervention.
The truth is that as long as one believes that there is something to be gained, it is likely that he/she will continue to involve oneself with the source of the guidance or prosperity, even in the face of direct defiance of the Word of God (See Jer. 44: 17-19). Many will, in turn, promote this activity, ensnaring others as well.
I believe that if one chooses to seek personalities and powers outside of the Trinity in order to receive guidance or intervention, we are engaging in spiritual adultery by expressing a lack of faith in the principle of Phil. 4: 19.
It is only when one seeks guidance and intervention from God alone, that he/she CAN then know for certain that regardless of what outcome turns out to be, it was/is/or will, in fact, be an expression of God's direct, permissive, or over-ruling will.
Everything we see as good (Gen. 3: 6) does not always come from God. Everything we see as bad does not always come from the devil (Job 2: 10).
End of Part One
Part One
“He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 17: 15 NASB).”
The condemnation of the righteous is something in which every advancing disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ will become quite familiar (Matt. 5: 11/Gal. 4: 16/2Tim.3: 12). “Sunday-morning Christians” may never experience this “condemnation” or the “persecution” spoken of in 2Tim. 3: 12. The reason for this that where they are along the road to spiritual maturity poses no threat to the opposition. In fact, they can unwittingly be used by the devil right where they are right now!
What I mean by a Sunday morning Christian is a born again believer that attends or otherwise connects with a local assembly once a week for an hour or so, goes through the motions, but whose overt life for the remaining 167 hours each week is no different than the unbelievers around him/her.
In this presentation, we will focus on the justification of the wicked part of Proverbs 17: 15.
We will begin our study with a few definitions and principles associated with Proverbs 17: 15.
Wickedness is anything that the Bible identifies as being evil or morally wrong. The key word here is Bible.
Evil is anything that violates, adds to, takes from, distorts, or contradicts what the Word of God (The Bible) actually has to say. By this definition, those with spiritual discernment can see that some forms of evil (false gospel, doctrines, practices) are no strangers to many areas of what is generally considered to be a part of the Christian Community. No wonder our Lord, the Head of the Church, made praying for the deliverance from evil (Matt. 6: 13) a part of the lesson when He taught His disciples not so much what to say, but how to pray (Matt. 6: 9).
Ignorance or denial of the presence of evil WITHIN the Christian Community at large that “religious” authority has established plays right into the hands of the devil. One would think that a pulpit would be the last place from which one would expect evil to come forth, making it the strategically ideal place and means to promote it.
Sin is committed when we do anything that the Word of God prohibits or when we fail to do anything that the Word of God requires. This underscores the need for Biblical Discipleship in the lives of those who desire to “follow” Christ.
To some degree, we all sin every day (1John 1: 8) by what we think, say, do (or fail to do), confirming the need for the ongoing confession (1John 1: 9) and forsaking (John 8: 11) of sin. This is a major part of the process of being conformed to the likeness (Romans 8: 29) of Christ. Conforming to His likeness is one of the ways we follow Christ (Matt. 16: 24). A born again believer has already been saved. What the advancing disciple is “following” is the road to spiritual maturity.
Just as joining and going to a gym does nothing, in of itself, to benefit one's physical condition, the same can be said about joining and going to a church. It is those who choose to make the best out of their time while in the gym or while in the church that benefit from doing so.
Not all gyms or churches are the same. The right equipment coupled with the right guidance is necessary in both gyms and churches if the maximum benefits from attending either one is going to be achieved.
Providing that the church one attends is of the type that God designed, a church is only one of many places that God the Holy Spirit can use to present the unadulterated Gospel Message, affording one the opportunity to be saved. Being saved is a one time event that can take place anywhere God the Holy Spirit chooses. According to the plan of God, connecting with the type of church outlined in Scripture is an ongoing activity (Heb. 10: 25) affording born again believers the opportunity to celebrate the Lord's Supper and to be taught the Word of God (2Pet. 3: 18).
The stated (1Cor. 12: 24, 25) purpose for celebrating the Lord’s Supper (Communion) is to bring into remembrance what took place on the cross, keeping participants anchored to the solid Rock and securely placed on the foundation. The teaching of the Word of God is the “inside” part of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19, 20).
Disciple is an English translation of the original Greek Word mathetes meaning a technical student, in this case , of the Word of God.
Many of the “religious” beliefs and practices that have evolved WITHIN the Christian Community are based on human viewpoint and religious traditions of men (Col. 2: 8) that do not have the support of Scripture. In some cases, they actually contradict Scripture.
There is something about seeing it for oneself that makes a deeper impression. For this reason, I encourage readers to take the time to read all of the Scripture references in these presentations.
. . .
To justify means to make something right.
As of The Fall (Gen 3), there was/is NOTHING that Man could do, then or now, to make things right again with God. If the lost souls of Man were/are to be saved, it would (and did) take something beyond their reach and ability.
Just as physically dead men and women can do nothing in the natural realm, spiritually dead individuals can do nothing in the spiritual realm. Man can become very religious, apart from God, but not spiritual (John 15:5).
As of The Fall, we come into this world physically alive, but spiritually dead. As of the Church Age, the one and only resolution to this spiritually dead condition is the Titus 3: 5 regeneration that, being the work of God the Holy Spirit, takes place the moment one is born again (John 3: 5, 7). There never has been, is not now, or ever will be a religious tradition or ritual of Man that can provide one with eternal life (John 3: 16).
In futile attempts to regain the fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) lost at the Fall, and to receive eternal life (John 3: 16), Man has created and embraced many different religions of the world (Psalms 96: 5) over the course of human history.
The one thing that they all have in common is that NONE of them can provide their followers with eternal life. This is why Satan promotes them all.
Man made religion of ANY brand are among the things that man holds in high esteem, but are abominations in the sight of God. (Luke 16: 15).
As far as salvation is concerned, justifying wickedness takes place whenever something else, other than or in addition to placing one's faith (trust and confidence) in the Person and the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ is promoted as being the means to obtain or retain salvation.
This includes the additives that have been planted and have grown deep roots in the Christian Community over the course of the Church Age.
In addition to the type of wickedness (false gospel messages) associated with salvation, wickedness encompasses all other forms of sin and evil as well, but with different consequences.
The salvation that a born again believer has already received remains secure (Romans 8: 1). Never-the-less, by engaging in other forms of sin and evil (not related to salvation) there are other earthly (Heb. 12: 6) and eternal (1Cor. 3: 15) consequences to be experienced.
. . .
There is a comfort zone that we can come to experience when we justify wickedness. We are disturbed when the comfort zone of our wickedness is rattled by the truth. It is not a pleasant experience, leaving us with only a few options. Option #1 is to have the humility to acknowledge the truth and make the necessary arrangements. Option #2 is to deny the truth, or to rationalize it is away. Option #3 is to know in our heart of hearts it is the truth, but change the subject by turning the tables by attacking (Matt. 7: 6) the short-comings of the communicator.
Because NONE of us will ever be without faults, we are all subject to the option #3 response by others. Our only recourse is to be like the Apostle Paul and ask, “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth (Gal. 4: 16 NASB) ?”
Q. How does a comfort zone develop?
A. It begins with one sin, usually with the motivation of gaining something that we may not likely otherwise receive, or receive as soon.
For example, when we self-justify lying, it makes it easy to defraud, deceive, cheat, and swindle.
The comfort zone of wickedness is reinforced every time one experiences the seasonal pleasure (Heb. 11: 25) of sin or ill gotten gains (Proverbs 10: 2) that many forms of wickedness DO provide. Disciples have found the prosperity of the wicked to be a hard pill to swallow until they realize the end result (Psalms 73).
Jesus turned down the devil's offer of fame, glory, and earthly prosperity for us (Luke 4: 6). Had He accepted the offer, He would have disqualified Himself as the Lamb of God, rendering Himself unable to fulfill the work He came to do. His advancing disciples will not allow anything or anyone to get in the way of the plan that God has in mind for them.
Do you know what that general and individual plans are?
The general plan calls for being born again, followed up by identifying and executing the type of post salvation spiritual life outlined in New Testament Scripture. The individual plan for each born again believer calls for identifying the specific spiritual gift and the accompanying area of service that God has in mind (See 1Cor.12) for him/her.
One will not have the desire to take on the inevitable adversity (2Tim. 3: 12) that a godly life will bring as long as one chooses to remain in the comfort zone of wickedness.
False doctrine and their accompanying practices contribute to fostering the comfort zone of the type of wickedness established and promoted by the religious traditions of men. They are “wicked” abominations in the sight of God because they leave the participants with a false sense of security, believing all is well.
Another contributor to the comfort zone of wickedness is seeking guidance from and/or intervention by powers or personalities outside of the Trinity. Every time one hears what he/she wants to hear, or believes that he/she has gotten what one desired through such means, his/her confidence is increased.
The Bible does NOT dispute that there are powers and personalities (Luke 4: 6/Eph. 6: 12), real (Exodus 7: 11) and imagined (Psalms 96: 5) outside of the Trinity that have (or are perceived to have) the power and ability to bring both about “blessings” and adversity in the lives of individuals or groups. What one needs to discern is the source of the blessing or adversity and for what end result is the “provider” offering or conveying the blessings or adversity (Exodus 7: 11/Math. 24: 24/Luke 4: 6).
Does the “blessing” bolster one's faith in God, or in someone or something else? Did the adversity ultimately destroy something, or did it serve to make us spiritually more mature?
Satan mimics and counterfeits the work and activity of God. I believe that just as God gives supernatural abilities to His spokespersons to bolster the unadulterated Gospel Message and the accurate doctrine they promote, the devil does the same through those that do his bidding. These supernatural abilities, used by the Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil can manifest both prosperity (Luke 4: 6) and adversity (1Pet. 5: 8), but always with a diabolical objective in mind.
Ever wonder why so many promoters of evil have so much and are so frequently in the public spotlight?
The question is by whom (Phil. 4: 191/Luke 4: 6) and for what reason is this prosperity being provided. When the devil is behind it, the ultimate objective is someone’s destruction (1Pet. 5: 8). If he can lead thousands astray by providing prosperity to a few (e.g. celebrities), its an investment he is more than willing to make.
Developing the spiritual discernment to know where the prosperity or the adversity is coming from is critical for success in the realm of spiritual combat (Eph. 6). Will getting what we want when we want it bring us further along the road to spiritual maturity, or lead us astray?
Note that when God says that no weapon forged against us will prosper (Isa. 54:17), our victory or defeat is based on OUR response. God does not say that we won’t be attacked (Eph. 6: 16/2Pet. 5: 8), but that when we are under attack, we can defend ourselves with the shield of faith. Faith, in this case, consists of possession and application of accurate Bible doctrine.
These attacks can come in the form of distractive prosperity, or in adversity. It matters not (to the devil) if can take you captive via prosperity or via adversity, as long as the end result goes in his favor.
By seeking guidance and intervention of powers and personalities outside of the Trinity, instead of or well as from God, one can not know for sure from where the outcome came from. Both Satan (Luke 4: 6/Eph. 6: 16) and God (Job 2: 10) will use both blessings and adversity to accomplish their objectives.
One of the objectives of Satan is to deny God as much glory as possible. God will share the glory due Him with NO ONE (Isa. 42: 8).
Q. What is it that a power or personality outside of the Trinity can do for anyone that God could or would not do (Phil. 4: 19), if what we want is in line with the plan that God has mind?
A. NOTHING!
That being the case, even common sense would suggest that one would be wise not to avoid the consequences of offending God by going to third parties when seeking guidance and/or intervention.
The truth is that as long as one believes that there is something to be gained, it is likely that he/she will continue to involve oneself with the source of the guidance or prosperity, even in the face of direct defiance of the Word of God (See Jer. 44: 17-19). Many will, in turn, promote this activity, ensnaring others as well.
I believe that if one chooses to seek personalities and powers outside of the Trinity in order to receive guidance or intervention, we are engaging in spiritual adultery by expressing a lack of faith in the principle of Phil. 4: 19.
It is only when one seeks guidance and intervention from God alone, that he/she CAN then know for certain that regardless of what outcome turns out to be, it was/is/or will, in fact, be an expression of God's direct, permissive, or over-ruling will.
Everything we see as good (Gen. 3: 6) does not always come from God. Everything we see as bad does not always come from the devil (Job 2: 10).
End of Part One