God sent the prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint Saul’s replacement when he determined to remove Saul from his kingship over Israel. At the time Samuel did not know who the new king would be. When Samuel saw Eliab, Jesse’s son, he said “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him” (I Samuel 16:6). Evidently, Eliab had a very impressive appearance, and Samuel was convinced that he was God’s choice. However, God saw things differently.

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature: because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (I Samuel 16:7). Did you catch that? God’s viewpoint is different than man’s viewpoint. The LORD “seeth not as man seeth.” Man sees the outside, but God knows the heart. That is what matters to God and what should matter to us!

Man categorizes people along lines that he can see and openly discern. He separates people, for example, by skin color (yellow, black, white, etc.), ethnicity (Italian, Spanish, Jewish, etc.), gender (male, female) and other visible features (hair color, height, etc.). God is certainly mindful of these distinctions. After all, he created each of them and gave to every individual his or her own unique characteristics. But what matters to God is the heart.

The Psalmist asked this question, “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” (Psalm 15:1). In other words, who will abide with God in his presence? We might even put it this way since God dwells in heaven. Who will dwell in heaven with God? The LORD’s answer is in keeping with what he told Samuel. “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart” (Psalm 15:2).

Solomon wrote “Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:6-7). Solomon through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit recognized that a man’s heart determines his behavior. Consequently, to walk uprightly and to work righteousness begins in the heart. Jesus himself taught “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (Matthew 12:35).

The Psalmist adds “He that speaketh the truth in his heart.” To speak the truth in one’s heart is to agree with God concerning Jesus Chris, his Son. Jesus declared “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). One cannot deny Christ as Savior and Lord and still speak the truth in his heart. John wrote “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also” (I John 2:23).

God does not see as man sees. He looks on the heart. “He that hath the Son hath life: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (I John 5:12). Christ is the dividing line in God’s eyes, not skin color, ethnicity, or gender. Do you speak the truth in your heart?

Have you ever tried to contemplate what can be known of God? An acquaintance of Job, Elihu, while rebuking him made this statement about God: “Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out” (Job 37:23). His point was that God is far beyond our limited human comprehension and no amount of searching on our part can bring an understanding of him within our grasp.

The Apostle Paul went even further by testifying that it was God’s arrangement that man might not find God out through man’s own wisdom, but rather by the preaching of the cross. He wrote to the church in Corinth, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (I Corinthians 1:21). Simply stated, man cannot find out God by his own wisdom, but he can know him through simple faith.

The approach to God through faith is accessible to all men by God’s design. Paul declared it is both “to the wise and to the unwise” (Romans 1:14). Man cannot find him out otherwise. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). Yet this God who inhabits eternity has chosen to make himself known through his Son to those who will receive him. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18).

Mankind can look as long and as hard as he can for God, but he will not find him and know him unless he looks to the Son. Jesus told Philip, one of his disciples, “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). (He has revealed him!) John wrote to his audience “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also” (I John 2:23). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, “Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also” (John 8:19).

The Scriptures reveal plainly that the path to knowing God is through Jesus Christ. Christ declared unequivocally “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). Yes, God the Father is beyond our comprehension and beyond our reach, but we can know him through his Son, Jesus.

Perhaps, what is just as remarkable as the opportunity to know God through Christ is that God the Father wants to be known by us! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). “And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).

God, who is beyond our comprehension, has made a way for us to know him and that way is Jesus Christ. To know Christ is to know God. Have you received the Savior?

Many think that Jesus died as some kind of martyr. Others think that he was the unfortunate victim of a miscarriage of justice. But we can be assured from the Scriptures that Christ was no martyr though he did die purposefully. Nor was his death merely the result of injustice on the part of the Jews or the Romans though they were indeed guilty of such.

Jesus’ death was no surprise to him but was actually his very reason for coming to earth. Speaking of himself, he said, “For even the Son of man [Christ] came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; emphasis added). As he told Nicodemus, a religious leader of the Jews, “God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17).

The world needed a Savior. Every man, woman, and child stands condemned for their sins before a holy God and the penalty for sin is eternal death. The Scriptures teach “There is none righteous, no, not one…for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23). “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and Jesus bore this death in our place for each and every one of us. This is the ransom of which he spoke. He paid the price for our sins.

Jesus was mindful of the necessity of his death as part of God’s plan of salvation. As the time approached he told his disciples expressly of his impending demise. “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted upon: and they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again” (Luke 18:31-33). All of this came to pass just as he told them. What is just as remarkable is that he didn’t draw back from what God had planned. He endured it all for us!

Yes, Jesus Christ paid the debt for our sins on the cross of Calvary, was buried in a tomb, and rose again the third day. Let that last phrase resonate in your mind. He rose again. Jesus did not die for his own sin, but for ours. That being so, God raised him from the dead “who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Justification means that God declares those righteous who believe on Jesus as their Savior. Christ died for our sins that we might have his righteousness. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The gospel is really quite simple. Christ died for our sins that we might not have to die for them ourselves. Why do we sinners struggle to believe that? If our Lord could speak with prophetic authority about his death, burial, and resurrection, then why do we not listen when he speaks of the consequences of unbelief and the promise of eternal life? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

A certain ruler came to Jesus with a question that every thoughtful person has entertained at one time or another. “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). From his question at least two things are evident. First, he believed unquestionably that eternal life was real and, secondly, he did not believe he had it. From the text it seems that he had everything but eternal life. He was a “ruler” and later in the narrative we are told that “he was very rich” (Luke 18:23). We should also note that Christ did not discourage him from his question, thus, commending the consideration.

Our Lord pointedly responded to him laying the groundwork for more discussion. “Why callest thou me good? None is good, save one, that is God” (Luke 18:19). It is important to note Christ did not deny that He was good, as the ruler had stated. Rather, Jesus intended his probe to spur this man’s understanding of both Jesus’ claim to be God (for he did make that claim) and the fact that he (the ruler) was not good. (It is evident that the ruler thought he was indeed good as we shall see.)

In the context of this matter of who is or isn’t good, Jesus set forth five of the ten commandments that relate to our dealing with our fellow man. “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother” (Luke18:20). The ruler’s response was amazing given that Christ had just reminded him that there is none good. He answered, “All these have I kept from my youth up,” a remarkable claim! Yet I imagine there are many likewise today that blindly claim they have not fallen short in fulfilling any of these commands. James, the Lord’s half-brother, reminded us that “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).

Jesus then turned the ruler’s attention to an area not addressed previously when he listed the commandments, his covetousness. “Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he [the ruler] heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich” (Luke 18:22-23). Paul confirmed to the believers in Colosse that “covetousness…is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). Idolatry is anything that comes between us and loving God as we ought. In this respect this ruler’s wealth had become an idol to him for it kept him from coming to God.

Our Lord does not expect us to sell all our belongings in order to follow him. Christ used this challenge to clearly manifest a condition in this man’s heart; he thought more of his wealth than of God. Jesus concluded “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24). The warning is not that wealth keeps one from heaven, but rather a love of wealth that closes heaven’s door. Paul wrote “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (I Timothy 6:10; emphasis added).

Reflecting on the ruler’s question, are you convinced that there is none good, except God, including yourself? We must begin there in order to come to Christ for he said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).

One of the chief spiritual lies that leads to the damnation of men’s souls is the belief that one can earn his way into heaven by good works. The Bible is plain in its declaration of man’s sin. The Scriptures point out “there is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10). Yet, somehow, we are inclined to believe that if we do enough good works that these will outweigh the bad and give us that heavenly home we desire.

The Apostle Paul sought earnestly to eliminate that false hope writing “that no man is justified [declared righteous] by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11). He meant that doing the good things the law required while not doing the things the law condemned would save no one because it simply is impossible to do. James confirmed the guilt of this inevitable failure. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).

Jesus likewise spoke to the foolishness of self-righteousness in a parable. “And he [Jesus] spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus within himself, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:9-14).

The Pharisee, a religious leader, boasted to God by comparing himself to other men. It is always possible to find someone that we compare ourselves with favorably. But our righteousness is not measured in the sight of men, but as Paul noted, in the sight of God! Jesus saw through the hypocrisy of these religious fakes. They were quick to “tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith” (Matthew 23:23).

The publican, a tax collector, was very much aware of his sin before a holy God and was so humbled by it that he could not even look heavenward. Rather, he pleaded that God would be “merciful” toward him, that God would accept him on the basis of the sacrifice.

Jesus concluded the parable “this man [the publican] went down to his house justified [righteous]” and not the Pharisee. The publican received a righteous standing with God thru faith while the Pharisee sought to establish his own righteousness, but came up lacking. How about you? Do you identify with the Pharisee or with the publican? Are you trusting in your own good works or do you need a righteousness that is not your own. Jesus through his death, burial, and resurrection has “offered one sacrifice for sins for all time” (Hebrews 10:12). Receive him and know the righteousness of God.

In the Gospel of Luke, our Lord tells of the death of a certain rich man and a beggar, Lazarus. In doing so he pulls back death’s curtain to reveal a brief yet compelling insight to that which awaits each of us. Christ begins, “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores” (Luke 16: 19-21). With these two statements our Lord summarizes the lives of these two individuals.

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame” (Luke 16:22-24).

It is evident from the narrative that there is life after death. These two were conscious of their surroundings and of each other. We should never be deceived to think that we have this life only and there is nothing after this life. Frankly, this was the downfall of the rich man. It is evident that he lived for this life only. Abraham responded to his request to send Lazarus by reminding him “that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things” (Luke 16:25; emphasis added). The rich man’s fault was not that he was rich, but that he lived his life without regard for eternity. That is an important lesson for each one of us. Jesus taught plainly “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul” (Mark 8:36).

Not only were these two men conscious of their surroundings, but their surroundings were distinctly different. Again, Abraham in responding to the rich man’s request tells him “now he [Lazarus] is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence” (Luke 16:25-26). One location is a place of conscious bliss, and the other is a place of conscious torment. Furthermore, there is no passage between the two – ever!

There is life after death and heaven and hell are real places. Those who live for this life only are not prepared for death and its consequences. Death is an appointment that none can escape as the author of Hebrews points out. “It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Our Lord tells us that hell, the everlasting fire, is “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Though Satan, the devil, is inescapably assigned to suffer eternally there, man can avoid its torment. Each individual must choose. Jesus Christ offers life, the forgiveness of sins, and a home in heaven to those who will receive it. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). What will you do with Jesus?

In the Gospel of Luke, our Lord tells of the death of a certain rich man and a beggar, Lazarus. In doing so he pulls back death’s curtain to reveal a brief yet compelling insight to that which awaits each of us. Christ begins, “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores” (Luke 16: 19-21). With these two statements our Lord summarizes the lives of these two individuals.

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame” (Luke 16:22-24).

It is evident from the narrative that there is life after death. These two were conscious of their surroundings and of each other. We should never be deceived to think that we have this life only and there is nothing after this life. Frankly, this was the downfall of the rich man. It is evident that he lived for this life only. Abraham responded to his request to send Lazarus by reminding him “that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things” (Luke 16:25; emphasis added). The rich man’s fault was not that he was rich, but that he lived his life without regard for eternity. That is an important lesson for each one of us. Jesus taught plainly “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul” (Mark 8:36).

Not only were these two men conscious of their surroundings, but their surroundings were distinctly different. Again, Abraham in responding to the rich man’s request tells him “now he [Lazarus] is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence” (Luke 16:25-26). One location is a place of conscious bliss, and the other is a place of conscious torment. Furthermore, there is no passage between the two – ever!

There is life after death and heaven and hell are real places. Those who live for this life only are not prepared for death and its consequences. Death is an appointment that none can escape as the author of Hebrews points out. “It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Our Lord tells us that hell, the everlasting fire, is “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Though Satan, the devil, is inescapably assigned to suffer eternally there, man can avoid its torment. Each individual must choose. Jesus Christ offers life, the forgiveness of sins, and a home in heaven to those who will receive it. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). What will you do with Jesus?