Stiff-Necked Sunday Christians

Stiff-necked Christians are deceived. They should know better. Their belief system has blinded them to the truth. - Clint Decker 

We love our dog, Buster. But there are times when he refuses to cooperate. On occasions when we say “come,” he will stay right where he is at. We might even put a leash on him, and he will dig in. Our loveable Buster, at times, becomes “stiff-necked.” (Image by freepik)

Ancient farmers would use the term to describe uncooperative oxen. A team would be harnessed and ready to pull a plow or cart for work, but sometimes an ox would dig in and not go as directed, no matter what the farmer did.

This picture eventually became a spiritual metaphor in the Bible for religious people that stubbornly refused to follow God’s ways. God Himself used the term to describe His own people whom He had a covenant relationship with, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.’” (Exodus 32:9) At times, God would direct one of His preachers to confront them. Stephen once boldly spoke before a crowd, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” (Acts 7:51)

Centuries ago, there were some desperate leaders that came to Jeremiah, a well-known preacher. He had been speaking God’s Word in Israel for decades, and the nation urgently needed to hear from God. They said to Jeremiah, “Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the Lord your God for us….” (Jeremiah 42:2) After Jeremiah agreed, they replied, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us.” (Jer. 42:5) Out of love for God and them, Jeremiah hide himself away for 10 days, and sought the Lord on their behalf. Afterward, he called the people together and shared all that God had spoken. He did not hide anything. How did they respond? They gave an immediate and very obstinate response, telling Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie. The Lord our God did not send you to say [those things].” (Jer. 43:3)

This an example of being stiff-necked. God gave them direction, but they did not want to follow. The Bible says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 3:7-8) A stiff-necked person is one who has a hardening of their heart toward God’s instructions. It is a stubbornness that refuses to follow God’s ways. And it is interesting that the term is only used of God’s people. Why? Because they should know better.

Professing Christians have the Word of God. They read, study and memorize it, and hear it expounded upon in church. They take the cup and bread in Holy Communion and also step into the waters of baptism. They have what others do not, and with that comes a greater level of responsibility. Therefore, when God speaks through His faithful servants, He expects obedience, but instead what He often sees, is a hardness of heart.

Stiff-necked Sunday Christians are deceived. They should know better. Their dangerous belief system has blinded them to the truth. Their beliefs have a particular narrative that supersedes the authority of Scripture, and is subject to the way they view the world, and how they choose to live.

The most significant display of stiff-necked religious people the world has ever seen, was the cross. Jesus was the Jewish Messiah and fulfilled all the Scriptures foretelling it. Yet, because Jesus did not fit the picture of what they were expecting, they became biblical revisionists and refused to believe in Him. Then they took things a step further, they killed Him. Though their stubbornness was immense, Christ overcome their evil when He rose from the dead. Then despite their crimes against Him, Jesus was graciously willing to forgive all who would repent and place their faith in Him.

A prayer for you – Lord God, I pray you will drop the scales of stubbornness from the eyes of people. Soften their hard hearts. Tender their stiff necks. For the sake of their lives and eternal souls bring them to be made new this hour. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What’s Inside You? Life or Death?

Death is everywhere. Did it have a beginning, or has it always been with us? - Clint Decker 

Have you ever been asked, “Are you saved?” or heard a variation of that from someone or even a preacher talk about it? What exactly does that mean, and strangely as it may sound, how does it relate to life and death? (Image from livingalignment.com)  

Unfortunately, death is all around us. It is part of our personal lives and the culture of our communities. We see it in the form of tragedy when a school experiences the greatest of horrors, where a sadistic killer takes the lives of innocent and defenseless children.

Death can also come in the form of disease or sickness. Whatever it is, all of us, from the moment of birth, are set on a certain path toward our own end. Obituaries, funerals and beautifully manicured cemeteries all remind us of this.

We also observe death in nature through plants, flowers, trees and in the animal kingdom too. Death is everywhere. Did it have a beginning, or has it always been with us? It first appeared thousands of years ago in the lives of our first parents, Adam and Eve. They once lived on earth’s most beautiful place, the Garden of Eden. After God created them, He laid down boundaries with stern consequences about the fruit of a particular tree, saying, “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

In history’s most consequential act, they disobeyed God and immediately death entered into our world. Through their sin death came. For God said to man, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Gen. 3:19)

Death came upon all of creation, which included more than physical death. It also included a spiritual death, where mankind, who once walked with God, became separated from Him. And since God was the author of life, that spiritual life was lost, where though man was alive on the outside, he became dead on the inside. It took the form of an inner darkness that produced slavery to his evil desires, leading to the weight of shame and guilt for His actions that lay heavy upon him. Emptiness. Hopelessness. It all is part of this curse of sin and death.

Yet, God in His perfect wisdom and love, would not leave us to ourselves. Instead, He sent His Only Son to earth that people might be saved from this curse. Jesus, fully God and man, was a perfect being that never sinned. He willingly took the penalty of death, that was due for you and me. He bore upon His shoulders every evil thought, word and deed of the whole world. He became separated from the life of His Father and died a torturous ending on a cruel cross. Then three days later, He rose from the dead! His resurrection conquered sin and death. Then Christ declared that all who turn from their sin and place their complete faith in Him, would have the curse of sin and death lifted, and the life of Christ poured into them. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

For all who trust in Christ and walk in faithfulness with Him, though one day they will die, yet they will live forever in the presence of God. Gone will be the darkness, and present for eternity will be light and life of Jesus. The Bible says, “…there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Have you been saved?

A prayer for you – Lord God, if someone has the curse of sin and death dwelling within them, help them to understand the good news of Jesus today. Bring them to admit their sin before you and call upon you with all their heart. Bring them to fully trust in you and be truly saved. Deliver them from sin and death, and give them the indwelling light and life of Jesus. In His name. Amen.

Violence in Our Land

Escalating crime and violence in society points to a singular issue. We have drifted far from God. We are in a spiritual crisis! - Clint Decker

One news report stated about a horrible tragedy at local church in Michigan, “The man accused of killing four people and burning down a [Mormon church] …reportedly held a long-simmering hatred for [them].” Authorities said that the assassin of Charlie Kirk texted a friend, “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.” And after a man mercilessly slayed a young Ukrainian refugee in front of onlookers a witness reportedly overheard him saying, “I don’t even know the lady. I never said not one word to the lady at all.” (Image by Pixabay)

Michigan. North Carolina. Utah. What is happening? One recent poll communicated a rising number of people seem to believe violence is the only way, “Three in 10 people now say that Americans may have to resort to violence to get the country back on track.” Professor Jon Michaels of UCLA states, “violence is so great right now, and it’s hard to figure out exactly what is causing it and why [we aren’t] able to turn away from it.” He frames the American mindset, “If we can’t solve things [one way, then] we’re going to solve things through intimidation, aggression and murder…”

Many are wondering about the same thing as the professor, which leads people to ask, “Is it a law enforcement problem?” “Is it a political problem?” “Is it a mental health problem?” Escalating crime and violence in society points to a singular issue. We have drifted far from God. We are in a spiritual crisis!

We are not the first to experience this. Thousands of years ago, after God created mankind, they began to drift from Him. When they did, the earth became a dangerous place to live. History says, “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11) Jesus spoke of the practical effects of rejecting Him when He said, “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12) Today, dark and cold hearts are running our streets. This is what happens when a nation turns from God. Our moral foundations are crumbling while any civility that remains is slowly fading away. Right has become wrong and wrong has become right. Evil doers are praised, and the righteous are vilified. Virtuous laws are subjectively enforced or not at all, while immoral laws are drafted and imposed with vigilance.

God is a God of moral and just laws that transforms individual hearts, which then impacts society. His Word tells us not to murder, not to hate, to love our enemies, to forgive and to have loving marriages and families. When we turn from our ways and place our trust in Jesus, He changes our hearts and enables us to live this way. When that happens, it affects our family and community.

We must return to the Lord God, our Creator, or continue to face the violent crisis at our doors. We have a choice to make. The Bible says, “…if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Today, I hope and pray you and your family will choose Jesus. He died, was buried, then rose again as a sacrifice for the sins of all humanity. He willingly took upon Himself the judgment you deserved. He took your anger, hate, unforgiveness and bitterness. He did it so you could be free and transformed into a new person. Turn from those poisons and place your full commitment in Christ.

A prayer for you – Lord God, we confess, we have fallen from you. We have looked to the gods of pleasure, money and power and become their slaves. In return they have given us violence, death and chaos. Forgive us, O God. Cleanse our hearts, we pray and save us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.