My Error... Again

Ecclesiastes 7:28 NKJV

"Which my soul still seeks but I cannot find: One man among a thousand I have found, But a woman among all these I have not found."

I recently used this verse in a non-Christlike manner. The tone was jocular, but part of the meaning, if I'm honest, stemmed from a root of bitterness and hurt. Especially considering the audience included a few women. So there's my confession of sin.

So what's the true meaning of this verse? Is the meaning men are terrible but women are worse? This meaning doesn't hold up to the teachings of scripture.

Consider the following verses in relation to the above:

Ecclesiastes 7:20 NKJV
"For there is not a just man on earth who does good
And does not sin."

Ecclesiastes 7:20, 29 NKJV
"For there is not a just man on earth who does good
And does not sin. Truly, this only I have found:
That God made man upright,
But they have sought out many schemes.”

Psalm 14:2-3 NKJV
"The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good,
No, not one."

This verse in Psalms is also repeated in the NT.

Here's what Jesus says:

Matthew 19:17 NKJV
So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

In any of these other verses is there any indication that women are worse or bigger sinners than men? Even Solomon states at the beginning of the misused verse that he's seeking and not finding. So the word teaches that all men are wicked, dead (not injured) in our transgressions. There is no distinction in the sexes, other than in roles and responsibilities. Men are able to glorify God in one way and women in another. Christ Himself teaches that in Heaven we will be spiritual beings, no distinction and no one given in marriage.

Matthew 22:29-30 NKJV
Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

So I was mistaken and wrong in my use of the above verse. God has given me, by His grace in Jesus Christ, a spirit of encouragement and ability to understand and teach. However, when I ignore this I'm ignoring the gift given by God Himself to minister and strengthen His people, not to feed my flesh and lash out in pain. Is He sufficient for me or isn't He?

The problem with Idols

This is a copy of a brief talk I gave as part of a group I'm going on a missions trip with:

Joshua 24:14-15

“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of 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.”

This should be a convicting verse for every believer. All too often I find myself drawn away from God by other seemingly more tangible idols. All Joshua is really doing here is reiterating the first commandment, yet with a definite sense of urgency. Joshua is first pointing out (prior to these verses) what God has done for His people. Starting with verse 14, however, he’s commanding them how to serve God, followed by a choice to not serve Him. He concludes this with a simple, yet significant statement of faith. He’s saying that his faith isn’t contingent on everyone else’s. Regardless of how an entire nation decides to go, Joshua has declared that he and his house will serve the Lord.

The conclusion I get from these verses is:

1. I must first get rid of anything in my life which I put before God. Sometimes sincere prayer and/or fasting (not just from food) can reveal potential idols or humbly asking a close friend to provide suggestions.

2. I must make a choice and then stick with it. God doesn’t look kindly on not sticking with decisions or doubting Him. Revelation 3:15-16 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Or if we consider Lot’s wife in her moment of doubt and what happened to her. She missed her old life, doubted God and disobeyed His direct commands.

3. It doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing. I can’t control the emotions or decisions of others, nor can I allow myself to be dragged away with the choice of the masses. Might, or numbers, doesn’t make right! God is offering a personal relationship with Himself, nothing more or less. This decision cannot be contingent on the views or decisions of other people.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

“This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless,
He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

The key part of the verse, to me at least, is the last bit: “If we are faithless,
He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

What does this mean?

God’s promises aren’t dependent on us at all. This means we can’t screw it up!!! This is huge!