Three Heaven and Earth Moving Statements from God’s Mouth Settle the Question Whether His Words are Preserved
Our Lord Jesus Christ declared three times in Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31 and Luke 21:33 the same words, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” This settles the question whether His Words are preserved or not. Scholars who miss this statement but argue from other angles are missing the woods for the trees.
If Jesus guarantees that His Words will remain longer than heaven and earth which He has created, its preservation will last longer than the creation.
Two instances in the Bible will illustrate our point. After God had written the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone, Moses broke them in anger when he came down from the Mount and saw the children of Israel worshipping a calf they had made instead.
Then God said to Moses, “Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.” (Ex. 34:1).
The second instance is recorded in Jeremiah Chapter 36. God told Jeremiah to write in a book words spoken against Israel and Judah and all nations. Then Jeremiah called Baruch his secretary to write in a book Jeremiah’s words from the Lord and read them to King Jehoiakim and all in the Lord’s house. When the king heard it he cut up the book with a pen knife and burnt it up. But God’s Words came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the roll all the former words that were in the first roll which King Jehoiakim had burned.
Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire, and there were added besides unto them many like words.
God’s Words cannot be broken (John 10:35) but only be preserved.
Your affectionate pastor
T. T.
Be Thou Faithful Unto Death
(Message delivered by Dr Jeffrey Khoo at the True Life Church 10.30 am Service, Aug 21, 05)
Text: Rev. 2:8-11
Ps. 90:10 says, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” Our life of 70-80 years on this earth is full of labour and sorrow. This short life that we live on earth is full of pain and suffering. Like it or not we are living in a sinful and a sin-cursed world, plagued by all kinds of evil.
What then can we do with the years God has given us to live? How can we live a useful life that will count for eternity? As Christians we have the answer. Live not for self but for Christ. Christ gave His life for us. He lived for us, died for us, and lived again so that we might have eternal life. We owe our lives to Him. Jesus says, “be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). This is no different from what He said in Mark 8:34, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me.” Therefore, let us not live a selfish life but a selfless life for Christ our Lord and Saviour.
What does Jesus mean when He tells us to be faithful unto death? One thing is certain, He is not here telling us to be terrorists, or suicide bombers—kill ourselves and kill others in the name of religion. Terrorism must be condemned. Terrorists are not martyrs but murderers.
So what does it mean “be thou faithful unto death?”
It means we must, Never Deny Our Saviour in the Face of Persecution (v 8)
The church in Smyrna was a persecuted church. The name “Smyrna” describes the church well. “Symrna” means “bitter.” It comes from the Hebrew word for “myrrh” which is a gluey substance used for embalming the dead. Hence, the name “Smyrna” contains the idea of suffering and death. This was what the Christians in Smyrna had to face daily in their lives because of their faith in Jesus Christ. In those days, the Christians were persecuted and faced the death penalty if they did not worship the Roman Emperor. During the reign of Domitian (AD 81-96), emperor worship was made compulsory. Every year, Roman citizens were required to burn incense to the image of the emperor. A certificate was issued to prove that they had done so. Without this certificate, they faced the death penalty. Many refused to break the 1st and 2nd commandments of the Lord: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me …, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image … Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:3-5). Many who refused to worship the emperor paid with their lives.
One example was Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle John, who was martyred in Smyrna. Here is his story, “And Polycarp was met by the captain of police who said to him, ‘Why, what harm is there in saying, Caesar is Lord, and offering incense, and saving yourself?’ But he at first gave them no answer. When however they persisted, he said, ‘I am not going to do what you counsel me.’ Then they, failing to persuade him, uttered threatening words and took him to the stadium. When the judge pressed him hard and said, ‘Swear the oath, and I will release you; revile the Christ,’ Polycarp said, ‘Eighty-six years have I been His servant, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?’ The judge threatened him: ‘I have wild beasts here and I will throw you to them, except you repent.’ But he said, ‘Call for them.’ Then he said to him again, ‘If you despise the wild beasts, I will cause you to be consumed by fire, unless you repent.’ But Polycarp said: ‘You threaten that fire which burns for a season and after a little while is quenched: for you are ignorant of the fire of the future judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly. But why do you delay? Come, do what you will.’” Polycarp was burned alive at the stake, and he died in AD 155. Polycarp was the Bishop of Smyrna.
But Jesus has comforting words for those who suffer and die for the sake of their faith. He declared, “I am the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive.” Jesus here is saying that He is the living and true God who is the First and the Last—the Author and Finisher of our Faith. He was dead and is alive—He died for our sins on the cross according to the Scriptures, and was buried. But He conquered death by His resurrection on the third day according to the Scriptures. And because He lives, we also will live even though we die. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:25- 26).
Never Compromise the Truth in the Midst of False Accusations (v 9)
The Christians in Smyrna were not sleeping but lively Christians. They actively witnessed for Christ and bore a good testimony for Him. Jesus says He knows fully their good works done for Him and His Kingdom. And because of their good works, they have gone through much tribulation. They have been cast out by family and society, robbed of their possessions, and put in prison just because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Children whose parents have been martyred have become orphans; women have lost their husbands and become widows. Although they have become poor physically and materially, Jesus said they are truly rich spiritually.
The Lord also knows fully the hatred the enemies of the gospel have against Him and His children. Certain Jews have blasphemed God and slandered His saints by falsely accusing them of cannibalism (eating flesh and drinking blood at Holy Communion), destroying homes, and betraying the country. These are all lies. Satan is an accuser of the brethren, and he will spin his lies to destroy God’s Church and God’s children. That is why the Lord calls them “the synagogue of Satan.” Evil and wicked people who gang up against God’s people with false accusations are doing the bidding of their Master—the devil.
Never Surrende rOur Faith at the Threat of Execution (v 10)
As human beings, it is natural for us to be afraid when our life or livelihood is threatened—“behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation.” But Jesus commands us “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer.…Be thou faithful unto death.” Instead of fear, there should be joy, for Jesus said in Matt. 5:10-12, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness; sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
If we are to be afraid, then let us be afraid of God. Fear God not man. Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).
The Lord says that our tribulation is but 10 days. In other words, it is only for a short time compared to eternity. 2 Cor. 4:17-18 says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Now, when a robber points a gun at you and threatens you, “Money or life?” How would you respond? I trust you will say “life!” But if someone were to point a gun at you and say, “Life or Christ?” We must answer, “Christ!” “Be thou faithful unto death,” Jesus says, “and I will give thee a crown of life.” Jesus also says, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35).
What does it mean “be thou faithful unto death?”
Positively, we must
Be Obedient to the Words of Christ (v 11a)
When the Lord said, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches,” he is calling on all believers who are indwelt by the Spirit to obey His words. True believers who have spiritual ears will not only hear but will also obey the words of our \Lord and Saviour. Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). If we hear but do not do as the Lord says, we may be false or fake Christians, as James says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (Jas. 2:26).
Be Overcomers of the World of Satan (v 11b)
All believers are overcomers and shall overcome the world of Satan. The word “overcomers” comes from the Greek word nikao which means “to conquer, to be victorious.” All believers have already conquered the devil, and have victory over death in the Lord Jesus Christ. All believers will endure to the very end—they will never deny but always confess that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour, and believe in His forever infallible and inerrant Word, no matter what the cost.
To all believers, the Lord promised a crown of life. This life is of course eternal life (John 3:16), and will not suffer the second death, i.e. be cast into the lake of fire on the day of judgement (Rev. 20:14-15).
Dear friends, do you have this kind of a faith—true faith that would be faithful unto death? This kind of a faithful faith is not sourced in us, but in Christ. True, God-given faith is a faith that will never deny Christ, never compromise the truth, and never surrender the faith in the face of persecution or even death, but will be obedient to the words of the Lord, and will overcome the world of Satan. Amen.
