Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. At the bedrock of the law of God is the prohibition against taking innocent life. Yet hundreds of people are killed every year in each of our major cities. Life is cheap and gets cheaper when convicted killers never pay the price God commanded. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Wind with Dr.
Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, how do you handle the apparent genocide God commanded in the Old Testament with the call to revere life? You know, Dave, when you look at the Old Testament, you have to understand it was under a different administration. God was ruling directly through kings and through prophets, and there were many capital offenses in the Old Testament. And we don't have that to day God has not relaxed His standards but He is running things differently, and in the end the judgments of God on the wicked will be just as severe.
So no matter what we say, we always have to remember That God is the one who gives life and God has the right to take life. And of course, as we read the Old Testament, there's so much there that we must learn, even if it cannot be directly applicable to God. I want to thank the many people who support this ministry. I want you to know from my heart to yours that it's because of our partners throughout the country. It is because of you.
that the Ministry of Running to Win is in fifty different countries in seven different languages. At the end of this message, I'm going to be giving you the opportunity of joining with us in a more specific way. I want you to pray about it. For now, I want you to listen. For example, you'll recall the case of um Herod.
Jesus is born in Bethlehem, and Herod, when he sees that a delegation is going to Bethlehem to find out about this person that's being born, he says, Tell me about it when you find out the information, and send me word that I may go and worship him also. Yeah. What a liar. But why was it that Herod hated Jesus? It's because Jesus was a threat to him.
Jesus was being born as the king of the Jews, and Herod thought that he might be without a job. Jesus might make Herod look bad. And that's why Herod hated Christ and intended to kill him, and in his heart was a murderer, even though he didn't pull it off. You know, those of you who are in business know that out there in the world it's dog eat dog. There are all kinds of people there who want to make you look bad and make themselves look good so that they can step on you to get a promotion.
And they'll do everything that they possibly can to do you in. Oh, it's easy to hate people like that. Resentment begins to build up, and you begin to say, if I could kill them, I would. Watch it. Everyone who hates is a murderer.
Even if you hate your brother, you're a murderer, not to mention the people that are in the world. There's another reason not only because there are people who get in our way, but also because perhaps we've met people that have hurt us. They've hurt us. And so we want to retaliate. There's something within us that says we want to even the score.
We want to make sure that this person will not get away scot-free. And so, if you had a mother that rejected you and a father who beat you up. If you have a spouse that has done you in, that has lied to you, that has betrayed you, there again the resentments and the hurts grow, and that's why most murderers that are. Take place here in the city of Chicago, they are family affairs. Usually, it's some relative, some resentment.
Somebody who received an inheritance, and there's somebody else that wants to chisel you out of what's coming to you. And the resentment and the anger, and the court cases, and all these things begin to develop. And you just can't see how people can be so unreasonable, and there's something within you that says, I will do them in, no matter what it costs. And so you have a situation. of some relatives that are related to someone whom I know.
Where a man was so angry at his wife who had taken the kids from him that he shot her and shot all the children in the car and then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide. What he was saying is, I am so full of resentment and hatred that I will kill you to make sure that you are rubbed out, even if I end up doing it to myself afterwards. But the text says again If you hate. You're a murderer. You know, the Christian doesn't have to hate.
You know why? Because he's got somebody else to take care of his injustices. That's what it says in Romans chapter 12.
Someday I'm going to preach a message on how to respond when you're under attack. And the text will be that 12th chapter of Romans. We don't have time to turn to it because we have only a certain amount of time today. But there in that passage, Paul says: Do not avenge yourselves. He says, never pay back evil for evil.
If possible, live peaceably. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God. That's in Romans chapter 12, verse 19, if you're trying to find it. Notice, never take your own revenge, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine. I will recompense, says the Lord.
God says, I will fight your case. I'm gonna Be the one who's going to settle the score. Follow this carefully. God wants faith in our lives, right? The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God.
When you harbor bitterness in your life and you want to even the score, it is an indication of a lack of faith. You are not trusting the judge of all the earth to do right and to settle the matter. You're taking it into your hands. And that's lack of faith. There's something within us that says, Yeah, but I want to make sure that he's not going to get off scot-free, and I'm going to do it for God.
Well, the text says, Leave room for the wrath of God. Why don't you trust God to do it? Don't think that every score is going to be settled on this earth. There have been people who have given their lives trying to settle scores to make sure that before they died it would be evened. And they're still not sure whether or not it is.
The text says, Leave room for the wrath of God. Vengeance is mine. I'm going to straighten it out. You say, Yeah, but what if this person confesses his sin before he dies and goes to heaven and then still is scot-free? You know, some of you are laughing, but uh I know someone who said that to me.
When I pointed this text out to them, they said, Yeah, but you know, my father, whom they hated very much, this girl did, and she had some reason to hate him, humanly speaking. When I told her that she had to get rid of all of that hatred and explain to her how to release those feelings so that she could be free, her response was, Yeah, but you know what? My dad's a Christian, and so he's gonna go to heaven and he's gonna live there in bliss. She said, I'd like to see him burn in hell. You think somebody can hate that deeply?
You'd better believe that there are people who hate that deeply.
Well, what about somebody who confesses his sin just before he goes to heaven so he gets off scot-free? My dear friend, will you remember that there is no such thing in all the Bible that teaches that somehow justice is not going to be brought to every single situation? And even the person who confesses his sin, the reason that he is released is because Jesus absorbed the cost of that hurt that you've experienced as a child because of a father who wasn't loving to you. God is going to bring justice to every situation of life. He is going to make sure that every single sin is paid for somehow, either by the person who committed it or the Christ who died and absorbed it.
But one way or another, justice is going to be brought to every situation of life. And because of that, you do not have to be a murderer in your heart. You can release the feelings of bitterness. You can choose to forgive. Forgiveness is not an emotion.
And you can even forgive those who have died if you've got to do it. Don't forgive for their benefit. That may be too late, but for your own. For your own benefit. Forgiveness is something good that you do for yourself.
Not to mention the good that it does. For the other person. The text says clearly, and I wish that sometimes people come up and say, well, you know, it's very clear, but what does the Greek say?
Well, unfortunately, the Greek says what the English says: that the person who hates is a murderer. The person who hates is a murderer. Do we have some murderers here? Maybe we'd get a few more to stand now. and we're only on my second point.
One way to murder is with the hand. The second way to murder is with the heart. A third way to murder, and we'll only refer to it and not expound on it, is with the mouth. With a mouth. James says in chapter 3, he says, Some of you are speaking evil of one of another.
And he says, out of the same mouth is proceeding blessing and cursing. You curse during the week, you say bad things about people who are believers or others, you are gossipers, you are taking people's character and you are lowering the opinion that people have of others in the sight of other people, and you are doing that, and then you come to church and you sing holy, holy, holy, and crown him with many crowns. And James says, wait a moment. Out of the same mouth, blessing and cursing should not come. He says that is sinful.
He says, you're eating and you're devouring one another. You are consuming one another because of your speech and the way you're speaking about other people, and you are demeaning them in the eyes of others because of what you say. And that, too. That too. Is character assassination.
That too is murder, if you please. There's a final way that we can murder, and that is by neglect. By neglect. Just by neglecting people, by not being involved. It's not that we hate anybody.
It's not that we speak evil of anybody. It's just that we stand idly by while other people are being led off to slaughter. And this can happen very subtly. Can happen certainly if with our lack of concern regarding abortion. Our lack of being willing to Speak when we have opportunity to speak and let it be known where we stand.
It can happen by a slum landlord expecting people to pay money, and he knows that they are in poverty, and he keeps raising the rent, and he's making money. on the backs of the poor. Bringing about a slow death. It's not that he hates anyone, it's just that he loves himself and all that he can see is his own needs, and he's trampling on other people to get ahead. That's another way that we can commit murder.
I think that the priest and the Levite who walked by on the other side when that man was bleeding there on the way to Jericho in some sense participated in that crime, and in heart they were one with the robber who had brought it about. unwillingness to get involved. Those of you who have read the book Dory the Girl Nobody Loved. With all of that heartache of a girl who was Rejected and hated by her mother, and went through a successive orphanages.
Some of you know the story. Interestingly enough, she told me one day, because it was my privilege to write that book, incidentally, with her, and to receive that information that was written perhaps six or eight years ago. But it's interesting that she told me. As an adult, she said, I went back to the place. Where I was reared and where I was left in the apartment alone, and where I was locked up, and where I was beaten.
As a five or six-year-old girl, and she said, I found out that it was just a cross. from a very fine evangelical church. She didn't know that when she was five or six, but she knows that now as an adult.
Well, I don't want to blame that church because God knows that there might be that kind of blood on our own hands. I use it only as an illustration of the fact that we're living in areas where there may be that kind of abuse and that kind of hurt. And it's not that we hate anybody, it's not that we're involved, we're not contributing to it, it's just that we walk by and pretend that it doesn't exist. And we don't reach out a hand to help those who are being dragged off to hurt. and to slaughter.
You say, well, Pastor Lutzer, you've preached a message now that almost seems to imply that human life has some kind of a supreme value to it.
Well, not that high a value. Not that high a value. You know that there are other values that are more important than human life. Human life is very important, but there are some that are. more important.
For example, You should be more important in my life. Your life should be more important. To me, than my own. You know what the Bible says in 1 John 3:15? We looked at the text.
The very next verse says, Because Jesus laid down his life for us, we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. What the Bible is really saying, and I hate to say it because it's so powerful and has so many vast implications, but I should be willing to die for you. If push came to shove, if it was the difference between me dying or you dying, I should say, well, I'm going to do it. Before you get too excited about that, remember you ought to be willing to die for me, too. Then we'll have an argument as to who can die for one another.
That's what the Bible says. We ought to lay down our lives for one another. And then, of course, not only that, but worship and obedience to God is more important than human life. That's why you have martyrs. Because the Bible says in the book of Revelation, they love not their life to the point of death.
In other words, they didn't hang on to it and say, I refuse to die, I refuse to die, I'll do absolutely anything so that I won't have to die. No, what did the martyrs do? They said, Here I am. Shoot me, kill me, send the wild beasts, do whatever you want. I refuse to deny Jesus Christ.
And they received special recognition in heaven. They received a martyr's crown. Why? Because to them they realized that there is something in life more important than physical life, and that is obedience to God. And because of that obedience to God, God singles them out and gives them special.
Recognition. And even though I'm not looking forward to such a thing, I would say this: that dying for Christ is the greatest honor that we could probably have. Can't think of any other way to go, really. If you've got to go, it'd be nice to go. Standing true to the Savior.
Now, God says that human life is important because He gives it. Scientists can't put it together. They have all the elements there. They maybe even have created some cells. There may be some debate about that, but no scientist has ever yet created a single cell that is able to reproduce itself.
God has to give that spark of life, right? It comes from God. God is the author of life. But did you know that the same God who gives physical life and speaks and creates it? Is the same God who gives what the Bible talks about as spiritual life.
And just as we can't cooperate with God in the giving of physical life, only He can give it.
So we cannot cooperate with God in the granting of eternal life. It is a miracle that has absolutely no human agencies involved along with it. It is the miracle of the new birth, whatever it is that we call it. The granting of eternal life is a miracle. That has to be done by the same sovereign God who gives physical life.
He only grants spiritual life. The only part that we have in it is we respond to God and He grants us the ability to believe and to trust Him and when that takes place, we experience the miracle, but the miracle is wholly, totally, completely of God. And today I have the gift of eternal life because I believed on Jesus Christ. And many of you have the gift of eternal life because you also have believed on him. But undoubtedly, in a congregation like this, there are many of you who do not have that gift.
Though you may be religious. You've never experienced the miracle in the heart, the giving of eternal life. And once you receive that eternal life, then of course, even though you lose your physical life, as all of us must in one way or another, we then go on to live eternally with God forever and ever. D. L.
Moody. Said to his friends, he says, One of these days you are going to read in the newspapers, D. L. Moody is dead. He said, don't believe it.
At that moment, he said, I'm going to be more alive than I've ever been. That's right, that's right, that's good theology. The newspapers say D. L. Moody is dead.
But uh D.L. Moody is more alive. Than he's ever been because he received not only physical life. But he received spiritual life. that God is able to give to those that believe and that trust Him.
And we become his children. Forever. Thou shalt Do no murder. says scripture, because You're valuable. But eternal life.
is more valuable. than physical life. Let's pray. Father We asked today. That you will help us not to be murderers.
Either by the hand, by the heart, by the mouth, or just by neglect. We pray that you might enable us to positively value. human beings made in the image of God. special, unique. gifted.
Put together. By the Sovereign Creator. Oh Father, we pray. that you might help all of us to obey your commands. We pray in Jesus' name.
Oh man. Yes, my friend, it is so very important for us to understand that the reason that physical life, human physical life, should be honored, is because we are all created in the image of God. But at the same time, we recognize that spiritual life is even more important. And that's why we here at Running to Win are so deeply committed to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. And I want to thank the many of you who joined with us.
Would you consider becoming what we call an endurance partner? An endurance partner is someone who stands with us regularly with their prayers and their gifts. Would you at least pray about it? And I hope that you have a pen or pencil handy because I'd like to give you some contact info so that you can investigate what an endurance partner is expected to do. Here's what you do.
Go to rtwoffer.com. That's rtwoffer.com. And when you're there, you click on the Endurance Partner button. That's rtwoffer.com. Or you can speak to someone, pick up the phone, and call us at 1-888-218-9.
ninety three thirty seven. Thank you again for helping us spread the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. Right now? You can go to your computer. Go to rtwoffer.com.
Click on the Endurance Partner button and find out how you can help us more specifically. It's time again for you to ask Pastor Lutzer a question you may have about the Bible or the Christian life. The Role of Women in the Church Some denominations ordain them, others prohibit them from even speaking. Jesse has this question about a controversial topic. Should women preach or take the position of pastors and elders?
I Timothy two says A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man she must be silent. But some people told me that Paul said this in First Timothy, because the women at that time were not educated. Is this true? Pastor Lutzer, how?
How do you understand this?
Well, Jesse, thanks so much for asking a question that leads us right into the midst of some controversy. But I shall give you the answer which I believe is consistent with Scripture and consistent with my conscience in interpreting Scripture. I think that the Bible means what it says. That women should learn in quietness, certainly, and they should learn in submission, and women should not teach men.
So, in answer to your question, I don't think that they should become pastors, at least in the role of proclaiming the word of God. They should not become preachers to the congregation, nor elders. I think that is clear from Scripture. And it is not true that the reason Paul writes this is because the women were not educated. Interestingly, when you read the passage, Paul roots this Not in contemporary issues regarding education, but he goes right back to Genesis, right back to Adam and Eve.
and shows that this is based on what happened there.
So I think this is truth meant for the whole church.
Now, Jessie, having said that, I need to say very quickly that oftentimes our churches have prevented women from serving in places where they can serve. I believe that women can teach other women. They can certainly teach children. Here at the Moody Church, we have women who read the Scripture. Oftentimes, also in our morning service, they can serve as deaconesses.
They can usher, they can serve communion. There are many, many different ways in which women can serve in the church.
So we need to keep the balance. But to be an elder I believe that that is a male role. Hope this helps, Jesse. God bless you. I know that there are differences about this, and we need to uh be tolerant and understand each other.
Some wise counsel once again from Dr. Erwin Lutzer. If you'd like to hear your question answered, go to our website at rtwoffer dot com and click on Ask Pastor Lutzer. or call us at one eight eight eight two one eight ninety three thirty seven. That's one eight eight eight two one eight ninety three thirty seven.
Yeah. Um You can write to us at RunningToWin, 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60614. Long ago, God gave the Ten Commandments as a blueprint for living. Our failure to follow Commandment No. 6 is a big reason for the dismal state of many homes today.
Next time on running to win, the key to having happy and stable families. Don't miss Erwin Lutzer's insights into another of the Ten Commandments: honor your father and your mother. and on the price that's paid when we fail to do this. Running to win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life. Thanks for listening.
For Pastor Erwin Lutzer, this is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church. I'm going to use the same method for the bottom of the bottom of the bottom of the colour.
