There is an earthquake coming quickly. 1 Kings 19: 11 & 12, “…And, behold, (the LORD) Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD wasn’t in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”
Continuing: It seem we have many who say they know the time but instead of putting off the works of darkness and putting on the armor of light, they have decided it’s time to go in the other direction. It brings to mind the words of the LORD when He spoke of those who think while the LORD tarries they should be beating their fellow servants. Or of those being forgiven their debts thinking they should then go take other debtors by the throat and demand full payment. These are those who themselves being sinner are willing to cast stones at those whose sins they have dragged into the public square. I say with what judgment you judge others you will in fact be judging yourselves. (See the previous post.)
Here is what Romans says about the great condescension, meaning to have mercy in judgment by correcting rather than demanding justice as revenge. For this discussion we can begin in Romans 12 where we read in verse 9 of the brotherly/neighborly love we are called to and it being “without dissimulation.” This is preceded by telling us of the gifts, none of which is the gift of “condemnation,” and all for the edification in what is later in verse 16 defined as our condescending: not being high minded but meeting the lowly where they are, for the purpose of then bringing/raising them up.
The word translated “dissimulation” is the Greek word anupokritos, from the prefix, an, meaning to consider various possibilities, and the word hupokrites. Hupokrites is itself from the two words hupo, meaning under (lower), and krino, meaning to decide, as in try, condemn or punish. The word anupokritos is only used six times and is also translated as unfeigned, and without hypocrisy. Considering the context it appears to mean contemplating the sentence based on our being under the same sentence. This is the same context under which the LORD tells us to judge, in the scenarios mentioned above in the first paragraph.
When verse 16 speaks of condescending and not being high minded it is more literally telling of exercising our minds together with those of a lower degree of understanding and in doing leading them away from this lesser state. This is why verse 17 then says not to render evil for evil to any man, and later in verse 21, “be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Verse 16 ends with a quote from Proverbs 3:7 where we read of the LORD (Jehovah as the deliverer of wisdom) condescending and warning men of being so conceited they make themselves overly-wise, condemning themselves by their elevated self-perception (not acknowledging the higher power). It speaks to those who aren’t walking in the ways of the LORD and not acknowledging Him and His mentioning it with the intention to correct them into doing so: walking in His ways and allowing His leading. It is speaking to those both not knowing Him and those saying they do while they are acting in their own wisdom and in their own ways.
Romans 12
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teaches, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorts, on exhortation: he that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affected one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the LORD;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the LORD.
20 Therefore if your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Proverbs 3
1 My son, forget not my law; but let your heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to you.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about your neck; write them upon the table of your heart:
4 So shall you find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your substance, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
10 So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine.
11 My son, despise not the chastening [discipline] of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For whom the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.
13 Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things you canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retains her.
19 The LORD by wisdom has founded the earth; by understanding has he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not them depart from your eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto your soul, and grace to your neck.
23 Then shall you walk in your way safely, and your foot shall not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you shall not be afraid: yea, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26 For the LORD shall be your confidence, and shall keep your foot from being taken.
27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Say not unto your neighbor, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when you have it by you.
29 Devise not evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.
30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done you no harm.
31 Envy you not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the twisted and perverse is abomination to the LORD: but his [the LORD’s] secret is with the righteous.
33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesses the habitation of the just.
34 Surely he scorns the scorners: but he gives grace unto the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
It is here from this perspective we begin Romans 13 and understanding the “power” it speaking of acknowledging is the LORD as the ultimate and supreme power.
Ephesians 3
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold [many faceted] wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our LORD:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
13 Wherefore I desire that you faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our LORD Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
When Romans 13 is speaking of the higher power it is the same mentioned here above and the condescending higher power of the LORD as spoken of in chapter 12.
This power is further defined in James 3:17 where anupokritos is translated as “without hypocrisy.” The context of the chapter is as the bitter and sweet waters. Many think this is speaking of profanity in language, which is a relative standard. The truth is the chapter is speaking of the difference between words that produce strife and those that bring peace. These are the bitter and sweet waters, the cursing and the blessing.
James 3
1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor wills it.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire the place of eternal self-inflicted torment.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Romans 13
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt you then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and you shall have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid; for he bears not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that does evil.
5 Wherefore you must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay you tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loves another has fulfilled the law.
9 For this, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal [the property of others], You shall not bear false witness [lie about or falsely accuse others], You shall not covet [lust for the property of others]; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
10 Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put you on the LORD Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
The word “ruler” in verse 3 above is from the Greek word archon, meaning the first in rank. It is the word the LORD uses in Revelation 1:5 to define Himself as a “prince.” It is also the word used by Luke in Acts 7:35 to tell of Moses being the “ruler” God had chosen, in a passage telling of the one the LORD would send, and how he would be heard for the deliverance of God’s people.
Acts 7
35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
36 He brought them out, after that he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the LORD your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall you hear.
Revelation 1
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3 Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all families of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the LORD, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
