Articles
What the Lord Sees
When Elihu got an opportunity to say something to Job, after his three so-called friends were done, he told Job several things that would rebuke Job and his friends for what they had said — his friends for what they said about God, and Job for what he said about himself. In speaking of God, Elihu reminded them all that God was not unaware of all that had happened in Job’s life, “For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps” (Job 34:21). The wise writer will similarly remind us, “the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths” (Prov. 5:21). In this, Elihu was right, for the Lord sees and knows all things — even our thoughts.
What does He see when He looks at me? That is something each one of should consider, for the Lord will be our judge, in the end (Acts 17:31). Let us consider some occasions where it is said Jesus looked at others, and let us note what He saw; then, let us consider whether He would see the same in us.
Generosity? Near the end of His time on earth, Jesus was in Jerusalem and noted those who were putting money in the treasury [of the temple]. When He saw this, He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had” (Luke 21:1-4). I can picture the scene: The rich are carrying bags of money and picking out a coin or two to drop in the treasury; the poor woman, who has only these two mites [very small, thin coins with extremely little value], drops in both coins. As Jesus noted, the rich gave out of their abundance, but the woman gave everything.
What would the Lord see in me? Would it be said of me that I was a generous man? Would I be one who trusted in the Lord for my daily provision and not worry about giving “too much”? Would He see one “who has mercy on the poor” (Prov. 14:21) or “who has pity on the poor” (Prov. 19:17), or one who “shuts his ears to the cry of the poor” (Prov. 21:13)? Would He see me demonstrating the love of God in me because I helped a brother in need (1st John 3:17), or would He hear me tell him, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled” (Jas. 2:15, 16)? Would He see one with a heart of generosity, repaying the kindness and abundant blessings bestowed on him by the Lord? What does He see in me?
Fear and Denial? Potential? We all likely remember that, before He was taken away to be tried and crucified, Jesus told the apostles they would all abandon Him, and Peter, in particular, that he would deny Him three times (Matt. 26:31-35). We might also remember that all Jesus said came true, including Peter’s denials (Matt. 26:56, 69-75). In Luke’s account, we find that, after the third denial, “the Lord turned and looked at Peter” (Luke 22:61). What did Jesus see?
What Jesus saw was the frailty of man, who can sometimes be bent and cowed by the pressures of the people of the world who surround us and do not believe as we do. He saw a man who sometimes spoke before he considered his words, and acted impetuously. But, Jesus also saw hope and potential. It was Jesus who also told Peter, back when He told Peter he would deny Him, “when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:32). “When,” not “if.” He knew Peter would return, and that Peter would be one of the most prominent speakers and defenders of the gospel. Jesus saw an imperfect man who would come back to the Lord and serve as best as he could. What does He see in me?
A Sad Future? When Jesus approached Jerusalem for one of the last times, it is said, “He saw the city and wept over it” (Luke 19:41). Jesus wept on this occasion because He knew what lay ahead for the city: destruction. But He wept not just because of the destruction, but because they brought it on themselves, and because it could have been avoided! Jesus had warned the retribution for their stubborn insubordination to God’s will would come on them in that generation (Matt. 23:31-36), and drew a frightening picture of what would come (Matt. 24).
The Lord knows our future, too, but He has not [as some teach] predestined us to either obey or disobey; the choice is ours, just as it was for those in Jerusalem. When I hear the gospel message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, I can either believe or disbelieve (Mark 16:15, 16). My choice determines whether I will be forgiven and saved, and it is all because of the glorious grace of our God and Father. Will I doom myself to eternal destruction because I “do not know God” or “do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:8), or can I expect to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matt. 25:21)? Will Jesus see one with a bright and glorious future, or one with a sad expectation of nothing but condemnation and eternal misery? What does He see when He looks at me?
Faith? We may remember the story of the lame man who had some great friends; they were great friends because, though he was lame and could not move himself, they took it upon themselves to carry him to Jesus in hopes Jesus might heal him. When they got to the house where Jesus was, “they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd,” but that didn’t stop them! They “went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus” (Luke 5:17-20). When Jesus saw the faith of these men, He said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 5:21). In this case, Jesus looked this man’s friends and saw great faith, and that great faith had great results!
There are a few times in the New Testament when Jesus noted the great faith of others (Matt. 8:8-10; 15:21-28), and each time He spoke of the measure or degree of their trust, or confidence in Him to do what they sought from Him. Friends and brethren, that is what faith is all about! To have true and saving faith, I must trust the word of God and simply do what the Lord has commanded! I must have confidence that God will do what He promised if I obey His commands!
I believe this is demonstrated fully in the act of baptism for the remission of sins. It is something Jesus Himself commanded (Matt. 28:19), something Jesus Himself said would be part of what saves us (Mark 16:16), and was commanded by the apostles from the very first time the gospel message of salvation through faith in Jesus was preached (Acts 2:38). But men persist in denying the necessity of baptism, arguing that salvation is by “faith only.” Friend, there is nothing by which men are saved “only.”
If I truly have faith — that is, if I truly trust in God’s word, and have confidence in what will happen when I obey — then I won’t be arguing against the very commands of Jesus and the apostles, but simply do what God says I must do! It is when I deny the very thing Jesus said I must do that I lack faith! Paul reminded the Colossian brethren that it was in the act of being baptized — when they “were raised with Him through faith [trust; confidence] in the working of God” — that God did the work no man can do; it is then that He “made alive” those who were once spiritually dead, and only then does He forgive “all trespasses” (Col. 2:12, 13). Does He see that kind of faith in me?
Self-examination would be good for all of us (2 Cor. 13:5). — Steven Harper
