In Psalm 136, the Bible reveals the two fundamental reasons we must give thanks to God. And they are as follows: First, we must give God thanks because of who He is. And second, we must give God thanks because of what He has done. These two fundamental reasons, revealed in Psalm 136 and, in fact, all of Scripture, serve as the foundation for the five reasons listed in this article. With that in mind, here are five reasons to give God thanks this Christmas.

1. Because God is good.

In the first part of vv. 1 in Psalm 136, the Psalmist says, “¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good...” In the NKJV, this verse says, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good...” Here, the Psalmist summons God’s people to give thanks to the Lord. The Hebrew verb for “give thanks” is yadah, which means to give thanks and praise to God. It is worth noting that yadah always includes, but is not limited to, verbal thanksgiving. True thanksgiving involves both the mouth and the heart (life).

The verb yadah is in the imperative mood in this verse, so it is not a suggestion but a command. Here, the word of God commands us to give God thanks and praise with our mouths and our lives. Why? The Psalmist provides the reason in v. 1: “For/because, He is good.” God is Good by nature; He is the standard of all goodness, moral excellence, and all things pleasant. He is the epitome of goodness; therefore, He cannot be anything but Good. As a result, everything God says and does will always be good because He is the good God.

Therefore, you must give God thanks this Christmas because of who He is. He is Good!

2. Because He gave you life.

In Gen 1:1, the word of God says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” And in Gen 1:27, the Bible says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” The Good God, who created the heavens and the earth by the word of His power, is the same Good God who created you. And you must not think of God’s creation of you as a general/ordinary act, no! It was extraordinary. God intricately and intimately “knit you together in your mother’s womb.”

In Psalm 139 vv. 13 – 18, David, by the grace and power of God, acknowledged that:

1. God intentionally and intimately formed his inner parts. God personally formed all of his internal organs while he was in his mother’s womb 13.
2. God’s work of creating him was an awesome, honorable, and unique work of God 14.
3. God skillfully made him in secret, that is, in the womb, and that even his bones, though hidden from sight, were not hidden from God 15
4. God saw him and knew him before he was even fully formed, and God ordained all the days of his life, long before he even lived one of them (outside the womb) 16.
5. David acknowledged that God’s thoughts concerning him, even in his underdeveloped state, were precious, vast and immeasurable 17 & 18.

What an astounding truth! The good God of heaven and earth, intentionally, intricately, intimately, and uniquely made David. And what was true of David is also true of you. God created you. He gave you life. You are not an accident, and you are not here by chance. It is the LORD our God who “made us, and not we ourselves” (Ps 100:3); therefore, give thanks to the Lord for your life!

3. Because He protects & preserves you.

Not only did the good God intentionally and personally knit you together in your mother’s womb, but He also protects and preserves you right now. In other words, if it had not been for the Lord, you would not be alive today. It is because of His mercies that you are not consumed. In Psalm 121 vv. 3-8, the Lord reminded His Old Covenant people, Israel, that He was their protector. In those verses, the Hebrew word shamar, which means to hedge about, keep, guard, watch over, protect, and preserve, appears in verses 3, 4, 5, 7 & 8.

God put Adam in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and to keep/shamar it (Gen 2:15). Adam was to keep, protect, and preserve the garden. Well, in Psalm 121, God says He is the protector and preserver of His people. God was Israel’s protector, preserver, and keeper. And in like manner, God is the protector, keeper, and preserver of His new covenant people, the Church.

During His High Priestly prayer, Jesus said to God the Father in Jn 17:12, “¹² While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.” In Jude 24-25 the word of God says “²⁴ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, ²⁵ to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

The words guarded in John 17 & keep in Jude are translations of the same Greek word that is equivalent to our Hebrew word shamar in Psalm 121. Dear Christian, this Christmas, give thanks to God for protecting and preserving you. He promises to do so for eternity (Jn 10:27-28).

4. Because He provides for you and prospers your way

The word of God reveals that it is the Lord our God who provides for our every need, and it is He who prospers our way. In Psalm 37:25-26, the psalmist says, “²⁵ I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread. ²⁶ All day long he is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.” The good God provides for you and gives you the power to get wealth.

It is not your own power and strength that have increased your wealth or even made it possible for you to do so; instead, it is the Lord your God (Deut 8:18). Furthermore, He is the One who provides your daily needs and gives you many good gifts. In Matt 6:25, Jesus says, “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Then in vv. 32-33 Jesus says, “³² “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” In James 1:17, the word of God reminds us that “¹⁷ Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Has this reality gripped your heart? All that you have, big or small, has been given to you by the good God! Therefore, give Him thanks.

5. Because He has given us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ

Thus far, we have considered four reasons to give God thanks. But this last reason is by far the most significant for us as Christians because it is the greatest God given gift of all.  We must give God thanks because He gave us His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and eternal life in His name. In Gal 4:4-5, the apostle Paul said, “⁴ But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, ⁵ so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

The reason Christmas is so important to us as Christians is because it points us to the celebration and significance of Easter and the empty cross on Calvary’s mountain. In the fullness of time, God sent His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world to die for us and save us from our sins and its penalty. At God’s appointed time 2000 years ago, Jesus, the Messiah, came. He was born of the Virgin Mary, and He lived the perfect life we failed to live.

But His love did not end there. Afteward, the holy, innocent, sinless Son of God died the death of a murderous, God-hating criminal, the death we all should have died. On the cross, Jesus took the penalty for our sins upon Himself as the divine wrath of God fell upon Him. Yet through His death, He lovingly freed us from an eternity in hell. But it doesn’t end there, because on the third day, He rose from the grave and secured our redemption.

In the words of the apostle Paul, “He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Through Jesus’s life, death, burial, and resurrection, we who believe in Him have been reconciled to God and enjoy the joys and delights of eternal life. And all of this was given to us by God’s loving grace and goodness. So, whether you have plenty of earthly possessions to give this year or very little to share with others, know that you have more than enough to thank God for.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Matthew confirms that when the Lord Jesus moved His ministry from Nazareth to Capernaum on the northern end of the Sea of Galilee, He did so in fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah (Isa. 9:2): “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined” (Mat. 4:16, NLT – New Living Translation quoted throughout). This region of Galilee was inhabited by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. The region’s location in the north meant that it would have been the first to suffer from the Assyrian invasion (2 Kin. 15:29). These people lived in an area where death cast its shadow. But the Lord Jesus, who is the Light of the world (Joh. 8:12) came and dwelt among them.

There is, also, a wider fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy to come. The Lord Jesus promised His disciples: “And the Good News [gospel] about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations [peoples] will hear it; and then the end will come” (Mat. 24:14). The Great Commission that the risen Christ gave to His Church (Mat. 28:18-20) will surely be fulfilled! This is awesome good news if we pause to consider the present state of theology in the world today.

The global map below shows a highlighted region that lies between 10 deg. – 40 deg. North latitude.

This region covers North Africa, the Middle East and much of Asia. It stretches from Morocco in the east to Japan in the west. Christian missionary groups have long identified this geographical zone (the 10/40 window) as a critical gospel target for several reasons.

First, it is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population live there. Second, this area has the most unreached people groups – people who live and die without ever hearing the gospel! Some estimate that three billion people in this zone have never heard the good news of Christ! Third, this zone of great spiritual darkness has also become known as the “Resistant Belt” due to its widespread political instability and severe restrictions to preaching the gospel, such as anti-conversion laws and the banning of Bibles. This could explain the low level of missionary activity in the zone.

How do we respond to this description of the 10/40 window, which includes the nation of Israel? We can learn from the Lord Jesus, the God-Man, who walked among a people that sat in darkness in Israel. “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields’” (Mat. 9:36-38).

Look at India, for example. It is recognized as the most religious country in the world; nevertheless, a country that is filled with false religion. Many Christians who visit India attest to feeling like the Apostle Paul when he passed through Athens (Acts 17:16). Paul was “deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere”. India is now the most populated country in the world, surpassing China in recent years. Churches there face many challenges.

It is in this context that we should understand and appreciate our Pastor’s recent visit to India. We sometimes hear exciting news of church planting among the unreached peoples but, in most instances, we don’t get many details about the content of the gospel that is taught in those churches. There is always a danger of syncretism creeping into churches in these dark areas of the world if sola Scriptura is not emphasized and taught. The Apostle Paul showed great concern in his Pastoral Letters to Timothy and Titus for the teaching of sound (healthy) doctrine in the churches that he planted (1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 1:13; Tit. 1:9). This is the critical task that our Pastor would have executed among the Pastors during his time in the subcontinent. May God use his work to keep the Indian Pastors grounded in His Word and produce much fruit to His glory.

Spiritual conditions in the 10/40 window may be daunting, but the Lord’s hand is not shortened to save. In addition to spiritual poverty, this zone is also marked by material poverty, corruption, and natural disasters. Reports indicate that a significant amount of youths now have a desire to escape this satanic death trap. Some analysts attribute the desire to the increased access to social media, which provide more freedom to examine and question their religions with relative safety. The Apostle John’s vision will be realized: “a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9). In the words of the hymn writer, Isaac Watts, we should be encouraged to pray:

“Pity the nations, O our God!

Constrain the earth to come;

Send thy victorious Word abroad

And bring the strangers home”

In our world today, the death of a person has become a celebration. The funeral service is now called, “the celebration of the life of ….” Death came into the world because of the fall into sin. (cf. Rom.5:12). Death is the evil result of and penalty for sin. Maybe I am odd, but it strikes me as strange that that which ends a life, brings permanent separation on earth, grief, loss, pain, is now a cause for celebration. (cf.Gen.23:2; 50:10-11).

In recent days, a young man, Charlie Kirk, was brutally murdered. And we have seen two types of celebrations. Firstly, those who loved Kirk have been mourning his death and celebrating his life. Secondly, we have seen the bloodthirsty, hate-filled, utterly depraved celebrations of those who hated him. Some of what I have seen on YouTube and TikTok are too disgusting to even reference. Without any sense of shame, some of the vocal haters are those who profess and aspire to be national leaders. Many have wondered aloud and silently if this man was murdered because of the violent rhetoric of these so-called leaders. Truly, it seems that we are now living in a culture that encourages and celebrates murder over religious, social, and political disagreements. The frightening reality is the growing number of women who support this mindset.

The man who murdered Charlie Kirk will answer to the laws of the land. We wait to see. One leftist politician has publicly stated that committing a crime does not necessarily make you a criminal. So the man who murdered Kirk is not necessarily a murderer. And sinners are not necessarily sinners. I guess it is for this reason we now have so many mentally sick people in the world. One thing we are certain about, Tyler Robinson will have to answer to God for his crime of murder. And on that day, his sin will be defined as lawlessness, (1Jn.3:4), and there will be no battery of lawyers to defend him.

Furthermore, I want to make it clear to all those who are celebrating the murder of Charlie Kirk, you are one with Tyler Robinson. Let me put it this way : you ARE Tyler Robinson and there is the blood of murder on your hands. Charlie Kirk’s murder has revealed that there are multiplied thousands of Tyler Robinsons in our midst who, in their morally twisted mindset, cheer on those who commit murders on their behalf. (cf. Rom.1:32).

Now let me make it clear, I do not know Charlie Kirk. From time to time, I have watched his videos on YouTube and I have marveled at the gifts God blessed him with and the fact that he did not bury that which God gave to him. He put his gifts to work while knowing he was doing so at great risk to himself. Faithfulness to God and risks tend to go together.

Kirk reminds me of Paul’s defense before Governor Festus and King Agrippa. Acts 26:24-25 says, “While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.” ²⁵ But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth (lit. “of truth and rationality”).” Paul would be murdered for the rational truth of the gospel. The leftist approach of calling you ignorant, mad, a hater, a bigot, etc., is not new. One shrieking leftist female politician described Kirk as ignorant and uneducated.

Charlie Kirk did not die before his time. The years God ordained for him in eternity (Psa.139:16) had come to an end. God is the one who is in sovereign control of life and death. (cf. Deut.32:39). Medical research does not have the ability to extend life. When your God-ordained years are finished, you will keep your appointment with death and final judgment. (Heb.9:27).

From all I have heard and read, it seems evident that Charlie Kirk was a Christian by conversion to Christ. A man who knew Charlie wrote, “Throughout his shortened mission on this earth, Charlie Kirk demonstrated his eager willingness to be used by God as he relentlessly preached the gospel. He told millions of people that the truth of the gospel is the only important thing in this life, and that Jesus is all that really matters.”

So I will not say to Charlie, RIP. Rev.14:13 says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.”  2Cor.5:8 describes death as being absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. In 2Tim.4:6 Paul described death as “departure”. You say “goodbye” and in the next instant you say “hello”. Charlie fought the good fight, finished the race God gave him to run, and kept the faith. And His Lord would have said to him, “Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.” (Matt.25:21). Charlie is beholding the glorious face of his Savior. And by this time, he would have shaken hands with his martyred forerunner, Abel. In his life on earth, Charlie was not perfect and would have made many regrettable mistakes. But on September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk became perfect and will be perfect for all eternity.

Charlie, we grieve over your murder, but we do not grieve like those who have no hope. (1Thess.4:13). Our living hope is in our risen and returning King, the Lord Jesus Christ.

One final word. Charlie, your martyrdom has reminded me of the martyrdom of Jim Elliot in 1956. The fruit of Elliot’s martyrdom was an army of Christians going into the mission field. May God raise up an army of truth and rational voices in your place and who, like you, will be rooted in the gospel. The increasing irrational voices of moral and spiritual insanity need persistent pushbacks from truth and rationality even if it means more martyrdoms.

The hatred of those who support free speech and rational debate before violence will continue to increase. Herein lies the reason for the deep implacable hatred for Biblical Christianity. Jesus was a debater. The Jewish religious leaders knew they could not win the debate, so they murdered him. Paul was a debater until Rome executed (murdered) him. Charlie Kirk was a debater until a “trans” lover who hated Kirk murdered him.

The left knows they cannot support free speech and win the debate, so their only answer is suppression, violence, and destruction. The examples of communist countries and religious theocratic countries are there for all to see. But the leftists have chosen to close their eyes (blindness) and to remain irrational.

We are now living in a world that is turning all morality upside down and manifesting a deepening hatred of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. But God has warned,

¹⁸ Woe to those who drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood,
And sin as if with cart ropes;
²⁰ Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight!
²³ Who justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!  (Isa.5:18, 20, 21, 23).

Prov.17:5, “He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.”

Prov.17:15, “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous,
                     Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.”

Ezek.25:6-7, “ For thus says the Lord God, “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the scorn of your soul against [the righteous], ⁷ therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you….”

Jesus said, “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (Matt.6:22-23). Indeed, how great is the moral darkness that is descending upon and taking hold of our world!!

It is beginning to feel like Rev.20:3 and the prelude to the loosing of Satan. The hatred of Christians will be increasing. Quite likely, like Stephen of old, Charlie Kirk has the honor of being the first martyr in the so-called free world that is growing in its hatred of Christ, His disciples, and the proclamation of Christ as THE truth in a world of lies, false gods, and the worship of Satan and his demonic hosts.  

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, [courageous], always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1Cor.15:58; cf. 16:13).

Exod.20:13, “You shall not commit murder.”  This is the sixth commandment, and its primary emphasis is on premeditated murder. 

Exod.21:12, “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.” However, as  vs.13  makes clear, if the action is not premeditated, the death penalty does not apply.

“He shall surely be put to death” is emphatic and the literal rendering is, “executed he shall be executed”. This is God’s seriousness about the death penalty. This reminds us of what the LORD said to Adam in Gen.2:17, “you shall surely die” or “dying you shall die.”

Exod.21:14-16,  “If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.

¹⁵ “He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

¹⁶ “He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death (lit. executed he shall be executed).”

The safest place of sanctuary for a Jew was laying hold of the horns of God’s altar. But God said that even His altar must not be a safe sanctuary for the murderer, so very wicked is the sin of murder. You must note also that God made kidnapping a serious capital crime and the punishment was the death penalty. Sadly, this is a punishment modern governments have rejected.

Deut.24:7,  “If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall PURGE the evil from among you.” (cf. 1Tim.1:9-10).

Lev.24:17, 21,   “If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death (lit. executed he shall be executed)….  the one who kills a man shall be put to death”.

Deut.19:11-13,  “But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities  (of refuge),  ¹² then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.  ¹³ You shall not pity him, but you shall PURGE the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with you.”

As we have seen, murder pollutes the land. God had said the death penalty purges the blood of the murdered from the land and “that it may go well with you.”

“You shall not pity” the murderer. Prov.28:17 says, “A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood will be a fugitive until death; (now note), let no one support him.” Showing pity and support for a murderer are violations of God’s commands. 

Num.35 :30, 31, 33,  “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. ³¹ Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death (lit. executed he shall be executed)….  (Now note  vs.33  very carefully). So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood POLLUTES the land and no EXPIATION can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.” Psa.106:38

Once again, we have the emphasis that the blood of murder pollutes the land, and expiation must be made for that pollution. But God has said that the only expiation is the blood of the murderer. Without expiation, and murdered blood constantly crying out to God for justice, it will not go well for the nation. When there is expiation through execution, as noted above, it will go well for the land. 

Deut.22:8,  “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.” 

The point here is the moral importance and necessity of protecting life. If someone dies because of your willful carelessness, God says that you have “bloodguilt”, that is, you are guilty for their death. Ancient houses had flat roofs that were used for a variety of things. The owner of the house was responsible for putting in a parapet or guard rails to protect those who used the roof for any activity. If he failed to do so and a death occurred, he would bring upon himself “bloodguilt”. Road deaths that take place because of lawless and irresponsible driving bring “bloodguilt” before God. Medical carelessness and malpractice that result in death bring “bloodguilt” before God. Man may not judge you, but God will be waiting for you and your bloody hands in the final judgment.

Rom.13 makes it very clear that God is involved in the ruling affairs of the nations. The teachings found in this chapter are repeating what is already taught in the Old Testament. Consider the following verses :

Psalm 9:7 “But the Lord sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for justice.”

Psa.103:19, “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.”

Dan.2:21, “He (God) removes kings and establishes kings.”

Da.4:17, 32, “The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And [He] bestows it on whomever He wishes.”

Rom.13:1, “there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

The ruler is a minister (servant) of God (vss.4 & 6) regardless of gender or religious persuasion. He/she is chosen by God to serve the nation and will answer to God for his/her rule. The chapter makes it clear that rulers are under God’s authority, and hence they are called to rule responsibly and justly, since God Himself will judge them in accord with what they have done as His servants.

God requires that their rule must encourage (even compel) good behavior. The ruler must have an iron fist in a velvet glove. Those who do good must see and experience the velvet glove.

Those who do evil must be made to fear the rulers by seeing and experiencing the iron fist. The ruler is God’s “avenger who brings wrath (punishment) on the one who practices evil.” The God who said in Rom.12:19, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay”, has delegated His authority into the hand of the ruler to take vengeance on those who break the laws of the land.

The ruler must be “a cause of fear … for evil”. That which God has required is very clear. Punishment must be of such a dreaded nature, it must instill fear and even the willingness to change in the evildoer (self-rehabilitation). The primary responsibility God has given to the ruler for dealing with the lawless is punishment that instills fear. But today, in rebellion against God, and in the name of humanity and compassion, etc., the focus has changed and shifted away from punishment that instills fear. The great concern is for the humanity of the lawless without a thought for the humanity of the victims and those who must suffer because of the crime committed.

Furthermore, God has given to the ruler, as His avenger, the power of the sword. (vs.4). The ruler “does not bear the sword for nothing.” The sword is not a meaningless display, without cause and purposeless. The sword is the symbolism of the death penalty. The ancient magistrate habitually carried a sword to make clear his power to punish, and to do so even with the death penalty.

Now let us get this clear. Jesus was unjustly put to death by the wicked Jewish religious rulers and the cowardly Pilate. Peter did not mince his words when he brought his accusations against the Jews in his Pentecost sermon. Paul stated in Acts 25:11, “If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die.” Eventually, Paul would be executed on Nero’s orders for the crime of being a Christian. Herod put James to death for the crime of being a Christian. (Acts 12:2).

The Bible recognizes that unjust/corrupt rulers will execute innocent men. But, even in the face of this fact, God did not rescind the death penalty. When rulers rescind or refuse to carry out the death penalty, they are servants of God who are rebelling against God. And they will stand before God in the final judgment with hands filled with the blood of the murdered who are still crying out for justice.

The ultimate death penalty will be imposed by God for sin. 1Jn.3:4 defines sin as lawlessness. This death penalty is called the “second death, the lake of fire” (Rev.20:14). All who are without salvation in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. Jesus described the lake of fire as “eternal fire” and “eternal punishment” (Matt.25:41, 46). “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31).

Cain and Abel brought offerings to the LORD (vs.3ff). Cain’s offering was rejected and we are told, “Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.” (vs.5). The literal meaning is, “it burned Cain exceedingly.” Using the same verb, God asked Cain (literally), “Why are you glowing with anger?” Such anger is usually coupled with hate. (cf. 1Jn.3:15). Cain’s murder was rooted in this burning anger and hate. It is clear from Cain’s anger and actions that his murder of Abel was premeditated. 

Secondly, note the verb “crouching” in vs.7. This verb is related to demonic activity. The translation, “sin is a crouching demon at the door” is acceptable. If murder, as God said, is an attack on the image of God in man, or an attempt to destroy the image of God, one can understand why murder is demonic. In vs.7 God said to Cain very emphatically, “you, you must master it”, that is, you must master this crouching demon.  But tragically, Cain failed to do so.  Instead, Cain’s sin mastered him and took control of him. In vs.8 we see three verbs describing Cain’s actions towards Abel : he spoke; he rose up; he killed.

Thirdly, vs.10. God said to Cain, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.” It is of interest to note that when Abel finally speaks, his shed blood did the speaking, crying out to God for justice. The ground that God cursed when Adam sinned is now polluted by the sin of murder. There are two points here that must be kept in mind : (1) the shed blood of murder pollutes the land; (2) the shed blood of murder cries out to God for justice. 

Fourthly, vss.10-11 – the statement of God’s punishment. “Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” In Gen.3 God cursed the snake and the ground. Here, for the first time in the history of mankind, a human being is cursed. “The result is Cain’s being driven away from the land – loss of community, loss of belonging, and indeed, loss of identity, a fate perhaps worse than death.” (Abraham Kuruvilla – Genesis, p.83). God did not put Cain to death because the death penalty was not yet given.

In vss.13-14, Cain complained about the unfairness of his punishment and the potential threat that he could now be murdered. This is quite ironic coming from one who has just murdered his brother. Today, murderers (and their liberal bleeding heart lovers) follow Cain and complain about the unfairness and harshness (brutality) of the death penalty or life sentences without parole. The murder they committed is not unfair, harsh, brutal, wicked. Like Cain, their murderous acts, in which they acted as prosecutor, jury, and judge, are justifiable and righteous in their own eyes.

You would note in the account that Cain displayed no remorse or repentance. And he never asked for or received forgiveness. He remained arrogant and self-pitying to the very end. If a murderer is truly remorseful and repentant before God for what he has done, then he must follow the Zacchaeus principle (Lk.19:8) and embrace the God-commanded death penalty for what he has done. Until then, all declarations of remorse and repentance are abominable lies with the ulterior motive of receiving sympathy and a soft punishment.  

While there is an outcry among citizens about this high murder rate, virtually nothing is said about abortions, medical malpractice, and road accidents, to name a few. The Guttmacher Institute reported that in 2015 – 2019, there were 29,700 unintended pregnancies in T&T.  And from this number, 17,100 ended in abortion. In other words, during those few years 17,100 babies were murdered in this country. This country is soaked in the blood of murder that has polluted and cursed the land.

Murder is one of the most heinous sins that can be committed. It is the sin that attacks God directly because it attacks the image of God in men. The key verse here is  Gen.9:5-6.  The context of these verses is the covenant God made with Noah. God, beginning afresh with Noah after the flood, reaffirmed the creation commands, changed man’s diet (vs.3), and then spoke of murder. A note for vegans : it is God who changed man’s diet.  God said,

“Surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man’s brother I will require the life of man.

⁶ “Whoever sheds man’s blood,
By man his blood shall be shed,
For in the image of God
He made man.”

Mankind’s fall into sin has corrupted the world and produced a culture of violence (cf. Gen.6:11). Creation will be at war with man, man will be at war with creation, and man will be at war with man (cf. Gen.9:2). The Divine penalty of execution for murder is passed against the beasts of the field and against man. But then God specifically delegated the responsibility of the penal judgment He required to men for the murder of men.  “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed.” As we shall see, this cannot be dismissed as O.T. law. 

Let me put it bluntly  :  God has COMMANDED that if you murder a fellow man, your fellow men must punish you by putting you to death. Why? Man was created in the image of God. Your crime of murder attacks the image of God in man. Your crime of murder is a direct attack on God. Your punishment is not murder, as some claim. Your punishment fits, is proportionate to, your crime. This is not some archaic, barbaric, evolutionary social construct. This is the clear command of the Holy wise God who created man in His image.

God’s commands must be obeyed. Psa.119:4 says, “You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently.” (cf. Matt.28:20). Bleeding heart liberals may seem to be loving and compassionate, but they are not. Those who choose to willfully disobey God are rebels against God, are the enemies of God, and are haters of God.

As we contemplate this Scripture verse, we realize that evangelism is a weighty responsibility because of its eternal consequences. The Apostle Paul explains that a spiritual battle occurs whenever the gospel is shared: “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor. 4:3-4).

The Greek word that is translated “perishing” in 1 Cor. 1:18 and 2 Cor. 4:3 is the same word used by the Lord Jesus in Joh. 3:16 to describe those who do not receive eternal life. The choice of this word indicates that the one who is perishing is not a passive onlooker in the rejection of the gospel. Hence, the Ligonier Study Bible makes this critical comment: “According to the Bible, there will be two types of response to the gospel arising from God’s elective purpose…. This truth does not make God responsible for the perishing of unbelievers; they perish because of their own sin and stubborn impenitence. Those who believe and are saved, on the other hand, are those who are called.”

The context that leads to the Apostle Paul writing 1 Cor. 1:18 in his first letter to the Corinthian Church can be found in the previous verse: “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void” (1 Cor. 1:17). Apparently, the Corinthian Church had an unhealthy appetite for rhetorical skills. Its location within one of the largest and most prosperous cities of the Roman world would have exposed the Church to the liberal ideas and customs of that time. The message of the cross had failed the world’s cleverness test when compared to the philosophies of men. Paul was careful to emphasize that the power in his preaching did not come from fancy rhetoric or human wisdom but from the gospel itself. “The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16).

The Lord Jesus illustrated the same point to the Pharisee Nicodemus by drawing on a significant incident involving Moses after the exodus from Egypt (Num. 21:4-8). Israel had become impatient in the wilderness and began to complain against God and Moses. God judged Israel by sending fiery serpents which bit the people, causing many of them to die. When the people repented of their sin, God directed Moses to erect a bronze serpent in the wilderness. The serpent, a symbol of sin and judgment, was lifted up from the earth and put on a tree, which was a symbol of a curse: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13a). Anyone bitten by the fiery serpents simply had to look up at that bronze serpent and he would be healed. No works were required, just a simple look of faith and trust in God for healing!

The command to look at a bronze serpent may have appeared foolish to some but if they did not obey, they would have certainly perished. Nicodemus was presented with the same gospel that the wise of this world continue to reject because it is so offensive to the fleshly mind: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life” (Joh. 3:14-15).

When Nicodemus, the “teacher of Israel” (Joh. 3:10) was informed by Jesus of the necessity for spiritual rebirth to enter the kingdom of God he was perplexed. “How can these things be?” he asked (Joh. 3:9). But later, we see him appearing as a faithful follower with a precious offering at the cross of Jesus: “Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight” (Joh. 19:39). He came to Jesus in the darkness of night (Joh. 3:2) and he was transformed by the “Light of the world” (Joh. 8:12).

In Nicodemus we find an example of a wise man, by this world’s standards, who initially stumbled at the “foolishness” of the gospel. However, by God’s grace, he experienced the power of the gospel and moved from the condemned camp on the left side of the cross to the camp of the saved on the right side of the cross. When someone is born of the Spirit, he/she is enabled to see the light of the gospel. “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6).

God has ordained that the world will not and cannot know Him through its own wisdom (1 Cor. 1:21), “so that no man may boast before God” (1 Cor. 1:29). Paul quotes from Isaiah 29:14 to support his thesis that humanistic wisdom will never be a means of finding God and that it is God’s intention to use the “foolishness” of the gospel to accomplish His purpose. Paul sums up his argument by asking some rhetorical questions: “Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Cor. 1:20).

This is a reminder that our evangelism must be accompanied by much prayer that the Holy Spirit will regenerate the hearts of sinners to hear and understand the gospel. Truly, salvation belongs to the LORD (Psa. 3:8). It is initiated by His grace and completed by His power.

What does this church believe?

All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Do the pastors and members of that church believe that the entire Bible is the revealed, inspired (i.e. God-breathed), inerrant, infallible, sufficient, authoritative word of God? Or do they teach only some parts and regard other parts as archaic, outdated, irrelevant or just plain wrong? All 66 books of the Bible are inspired by God and are the unmistakable revelation of truth. Jesus is the supreme head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23) and He governs, not in new revelations, nor through the wisdom of men but through His Word by the power of the Holy Spirit. If the leaders of the church you are attending do not believe this truth of the Bible, then that is not a church led by Christ or to state it bluntly, that is not a Christian church. Speaking of leaders…

Who leads the church?

It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. (1 Timothy 3:1)

The pastor/elder of any church is a man, appointed by God, examined for office using the Biblical qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9) and affirmed by the church. This is what the Bible unequivocally teaches. The pastor who fails to uphold these qualifications should be disqualified. The pastor should also be consistently equipping himself to fulfill his role through prayer and the accurate handling of God’s word (2 Timothy 2:15).

The Bible further states that a woman should not be in this role of pastor/elder and should not teach or have authority over a man (1 Timothy 2:11-12).

What do they preach?

I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)

The church is described as a pillar and support of the truth. The building imagery illustrates the church as a pillar holding up the truth and a support or base being the foundation of truth. What is the truth? Jesus answers this question by pointing not to a field of study or to the teachers of His day, but to Himself (John 14:6). He is the personification of truth (John 1:14) and so a Biblical church preaches Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:23).

Specifically, this means that a Biblical church preaches the gospel or good news that through Christ, our holy, just and loving God redeems sinful and rebellious people for all eternity. A Biblical church calls on men and women to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ alone for salvation (Acts 16:31; 17:30). A Biblical church preaches that people who profess to believe in the gospel should be baptized and be added to a local church (Acts 2:38-41). A Biblical church preaches that those who are Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and live new lives in obedience to their Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 3:5).

A Biblical church preaches the truth.

Why are these questions important?

I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (Matthew 16:18)

A church is not just a building. A church is not just a random group of people gathered on a Sunday. The original Greek word for church, ekklesia, literally means the “called out ones”. The church is comprised of those who are called by God. Being called in the Bible has significant meaning. It means you are chosen and set apart by God and it means you are saved from eternity past, in the present and for all eternity. It means that once God saves you from the domination of sin in your life, He will not let you fall away (Ephesians 1:13).

A church that is Biblical, that submits to Jesus as head, is obedient to God’s word. This results in the Bible being the definitive standard of how a church should worship God on the Lord’s Day (Sunday) and how Christians who belong to that church are to live throughout the week. A church that is Biblical teaches and preaches the truth revealed to us in His word and helps us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ to the glory of God (2 Peter 3:18).

A wrong church or unbiblical church is no different from the evils of this world that you are trying to be shielded from. Make a prayerful and Biblical decision in selecting a church, so that your soul and the souls of your loved ones may be nourished to grow in love and obedience to the head of the church, Jesus Christ.

It is a matter of eternal life or eternal death. Choose wisely.

[1] https://www.crosswalk.com/headlines/contributors/milton-quintanilla/church-attendance-continues-to-rise-among-young-adults-in-the-us.html

[2] https://christianconcern.com/comment/gen-z-the-return-of-a-prodigal-generation/