Thoughts on Discipleship by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

BREAKING BANDS AND SEVERING CORDS

When there are no banks to restrict the flow of water, a river ceases to exist, spreading as a lake to harbor whatever filth may come its way. Similarly, when there is no restriction of human life through the foundational laws of the Judeo-Christian ethic every man does that which is right in his own eyes. The resident sin in men runs rampant.

The twenty-first century world clamors for chaos, and is not unlike the description presented in the second Psalm. “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD, (Jehovah/Jesus) and against his anointed (His church, the pillar and ground of the truth) saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” This Psalm may be shown to have historic value, but it certainly is applicable to the current time of the last days.

Civilization has risen to great heights by obedience to the laws of the Creator/God of the universe. However, as the holy bands and cords are cast off, iniquity and chaos rush in to fill the void.

Moreover, the process is somewhat subtle to the theologically ignorant. It is not an immediate, full blown honoring of evil, but it begins with a denial of God as the Creator of the universe, and all life therein, and proceeds to finally deny God altogether. Additionally, wrong is called good, and good is called wrong. The end result is the production of a godless, antichrist society that Paul wrote to Timothy about so long ago in 2 Tim. 3. It is a setting of the world stage for the final act of the age; precise, accurate, unyielding judgment in full measure.

Why are men willingly ignorant of eternal truth, and determined to cast off the bands and cords of the Creator? It is because of the presence of sin, and their love for darkness rather than light, as Jesus put it in John 3.

While this present age of grace lasts, it is called TODAY. The plea of the Holy Spirit of God to the heart of every person is to repent of sin, and take the light yoke of the Lord Jesus: to serve Him in the goodness and blessings of a live well lived.

The Holy Spirit never shirks responsibility, so wrong doing in every person is met with a sense of shame and reproach. It has a purpose, a very important purpose. It is the open door to repentance and forgiveness that cannot be obtained any other way, and it will not always be available. Consequently, men should be wiser than those described in Psalm 2. Instead of counseling together to break bands and cast off cords, they should welcome with open arms the conviction of the Holy Spirit and that open door of repentance while it remains.

FOR THOUGHT: Changes brought about over the last 70 years are staggering; more than what was experienced for thousands of years before then. Do you think the rapidity of these changes tend to move people away from faith to embrace more fully materialism? Do you see the church being marginalized more with each generation? Where will you cast your lot in life?