SGRLA - Superstitious Fruit

Superstitious Fruit

After salvation, God had opened my eyes to the differences between life and death. This revelation includes people's Outlook on the life that they live day to day. Their outlook on life these days is a major topic or subject that is discussed in common conversation.

For example, in this currently trying time of the coronavirus, I have seen an unstable pull of opinion. People trying to convince others that things are gonna be bad, basically indicating the eruption of death among society. Then others tend to be unrealistic on the positive aspect. When this occurs, usually the individual sway back and forth in their opinion of the outcome. One day they believe something then when something happens their beliefs change.

What really inspired me to write this message, is my dad. I have seen as tribulation comes, my dad sway from one presumptuous belief or conclusion to another. Then at the end of it all, everything that was assumed was wrong.

When I read about Paul's time on the island of Melitas, the barbarous native people as scripture describes and their actions, It all reminded me of my Dad. One moment in tribulation they conclude one destructive outcome, then when a miracle happens, their quick to assume another ultimately destructive conclusion.

In this message, I want to evaluate the source of this behavior. We'll take a look at what scripture states we should do and say when times get tough. Then we'll also take a look at how one should react when miracles occur.

I.The Source
The first thing that came to mind about the Melites, the island natives, when I read this story is James 1:8 where it states

"A double minded man it's unstable in all his ways"

The Melites opinion was always ignorant, regardless of the circumstances. In a sense, this concept is naturally in humans as people tend to relate life to nature. Vernon McGhee states in The Pulpit Commentary that overall normally "We expect that nature will execute the chastisement of the spiritual world". With that natural element in mine, we can remember what Peter says about people who are "natural" in nature with their ideologies in Peter 2:12:

"But these, as natural brute beat, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall try perish in their own corruption;"

Basically, a keyword here is the Word "evil". "Evil" in the Greek language here in this scripture is "blasphemeo" and is defined as "to insult, slander or curse". Peter continues, by indicating in verse 14:

"Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:"

a. An unstable soul
A major element that I want to focus on in Peter's message is the soul. The word "soul" in Greek here is "psyche" and is simply defined as the "life; heart or mind". The definition that can scripturally relate to this is in Genesis 2:7

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul"

This soul became unstable after sin in entered into the picture. But another major factor that Peter relays in the "heart they have exercised with covetous practice".

b. An excercised heart
Looking at this statement that Peter made it would be safe to conclude that the island Melita people have exercised their hearts with many vain practices. This act Peter describes what will be the result of this practice in 2 Peter chapter 2 where he basically reveals that those who practice covetousness in their heart will suffer. Peter basically sums this up with the title "False Prophets". That is what the Melita island people was in their ignorant superstitions. Peter basically describes then when he states in 2 Peter 2:10:

"But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the list of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities."

Pete basically is revealing that the list of the flesh is what is exercised in this kind of speaking, which is not of the father as John said in 1 John.

II. Tribulation Recompense
So what is of the father? Before we answer this, it's important to note that most assumptions or superstitions are usually based on some type of fact or partial truth, that had been exaggerated and fashioned by someone's fear as Vernon McGhee states. This basically misrepresent that truth itself. While the islands native people were correct in their opinion that wrong-doing never escaped punishment, they was wrong that vengeance is a mere entity.

a. Fear in Tribulation Rewards
In scripture, one of the verses that comes to mind regarding this topic is "Vergence is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" from Romans 12:19. Many would quickly use this scripture to link the ideology of tribulation to punishment. But this concept is contradicted in stories throughout the Bible like for example, when Samson struck down men after the commandment "Thou shalt not kill". Or when Paul got bit by the snake. No ill consequence happened. Both people, ultimately fulfill the purpose to what God intended for them. God's angel declared that Samson was to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines in Judges 13:5. And with Paul, God declared to Ananias that Paul was a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles, and Kings and the children of Israel. Both of these basically gives reasoning to some other justification. In those situations, there was a Divine declared propose on their life. This gave a greater purpose and actually presented a whole new concept to tribulation. Through the native's words, you can tell that the natives believed in what they physically saw and that anything that was physically done altered the Spiritual realm. So in a sense, they feared physical consequence for physical tribulation. But Jesus instructs against this when He said in Matthew 10:28:

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather great him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

Those native people did not focus on the soul of Paul here. They was basically focused on the flesh and body of Paul. They saw him get bit and was quick to jump to a fearful conclusion of death. But when the true recompense occurred, due to Paul's spiritual focus, the native people was quick to again assume another superstitious conclusion when the salvation miracle of faith occurred for Paul.

b. Faith in Tribulation Rewards
So after Paul was bit by the snake, he shook it off into the fire and wasn't harmed. It didn't seem he thought anything else of it. However, when the native people saw this miracle, this was when they came up with another superstition. Paul, in his time of tribulation continued in his faith and purpose. The reward of his faith in this tribulation was eternal life. The Melita people couldn't grasp this concept and was astonded. They couldn't understand the miracle.

III. Miracles Chastisement
The miracle that was seen by the native people couldn't be understood by them. So they was chastised by not understanding what was different in what happened with Paul. Ever seen something positive occur that couldn't be explained? They swayed in the opinion, because Paul lived after the horrendous incident. They couldn't understand, how he could still live as it was known death was imminent after a viper's bite. It actually seemed to make them fear Paul.

a. Fear of Man
The major element here that played a role in the native people was fear. You can see and understand this in the native people's reaction to both the T tribulation and the miracle that happened. First, the native's feared that Paul was a murderer. They felt that he had reaped what he sowed. But when Paul survived the superstitious issue, they feared that Paul was a god due to his impractical survival. The change in belief showed how they did not have a sound faith, or sound mind. When Paul wrote Timothy, he touched on this topic when he said:

"For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind"

The natives was so fearful, they had no faith.

b. Faith in God
The natives was so focused on identifying superstitions that they lacked any evidence of faith. Paul on the other hand, demonstrated his faith in his reaction to the snake bite and how he carried himself. He didn't live in the "fear of death" mentally, but in the faith of a promised spiritual destination.

Conclusion
While most rely on the practical earthly principles, many fail to include the principalities of the spiritual realm. Paul wrote to the Ephesians

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness"

This revelation is the major key factor to the natives and their ignorance. They failed to focus on the Spiritual aspect of the situation. Ultimately, this rendered them blind to the reason Paul lived.

As believers of Christ it's important to focus on the spiritual aspect of life. When tribulation arrives, faith in life's spiritual destination is what truly matters, which is the kingdom of heaven. Understanding the difference and focusing on the destination will keep you in the fruit of the Spirit instead of the superstitious fruit, that the natives displayed.

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