Bitterness. A defiling root that keeps many from seeing the Lord.

From: Dwight Burford
dpburford@all4liberty.net


Bitterness. A defiling root that keeps many from seeing the Lord.

The October 8, 2019, message in a series of sermons by Pastor Jeff Schreve linked below is an insightful and helpful lesson on this insidious beast, bitterness, and how to be freed from it:

https://www.fromhisheart.org/series/life-goes-on-how-to-face-a-new-normal/Radio

Please take time to listen to the message. It helps explain why bitterness defiles many and keeps them from seeing the Lord in their lives.[1]
Ultimately, bitterness is an “unpardonable” sin before God – should one die in the hardness and deceitfulness of bitterness toward the Lord and His body, the church.[2]
Why? God is love,[3] and He created us in His image and likeness.[4] To be bitter toward God or others, then, is to live in opposition to God’s very nature, to live contrary to His very image and likeness of light and love.
Bitterness goes against the very teachings of Jesus Christ, which are ultimately to love one another.[5] Thus, to harbor bitterness within ourselves against another is to contradict His teachings and strive against His ministry and that of the Holy Spirit by whom He baptizes His church to fill each member with His love.[6]
Remember, the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (i.e. by the Comforter, who is His Spirit of truth).[7] Therefore, to speak bitterly of another is to speak against or contrary to the Spirit of God, who speaks otherwise of each member.
In a word, bitterness is blasphemy against the Spirit of God and His temple, the church.[8] For the Spirit of God moves in us to pray for one another, and to minister to each other’s needs, [9] not to think or to speak evil of one another.[10]
But is not this vile world filled with innumerable reasons to be bitter? How then can we then be freed from bitterness? Remember the cross of Jesus Christ and forgive for His sake.[11] Forgive – the person or circumstance which has caused you to be bitter – in the person of Jesus Christ, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us.”[12]
In other words, walk after the Spirit, not after this world.[13] Live as new creatures in Christ, having been created anew in God’s image of light and love through Jesus Christ.[14] Live according to His commandments while focusing on the two great commandment

Dwight Burford


[1] Hebrews 12:14,15
[2] cf. I Corinthians 6:18 with I Corinthians 12:12-27 & I John 5:16-21
[3] I John 4:8,16
[4] Genesis 1:27-29
[5] e.g. Matthew 5, esp. 45-50 with John 13:34,35, 15:12-14 & I John 3:18-24
[6] Acts 2 with Mark 1:1-13
[7] Romans 5:5 with John 14:16,17,26
[8] I Corinthians 3:16-17 & 6:19,20
[9] Romans 8:26,27 & I Peter 1:22-25 with I Thessalonians 4:7-9 & Galatians 5:22-26
[10] Romans 12:1-21
[11] Ephesians 4:32
[12] II Corinthians 2:10-11
[13] Galatians 5:14-26 with Romans 8:1-39
[14] cf. II Corinthians 5:14-21 with I Corinthians 3:3