Seven hundred years before the first Christmas, the Prophet Isaiah stated that a "virgin" would give birth to a Son conceived by God, not man. Later the Prophet Micah said this Son would be born in Bethlehem. (Two different prophets … same Son.)
God arranged for this virgin named Mary, to be in Bethlehem at the proper time with a decree from the then Caesar of Rome, Augustus (Caius Octavius who reigned from 29 B.C. to 14 A.D.) to have a census taken for taxation.
At the same time as the birth of Mary’s first child, an unknown number of shepherds tending sheep on the hillsides around Bethlehem, had an Angelic visitor who told them of the birth of Christ, which prompted them to go and find Him. When they did find the stable, (the only place left because of the taxation crowd) He was still in a stall, His birthplace.
The date of the birth is unknown. It was not on December 25th as is celebrated today. Shepherds never kept their flocks in the open fields in the winter from late fall to spring. The time of year is not important, but the fact that He was born is.
After the birth of Christ, some men of unknown number or nationality, (perhaps astrologers since they had been watching the stars) came from the east to worship the new "King of the Jews," whose star they had seen. They knew of the prophecy given seven hundred years before. (Many think there were three because of the gifts.)
When they arrived in Israel, they inquired about the birth with King Herod, who being worried about the birth of a new king, asked the so called "wise men" how long ago they had seen the star. It must have been close to two years earlier since Herod later had all males put to death that were two years of age and younger. So, by the time the wise men saw the star, traveled to Jerusalem, then to Bethlehem, the star went before them and stood over the "house" (not a stable) where the young "child" (no longer a baby) was with Mary, His mother.
Since the star moved to a new location, many believe that Joseph, Mary, and her Son went back home to Nazareth and lived there until the wise men came one or two years after the birth of Christ. They then had to flee to Egypt when Herod killed all the male children two years old and younger.
Many stories and legends have perverted the actual true facts about the birth of "the Son of God," so as to cause doubt and confusion as to who He really is, and why He came.
One of His names was "Emmanuel," which means "God with us." He was Jesus, "the Lamb of God." He was God wrapped in flesh. He is our Hope of Salvation, for there is no other name given whereby man "must" be saved.
These are the true facts about Christmas. He "is" the reason for the season!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Showing Mercy
In the following scripture, Moses has just asked God to allow him to see God's face in all of it's power and glory, to which God responds … "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live." So God covers Moses with His hand while His glory passes by … and then removes His hand so Moses can see Him from the rear as He walks on by.
Right in the middle of all this, for whatever reason, God says to Moses in the last half of Exodus 33:19 … "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy."
This statement by God, on the surface, doesn't give us a complete understanding of why God said this or what God actually means by these words.
The word gracious usually means ... "courteous, kind, pleasantly indulgent, especially toward an inferior." As it is used here in the original Hebrew, it's meaning is ... "to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow."
There's an old Christian song that says … "When the Savior reached down for me, He had to reach way, way down for me …" God did indeed have to bend or stoop way down to reach fallen man, who was and is inferior in every way to the Lord. But He was willing … for He said, "I will," and God became a man.
The thought in this song of God reaching down is taken from Psalms 40:2 ... "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." That's where man was, always digging deeper into the muck, the horrible pit that here in this Psalm represents the sin of the world. What a gracious and merciful Savior.
There is another very important word we need to look at in this same scripture, and that is … mercy … meaning in Hebrew, "to have compassion on."
Take a look at Romans 9:15 where the Apostle Paul basically quotes this same scripture, but he changes his wording slightly from that of Moses …
"For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
"Mercy" in the Greek is close to the Hebrew meaning … to show pity through compassion.
"Compassion," as used in the same verse, strangely enough means almost the same thing ... to exercise pity.
What Paul's words are saying to me, if I may rephrase them are … "God said, I will show pity on whomever I choose, and I will exercise pity on whomever I choose." And does He not have that right?
When God said … "I will" … He was expressing His intention to initiate action; in this case it was to give mercy rather than withhold it. Either way, God's "will" … was to be done.
John Gill (1697-1771) the old English Baptist biblical scholar and theologian speaks about God's willingness in Exodus 33 to show mercy to Moses and his people …
" 'I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy' … the children of Israel had sinned against Him such as they had, yet He would show favor, grace, and mercy to them, in pardoning their sins. It would be distributed, not according to any merits of theirs, but according to His sovereign will and pleasure, and not to all, but to whomsoever He thought fit.
And so it is with respect to grace and mercy, as displayed in Christ to sinful men; it is not in proportion to their deserts, but according to the purpose and good will of God, and 'that' not unto all, but unto some whom He has appointed, not unto wrath, but unto salvation by Jesus Christ … and the more enlarged view men have of this, the more clearly and fully does the goodness and glory of God 'pass' also before them."
So, if I understand what he is saying ... God, who is still sovereign, has reserved the right to give or to withhold grace and mercy at His discretion. He therefore may dispense His blessing to whomever and with whatever terms He pleases.
Do God's words to Moses show that He has a right to dispense His blessings as He pleases?
Adam Clarke (1762-1832) a British Methodist biblical scholar and theologian answers this question with this statement ...
"It's as if God had said: 'I will make such a display of My perfections as shall convince you that My nature is kind and beneficent … but know, that I am a debtor to none of My creatures. My benefits and blessings are merely from My own good will. And therefore I now spare the Jews; not because either you, (Moses) who intercede for them or they themselves have any claim upon My favor … but of My own free and sovereign grace I choose to show them mercy and compassion. I will give My salvation in My own way and on My own terms.' "
Romans 9:16 … "So then [God's gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God's mercy."
I conclude, therefore, that we have nothing to do with receiving God's mercy … it is strictly given according to His sovereign will for our lives.
Paul continues using the example of Pharaoh as one whom God didn't show any mercy too.
Romans 9:17-18 … "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, I have raised you up for this very purpose of displaying My power in [dealing with] you ... So then He has mercy on whomever He wills (chooses) and He hardens (makes stubborn and unyielding the heart of) whomever He wills."
And lastly … I will present the same question Paul does in Romans 9:21 …
"Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same mass (lump) one vessel for beauty and distinction and honorable use, and another for menial or ignoble and dishonorable use?"
Paul is showing that even as the potter has a right, out of the same lump of clay, to make one vessel more honorable and another less honorable … does not God also have the same right with the vessels He creates?
Showing mercy is one of the things God does best.
So, whether you think your vessel of clay is in the more honorable category, or the other one, remember … "He brought whatever type vessel you are out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set you upon a rock, and established your goings."
And that Rock today is Jesus.
Right in the middle of all this, for whatever reason, God says to Moses in the last half of Exodus 33:19 … "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy."
This statement by God, on the surface, doesn't give us a complete understanding of why God said this or what God actually means by these words.
The word gracious usually means ... "courteous, kind, pleasantly indulgent, especially toward an inferior." As it is used here in the original Hebrew, it's meaning is ... "to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor, bestow."
There's an old Christian song that says … "When the Savior reached down for me, He had to reach way, way down for me …" God did indeed have to bend or stoop way down to reach fallen man, who was and is inferior in every way to the Lord. But He was willing … for He said, "I will," and God became a man.
The thought in this song of God reaching down is taken from Psalms 40:2 ... "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." That's where man was, always digging deeper into the muck, the horrible pit that here in this Psalm represents the sin of the world. What a gracious and merciful Savior.
There is another very important word we need to look at in this same scripture, and that is … mercy … meaning in Hebrew, "to have compassion on."
Take a look at Romans 9:15 where the Apostle Paul basically quotes this same scripture, but he changes his wording slightly from that of Moses …
"For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
"Mercy" in the Greek is close to the Hebrew meaning … to show pity through compassion.
"Compassion," as used in the same verse, strangely enough means almost the same thing ... to exercise pity.
What Paul's words are saying to me, if I may rephrase them are … "God said, I will show pity on whomever I choose, and I will exercise pity on whomever I choose." And does He not have that right?
When God said … "I will" … He was expressing His intention to initiate action; in this case it was to give mercy rather than withhold it. Either way, God's "will" … was to be done.
John Gill (1697-1771) the old English Baptist biblical scholar and theologian speaks about God's willingness in Exodus 33 to show mercy to Moses and his people …
" 'I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy' … the children of Israel had sinned against Him such as they had, yet He would show favor, grace, and mercy to them, in pardoning their sins. It would be distributed, not according to any merits of theirs, but according to His sovereign will and pleasure, and not to all, but to whomsoever He thought fit.
And so it is with respect to grace and mercy, as displayed in Christ to sinful men; it is not in proportion to their deserts, but according to the purpose and good will of God, and 'that' not unto all, but unto some whom He has appointed, not unto wrath, but unto salvation by Jesus Christ … and the more enlarged view men have of this, the more clearly and fully does the goodness and glory of God 'pass' also before them."
So, if I understand what he is saying ... God, who is still sovereign, has reserved the right to give or to withhold grace and mercy at His discretion. He therefore may dispense His blessing to whomever and with whatever terms He pleases.
Do God's words to Moses show that He has a right to dispense His blessings as He pleases?
Adam Clarke (1762-1832) a British Methodist biblical scholar and theologian answers this question with this statement ...
"It's as if God had said: 'I will make such a display of My perfections as shall convince you that My nature is kind and beneficent … but know, that I am a debtor to none of My creatures. My benefits and blessings are merely from My own good will. And therefore I now spare the Jews; not because either you, (Moses) who intercede for them or they themselves have any claim upon My favor … but of My own free and sovereign grace I choose to show them mercy and compassion. I will give My salvation in My own way and on My own terms.' "
Romans 9:16 … "So then [God's gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God's mercy."
I conclude, therefore, that we have nothing to do with receiving God's mercy … it is strictly given according to His sovereign will for our lives.
Paul continues using the example of Pharaoh as one whom God didn't show any mercy too.
Romans 9:17-18 … "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, I have raised you up for this very purpose of displaying My power in [dealing with] you ... So then He has mercy on whomever He wills (chooses) and He hardens (makes stubborn and unyielding the heart of) whomever He wills."
And lastly … I will present the same question Paul does in Romans 9:21 …
"Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same mass (lump) one vessel for beauty and distinction and honorable use, and another for menial or ignoble and dishonorable use?"
Paul is showing that even as the potter has a right, out of the same lump of clay, to make one vessel more honorable and another less honorable … does not God also have the same right with the vessels He creates?
Showing mercy is one of the things God does best.
So, whether you think your vessel of clay is in the more honorable category, or the other one, remember … "He brought whatever type vessel you are out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set you upon a rock, and established your goings."
And that Rock today is Jesus.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Suffering According to the Will of God
1st Peter 4:19 … "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."
You know, most of the time I enjoy reading and studying the Word of God. But when I take an in-depth look at a few certain scriptures … like the one above … well, I want to make sure I have my theology right.
The very first thing I notice is the declaration that some people do … "suffer according to the will of God." Peter isn't just suggesting such a thing, he is saying … "let them that suffer" … meaning some do. The word "suffer" means … to experience pain of some kind; but it doesn't always mean physical pain.
So then next, I want to find out, (1.) why God would want them to suffer; (2.) who Peter is speaking of; and (3.) the reason they should suffer. I have selected four other verses in this same chapter which will help us understand these three points.
1st Peter 4:1 … "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind …"
1st Peter 4:12 … "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you …"
1st Peter 4:14 … "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ …"
1st Peter 4:16 … "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf."
It looks to me as if the answers are …
1.) Why … "Christ suffered for us … have the same mind."
2.) Who … "you, the beloved."
3.) The reason … "reproached for the name of Christ … or for being a Christian."
From the beginning of this chapter to the end, Peter continues to exhort his fellow Christians to walk in love and avoid the lusts of the world.
The main principle was this … they had accepted and followed Christ whom the world rejected; they were walking in His footsteps in righteousness, abandoning the sin in the world. They were to do good, even if it meant suffering for it; for this is what Christ did.
Observe what Peter wrote earlier in this letter, Chapter 2, verses 19-21 …
"For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps …"
Notice the phrase … "hereunto were ye called" … not to suffer for wrong doing; you might well deserve that anyway. But if God saw fit that you suffer for well doing … "take it patiently" … like the example that Jesus gave us to follow.
As an evil doer, the Christian should never have to suffer; but if he suffers for well doing or because he is a Christian, Peter is saying that he was not to be ashamed, but to glorify God for it. God takes no pleasure in allowing His people to suffer, but He permits it. The Book of Job explains this, but not to our full understanding.
In every form of God's dealings, including discipline as He has established it … it is always done in love. He did so with Israel and He does so with the Church today. If the Church attaches herself too closely with the world, God allows the enemy to trouble her … or so it seems. But the truth really is that sin has its own reward.
God judges everything according to His own nature. He desires that all should be in accordance with His nature, especially those nearest to Him … we the body of Christ. God is pure and holy and wants us to be also.
I woke up one morning to find six inches of new, pure, white snow covering everything I could see. It was a beautiful sight. It made me think of the following scriptures …
Isaiah 1:18 … "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow …"
Daniel 7:9 … "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow …"
Snow is at its prettiest right after it falls and even more so when the sun shines on it. It looks pure and clean. That's the way we are after the blood of Jesus cleanses our lives … we become pure and clean like the snow.
The home my wife and I live in is maintained clean enough for our personal desires. It's not sterile, but it's clean. We both like things around us to be clean. The principle is the same with God … His house must be pure and clean. I'm speaking of both houses; the church at large as well as the individual personal temples we live in … our bodies.
1st Peter 4:17 … "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God …"
The word "judgment" in this verse means … a decision. Peter is telling us to make a decision to discipline ourselves and keep God's temple pure and clean.
As a Christian, there is but one thing to do; commit yourself to Him who watches over the revealed decision He has made for you. And that may be to suffer according to His will … as Christ did.
You may ask … why would God want his children to suffer? The Apostle Paul speaks to this question from a little different angle. I have edited these two verses and in parentheses added the proper meanings from the original Greek that it was written in.
2nd Thessalonians 1:4-5 … "all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure (hold up against) … (are) a manifest token of the righteous judgment (tribunal) of God, that ye may be counted worthy (deemed entirely deserving) of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer (experience pain) …"
Honestly … I am unable to fit this scripture with-in my theology except to say … by enduring this "suffering" you are proving to all who watch … your faith in God. And they are watching.
Let me be very clear about one thing. Where this verse says … "that ye may be counted worthy" … you had nothing to do with being counted "worthy."
It was all Jesus.
Comments welcome.
You know, most of the time I enjoy reading and studying the Word of God. But when I take an in-depth look at a few certain scriptures … like the one above … well, I want to make sure I have my theology right.
The very first thing I notice is the declaration that some people do … "suffer according to the will of God." Peter isn't just suggesting such a thing, he is saying … "let them that suffer" … meaning some do. The word "suffer" means … to experience pain of some kind; but it doesn't always mean physical pain.
So then next, I want to find out, (1.) why God would want them to suffer; (2.) who Peter is speaking of; and (3.) the reason they should suffer. I have selected four other verses in this same chapter which will help us understand these three points.
1st Peter 4:1 … "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind …"
1st Peter 4:12 … "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you …"
1st Peter 4:14 … "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ …"
1st Peter 4:16 … "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf."
It looks to me as if the answers are …
1.) Why … "Christ suffered for us … have the same mind."
2.) Who … "you, the beloved."
3.) The reason … "reproached for the name of Christ … or for being a Christian."
From the beginning of this chapter to the end, Peter continues to exhort his fellow Christians to walk in love and avoid the lusts of the world.
The main principle was this … they had accepted and followed Christ whom the world rejected; they were walking in His footsteps in righteousness, abandoning the sin in the world. They were to do good, even if it meant suffering for it; for this is what Christ did.
Observe what Peter wrote earlier in this letter, Chapter 2, verses 19-21 …
"For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps …"
Notice the phrase … "hereunto were ye called" … not to suffer for wrong doing; you might well deserve that anyway. But if God saw fit that you suffer for well doing … "take it patiently" … like the example that Jesus gave us to follow.
As an evil doer, the Christian should never have to suffer; but if he suffers for well doing or because he is a Christian, Peter is saying that he was not to be ashamed, but to glorify God for it. God takes no pleasure in allowing His people to suffer, but He permits it. The Book of Job explains this, but not to our full understanding.
In every form of God's dealings, including discipline as He has established it … it is always done in love. He did so with Israel and He does so with the Church today. If the Church attaches herself too closely with the world, God allows the enemy to trouble her … or so it seems. But the truth really is that sin has its own reward.
God judges everything according to His own nature. He desires that all should be in accordance with His nature, especially those nearest to Him … we the body of Christ. God is pure and holy and wants us to be also.
I woke up one morning to find six inches of new, pure, white snow covering everything I could see. It was a beautiful sight. It made me think of the following scriptures …
Isaiah 1:18 … "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow …"
Daniel 7:9 … "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow …"
Snow is at its prettiest right after it falls and even more so when the sun shines on it. It looks pure and clean. That's the way we are after the blood of Jesus cleanses our lives … we become pure and clean like the snow.
The home my wife and I live in is maintained clean enough for our personal desires. It's not sterile, but it's clean. We both like things around us to be clean. The principle is the same with God … His house must be pure and clean. I'm speaking of both houses; the church at large as well as the individual personal temples we live in … our bodies.
1st Peter 4:17 … "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God …"
The word "judgment" in this verse means … a decision. Peter is telling us to make a decision to discipline ourselves and keep God's temple pure and clean.
As a Christian, there is but one thing to do; commit yourself to Him who watches over the revealed decision He has made for you. And that may be to suffer according to His will … as Christ did.
You may ask … why would God want his children to suffer? The Apostle Paul speaks to this question from a little different angle. I have edited these two verses and in parentheses added the proper meanings from the original Greek that it was written in.
2nd Thessalonians 1:4-5 … "all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure (hold up against) … (are) a manifest token of the righteous judgment (tribunal) of God, that ye may be counted worthy (deemed entirely deserving) of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer (experience pain) …"
Honestly … I am unable to fit this scripture with-in my theology except to say … by enduring this "suffering" you are proving to all who watch … your faith in God. And they are watching.
Let me be very clear about one thing. Where this verse says … "that ye may be counted worthy" … you had nothing to do with being counted "worthy."
It was all Jesus.
Comments welcome.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Works
Galatians 2:16 ... "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
What does it mean ... to be justified? The word itself means ... "to show or regard as just or innocent ... to be righteous."
In this article, I want to look at Paul's understanding of justification by faith alone, without works, and compare it to what James said about faith and works.
Let me first start with Paul ... He has been speaking in Romans 3 about any natural advantages Jews might have over Gentiles because of the law; and he continues his point in Romans 4.
Romans 3:27-28 ... "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
The two words ... works and deeds ... were translated from the same Greek word, "ergon" which means ... toil, an act, an effort. So, when Paul says "works or deeds of the law," he is meaning the same thing; making an effort by what you do to earn or add to your salvation.
Romans 4:3 ... "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
Romans 4:5 ... "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
It's not that the believer does not work at all, but he does not work in order to obtain salvation; he does not seek justification by his efforts to earn it.
Paul of course, is not saying that Christianity does not produce good works, or that they who are justified no longer have to obey God's moral law or live holy; but rather, that no righteousness of their own will be the foundation of their justification. We don't have any righteousness.
This doctrine by no means interferes with the doctrine that good works are to be performed by Christians. Paul urges this as much as any other writer in the New Testament. His doctrine is, that they are not to be relied on as the basis of justification. That Paul teaches the producing of good works is readily apparent from the following scriptures ...
2nd Corinthians 9:8 ... "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."
Ephesians 2:10 ... "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
2nd Timothy 3:17 ... "That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
Titus 3:8 ... "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men."
In my own personal life; even what I usually emphasize in my teaching ... what I believe ... is that works have nothing to do with salvation or justification. Now in saying that, I fail to articulate that the Scriptures really speak of two types of works.
Doing the works of the Law, trying to fulfill all it requires to earn salvation is totally different from the good works, the good deeds that proceed out of a heart of love for others as you represent Jesus to them.
But at the same time I would be amiss if I didn't warn believers that by doing good works they cannot add one thing more to their salvation or even make God love or think more highly of them. Yes, we will be rewarded for what we do. But those things done for reward will be burnt up like straw stubble in the fire.
Nicholas Herman, a seventeenth century Carmelite monk from French Lorraine said this about works ... "God regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed." As it always is with God, it's a heart thing.
Now, turning to James and the point he is trying to make about works, I want to consider three verses ...
James 2:17, 2o, 26 … "Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone ... But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
James has just said that the believer who never feeds the hungry or clothes the naked might as well not have any faith at all, because that kind of faith ... kept to yourself ... is useless. What good is faith alone; it might as well be dead.
When Paul says that "a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law," he plainly speaks of another sort of work than James does, but not another faith.
There is only one faith that counts ... faith in Jesus Christ. What you do with that faith is the thing that both Apostles are questioning. James teaches that people are supposed to be able to see your faith in action ... by your good works.
Paul speaks of works done in obedience to the law of Moses before men embraced the faith of the gospel; and now he had to deal with those who valued themselves because of those works ... some rejecting his teaching of faith alone for salvation.
James speaks of works done in obedience to the gospel as the proper and necessary efforts of believing in Jesus. But Paul magnifies faith alone by showing the insufficiency of any works of the law in opposition to the doctrine of justification by Jesus Christ ... period. James magnifies the same faith, by showing what are the necessary products of that faith ... good works.
Paul speaks of different works from those insisted on by James. Paul had to deal with those who depended on the merit of their works in the sight of God, for their justification and righteousness.
James had to deal with those who confessed faith, but would not allow works to be used even as evidence. They depended upon just their profession of faith as sufficient to justify them. So to these he urged the necessity and importance of good works ... loving and helping others.
The justification which Paul speaks of is different from that spoken of by James. Paul speaks of our souls being justified before God, and James speaks of our faith being justified before men.
"Show me thy faith by thy works," says James ... "let thy faith be justified in the eyes of those that behold thee by thy works." But Paul speaks of justification in the sight of God, who justifies only those that believe in Jesus, and then ... purely on account ... of the redemption that is in Him.
So we see that we are justified before God by faith ... but our faith is justified before men by our works.
Comments welcome.
What does it mean ... to be justified? The word itself means ... "to show or regard as just or innocent ... to be righteous."
In this article, I want to look at Paul's understanding of justification by faith alone, without works, and compare it to what James said about faith and works.
Let me first start with Paul ... He has been speaking in Romans 3 about any natural advantages Jews might have over Gentiles because of the law; and he continues his point in Romans 4.
Romans 3:27-28 ... "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
The two words ... works and deeds ... were translated from the same Greek word, "ergon" which means ... toil, an act, an effort. So, when Paul says "works or deeds of the law," he is meaning the same thing; making an effort by what you do to earn or add to your salvation.
Romans 4:3 ... "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
Romans 4:5 ... "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
It's not that the believer does not work at all, but he does not work in order to obtain salvation; he does not seek justification by his efforts to earn it.
Paul of course, is not saying that Christianity does not produce good works, or that they who are justified no longer have to obey God's moral law or live holy; but rather, that no righteousness of their own will be the foundation of their justification. We don't have any righteousness.
This doctrine by no means interferes with the doctrine that good works are to be performed by Christians. Paul urges this as much as any other writer in the New Testament. His doctrine is, that they are not to be relied on as the basis of justification. That Paul teaches the producing of good works is readily apparent from the following scriptures ...
2nd Corinthians 9:8 ... "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."
Ephesians 2:10 ... "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
2nd Timothy 3:17 ... "That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
Titus 3:8 ... "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men."
In my own personal life; even what I usually emphasize in my teaching ... what I believe ... is that works have nothing to do with salvation or justification. Now in saying that, I fail to articulate that the Scriptures really speak of two types of works.
Doing the works of the Law, trying to fulfill all it requires to earn salvation is totally different from the good works, the good deeds that proceed out of a heart of love for others as you represent Jesus to them.
But at the same time I would be amiss if I didn't warn believers that by doing good works they cannot add one thing more to their salvation or even make God love or think more highly of them. Yes, we will be rewarded for what we do. But those things done for reward will be burnt up like straw stubble in the fire.
Nicholas Herman, a seventeenth century Carmelite monk from French Lorraine said this about works ... "God regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed." As it always is with God, it's a heart thing.
Now, turning to James and the point he is trying to make about works, I want to consider three verses ...
James 2:17, 2o, 26 … "Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone ... But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
James has just said that the believer who never feeds the hungry or clothes the naked might as well not have any faith at all, because that kind of faith ... kept to yourself ... is useless. What good is faith alone; it might as well be dead.
When Paul says that "a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law," he plainly speaks of another sort of work than James does, but not another faith.
There is only one faith that counts ... faith in Jesus Christ. What you do with that faith is the thing that both Apostles are questioning. James teaches that people are supposed to be able to see your faith in action ... by your good works.
Paul speaks of works done in obedience to the law of Moses before men embraced the faith of the gospel; and now he had to deal with those who valued themselves because of those works ... some rejecting his teaching of faith alone for salvation.
James speaks of works done in obedience to the gospel as the proper and necessary efforts of believing in Jesus. But Paul magnifies faith alone by showing the insufficiency of any works of the law in opposition to the doctrine of justification by Jesus Christ ... period. James magnifies the same faith, by showing what are the necessary products of that faith ... good works.
Paul speaks of different works from those insisted on by James. Paul had to deal with those who depended on the merit of their works in the sight of God, for their justification and righteousness.
James had to deal with those who confessed faith, but would not allow works to be used even as evidence. They depended upon just their profession of faith as sufficient to justify them. So to these he urged the necessity and importance of good works ... loving and helping others.
The justification which Paul speaks of is different from that spoken of by James. Paul speaks of our souls being justified before God, and James speaks of our faith being justified before men.
"Show me thy faith by thy works," says James ... "let thy faith be justified in the eyes of those that behold thee by thy works." But Paul speaks of justification in the sight of God, who justifies only those that believe in Jesus, and then ... purely on account ... of the redemption that is in Him.
So we see that we are justified before God by faith ... but our faith is justified before men by our works.
Comments welcome.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Satan Stood Up
There is a devil ... the Word of God says so.
1st Chronicles 21:1 ... "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel."
In this scripture ... Satan, for the first time is introduced to us by name. He appears not merely as an "adversary" who seeks to injure man from without, but as a "tempter" able to ruin him by suggesting sinful acts and thoughts from within. With this point of view, as a tempter, the revelation made of him here is the most accurate that we find in the Old Testament.
When Satan or his evil spirits tempts us, they do so with God's permission. (Job 1:12; Job 2:6; Luke 22:31) If Satan therefore provoked David to number the people, God allowed him to do so. And what God allows, He may be said to do. So with the statement ... "Satan provoked David" ... can we therefore conclude that all temptation is permitted by God?
In this setting, the word "provoked" means ... to prick, by implication, to seduce ... entice, move, persuade, provoke, stir up.
Was it a sin for David to count the number of men in his army? He said it was. But I believe only because ... "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Because of being provoked, David lost his confidence in God, and was naturally curious to know whether the number of fighting men in his army was sufficient for the battles ahead.
From this we see that Satan has access to man and can place doubt in the heart and mind as he did with David. Not only does God allow temptation from the devil, there may be times when He also allows our "adversary" to bring physical adversity, health wise to our lives.
Job 1:6-8 ... "Now there was a day when the sons of God (fallen angels) came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job ..."
He hasn't changed one bit; I'm speaking of Satan or as he is called in the Greek ... "diabolos" ... the devil. He told God he was walking up and down, going to and fro in the earth. He was doing back then exactly what Peter said he does yet today ...
1st Peter 5:8 ... "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
Well, he's not a lion, but he wants to make you think he is. Yes, he is a spirit being, a fallen angel ... but, "fallen" is the key word here. As a spirit being, if God would allow him to use all the power that he could command ... because he operates in a different realm than we live in, the spiritual realm vs the natural physical realm ... he could bring against us temptations and afflictions we could not defend against.
But he's not allowed to do so ... by God's command ... and God's watching him.
1st Corinthians 10:13 ... "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
There are two things I want you to understand about this scripture. First, the phrase, "such as is common to man." This is what I just spoke about. Satan is not allowed to use anything against us, that is not in our natural realm, common to man. He cannot attack us with things from his realm that we would not have a defense against. Second, notice the attack or temptation still comes ... God allows it to come ... but He gives you the power "to bear it."
This is all within God's plan for your life. Sorry ... but that's just the way it is. One other observation needs to be made here; it was God who brought Job to Satan's attention. More or less, God set him up for Satan to do with him as he pleased. This reminds me of Peter in ...
Luke 22:31-32 ... "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not ..."
Both Job and Peter could have said, "Thanks a lot Lord, but I would just as soon not go through these tests." Job's attitude toward his afflictions was ...
Job 2:10 ... "What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?"
You might say, "I'm willing to receive good from God, but not evil." What do you consider evil? Is everything you don't like evil? According to Jesus, a man was born blind just so He could walk by him and heal his blindness. Look at what He said in ...
John 9:1-3 ... "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
I don't know if I can prove this scripturally, but I am of the opinion that ... just as God must allow man to operate with "free will" ... so also does God allow Satan to operate freely within the boundaries He has laid out for him. There is nothing that is outside of God's authority, outside of His control, not even one small molecule, which means Satan is also under God's command and control.
Ecclesiastes 11:5 … "You know not the work of God, Who does all." (Amplified)
Many times God, in working out all things in His providence, including correction in the church, makes use of various means and ordains whatsoever comes to pass; but even so … God is not the author of sin ... yet Satan serves His purposes. Therefore He has decreed that evil in nature be established as a result of sin; and Satan, as god of this world is allowed to operate in that evil.
It has been said by the early church fathers years ago ... "God afflicts not willingly, but if it must be done, let Satan do it." Satan delights in bringing misery and affliction to mankind and will never miss a chance to do so.
But God has given us help to stand against the attacks of our adversary. Paul said in Ephesians 6:11 … "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
The wiles … what are they, what does this mean? The word means … "methods, schemes and strategies."
The idea here is that Satan does not carry on an open warfare. He does not meet us face to face. He doesn't use mere force; rather he practices war only covertly in darkness; our enemy is usually invisible to us. Almost the entire Christian struggle or warfare is against his "schemes and strategies."
The devil may be stupid ... but he's not ignorant.
The battle is real ... because the devil is real.
Comments welcome.
1st Chronicles 21:1 ... "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel."
In this scripture ... Satan, for the first time is introduced to us by name. He appears not merely as an "adversary" who seeks to injure man from without, but as a "tempter" able to ruin him by suggesting sinful acts and thoughts from within. With this point of view, as a tempter, the revelation made of him here is the most accurate that we find in the Old Testament.
When Satan or his evil spirits tempts us, they do so with God's permission. (Job 1:12; Job 2:6; Luke 22:31) If Satan therefore provoked David to number the people, God allowed him to do so. And what God allows, He may be said to do. So with the statement ... "Satan provoked David" ... can we therefore conclude that all temptation is permitted by God?
In this setting, the word "provoked" means ... to prick, by implication, to seduce ... entice, move, persuade, provoke, stir up.
Was it a sin for David to count the number of men in his army? He said it was. But I believe only because ... "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Because of being provoked, David lost his confidence in God, and was naturally curious to know whether the number of fighting men in his army was sufficient for the battles ahead.
From this we see that Satan has access to man and can place doubt in the heart and mind as he did with David. Not only does God allow temptation from the devil, there may be times when He also allows our "adversary" to bring physical adversity, health wise to our lives.
Job 1:6-8 ... "Now there was a day when the sons of God (fallen angels) came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job ..."
He hasn't changed one bit; I'm speaking of Satan or as he is called in the Greek ... "diabolos" ... the devil. He told God he was walking up and down, going to and fro in the earth. He was doing back then exactly what Peter said he does yet today ...
1st Peter 5:8 ... "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
Well, he's not a lion, but he wants to make you think he is. Yes, he is a spirit being, a fallen angel ... but, "fallen" is the key word here. As a spirit being, if God would allow him to use all the power that he could command ... because he operates in a different realm than we live in, the spiritual realm vs the natural physical realm ... he could bring against us temptations and afflictions we could not defend against.
But he's not allowed to do so ... by God's command ... and God's watching him.
1st Corinthians 10:13 ... "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
There are two things I want you to understand about this scripture. First, the phrase, "such as is common to man." This is what I just spoke about. Satan is not allowed to use anything against us, that is not in our natural realm, common to man. He cannot attack us with things from his realm that we would not have a defense against. Second, notice the attack or temptation still comes ... God allows it to come ... but He gives you the power "to bear it."
This is all within God's plan for your life. Sorry ... but that's just the way it is. One other observation needs to be made here; it was God who brought Job to Satan's attention. More or less, God set him up for Satan to do with him as he pleased. This reminds me of Peter in ...
Luke 22:31-32 ... "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not ..."
Both Job and Peter could have said, "Thanks a lot Lord, but I would just as soon not go through these tests." Job's attitude toward his afflictions was ...
Job 2:10 ... "What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?"
You might say, "I'm willing to receive good from God, but not evil." What do you consider evil? Is everything you don't like evil? According to Jesus, a man was born blind just so He could walk by him and heal his blindness. Look at what He said in ...
John 9:1-3 ... "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."
I don't know if I can prove this scripturally, but I am of the opinion that ... just as God must allow man to operate with "free will" ... so also does God allow Satan to operate freely within the boundaries He has laid out for him. There is nothing that is outside of God's authority, outside of His control, not even one small molecule, which means Satan is also under God's command and control.
Ecclesiastes 11:5 … "You know not the work of God, Who does all." (Amplified)
Many times God, in working out all things in His providence, including correction in the church, makes use of various means and ordains whatsoever comes to pass; but even so … God is not the author of sin ... yet Satan serves His purposes. Therefore He has decreed that evil in nature be established as a result of sin; and Satan, as god of this world is allowed to operate in that evil.
It has been said by the early church fathers years ago ... "God afflicts not willingly, but if it must be done, let Satan do it." Satan delights in bringing misery and affliction to mankind and will never miss a chance to do so.
But God has given us help to stand against the attacks of our adversary. Paul said in Ephesians 6:11 … "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
The wiles … what are they, what does this mean? The word means … "methods, schemes and strategies."
The idea here is that Satan does not carry on an open warfare. He does not meet us face to face. He doesn't use mere force; rather he practices war only covertly in darkness; our enemy is usually invisible to us. Almost the entire Christian struggle or warfare is against his "schemes and strategies."
The devil may be stupid ... but he's not ignorant.
The battle is real ... because the devil is real.
Comments welcome.
Friday, November 18, 2011
The Battle Was Real
Sometime in the dateless past, long before God created Adam, God gave one of His angels control over this planet we call Earth. It was a gift for the most beautiful angel that God had created. But beauty usually has one basic problem … pride. Because of pride, this angel thought he was just like his creator, almighty God, but as he found out, (Ezekiel 28:13-17) he wasn't even close.
Satan had his world destroyed, (Isaiah 14:12-14) when he tried to overthrow God. No one knows for sure just what happened to him all those millions or billions of years while the earth (Genesis 1:1-2) lay dark and void. Was he kept here as a prisoner for what he tried to do? His once beautiful earth was now destroyed ... totally dark, without light, nothing was alive … nothing, not one thing on this cold frozen rock except him and his fallen angels. The earth was his prison.
As time went on, (just exactly how long is unknown) God remade this earth and this time (Genesis 1:28) He gave it to His newest creation, man. God even made a special garden for him to live in, but there was a catch. God let Satan, the previous owner of this world, have access to both man and the garden.
It didn't take long for this man named Adam to mess up along with Eve, the woman God gave him as a wife and helper. The battle was just about to begin. A battle Adam and Eve didn't even realize they were in.
Let's look at the players in the battle to be fought for control of the earth. We have man, in the garden with his wife walking daily with God. We also see Satan, like a predator, lurking around the edges of the garden, watching Eve and waiting for the right time to make his move, all the while wanting to get possession of his old property back, but not knowing how to accomplish the task.
We also don't know how long Satan watched Adam from afar, perhaps even a little fearful of him, because Adam was made in God's image and likeness … whatever that really means. I don't think we have a full and complete understanding of that.
So, perhaps the fallen angel Satan, as he watched Adam and Eve walking and talking with God in the garden, hearing laughter as they enjoyed each other's companionship, doing things together that he, Satan wanted to do, yet because of still having pride, envy, deceit, and sin in his heart, couldn't. Not with God anyway. With man maybe … but he had to find a way.
Now the Bible says that man is made ... "a little lower than the angels" (Hebrews 2:7) but at the time all this was taking place, I don't know if Satan realized that. I'm speaking of Adam's image and likeness, in that he is called ... "the son of God." (Luke 3:38)
Adam had not sinned yet, he was perfect, just like the second Adam would be, Jesus the Son of God. I believe the reason Satan would not enter the garden to talk with Eve, was out of fear. He not only didn't approach Adam himself, he sent another of God's creatures in to talk to Eve, the weaker of the two.
We have no idea how all that is recorded in the Bible about the fall of man happened, just that it did happen, and now we are paying the price for it. One thing I do know is that the serpent that carried out the work of the devil, lying to Eve, was not Satan in disguise as a serpent. If it was Satan, then God would not have cursed the serpent for something it had not been guilty of. Evidently Satan beguiled this creature just like he did Eve. Satan will use anyone, anywhere, anytime or anything he can to further his plans. We need to learn that.
God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth. He gave them dominion over all the fish, animals, birds, and plant life. They owned them, the earth was theirs and God (Genesis 1:28-31) approved it completely. But what they didn't know, which I alluded to earlier, was that Satan was watching, just waiting for his chance to steal, cheat, deceive, or take by force what God gave man to use. Even back then, the devil was the same as he is today … "the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy." (John 10:10)
We have now come to the point in our story where ownership of this earth has now changed hands. I'm not even sure how or why this could happen, but it must have. All we need to do is look at what has happened to this world after man's sin brought death into the picture. Death came because God killed the first lamb to cover man's naked bodies, which is a picture or a type, a shadow to come of what God basically was going to do with His own Son, Jesus the Lamb of God, whose sacrificial blood on the cross took away our sin.
Sin also brought man's appointment with physical death, by being driven out of the garden away from the tree of life, (Genesis 3:22-24) as well as spiritual death from the fact that man as a whole is still seemingly dead to spiritual things, and by his own choice, stays separated from God.
It must be that when God cursed the ground, in reality the whole earth was cursed. It wasn't just to make it hard on man through toil and labor, but it was also done … to show man what sin has done to the earth … "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (Romans 8:22)
The earth's curse shows us that ... "the god of this world" (2nd Corinthians 4:4) has brought nothing but misery in the form of sin, sickness, disease and death ... not only to man, but also to all of nature. Satan won the first battle with Adam and now has the title of ... "the god of this world."
That's what the battle was all about with Adam and Eve ... Satan wanted control of this earth once again. He even bragged about his ownership during the temptation of Christ, when Satan tells Jesus "… for it has been turned over to me." (Luke 4:6)
Rather than ownership, I would rather call it, temporary control. Satan doesn't own it, God does ... "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." (Psalms 24:1)
What Satan is god over is the social system that man operates in. Lust, greed, power, pleasure, etc. Again, I don't know how all this worked out with spiritual laws, but it's all part of God's overall plan. He allowed it or it wouldn't have happened.
So now, what's God going to do about this mess? If it was God who left the fallen angel Satan here on earth to tempt Adam, and do battle with man ... doesn't that make it God's problem, not ours?
If man, unknowingly lost the control of this earth, or as some say ... sold it for a bite of the forbidden fruit ... then it was going to take another man to enter into the battle and take it back.
We find out who that will be when Abraham tells his son Isaac … "God will provide Himself a lamb" (Genesis 22:8) … to be the sacrifice, for sin.
John the Baptist, when he saw Jesus said … "Behold, The Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
Knowing that the first Adam would fail the test as well as all those that followed generations later; God sent Jesus, called ... "the last Adam" (1st Corinthians 15:45) to be the sinless sacrifice. Just exactly what Abraham told Isaac happened. God provided … Himself … as the Lamb when nothing else would do.
Man had failed the test. So now, God would become … "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8)
The battle was real.
Comments welcome.
Satan had his world destroyed, (Isaiah 14:12-14) when he tried to overthrow God. No one knows for sure just what happened to him all those millions or billions of years while the earth (Genesis 1:1-2) lay dark and void. Was he kept here as a prisoner for what he tried to do? His once beautiful earth was now destroyed ... totally dark, without light, nothing was alive … nothing, not one thing on this cold frozen rock except him and his fallen angels. The earth was his prison.
As time went on, (just exactly how long is unknown) God remade this earth and this time (Genesis 1:28) He gave it to His newest creation, man. God even made a special garden for him to live in, but there was a catch. God let Satan, the previous owner of this world, have access to both man and the garden.
It didn't take long for this man named Adam to mess up along with Eve, the woman God gave him as a wife and helper. The battle was just about to begin. A battle Adam and Eve didn't even realize they were in.
Let's look at the players in the battle to be fought for control of the earth. We have man, in the garden with his wife walking daily with God. We also see Satan, like a predator, lurking around the edges of the garden, watching Eve and waiting for the right time to make his move, all the while wanting to get possession of his old property back, but not knowing how to accomplish the task.
We also don't know how long Satan watched Adam from afar, perhaps even a little fearful of him, because Adam was made in God's image and likeness … whatever that really means. I don't think we have a full and complete understanding of that.
So, perhaps the fallen angel Satan, as he watched Adam and Eve walking and talking with God in the garden, hearing laughter as they enjoyed each other's companionship, doing things together that he, Satan wanted to do, yet because of still having pride, envy, deceit, and sin in his heart, couldn't. Not with God anyway. With man maybe … but he had to find a way.
Now the Bible says that man is made ... "a little lower than the angels" (Hebrews 2:7) but at the time all this was taking place, I don't know if Satan realized that. I'm speaking of Adam's image and likeness, in that he is called ... "the son of God." (Luke 3:38)
Adam had not sinned yet, he was perfect, just like the second Adam would be, Jesus the Son of God. I believe the reason Satan would not enter the garden to talk with Eve, was out of fear. He not only didn't approach Adam himself, he sent another of God's creatures in to talk to Eve, the weaker of the two.
We have no idea how all that is recorded in the Bible about the fall of man happened, just that it did happen, and now we are paying the price for it. One thing I do know is that the serpent that carried out the work of the devil, lying to Eve, was not Satan in disguise as a serpent. If it was Satan, then God would not have cursed the serpent for something it had not been guilty of. Evidently Satan beguiled this creature just like he did Eve. Satan will use anyone, anywhere, anytime or anything he can to further his plans. We need to learn that.
God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth. He gave them dominion over all the fish, animals, birds, and plant life. They owned them, the earth was theirs and God (Genesis 1:28-31) approved it completely. But what they didn't know, which I alluded to earlier, was that Satan was watching, just waiting for his chance to steal, cheat, deceive, or take by force what God gave man to use. Even back then, the devil was the same as he is today … "the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy." (John 10:10)
We have now come to the point in our story where ownership of this earth has now changed hands. I'm not even sure how or why this could happen, but it must have. All we need to do is look at what has happened to this world after man's sin brought death into the picture. Death came because God killed the first lamb to cover man's naked bodies, which is a picture or a type, a shadow to come of what God basically was going to do with His own Son, Jesus the Lamb of God, whose sacrificial blood on the cross took away our sin.
Sin also brought man's appointment with physical death, by being driven out of the garden away from the tree of life, (Genesis 3:22-24) as well as spiritual death from the fact that man as a whole is still seemingly dead to spiritual things, and by his own choice, stays separated from God.
It must be that when God cursed the ground, in reality the whole earth was cursed. It wasn't just to make it hard on man through toil and labor, but it was also done … to show man what sin has done to the earth … "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." (Romans 8:22)
The earth's curse shows us that ... "the god of this world" (2nd Corinthians 4:4) has brought nothing but misery in the form of sin, sickness, disease and death ... not only to man, but also to all of nature. Satan won the first battle with Adam and now has the title of ... "the god of this world."
That's what the battle was all about with Adam and Eve ... Satan wanted control of this earth once again. He even bragged about his ownership during the temptation of Christ, when Satan tells Jesus "… for it has been turned over to me." (Luke 4:6)
Rather than ownership, I would rather call it, temporary control. Satan doesn't own it, God does ... "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." (Psalms 24:1)
What Satan is god over is the social system that man operates in. Lust, greed, power, pleasure, etc. Again, I don't know how all this worked out with spiritual laws, but it's all part of God's overall plan. He allowed it or it wouldn't have happened.
So now, what's God going to do about this mess? If it was God who left the fallen angel Satan here on earth to tempt Adam, and do battle with man ... doesn't that make it God's problem, not ours?
If man, unknowingly lost the control of this earth, or as some say ... sold it for a bite of the forbidden fruit ... then it was going to take another man to enter into the battle and take it back.
We find out who that will be when Abraham tells his son Isaac … "God will provide Himself a lamb" (Genesis 22:8) … to be the sacrifice, for sin.
John the Baptist, when he saw Jesus said … "Behold, The Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
Knowing that the first Adam would fail the test as well as all those that followed generations later; God sent Jesus, called ... "the last Adam" (1st Corinthians 15:45) to be the sinless sacrifice. Just exactly what Abraham told Isaac happened. God provided … Himself … as the Lamb when nothing else would do.
Man had failed the test. So now, God would become … "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8)
The battle was real.
Comments welcome.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Presenting All That He Is
I have heard believers when praying for someone with a physical problem speak directly to the sickness or disease. On the surface that seems a little strange because 1.) a disease has no ears in which to be able to hear the words spoken, and 2.) what if English isn't what this certain disease understands. Okay, I'm being facetious with you.
What I want to do today is see if this practice of speaking to a sickness or disease is proper, and if so, where this kind of action comes from.
The first thing that comes to mind is what Jesus told His disciples in Mark 11:23 ... "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."
Humm ... you know, I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that I would have a better chance of curing a sickness by speaking to it, than I would of changing the landscape by speaking to a mountain. I'm just sayin' ... you know what I mean?
I want everything I believe, which includes my personal doctrine, to be based on what I think the Word of God teaches. I started to say "believe" but "think" might be the right word.
So, according to the words of Jesus in Mark 11:23, there is scripture for declaring with our voice, a command of faith to an entity of some kind, if that is the right word. In this case, it was a mountain ... so why not a sickness or disease?
In Luke 13:16, when Jesus saw a woman bent over who couldn't stand upright, He said that "Satan had bound her for eighteen years," and then He healed her of this condition.
Peter in Acts 10:38 spoke of ... "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."
I give you these two scriptures to reference the fact that Satan, or if you prefer ... the devil ... is the one single entity that Jesus had to deal with most of the time. Satan can cause sickness and disease. I am not saying that every time you are sick ... Satan made you sick. But the root cause of sickness can be traced back to him.
Now, why should we be able to do things like talking to mountains or diseases? Listen again to Jesus.
John 14:12 ... "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
The Amplified reads ... "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father."
You may say, "I've tried doing what Jesus did, I spoke to sickness and nothing happened."
Okay, so have I ... and honestly, most of the time I have had the same result ... nothing. But there may be a reason other than ... "it wasn't God's will at the time." That's what we like to say when nothing happens. Look at the following two scriptures ...
John 14:13-14 ... "And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son. [Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]." (Amplified)
Do you see what I have highlighted in bold print? This is explaining what it means to ... "ask in My Name." Jesus didn't mean just to tack on the words ... "in the name of Jesus" ... at the end of your prayer or declaration of faith. If fact, this isn't just talking about prayer.
It means to ask, or to declare (something as done) in the "authority and character" of the person's name; in this case ... "presenting all that Jesus is" ... the One who has been given "all power both in Heaven and in the Earth."
It's as if you have been given the authority Jesus has. You are in essence ... His "Power of Attorney" on earth. If you don't get anything else from this discussion, please grasp and hide this in your heart ... you are His representative, therefore, "present all Jesus is" when you speak to any mountain you face in your life. Know who you are ... in Jesus.
Will this always assure 100 percent results every time, in every situation no matter what it is? Absolutely not. Why not? Because we are not Jesus ... we just represent Him. He is still the only one who is Lord over all things. Jesus is the one who heals, restores and saves lives.
Let me present a few scriptures that show Jesus speaking, declaring what needed to be done to these various entities, whether they be demonic spirits, or sickness and diseases. And remember, Jesus said ... "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do."
Matthew 8:16 ... "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick."
Mark 1:34 ... "And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and allowed not the devils to speak, because they knew him."
Mark 3:11-15 ... "And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known. And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils."
Mark 16:17 ... "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues."
Luke 10:17 ... "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name."
And then we have Peter and John not long after Jesus went back to Heaven ...
Acts 3:2-16 ... "And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."
Peter answering those who looked on said ... "Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong."
Notice, Peter didn't pray for this man. He just spoke to the man and said ... "such as I have" ... which was, the power of, "the Name of Jesus." Peter, not wanting those around him to think that he and John healed this man through their own power, states that it was ... the name of Jesus and faith in His name ... "presenting all that He is" that healed him.
I started this article out, by sort of questioning as to whether we should or need to speak to a sickness or disease when praying for healing. I have done this in the past but haven't for quite some time now ... years in fact. I felt like doing so was perhaps, acknowledging the devil since he is the root cause of sickness. That's what he wants ... for you to think he has just as much power as God. He doesn't, he's a lier.
I had the impression if I spoke to him as some do, (like Jesus did) that I was doing exactly what the Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 4:27 told us not to do ... "Neither give place to the devil."
The word "place" means ... a spot, a position, setting up a condition or opportunity. So, not willing to give Satan or any of his works any acknowledgement, I wouldn't rebuke or speak any commands to them. Who was I anyway? But what I would do, is cry unto the Lord for His help, for His healing power.
But now, I must confess to you ... I am beginning to realize just what we really have at our disposal. A weapon to do battle with against the enemy of our souls. I'm speaking of the very same indwelling authority and power that Peter and John professed, and that is ... "the Name of Jesus" presenting "all that He is" when we declare our "faith in that Name."
Oh, I could speak of other things of great importance ... the blood of Jesus and the fact that He came to destroy the works of the devil, which He did ... but my main point today is this ...
When you stand representing Jesus, and you make a statement of faith using the phrase ... "in the Name of Jesus" ... do so with "faith in that Name" and "present all that He is" over any sickness and disease or any mountain you may face in your life, declaring as Peter did what it is that you want done. Remember Jesus said, "the works that I do shall you do also."
The Battle is Real.
Comments welcome.
What I want to do today is see if this practice of speaking to a sickness or disease is proper, and if so, where this kind of action comes from.
The first thing that comes to mind is what Jesus told His disciples in Mark 11:23 ... "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."
Humm ... you know, I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that I would have a better chance of curing a sickness by speaking to it, than I would of changing the landscape by speaking to a mountain. I'm just sayin' ... you know what I mean?
I want everything I believe, which includes my personal doctrine, to be based on what I think the Word of God teaches. I started to say "believe" but "think" might be the right word.
So, according to the words of Jesus in Mark 11:23, there is scripture for declaring with our voice, a command of faith to an entity of some kind, if that is the right word. In this case, it was a mountain ... so why not a sickness or disease?
In Luke 13:16, when Jesus saw a woman bent over who couldn't stand upright, He said that "Satan had bound her for eighteen years," and then He healed her of this condition.
Peter in Acts 10:38 spoke of ... "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."
I give you these two scriptures to reference the fact that Satan, or if you prefer ... the devil ... is the one single entity that Jesus had to deal with most of the time. Satan can cause sickness and disease. I am not saying that every time you are sick ... Satan made you sick. But the root cause of sickness can be traced back to him.
Now, why should we be able to do things like talking to mountains or diseases? Listen again to Jesus.
John 14:12 ... "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
The Amplified reads ... "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father."
You may say, "I've tried doing what Jesus did, I spoke to sickness and nothing happened."
Okay, so have I ... and honestly, most of the time I have had the same result ... nothing. But there may be a reason other than ... "it wasn't God's will at the time." That's what we like to say when nothing happens. Look at the following two scriptures ...
John 14:13-14 ... "And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son. [Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]." (Amplified)
Do you see what I have highlighted in bold print? This is explaining what it means to ... "ask in My Name." Jesus didn't mean just to tack on the words ... "in the name of Jesus" ... at the end of your prayer or declaration of faith. If fact, this isn't just talking about prayer.
It means to ask, or to declare (something as done) in the "authority and character" of the person's name; in this case ... "presenting all that Jesus is" ... the One who has been given "all power both in Heaven and in the Earth."
It's as if you have been given the authority Jesus has. You are in essence ... His "Power of Attorney" on earth. If you don't get anything else from this discussion, please grasp and hide this in your heart ... you are His representative, therefore, "present all Jesus is" when you speak to any mountain you face in your life. Know who you are ... in Jesus.
Will this always assure 100 percent results every time, in every situation no matter what it is? Absolutely not. Why not? Because we are not Jesus ... we just represent Him. He is still the only one who is Lord over all things. Jesus is the one who heals, restores and saves lives.
Let me present a few scriptures that show Jesus speaking, declaring what needed to be done to these various entities, whether they be demonic spirits, or sickness and diseases. And remember, Jesus said ... "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do."
Matthew 8:16 ... "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick."
Mark 1:34 ... "And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and allowed not the devils to speak, because they knew him."
Mark 3:11-15 ... "And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known. And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils."
Mark 16:17 ... "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues."
Luke 10:17 ... "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name."
And then we have Peter and John not long after Jesus went back to Heaven ...
Acts 3:2-16 ... "And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."
Peter answering those who looked on said ... "Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong."
Notice, Peter didn't pray for this man. He just spoke to the man and said ... "such as I have" ... which was, the power of, "the Name of Jesus." Peter, not wanting those around him to think that he and John healed this man through their own power, states that it was ... the name of Jesus and faith in His name ... "presenting all that He is" that healed him.
I started this article out, by sort of questioning as to whether we should or need to speak to a sickness or disease when praying for healing. I have done this in the past but haven't for quite some time now ... years in fact. I felt like doing so was perhaps, acknowledging the devil since he is the root cause of sickness. That's what he wants ... for you to think he has just as much power as God. He doesn't, he's a lier.
I had the impression if I spoke to him as some do, (like Jesus did) that I was doing exactly what the Apostle Paul, in Ephesians 4:27 told us not to do ... "Neither give place to the devil."
The word "place" means ... a spot, a position, setting up a condition or opportunity. So, not willing to give Satan or any of his works any acknowledgement, I wouldn't rebuke or speak any commands to them. Who was I anyway? But what I would do, is cry unto the Lord for His help, for His healing power.
But now, I must confess to you ... I am beginning to realize just what we really have at our disposal. A weapon to do battle with against the enemy of our souls. I'm speaking of the very same indwelling authority and power that Peter and John professed, and that is ... "the Name of Jesus" presenting "all that He is" when we declare our "faith in that Name."
Oh, I could speak of other things of great importance ... the blood of Jesus and the fact that He came to destroy the works of the devil, which He did ... but my main point today is this ...
When you stand representing Jesus, and you make a statement of faith using the phrase ... "in the Name of Jesus" ... do so with "faith in that Name" and "present all that He is" over any sickness and disease or any mountain you may face in your life, declaring as Peter did what it is that you want done. Remember Jesus said, "the works that I do shall you do also."
The Battle is Real.
Comments welcome.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Eternal Hell
Today I want to cover a subject that most people do not enjoy even thinking about, and for good reason. Eternal Hell. Hell's going to be an awful place. The word awful means ..."very bad or unpleasant, extremely shocking." Awful doesn't adequately describe what Hell is going to be like and you won't personally want to find out.
How many times have you heard the phrase ... "Go to Hell!" It's hard to accept, but the fact is, there is a place called Hell for those living today, who, for whatever reason never accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
The whole of Matthew 25 is a red letter chapter ... meaning, Jesus spoke every word. In it, Jesus talks about the wise and foolish virgins, the unprofitable servant, the sheep and goat nations, and everlasting punishment in hell.
Matthew 25:31-34 ... "When the Son of man shall come in his glory ... before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world ..."
The sheep are those who follow the Shepherd ... Jesus.
Matthew 25:41 … "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels …"
God's list has only two columns ... saved and unsaved.
The unsaved, the goats on the left hand … are cursed ... those whose moral qualities and sinful lifestyle deserve everlasting punishment, who were never born again by the blood of Jesus. To "curse" is the opposite of to "bless." It implies a denial of all the blessings of heaven; the opposite being the curse of eternal suffering in ... everlasting fire.
The image of everlasting fire is used to express extreme suffering ... death by burning is one of the most horrible that can be conceived. It has been asked whether the wicked will be burned in literal fire, and the common impression has been that they will be. It is to be observed …
1.) that the main truth intended to be taught, refers not to the manner of suffering, but to the certainty and intensity of it.
2.) that the design, therefore, was to present an image of terrific suffering ... an image well represented by fire.
3.) that all the truth that Christ intended to convey appears to be expressed in the certainty, intensity, and eternity of future torment.
4.) that this image was well known to the Jews and therefore expressed the idea in a very strong manner.
Isaiah 66:24 ... "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
The fact that the wicked will be eternally punished, cursed of God, should bring an awe of terror and dread to every man, and lead him to strive most earnestly to secure his salvation in Christ Jesus.
Albert Barnes adds an interesting thought speaking of the wicked lost ... "As however, the body will be raised, it is not unreasonable to suppose that a mode of punishment will be adopted, suited to the body … perhaps bearing some analogy to suffering here, in its various forms of flames, and cold, and heat, and disease, and ungratified desire, and remorse … perhaps the concentration of all earthly woes, all that makes man miserable here, poured upon the naked body and spirit of the wicked in hell ... forever and ever."
Notice, Jesus said this place of torment was ... "prepared for the devil and his angels …" not man.
There is a marked difference between the way which the righteous will be addressed, compared to the wicked. Christ will say to the saved that the kingdom was prepared for them. To the lost He says that the fire was not prepared for them, but for another race of beings. But they inherit it anyway because they have the same character and unrepentant heart as the devil, and are therefore suited for the same punishment … but not because it was originally prepared for them.
The New Testament actually speaks of two places ... hell, which is being filled now, and the lake of fire ... the final eternal place of punishment after judgment.
The lake of fire was prepared for the devil and the angels that followed him in his rebellion, and whom he has employed as his messengers to do evil. Hell and the lake of fire are open to all people that Satan has deceived through unbelief.
Matthew 25:46 … "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
Many, hold to a doctrine called universal salvation which contends that God punishes only the sin, not the sinner. They believe because of God's love, all souls will ultimately be reconciled to God. Universal salvation is also opposed to the perception of everlasting torment in Hell.
But notice Christ teaches that those on his left hand depart, go away … not just their sins, but the sinners themselves into everlasting fire. Besides, sin … as an abstract thing … cannot be punished. Sin is nothing but an act, the act of a man; and sin, to be reached at all, must be reached by punishing the offender himself.
The original word translated here as punishment means ... infliction ... which denotes anguish, suffering and torment. It does not mean simply a state or condition, but absolute, positive suffering.
But some are of the opinion that the sufferings of the wicked will not be eternal or without end. The Greek word meaning "perpetual" ... never ending or changing ... is used to express the duration of the punishment in Hell, and this same word is also used to express the duration of eternal life in Heaven.
God is a Spirit. Man, made in His image is also a spirit being in a body of flesh. As God is eternal, our spirit is also eternal ... whether in Heaven or in Hell. We have been given a choice where to spend eternity.
Choose wisely.
Revelation 20:13-15 ... "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
Comments welcome.
How many times have you heard the phrase ... "Go to Hell!" It's hard to accept, but the fact is, there is a place called Hell for those living today, who, for whatever reason never accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
The whole of Matthew 25 is a red letter chapter ... meaning, Jesus spoke every word. In it, Jesus talks about the wise and foolish virgins, the unprofitable servant, the sheep and goat nations, and everlasting punishment in hell.
Matthew 25:31-34 ... "When the Son of man shall come in his glory ... before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world ..."
The sheep are those who follow the Shepherd ... Jesus.
Matthew 25:41 … "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels …"
God's list has only two columns ... saved and unsaved.
The unsaved, the goats on the left hand … are cursed ... those whose moral qualities and sinful lifestyle deserve everlasting punishment, who were never born again by the blood of Jesus. To "curse" is the opposite of to "bless." It implies a denial of all the blessings of heaven; the opposite being the curse of eternal suffering in ... everlasting fire.
The image of everlasting fire is used to express extreme suffering ... death by burning is one of the most horrible that can be conceived. It has been asked whether the wicked will be burned in literal fire, and the common impression has been that they will be. It is to be observed …
1.) that the main truth intended to be taught, refers not to the manner of suffering, but to the certainty and intensity of it.
2.) that the design, therefore, was to present an image of terrific suffering ... an image well represented by fire.
3.) that all the truth that Christ intended to convey appears to be expressed in the certainty, intensity, and eternity of future torment.
4.) that this image was well known to the Jews and therefore expressed the idea in a very strong manner.
Isaiah 66:24 ... "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
The fact that the wicked will be eternally punished, cursed of God, should bring an awe of terror and dread to every man, and lead him to strive most earnestly to secure his salvation in Christ Jesus.
Albert Barnes adds an interesting thought speaking of the wicked lost ... "As however, the body will be raised, it is not unreasonable to suppose that a mode of punishment will be adopted, suited to the body … perhaps bearing some analogy to suffering here, in its various forms of flames, and cold, and heat, and disease, and ungratified desire, and remorse … perhaps the concentration of all earthly woes, all that makes man miserable here, poured upon the naked body and spirit of the wicked in hell ... forever and ever."
Notice, Jesus said this place of torment was ... "prepared for the devil and his angels …" not man.
There is a marked difference between the way which the righteous will be addressed, compared to the wicked. Christ will say to the saved that the kingdom was prepared for them. To the lost He says that the fire was not prepared for them, but for another race of beings. But they inherit it anyway because they have the same character and unrepentant heart as the devil, and are therefore suited for the same punishment … but not because it was originally prepared for them.
The New Testament actually speaks of two places ... hell, which is being filled now, and the lake of fire ... the final eternal place of punishment after judgment.
The lake of fire was prepared for the devil and the angels that followed him in his rebellion, and whom he has employed as his messengers to do evil. Hell and the lake of fire are open to all people that Satan has deceived through unbelief.
Matthew 25:46 … "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
Many, hold to a doctrine called universal salvation which contends that God punishes only the sin, not the sinner. They believe because of God's love, all souls will ultimately be reconciled to God. Universal salvation is also opposed to the perception of everlasting torment in Hell.
But notice Christ teaches that those on his left hand depart, go away … not just their sins, but the sinners themselves into everlasting fire. Besides, sin … as an abstract thing … cannot be punished. Sin is nothing but an act, the act of a man; and sin, to be reached at all, must be reached by punishing the offender himself.
The original word translated here as punishment means ... infliction ... which denotes anguish, suffering and torment. It does not mean simply a state or condition, but absolute, positive suffering.
But some are of the opinion that the sufferings of the wicked will not be eternal or without end. The Greek word meaning "perpetual" ... never ending or changing ... is used to express the duration of the punishment in Hell, and this same word is also used to express the duration of eternal life in Heaven.
God is a Spirit. Man, made in His image is also a spirit being in a body of flesh. As God is eternal, our spirit is also eternal ... whether in Heaven or in Hell. We have been given a choice where to spend eternity.
Choose wisely.
Revelation 20:13-15 ... "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
Comments welcome.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Confidence of Romans IV
Romans 4:1 … "What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?"
The main object of this chapter is to show that the doctrine of justification by faith, which the Apostle Paul was defending, was also found in the Old Testament.
The question might still be asked, as to whether this justification ... was because of their being circumcised in conformity to the Law. To answer this, Paul shows us that Abraham was justified by faith even before he was circumcised; therefore if we were justified by works, faith then would be of no use; and the promises of God would have no effect.
Because Abraham was justified by faith, and not by the works of the law; his faith was imputed or counted unto him for righteousness. Since Abraham was justified by faith, while he was in an uncircumcised state, before the law was given; salvation must also be for the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
Romans 4:13-14 … "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect … "
If the Jews ... who are under the law, are seeking righteousness by the works of the law and their obedience to the law; if they by works only should be made heirs of the "promise" … then faith is made void. For if the right to the inheritance is by the works of the law, there is no room left for faith; and the promise is made void and of no effect.
If salvation is by works, there is no purpose then for God to promise; or therefore no purpose for men to believe; for the thing promised would no longer depend upon God's promise, but upon man's obedience to the law; which would then necessarily make void the promise of God.
If people are justified by the Law … if they are "acceptable" to God by conformity to the institutions of Moses, the law; then they can not depend on any promise made to Abraham, or his seed. They cut themselves off from all the promises that come through faith, and stand on their own works, independent from faith; and that's not a good place to be.
This is as true now as it was then. If people seek to be justified by depending on their morality or a form of works, they can not depend then on any promise or covenant with God. It is clear, therefore, that such an attempt at salvation can not be successful.
Romans 4:16 … "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all …"
God appointed "faith" to be the condition of the promise. The promise is secured, not through obedience to the law, but through faith by grace … and so the promise is sure to all the seed … to all … both Jews and Gentiles have a right to all the blessings contained in the covenant made to Abraham; for the promise was given to Abraham while he was a Gentile.
The promise of the inheritance could not be annulled by the law that came after it; for it is by faith and of grace alone, making it sure to all believers, to all of the seed of Abraham.
Romans 4:18 … "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken …"
How did Abraham believe in hope? "Hope" … is a primary word which means to anticipate with an expectation or confidence.
The Amplified reads this way … "For Abraham, human reason for hope being gone, hoped in faith …"
We could say it this way … "without reason for any expectation of this promise being fulfilled in the natural, Abraham anticipated with confidence, and did not weaken in faith." (My translation)
Romans 4:20 … "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God …"
There is no reason to stagger at, or hesitate about any of the promises of God, since they are made by the One who cannot lie; the One that is faithful to perform them; the One whose promises have never failed ... and yet most of us still stagger at the promises of God.
Abraham did not stagger, for he … "was strong in faith" … nothing moved him, no difficulties discouraged him; even when he considered the age of his flesh. He just left it up to God.
Romans 4:21 … "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."
He had not only faith, but full assurance of faith, that what God had promised, God was also able to perform; being fully persuaded that it would be as God had said. Abraham's confidence was this, that 1.) The truth of God … bound God … to His promise; and 2.) The power of God would enable Him to fulfill it.
This statement shows us how Abraham hoped on in faith, believing the promise God gave him. Faith and hope brought him confidence, even with all human reason for hope being gone.
"God is bound" … to His Word of promise to fulfill it, and because He is Truth … only "truth" can ever proceed from Him.
Abraham's confidence comes down to this … "that the truth of God" … since He can be nothing less, bound God to fulfill His promise to him; therefore God could do nothing less or He wasn't God; and he was confident that God had the power and ability to perform it.
I have tried to say three different ways … that God's own truthfulness binds Him and obligates Him to fulfill all of His promises to believers … believers who are like Abraham … those who without any other reason for any expectation of God's promises being fulfilled in the natural, anticipate with confidence, and do not weaken in faith … just because God said it.
That's why Abraham could "hope in faith." He knew "God is bound" to His Word.
We need to know and believe that also.
Comments welcome.
The main object of this chapter is to show that the doctrine of justification by faith, which the Apostle Paul was defending, was also found in the Old Testament.
The question might still be asked, as to whether this justification ... was because of their being circumcised in conformity to the Law. To answer this, Paul shows us that Abraham was justified by faith even before he was circumcised; therefore if we were justified by works, faith then would be of no use; and the promises of God would have no effect.
Because Abraham was justified by faith, and not by the works of the law; his faith was imputed or counted unto him for righteousness. Since Abraham was justified by faith, while he was in an uncircumcised state, before the law was given; salvation must also be for the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
Romans 4:13-14 … "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect … "
If the Jews ... who are under the law, are seeking righteousness by the works of the law and their obedience to the law; if they by works only should be made heirs of the "promise" … then faith is made void. For if the right to the inheritance is by the works of the law, there is no room left for faith; and the promise is made void and of no effect.
If salvation is by works, there is no purpose then for God to promise; or therefore no purpose for men to believe; for the thing promised would no longer depend upon God's promise, but upon man's obedience to the law; which would then necessarily make void the promise of God.
If people are justified by the Law … if they are "acceptable" to God by conformity to the institutions of Moses, the law; then they can not depend on any promise made to Abraham, or his seed. They cut themselves off from all the promises that come through faith, and stand on their own works, independent from faith; and that's not a good place to be.
This is as true now as it was then. If people seek to be justified by depending on their morality or a form of works, they can not depend then on any promise or covenant with God. It is clear, therefore, that such an attempt at salvation can not be successful.
Romans 4:16 … "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all …"
God appointed "faith" to be the condition of the promise. The promise is secured, not through obedience to the law, but through faith by grace … and so the promise is sure to all the seed … to all … both Jews and Gentiles have a right to all the blessings contained in the covenant made to Abraham; for the promise was given to Abraham while he was a Gentile.
The promise of the inheritance could not be annulled by the law that came after it; for it is by faith and of grace alone, making it sure to all believers, to all of the seed of Abraham.
Romans 4:18 … "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken …"
How did Abraham believe in hope? "Hope" … is a primary word which means to anticipate with an expectation or confidence.
The Amplified reads this way … "For Abraham, human reason for hope being gone, hoped in faith …"
We could say it this way … "without reason for any expectation of this promise being fulfilled in the natural, Abraham anticipated with confidence, and did not weaken in faith." (My translation)
Romans 4:20 … "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God …"
There is no reason to stagger at, or hesitate about any of the promises of God, since they are made by the One who cannot lie; the One that is faithful to perform them; the One whose promises have never failed ... and yet most of us still stagger at the promises of God.
Abraham did not stagger, for he … "was strong in faith" … nothing moved him, no difficulties discouraged him; even when he considered the age of his flesh. He just left it up to God.
Romans 4:21 … "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."
He had not only faith, but full assurance of faith, that what God had promised, God was also able to perform; being fully persuaded that it would be as God had said. Abraham's confidence was this, that 1.) The truth of God … bound God … to His promise; and 2.) The power of God would enable Him to fulfill it.
This statement shows us how Abraham hoped on in faith, believing the promise God gave him. Faith and hope brought him confidence, even with all human reason for hope being gone.
"God is bound" … to His Word of promise to fulfill it, and because He is Truth … only "truth" can ever proceed from Him.
Abraham's confidence comes down to this … "that the truth of God" … since He can be nothing less, bound God to fulfill His promise to him; therefore God could do nothing less or He wasn't God; and he was confident that God had the power and ability to perform it.
I have tried to say three different ways … that God's own truthfulness binds Him and obligates Him to fulfill all of His promises to believers … believers who are like Abraham … those who without any other reason for any expectation of God's promises being fulfilled in the natural, anticipate with confidence, and do not weaken in faith … just because God said it.
That's why Abraham could "hope in faith." He knew "God is bound" to His Word.
We need to know and believe that also.
Comments welcome.
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