1Co 15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
Our mortal body will undergo an AUGMENTATION, and not a REPLACEMENT.
We must PUT ON the imperishable glory, the eternal life, like a garment. Just as Adam was incomplete in his nakedness, so we are not complete. Our pitiful clothes in this world are a reflection of the immorality and life that we so long to be covered with.
Implication of this: our body now is important. We are going to live in this body forever, only plus an augmentation of the eternal, incorruptible, glorious body.
We will never say goodbye with this body, either in the Kingdom of God or in the lake of fire. Thus we cannot use this body as though it is a tissue we blow our noses in. This is what we are going to live with forever.
Our feeble, naked and dead state needs CLOTHING OF JESUS CHRIST. We must be covered with Christ, our eternal life. Only then we are complete. Before then, we are only full of weakness and shame.
We all so desire to be clothed, to cover our weaknesses. So we put on all these garments (our idols) in this world which are like dried up leaves that crunch away as soon as we die. Only those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ is their Saviour will be clothed and be swallowed up by eternal life and incorruptibility.
Let us live our life in hope for that glory that is to be revealed in the Second Coming of Christ.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Thoughts on "Son of Man"
Dan 7:13 "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
Dan 7:14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Jesus Christ used the term the Son of Man so much, that was almost used as a replacement for the personal pronoun "I" in His speaking.
Son of Man does not just refer to the fact that Jesus became a human being, but that, in the context of Daniel, He was the pre-existent heavenly being who is given a kingdom to rule the universe forever and ever.
Thus the meaning of the Son of Man can only be "GOD" GOD alone is the pre-existent being who rules as King forever and ever.
But why is God, this second person of the Trinity, given such a name as "Son of Man"?
It is because HE was whom us, the "sons of man", the children of Adam, were supposed to look like. Human beings were supposed to look like God. They were supposed to rule with God, not to be ruled by things. Human beings were created to be children of God, bearing after God's image.
But because none of us resemble God. That is, none of us are "kings", but we are slaves - since we are all born slaves of sin - and live contrary to what God the King looks like.
Therefore, the second person of the Trinity, God Himself, had to come as the perfect example of what a human being was supposed to look like. Hence, he is "one like a son of man", though he is by nature GOD in his pre-existence and perfect dominion.
We are supposed to look after God in his holiness and character. That is, we ought to be be Godly. We were born to be Kingly. But we look demonic, like servants, and thus defile the image of God and blaspheme God in everything we do and are in grovelling under creations, and not letting the creation serve us to glorify God in heaven.
Therefore God had to be made into the image of the servant, into LIKENESS of a slave (only in LIKENESS, because he was under no bondage of anyone), so that He could be condemned as the representative of sinners who repent and believe in Him.
This is the message of the Gospel. We should have been like God, but instead, God became "like" us in every way except without sin. He became the image of sin and was nailed to the cross to condemn sin in Him, so that all who put their trust in that work and continue to repent of sin, shall be saved.
Praised be to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, forever more!
Dan 7:14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Jesus Christ used the term the Son of Man so much, that was almost used as a replacement for the personal pronoun "I" in His speaking.
Son of Man does not just refer to the fact that Jesus became a human being, but that, in the context of Daniel, He was the pre-existent heavenly being who is given a kingdom to rule the universe forever and ever.
Thus the meaning of the Son of Man can only be "GOD" GOD alone is the pre-existent being who rules as King forever and ever.
But why is God, this second person of the Trinity, given such a name as "Son of Man"?
It is because HE was whom us, the "sons of man", the children of Adam, were supposed to look like. Human beings were supposed to look like God. They were supposed to rule with God, not to be ruled by things. Human beings were created to be children of God, bearing after God's image.
But because none of us resemble God. That is, none of us are "kings", but we are slaves - since we are all born slaves of sin - and live contrary to what God the King looks like.
Therefore, the second person of the Trinity, God Himself, had to come as the perfect example of what a human being was supposed to look like. Hence, he is "one like a son of man", though he is by nature GOD in his pre-existence and perfect dominion.
We are supposed to look after God in his holiness and character. That is, we ought to be be Godly. We were born to be Kingly. But we look demonic, like servants, and thus defile the image of God and blaspheme God in everything we do and are in grovelling under creations, and not letting the creation serve us to glorify God in heaven.
Therefore God had to be made into the image of the servant, into LIKENESS of a slave (only in LIKENESS, because he was under no bondage of anyone), so that He could be condemned as the representative of sinners who repent and believe in Him.
This is the message of the Gospel. We should have been like God, but instead, God became "like" us in every way except without sin. He became the image of sin and was nailed to the cross to condemn sin in Him, so that all who put their trust in that work and continue to repent of sin, shall be saved.
Praised be to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, forever more!
Every believer is making two professions of faith
Tit 1:16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.
We see in this above verse this:
Our actions also do the confessing.
Our lips confess the Lord Jesus, and make profession that we are Christians.
But our actions also make a profession. Our actions are speaking. They are saying a word. They are screaming "I do not know Jesus Christ"!
How do we respond to the Gospel? By our lips? Yes. For Paul says in Romans, whoever will call upon the name of Christ will be saved.
But we also respond to the Gospel by our actions, by our hands, feet, lips and our bodies. By our works, we either respond to Him, or we deny Him.
So there are two confessions going on: one by our lips, and one by our actions.
If the actions do not match up, whatever we say with our lips shall be silenced, made to be worth nothing. There is nothing worse than hypocrisy.
This indeed is the message of James, who admonishes us to keep silent, but rather show good works:
Jas 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
And again he says to the one who makes a profession of faith with his lips but not with their actions:
Jas 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
Jas 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
We see in this above verse this:
Our actions also do the confessing.
Our lips confess the Lord Jesus, and make profession that we are Christians.
But our actions also make a profession. Our actions are speaking. They are saying a word. They are screaming "I do not know Jesus Christ"!
How do we respond to the Gospel? By our lips? Yes. For Paul says in Romans, whoever will call upon the name of Christ will be saved.
But we also respond to the Gospel by our actions, by our hands, feet, lips and our bodies. By our works, we either respond to Him, or we deny Him.
So there are two confessions going on: one by our lips, and one by our actions.
If the actions do not match up, whatever we say with our lips shall be silenced, made to be worth nothing. There is nothing worse than hypocrisy.
This indeed is the message of James, who admonishes us to keep silent, but rather show good works:
Jas 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
And again he says to the one who makes a profession of faith with his lips but not with their actions:
Jas 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
Jas 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
James in v18 asks, "Show me your faith apart from works". Now how DOES a person show faith apart from works?:
By boasting with his lips: "I AM a Christian! I AM saved! God loves me!"
Yet his actions do not show that He is a believer.
It is our actions that make all the difference. It is by our actions we show that we are a believer. And then it is accompanied by words.
It was Jesus' voluntary death and resurrection that spoke more words than anything ethical or moral that He said. By His death, He achieved more than Mohammed or Buddha who were nothing but lips.
It was the works of love for His people that was heard by heard, and seen by us, and changed us.
Let us unite our profession of our lips with the profession of our bodies, that what we say will be what we are, and what we are, what we say.
Jesus Christ the ruler of all
2Ki 13:5 (Therefore the LORD gave Israel a savior, so that they escaped from the hand of the Syrians, and the people of Israel lived in their homes as formerly.
2Ki 13:6 Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained in Samaria.)
It is how we respond to our Saviour that God has given to us that is important. Jesus has come as our Saviour. It is because of Him that we sinners are able to enjoy any good in this life. Yet though God gave a saviour, not all receive Him. Reaping benefits from the Saviour alone is not believing in Him. We must respond with gratitude for God's kindness and condescension, by also giving our life to our Saviour and God. God's kindness must produce repentance in our hearts, not taking his grace for granted.
2Ki 13:11 He also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin, but he walked in them.
This last phrase the writer of Ephesians uses, to describe our state in walking in the sins of Satan while we were the children of wrath:
Eph_2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Eph_2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Eph_4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Eph_4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
Eph_5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Eph_5:8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
Eph_5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
Our walking, our practices, what we do shows where we are with the Lord. The kings of Israel and Judah had one model to follow - David. They had to walk in the footsteps of David, serving the Lord, walking with Him. And likewise us, that is how our actions shall be judged, how we walk in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus. We are to walk in good works, and that is to walk in love Eph 5:2. We are to stop imitating the ways of those who do not believe in the Lord. If our Lord is too high a bar, we are to at least imitate those who have been strong in the faith, the great giants of faith that has gone before us, walking us they walked.
2Ki 13:21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
If the BONES of a prophet could make one rise from the dead, how much more the resurrected body of Christ make us renewed, not only giving life to the body, but to our dead souls!
This is a symbol of the cross. The death of Christ upon the cross gives us life. When we touch the Lamb that was slain, then He gives life to our souls, making us know that all our sins are forgiven, and that life is given to us by the Holy Spirit to do righteously.
2Ki 13:22 Now Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
2Ki 13:23 But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now.
God's graciousness triumphs over judgement. Yet this does not take away the fact that there is chastisement.
2Ki 13:25 Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.
This was fulfilled according to the prophecy that Elisha made to the king before he died. Elisha a type of Christ, who in His death gave grace that triumphed over judgement and overlooked our sins. Jehoash, though a sinner, should have believed in the LORD more and struck the arrow 7 times. But since he was still terrified of Syria, struck it only 3 times, doubting whether the prophecy of Elisha was true. God's grace triumphs over all our sins, but the question is, how far will we believe? Will our sins still terrify us with judgement? Or will we believe to the end the grace and mercy that shall be revealed to us on the Day of Judgement? Let us believe, and do not doubt in the grace of the Lord.
-------------
Eze 15:5 Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything!
YHWH compares Israel to the wood of the vine. Wood of the vine is so useless and weak, that it cannot be used to make anything, not even to make a peg. It exists for nothing except to bear grapes for fruit. That is its sole purpose.
Likewise us Christians like branch of the vine. It is used for NOTHING ELSE BUT TO BEAR THE FRUIT FOR GOD. The Christian exists to bear fruits of love and holiness and that is all. God has made it so that the Christian, when he does not bear fruit for God, is a useless thing, like salt that loses its saltiness. We were made for one purpose. Lampstand that does not light has absolutely no other use. Christian that does not act like Christ is nothing, worse than an unbeliever! Our ONLY calling in this world is to be like Christ
-------------
Psa 17:1 A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
Psa 17:2 From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right!
Psa 17:3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
Psa 17:4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
Psa 17:5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
Psa 17:6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.
David expects his righteous plea to be heard because he himself hears the words of God. By the word of God's LIPS, David has kept his LIPS free from deceit, and has reformed his ways before the Lord. And because of this purity that came by listening and obeying the word of God, he expects his words to be heard. Those who do not listen to the word of God cannot expect prayer to be heard.
Psa 17:13 Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
Psa 17:14 from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.
Psa 17:15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.
God in his love and wrath gives prosperity to the wicked, wordly people. But what does God give David instead that is infinitely better? Righteousness. Both the righteousness of Christ, and the actual righteousness that David will have when he rises from the dead. LIKENESS compared here to RIGHTEOUSNESS. Being like God - being righteous - is so much better than prosperity which lasts only in this life.
---------------
Luk 7:1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.
Luk 7:2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him.
Luk 7:3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.
Luk 7:4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him,
Luk 7:5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue."
Luk 7:6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.
Luk 7:7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.
Luk 7:8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
Luk 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
Firstly, we see the elders of the Jews' testimony of the centurion. mainly, they say this man is worthy. Because he loves the Jews, and who even built a synagogue for the Jews.
This man was a Gentile, a ROMAN centurion, yet a God-fearer. He loved God and thus, he loved God's people. He no doubt came to Jerusalem to worship God, read the Scriptures often.
But see here the man's response: I'm not worthy. Why? Because he was a Roman centurion. He was part of the system that was keeping the people of God under bondage. He knows that he is not worthy, he has sins in his life.
What is marvelous is that he does not rely on his works to consider himself worthy. He does not rely on his love for Jews or his building of the synagogue, but relies on the mercy of God.
We must likewise have similar attitude. What is it that we have done that we rely on to make ourselves worthy? NOTHING! We are worthless. Only Christ is worthy and we cannot rely on any of our actions to make us commendable to God.
More than that, this man believed that Jesus Christ controlled all things. He saw that Jesus Christ had the authority over all created things. The virus cells, the human body of his servant, all spiritual beings, everything was under Jesus' control. Jesus is the ruler of all things.
Once we realize that Jesus Christ is sovereign over all things, then we can live this life secure.
Luk 7:12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.
Luk 7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."
Luk 7:14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."
Jesus even controls dead people. Dead people obey His voice and rise. Jesus rules over all things.
Luk 7:18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John,
Luk 7:19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
Not seeing the great authority that Jesus has over human bodies, diseases, demons and even over dead people, and indeed over all creation, John doubts whether He is the Messiah. John's expectations do not match with Jesus. John obviously expected the one who is to burn the chaff in the fire, a military commander, like David. Jesus' answer:
Luk 7:23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."
Luk 7:24 When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
Jesus' kind response to the one who is doubting him. Even the Roman Centurion has more faith than John! But Jesus is not so harsh. He understands John's weakness. He commends John infront of the people, lest they start questioning John's authority. Jesus is merciful, kind and gentle.
Luk 7:29 (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John,
Luk 7:30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)
Pharisees and lawyers being contrasted to the common people and the tax collectors.
Luk 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."
What did Simon the Pharisee think a sinner was? Someone who had committed the BIG sins, like actual adultery? He justified himself, since he did not commit adultery, not knowing that God looks into his adulterous heart.
Luk 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."
Luk 7:48 And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
Obviously, her sins have already been forgiven (the word being perfect in tense). But strange that there is a "FOR". This is hoti, so it cannot but mean a causal clause: BECAUSE she loved much. It sounds as though, Luke is saying that it is BECAUSE she loved, that's why she is forgiven. But does forgiveness depend on our love of God? Jesus says again, in the last sentence, she loves much BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN FORGIVEN MUCH.
So we see that Jesus has first forgiven her -> which has led to the woman loving Jesus much -> which has led to Jesus forgiving her more, because of her love. So Jesus forgives because of himself, and then, as a secondary reason, because of her love. What's going on?
Perhaps the last verse clarifies:
Luk 7:50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
The woman's intense love was born because of her faith: She believed that Jesus can forgive her of her sins. This above sentence is repeated in other places where Jesus heals a disease. The sick believed Jesus could heal them of their sicknesses. Likewise, the woman believes Jesus can forgive her of her sins. Having guilt is like having a disease. The cure is forgiveness.
She, like the centurion, believed that Jesus had authority over all things, even judgement, and forgiveness. If Jesus says to her guilt "GO", her guilt will go, and obey, and be removed from her - on the account of Jesus' death.
----------
2Ki 13:6 Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained in Samaria.)
It is how we respond to our Saviour that God has given to us that is important. Jesus has come as our Saviour. It is because of Him that we sinners are able to enjoy any good in this life. Yet though God gave a saviour, not all receive Him. Reaping benefits from the Saviour alone is not believing in Him. We must respond with gratitude for God's kindness and condescension, by also giving our life to our Saviour and God. God's kindness must produce repentance in our hearts, not taking his grace for granted.
2Ki 13:11 He also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin, but he walked in them.
This last phrase the writer of Ephesians uses, to describe our state in walking in the sins of Satan while we were the children of wrath:
Eph_2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Eph_2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Eph_4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Eph_4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
Eph_5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Eph_5:8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
Eph_5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
Our walking, our practices, what we do shows where we are with the Lord. The kings of Israel and Judah had one model to follow - David. They had to walk in the footsteps of David, serving the Lord, walking with Him. And likewise us, that is how our actions shall be judged, how we walk in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus. We are to walk in good works, and that is to walk in love Eph 5:2. We are to stop imitating the ways of those who do not believe in the Lord. If our Lord is too high a bar, we are to at least imitate those who have been strong in the faith, the great giants of faith that has gone before us, walking us they walked.
2Ki 13:21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
If the BONES of a prophet could make one rise from the dead, how much more the resurrected body of Christ make us renewed, not only giving life to the body, but to our dead souls!
This is a symbol of the cross. The death of Christ upon the cross gives us life. When we touch the Lamb that was slain, then He gives life to our souls, making us know that all our sins are forgiven, and that life is given to us by the Holy Spirit to do righteously.
2Ki 13:22 Now Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
2Ki 13:23 But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now.
God's graciousness triumphs over judgement. Yet this does not take away the fact that there is chastisement.
2Ki 13:25 Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.
This was fulfilled according to the prophecy that Elisha made to the king before he died. Elisha a type of Christ, who in His death gave grace that triumphed over judgement and overlooked our sins. Jehoash, though a sinner, should have believed in the LORD more and struck the arrow 7 times. But since he was still terrified of Syria, struck it only 3 times, doubting whether the prophecy of Elisha was true. God's grace triumphs over all our sins, but the question is, how far will we believe? Will our sins still terrify us with judgement? Or will we believe to the end the grace and mercy that shall be revealed to us on the Day of Judgement? Let us believe, and do not doubt in the grace of the Lord.
-------------
Eze 15:5 Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything!
YHWH compares Israel to the wood of the vine. Wood of the vine is so useless and weak, that it cannot be used to make anything, not even to make a peg. It exists for nothing except to bear grapes for fruit. That is its sole purpose.
Likewise us Christians like branch of the vine. It is used for NOTHING ELSE BUT TO BEAR THE FRUIT FOR GOD. The Christian exists to bear fruits of love and holiness and that is all. God has made it so that the Christian, when he does not bear fruit for God, is a useless thing, like salt that loses its saltiness. We were made for one purpose. Lampstand that does not light has absolutely no other use. Christian that does not act like Christ is nothing, worse than an unbeliever! Our ONLY calling in this world is to be like Christ
-------------
Psa 17:1 A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
Psa 17:2 From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right!
Psa 17:3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
Psa 17:4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
Psa 17:5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
Psa 17:6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.
David expects his righteous plea to be heard because he himself hears the words of God. By the word of God's LIPS, David has kept his LIPS free from deceit, and has reformed his ways before the Lord. And because of this purity that came by listening and obeying the word of God, he expects his words to be heard. Those who do not listen to the word of God cannot expect prayer to be heard.
Psa 17:13 Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
Psa 17:14 from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.
Psa 17:15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.
God in his love and wrath gives prosperity to the wicked, wordly people. But what does God give David instead that is infinitely better? Righteousness. Both the righteousness of Christ, and the actual righteousness that David will have when he rises from the dead. LIKENESS compared here to RIGHTEOUSNESS. Being like God - being righteous - is so much better than prosperity which lasts only in this life.
---------------
Luk 7:1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.
Luk 7:2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him.
Luk 7:3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.
Luk 7:4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him,
Luk 7:5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue."
Luk 7:6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.
Luk 7:7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.
Luk 7:8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
Luk 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
Firstly, we see the elders of the Jews' testimony of the centurion. mainly, they say this man is worthy. Because he loves the Jews, and who even built a synagogue for the Jews.
This man was a Gentile, a ROMAN centurion, yet a God-fearer. He loved God and thus, he loved God's people. He no doubt came to Jerusalem to worship God, read the Scriptures often.
But see here the man's response: I'm not worthy. Why? Because he was a Roman centurion. He was part of the system that was keeping the people of God under bondage. He knows that he is not worthy, he has sins in his life.
What is marvelous is that he does not rely on his works to consider himself worthy. He does not rely on his love for Jews or his building of the synagogue, but relies on the mercy of God.
We must likewise have similar attitude. What is it that we have done that we rely on to make ourselves worthy? NOTHING! We are worthless. Only Christ is worthy and we cannot rely on any of our actions to make us commendable to God.
More than that, this man believed that Jesus Christ controlled all things. He saw that Jesus Christ had the authority over all created things. The virus cells, the human body of his servant, all spiritual beings, everything was under Jesus' control. Jesus is the ruler of all things.
Once we realize that Jesus Christ is sovereign over all things, then we can live this life secure.
Luk 7:12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.
Luk 7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."
Luk 7:14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."
Jesus even controls dead people. Dead people obey His voice and rise. Jesus rules over all things.
Luk 7:18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John,
Luk 7:19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
Not seeing the great authority that Jesus has over human bodies, diseases, demons and even over dead people, and indeed over all creation, John doubts whether He is the Messiah. John's expectations do not match with Jesus. John obviously expected the one who is to burn the chaff in the fire, a military commander, like David. Jesus' answer:
Luk 7:23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."
Luk 7:24 When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
Jesus' kind response to the one who is doubting him. Even the Roman Centurion has more faith than John! But Jesus is not so harsh. He understands John's weakness. He commends John infront of the people, lest they start questioning John's authority. Jesus is merciful, kind and gentle.
Luk 7:29 (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John,
Luk 7:30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)
Pharisees and lawyers being contrasted to the common people and the tax collectors.
Luk 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."
What did Simon the Pharisee think a sinner was? Someone who had committed the BIG sins, like actual adultery? He justified himself, since he did not commit adultery, not knowing that God looks into his adulterous heart.
Luk 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little."
Luk 7:48 And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
Obviously, her sins have already been forgiven (the word being perfect in tense). But strange that there is a "FOR". This is hoti, so it cannot but mean a causal clause: BECAUSE she loved much. It sounds as though, Luke is saying that it is BECAUSE she loved, that's why she is forgiven. But does forgiveness depend on our love of God? Jesus says again, in the last sentence, she loves much BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN FORGIVEN MUCH.
So we see that Jesus has first forgiven her -> which has led to the woman loving Jesus much -> which has led to Jesus forgiving her more, because of her love. So Jesus forgives because of himself, and then, as a secondary reason, because of her love. What's going on?
Perhaps the last verse clarifies:
Luk 7:50 And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
The woman's intense love was born because of her faith: She believed that Jesus can forgive her of her sins. This above sentence is repeated in other places where Jesus heals a disease. The sick believed Jesus could heal them of their sicknesses. Likewise, the woman believes Jesus can forgive her of her sins. Having guilt is like having a disease. The cure is forgiveness.
She, like the centurion, believed that Jesus had authority over all things, even judgement, and forgiveness. If Jesus says to her guilt "GO", her guilt will go, and obey, and be removed from her - on the account of Jesus' death.
----------
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Only one word for idolaters: REPENT
Eze 14:3 "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?
Certain elders come to the prophet, wanting to consult the LORD about certain things, but God sees their hearts, that their heart is joined to idols. The faces of their hearts are away from God, and the eyes of their hearts are looking at abominations that are stumbling blocks of their iniquity.
Our idols so cling to our hearts and block our vision of God. We can be holding on to our idols in our hearts and looking at idols in our minds and yet still try to hear a word from God.
God will not speak any word to us, except demand for repentance. We cannot give just our ears to the LORD, but must give our heart, eyes, face, our whole self.
Eze 14:5 that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.
Eze 14:6 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
When our hearts are enjoined to idols, and our face is turned toward God, no matter where we are geographically, spiritually we are estranged from God. We are far from Him, though our bodies may be near, even in front of Ezekiel the prophet.
Eze 14:9 And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
Eze 14:10 And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike—
The only ever word God gives idolaters is "REPENT". There is no other word. But anyone who tells idolaters any other word than repentance are false prophets.
Repentance is all we need to hear. Our whole life must be repentance after repentance, turning constantly away from distractions and beholding God. Only then God will speak words of comfort. Those who do not repent do not deserve any other words from God.
Also we see here that GOD has deceived the false prophet. If we refuse the word of repentance from our idols, God will give the words that we want to hear - only to our demise and condemnation.
False prophets exist in this world by God's decree so that idolaters can be separated from true worshippers of God. Those who love idols, will listen to false prophets and therefore prove themselves to be idolaters.
Those who love God, will bear the word of repentance, and persevere in continuous repentance of their sins until God gives them another word of grace.
Eze 14:18 though these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they alone would be delivered.
This passage on Noah, Daniel and Job clearly teach that salvation is an individual affair. These Israelites were probably were relying on the "few righteous" who were in their city, thinking that God would not destroy the city because of those. They never bother themselves to become these righteous, but they relied to others to save them. But God's word is that even if the best of believers from the history of mankind were there, they would not be saved. One cannot rely on the piety of others, or push responsibility on the few good men, thinking they would save the whole. EACH soul that sins, shall die.
------------
Psa 16:1 A Miktam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Psa 16:2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."
Psa 16:3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
Psa 16:4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
Psa 16:5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
Psa 16:6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
Psa 16:7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Psa 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
Psa 16:10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
Psa 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
What we see here is the joy of worshiping YHWH as God.
The sorrows of those who RUN after another god multiply. They go from sorrow to sorrow.
But David has chosen the LORD as his God, as his good, as his portion. As his everything.
Therefore he "delights" in the saints of God. He considers the lot that he has given him "pleasant" and "beautiful". His heart is "glad", his whole being "rejoices". In God's presence is "fullness of joy" and "pleasures" forevermore.
Idols promise joy, but their joy is fleeting, and at the end is eternal death. Only God gives the resurrection life to be enjoyed forever v10.
------------
Luk 6:2 But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"
Luk 6:3 And Jesus answered them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
Luk 6:4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?"
Jesus is asking the Pharisees: "What is the TRUE Sabbath lawfulness?" These disciples are hungry. They need food. Feeding them IS lawful because it is loving.
These laws of Judaism were not even the laws of God. The law of God is not so inflexible. In it are concessions based on the law of love. Why should these Pharisees be so angry and rigid with the human laws that they have made for themselves when even God is not so rigid with his own law? Such is the sin of pride.
Luk 6:5 And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
What this must mean, is that Son of Man rules over the Sabbath and all its laws and regulations. Human beings are not under a different authority on Sabbath day. The Son of Man has greater authority over what happens on the Sabbath than these Rabbis with their "protection" around the Torah. The Christ has the last say on what a Sabbath should be, not what these legalistic Jews made it to be. Christ RULES the Sabbath as well, and makes decision on what is lawful and what is not. And, the rule is LOVE.
Luk 6:8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come and stand here." And he rose and stood there.
Luk 6:9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?"
These Jews had become so phobic of breaking the Sabbath, that they forbade people from doing ANYTHING, neither good or bad. But they had gone too far. They should have allowed good to be done, related to saving of lives.
It will be they that will be breaking the Sabbath (destroying life), by planning to kill Jesus on that holy day.
Luk 6:11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
--------------------
1Jn 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1Jn 4:9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
1Jn 4:10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
The Father had an intense desire to adopt fallen human beings as His children. The Son also had the intense desire for human beings to experience all that it is to be a child of God, and to have the Holy Spirit. So, Christ laid down His life for us, that we may partake in His sonship, by swapping places with us, dying the condemned death that we should have died, that we may indeed be called and be the children of God.
--------
All human beings desire to be like God.
Adam and Eve fell to sin when they desired to be like God, and decided to choose Good and Evil for themselves.
But God still wants us to be like Him. That's what being a child of God is all about. A Son is supposed to be like the Father.
It's just He wants us to be like Him the PROPER way. He doesn't want us to desire the power, sovereignty beauty, strength of Him.
Because when we desire only those things, then we become just like Satan, and other demonic angels, who desired to be like God in only those things, the powerful things, the glory and majesty and authority and power and might.
You cannot pick and choose what part of God you want to be like. To love only a part of God, is to hate the whole of Him.
And how subtle did the Devil use this truth to tempt our first parents? The Devil knew that human being's goal and purpose was to be like God - but he changed the focus to get Adam and Eve to imitate the WRONG PARTS of God.
This is why Jesus Christ came to this world: to teach us how to REALLY be like God. And how did Jesus show what God is like? By dying. Through crucifixion Jesus showed God's love, righteousness, patience, holiness, humility, goodness, faithfulness.
The cross showed God's character, what God is REALLY like. And this God, Jesus Christ, urges us to "follow Him" - meaning, "Become LIKE Me. Take up the cross. Die for love and holiness, die in humility, gentleness, meekness, kindness".
This is the part of God that we are to strive to be like. "Be Holy as I am Holy". Then we are called the Children of God. We bear after His image.
And when we have lived this life in holiness - being like God in His character - then we shall in the next life be like Him in glory, authority and power. We will reign with Christ in the New Earth.
Yet even in heaven, we will give all glory and honour and power to Him. Because we know that the greatest thing is to be like God in His holiness, in His mercy and love and righteousness and goodness and gentleness. God is LOVE but God is not "Power". To be love is to be truly to be like Him. Such truth the devil the counterfeit god will never understand.
---------------
Certain elders come to the prophet, wanting to consult the LORD about certain things, but God sees their hearts, that their heart is joined to idols. The faces of their hearts are away from God, and the eyes of their hearts are looking at abominations that are stumbling blocks of their iniquity.
Our idols so cling to our hearts and block our vision of God. We can be holding on to our idols in our hearts and looking at idols in our minds and yet still try to hear a word from God.
God will not speak any word to us, except demand for repentance. We cannot give just our ears to the LORD, but must give our heart, eyes, face, our whole self.
Eze 14:5 that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.
Eze 14:6 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
When our hearts are enjoined to idols, and our face is turned toward God, no matter where we are geographically, spiritually we are estranged from God. We are far from Him, though our bodies may be near, even in front of Ezekiel the prophet.
Eze 14:9 And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
Eze 14:10 And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike—
The only ever word God gives idolaters is "REPENT". There is no other word. But anyone who tells idolaters any other word than repentance are false prophets.
Repentance is all we need to hear. Our whole life must be repentance after repentance, turning constantly away from distractions and beholding God. Only then God will speak words of comfort. Those who do not repent do not deserve any other words from God.
Also we see here that GOD has deceived the false prophet. If we refuse the word of repentance from our idols, God will give the words that we want to hear - only to our demise and condemnation.
False prophets exist in this world by God's decree so that idolaters can be separated from true worshippers of God. Those who love idols, will listen to false prophets and therefore prove themselves to be idolaters.
Those who love God, will bear the word of repentance, and persevere in continuous repentance of their sins until God gives them another word of grace.
Eze 14:18 though these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord GOD, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they alone would be delivered.
This passage on Noah, Daniel and Job clearly teach that salvation is an individual affair. These Israelites were probably were relying on the "few righteous" who were in their city, thinking that God would not destroy the city because of those. They never bother themselves to become these righteous, but they relied to others to save them. But God's word is that even if the best of believers from the history of mankind were there, they would not be saved. One cannot rely on the piety of others, or push responsibility on the few good men, thinking they would save the whole. EACH soul that sins, shall die.
------------
Psa 16:1 A Miktam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Psa 16:2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."
Psa 16:3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.
Psa 16:4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
Psa 16:5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
Psa 16:6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
Psa 16:7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Psa 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.
Psa 16:10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
Psa 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
What we see here is the joy of worshiping YHWH as God.
The sorrows of those who RUN after another god multiply. They go from sorrow to sorrow.
But David has chosen the LORD as his God, as his good, as his portion. As his everything.
Therefore he "delights" in the saints of God. He considers the lot that he has given him "pleasant" and "beautiful". His heart is "glad", his whole being "rejoices". In God's presence is "fullness of joy" and "pleasures" forevermore.
Idols promise joy, but their joy is fleeting, and at the end is eternal death. Only God gives the resurrection life to be enjoyed forever v10.
------------
Luk 6:2 But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"
Luk 6:3 And Jesus answered them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
Luk 6:4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?"
Jesus is asking the Pharisees: "What is the TRUE Sabbath lawfulness?" These disciples are hungry. They need food. Feeding them IS lawful because it is loving.
These laws of Judaism were not even the laws of God. The law of God is not so inflexible. In it are concessions based on the law of love. Why should these Pharisees be so angry and rigid with the human laws that they have made for themselves when even God is not so rigid with his own law? Such is the sin of pride.
Luk 6:5 And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
What this must mean, is that Son of Man rules over the Sabbath and all its laws and regulations. Human beings are not under a different authority on Sabbath day. The Son of Man has greater authority over what happens on the Sabbath than these Rabbis with their "protection" around the Torah. The Christ has the last say on what a Sabbath should be, not what these legalistic Jews made it to be. Christ RULES the Sabbath as well, and makes decision on what is lawful and what is not. And, the rule is LOVE.
Luk 6:8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come and stand here." And he rose and stood there.
Luk 6:9 And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?"
These Jews had become so phobic of breaking the Sabbath, that they forbade people from doing ANYTHING, neither good or bad. But they had gone too far. They should have allowed good to be done, related to saving of lives.
It will be they that will be breaking the Sabbath (destroying life), by planning to kill Jesus on that holy day.
Luk 6:11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
--------------------
1Jn 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1Jn 4:9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
1Jn 4:10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
The Father had an intense desire to adopt fallen human beings as His children. The Son also had the intense desire for human beings to experience all that it is to be a child of God, and to have the Holy Spirit. So, Christ laid down His life for us, that we may partake in His sonship, by swapping places with us, dying the condemned death that we should have died, that we may indeed be called and be the children of God.
--------
All human beings desire to be like God.
Adam and Eve fell to sin when they desired to be like God, and decided to choose Good and Evil for themselves.
But God still wants us to be like Him. That's what being a child of God is all about. A Son is supposed to be like the Father.
It's just He wants us to be like Him the PROPER way. He doesn't want us to desire the power, sovereignty beauty, strength of Him.
Because when we desire only those things, then we become just like Satan, and other demonic angels, who desired to be like God in only those things, the powerful things, the glory and majesty and authority and power and might.
You cannot pick and choose what part of God you want to be like. To love only a part of God, is to hate the whole of Him.
And how subtle did the Devil use this truth to tempt our first parents? The Devil knew that human being's goal and purpose was to be like God - but he changed the focus to get Adam and Eve to imitate the WRONG PARTS of God.
This is why Jesus Christ came to this world: to teach us how to REALLY be like God. And how did Jesus show what God is like? By dying. Through crucifixion Jesus showed God's love, righteousness, patience, holiness, humility, goodness, faithfulness.
The cross showed God's character, what God is REALLY like. And this God, Jesus Christ, urges us to "follow Him" - meaning, "Become LIKE Me. Take up the cross. Die for love and holiness, die in humility, gentleness, meekness, kindness".
This is the part of God that we are to strive to be like. "Be Holy as I am Holy". Then we are called the Children of God. We bear after His image.
And when we have lived this life in holiness - being like God in His character - then we shall in the next life be like Him in glory, authority and power. We will reign with Christ in the New Earth.
Yet even in heaven, we will give all glory and honour and power to Him. Because we know that the greatest thing is to be like God in His holiness, in His mercy and love and righteousness and goodness and gentleness. God is LOVE but God is not "Power". To be love is to be truly to be like Him. Such truth the devil the counterfeit god will never understand.
---------------
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Basics are necessary but not enough
Heb 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
Heb 5:13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Heb 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3 And this we will do if God permits.
Heb 5:13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Heb 6:1 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3 And this we will do if God permits.
The above verses are amazing.
These Hebrews Christians are being chastised for being still babies. Still children. Why?
Because ALL they think about is the basics, the foundations of Christianity.
Now there is nothing wrong with foundations. Without foundations, there can be no building. Without wrong foundations, the building will crumble down.
But if foundation is ALL THAT THERE IS, then where is the building?
If all that we care about is the basics of Christianity, the main doctrines of the Gospel, the creeds, and think that that is all there is to know, how shall we ever grow? We will forever be babies, like children that for some health dysfunction cannot grow.
Now what are these basics? He labels them, to show them that these ARE the basics. Lets list them:
- Repentance.
- Faith
- Baptism
- Ordinations
- Doctrine of Resurrection
- Doctrine of Final Judgement
Surprisingly, to some Christians, the above things are all that they care about. All you need is to repent and believe the gospel, be baptized, and know there will be a resurrection and judgement, right? They know the Apostle's creed and believe it and talk about the doctrines in it.
But the writer of Hebrews is saying there are more to the Christian life than just these things. There are more mysteries of the word that need to be revealed to the Christian. We cannot be satisfied with just having the right basics. Its like a building site with no building. It's like a kid that never grows up.
Perhaps what the writer of Hebrews is saying is that they have the beginning and the ending but nothing in the middle. They know how to get saved. They know what will happen in the end of the world. But what happens in the middle? What happens during our sanctification? HOW do we get sanctified?
Without knowing the PROCESS that connects between our conversion and the final consummation, and other intricacies of the Christian life and the way the world functions, we can be like the Hebrews Christians - discouraged, and just about to give up our Christian life because the end just looks too far away.
But when we go into the word of God and read deeper into the Holy Scriptures, then our eyes shall be opened, and we will not be shallow and proud people who think they've got everything. Lord, open our eyes to know more of your word. Grow us and feed us solid foods, things that we must chew on to swallow! Make our eyes open that we may know the difficult truths and do not let us be complacent in just knowing the basics, thinking that is enough to sustain us to the end! Lord, help us. In Christ's name I pray, amen!
Christ died to make death look beautiful
Jesus Christ did not die only to take away our punishment and the guilt of sin. He also died so that our view on suffering and death will be utterly transformed.
Naturally, human beings HATE suffering and death. Especially suffering. They cannot stand the idea of pain. They try their hardest to avoid suffering as much as possible in their life, and think that is the best kind of life. They try to make life as comfortable as possible, and if anything gets in the way of that comfort, they moan and groan and complain.
But Christ came to this world, to alter our perspective on pain, death and discomfort. He died for our sins, painfully, forgiving us of all our transgressions, bearing our guilt upon himself. Through his suffering, he disarmed the Satanic rulers and authorities by freeing us from their bondage through death, putting them to shame by justifying us before them.
The cross became to us the power of God unto salvation. The cross to us became not something horrible, but something beautiful where God showed His power and love to us.
And because of the cross, we too can suffer for God and others. We too can die. Why? Because the cross has changed our views on suffering and death. We are no longer phobic to them, because Christ has shown us an example to follow, making suffering and death look beautiful. Sure, the cross still hurts. We still bleed when the nails go in. But our viewpoint of the cross has changed. We used to think that suffering was hell. But we know that suffering can be glorious. We know that, rather, living in and for pleasure in this world, is the true hell.
But this kind of thinking is only possible through the cross. Only the cross makes suffering look beautiful. By the cross, Christ has made the most horrible thing in the world - DEATH - into a beautiful thing, a point in which we can glorify God, and give honour to His Name. "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (Psa 116:15). And this death, we die every day, to give honour to God.
Peter sums this in one verse:
"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps" 1 Peter 2:21
Saturday, October 6, 2012
The Cross is our only answer
Many of the questions we ask God, He has already answered in the cross of His Son Jesus.
"God, how can I resist sin and become more godly?"
"God, do You love me? Have You forgiven me of my sins? Why do I feel so guilty?"
"God, what do you want me to do with my life?"
"God, why do you allow evil things to happen in this world?"
When we ask such questions. God does not answer. Why? Because He has already answered it, not with words, but with his actions of dying on the cross for us.
Jesus died on the cross so that we can die without having to die. The Cross is where we throw away the garbage called "I" and embrace Christ as our life.
In the cross there is no condemnation, for we have already died with Christ. In the cross there is neither the desire to sin. In Him is no sin. It is heaven, paradise itself.
Dying with Christ is not a burdensome thing, but a joyful thing! Because when we die with Him we are freed from the bondage of sin and the curse of the Law. Thank You Jesus, for dying on the Cross for us all! There is no other Gospel, no other joy, no other truth but your Cross, O Lord!
"God, how can I resist sin and become more godly?"
"God, do You love me? Have You forgiven me of my sins? Why do I feel so guilty?"
"God, what do you want me to do with my life?"
"God, why do you allow evil things to happen in this world?"
When we ask such questions. God does not answer. Why? Because He has already answered it, not with words, but with his actions of dying on the cross for us.
Jesus died on the cross so that we can die without having to die. The Cross is where we throw away the garbage called "I" and embrace Christ as our life.
In the cross there is no condemnation, for we have already died with Christ. In the cross there is neither the desire to sin. In Him is no sin. It is heaven, paradise itself.
Dying with Christ is not a burdensome thing, but a joyful thing! Because when we die with Him we are freed from the bondage of sin and the curse of the Law. Thank You Jesus, for dying on the Cross for us all! There is no other Gospel, no other joy, no other truth but your Cross, O Lord!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
How one receives Jesus
We receive Jesus through the hearing of faith. Jesus is the Word of God. His life, His death, His resurrection. All these things are a one Message of God, the Gospel, which we hear and believe to be true. When God spoke promises of land, children and blessing (that is, Christ to be born from him), Abraham believed and there he received for his descendants all three. Abraham himself did not have, but he looked forward to the hope that his children may have what God has promised them.
In the same way us Christians believe that through Jesus Christ we shall have eternal life, that we will be glorified, that we will be vindicated, that we will be made righteous, that we will be saved from wrath, that we will be justified. We do not have these now. We have not seen Jesus yet. But we believe that we will one day be with Him, because God has promised us so in Jesus.
And through this expectation of future glory (hope), we live as though we already have these things here and now. And therefore we are satisfied, though we have nothing here. The Holy Spirit works through our belief in future hope, that we are filled the fruits of the Holy Spirit. These fruits can only be obtained through an expectation of great future in Christ.
In the same way us Christians believe that through Jesus Christ we shall have eternal life, that we will be glorified, that we will be vindicated, that we will be made righteous, that we will be saved from wrath, that we will be justified. We do not have these now. We have not seen Jesus yet. But we believe that we will one day be with Him, because God has promised us so in Jesus.
And through this expectation of future glory (hope), we live as though we already have these things here and now. And therefore we are satisfied, though we have nothing here. The Holy Spirit works through our belief in future hope, that we are filled the fruits of the Holy Spirit. These fruits can only be obtained through an expectation of great future in Christ.
Thought on Jesus and his earthly family
Jesus' family did not believe in Him until he died and rose again from the dead. In the Gospels we see that Jesus' brothers and relatives and mother went around town to'collect' Jesus while he was in ministry, because they thought he had gone mad. They thought he was insane. Gospel of John makes it clear that his brothers did not believe in him, but only urged Him to get out into the world so that they could benefit from his fame. Jesus also never received much reception from the people of Nazareth, from his home town.
Likewise us Christians probably have the hardest time having a spiritual influence over our family members or preaching the Gospel to them. Mostly, this is because we are so familiar to them, that their eyes cannot see past our flesh to see our inner man. Also unlike Jesus, we also have multitude of sins that we probably reveal to them as we live and eat with them, that causes more stumbling-blocks for them. However, we take heart from Jesus, that though He was still completely sinless, and was a good moral example, that didn't make his family members see past his flesh to see the Spirit of God that was within Him. Familiarity bred contempt.
But Jesus' family became believers after when? After Jesus died and rose again. His family members saw the shock of the cross, and the even more shock of the resurrection. It was only then that they saw this this was no ordinary man. This was God incarnate. This was the Christ, the King. They finally believed.
Likewise, perhaps to win over our family with spiritual influence or for the Gospel we ought to die. Instead of just preaching to them, which may never get through to them, we probably ought to show constant denial of self, and sacrificial love for them. That is perhaps the only way to win over them. We must die for them. We must live to God, before them. That is the only way perhaps they will perceive Jesus in us. They are so familiar with us and know of all our faults. But when they see how we die to self and live for God and for them, they may be changed. Let us be crucified before them, so that they may see through their perception of us, and their hearts be converted.
Likewise us Christians probably have the hardest time having a spiritual influence over our family members or preaching the Gospel to them. Mostly, this is because we are so familiar to them, that their eyes cannot see past our flesh to see our inner man. Also unlike Jesus, we also have multitude of sins that we probably reveal to them as we live and eat with them, that causes more stumbling-blocks for them. However, we take heart from Jesus, that though He was still completely sinless, and was a good moral example, that didn't make his family members see past his flesh to see the Spirit of God that was within Him. Familiarity bred contempt.
But Jesus' family became believers after when? After Jesus died and rose again. His family members saw the shock of the cross, and the even more shock of the resurrection. It was only then that they saw this this was no ordinary man. This was God incarnate. This was the Christ, the King. They finally believed.
Likewise, perhaps to win over our family with spiritual influence or for the Gospel we ought to die. Instead of just preaching to them, which may never get through to them, we probably ought to show constant denial of self, and sacrificial love for them. That is perhaps the only way to win over them. We must die for them. We must live to God, before them. That is the only way perhaps they will perceive Jesus in us. They are so familiar with us and know of all our faults. But when they see how we die to self and live for God and for them, they may be changed. Let us be crucified before them, so that they may see through their perception of us, and their hearts be converted.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
God alone is "good"
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
(Mark 10:18 ESV)
Our saviour Jesus knew what was the only thing "good" in this whole world. It was God.
This was the fundamental mistake that Eve made:
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
(Genesis 3:6 ESV)
When mankind called something other than God "good", that is when it fell from its glory and entered into slavery of sin and death.
There is nothing "good" in this world, except God. Everything else is bad, evil, darkness, death, compared to the glory of God's goodness.
To prize God as the only "Good" in the whole entire world. That is what it means to live the life that Jesus lived. To prize Jesus Christ as the only "Good" and to call everything else "evil", that is the worship that honours God.
God shall not have competitors.
(Mark 10:18 ESV)
Our saviour Jesus knew what was the only thing "good" in this whole world. It was God.
This was the fundamental mistake that Eve made:
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
(Genesis 3:6 ESV)
When mankind called something other than God "good", that is when it fell from its glory and entered into slavery of sin and death.
There is nothing "good" in this world, except God. Everything else is bad, evil, darkness, death, compared to the glory of God's goodness.
To prize God as the only "Good" in the whole entire world. That is what it means to live the life that Jesus lived. To prize Jesus Christ as the only "Good" and to call everything else "evil", that is the worship that honours God.
God shall not have competitors.
God's forgiveness over sin
Sanctification advances when the glory of God's forgiveness appears infinitely more glorious than the deceptive and fading glory of sin. When we see that God's forgiveness and grace is so much better than sin, that is when we advance
Believing in Jesus is like...
Believing in Jesus can be compared to:
Imagine if you are outside, and suddenly it begins to rain. Not only rain but there is thunder and lightening and even hail stones size of tennis balls. You are terrified, so you knock at a stranger's home, and you plead with the owner to open the door and to let you in, to save you from the terrible storm.
Faith in Jesus is to believe, wholeheartedly, that He will come to the door, open it, and welcome you in. It is to trust that Jesus will do that. It is to trust that He will shelter you, and keep you safe, and to protect you. It is to trust in this everlasting mercy of Christ.
To not believe in Jesus, is to imagine that He will not come to the door, because He cannot be bothered, or because you have done things to Him that was offensive. It is to believe that He will let you stay outside and watch you knocking, and that He will not show any compassion to you, or any pity.
See what a terrible picture unbelief paints of Jesus! To trust is to throw ourselves into the arms of Jesus, expecting Him to catch us, and not to let go. It is to trust in His loving-kindness, and His mercy upon sinners. It is to lean on Him with all our weight. It is this faith that gives glory to Him.
Imagine if you are outside, and suddenly it begins to rain. Not only rain but there is thunder and lightening and even hail stones size of tennis balls. You are terrified, so you knock at a stranger's home, and you plead with the owner to open the door and to let you in, to save you from the terrible storm.
Faith in Jesus is to believe, wholeheartedly, that He will come to the door, open it, and welcome you in. It is to trust that Jesus will do that. It is to trust that He will shelter you, and keep you safe, and to protect you. It is to trust in this everlasting mercy of Christ.
To not believe in Jesus, is to imagine that He will not come to the door, because He cannot be bothered, or because you have done things to Him that was offensive. It is to believe that He will let you stay outside and watch you knocking, and that He will not show any compassion to you, or any pity.
See what a terrible picture unbelief paints of Jesus! To trust is to throw ourselves into the arms of Jesus, expecting Him to catch us, and not to let go. It is to trust in His loving-kindness, and His mercy upon sinners. It is to lean on Him with all our weight. It is this faith that gives glory to Him.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Definition of the Christian life
The successful Christian life is impossible. Jesus said Himself that Salvation for man is impossible.
This is because to live a successful Christian life is to live a life of obedience.
But obedience is impossible for a human being, born with Adam's fallen spiritual DNA.
For God to command a human being to do something is like commanding a blind man to see, or a man with no legs to walk. It is not possible.
Yet that is what God did in giving mankind the Law. God in sum of the Ten Commandments asked man to do two things, to love Him and to love others.
Why did He do that? Why would he command the lame to walk, the blind to see, when he cannot? Why command us to do things that He knows that we cannot?
It was to reveal the utter sinfulness of our nature. It was to reveal that we are nothing. God gave an obstacle that is so high to reach, so that we will hurt ourselves trying to climb it, and realize how utterly impossible, how utterly impossible it truly is.
It was to reveal that salvation is by faith alone. Just as Abraham gave up all hope in himself in trying to make a baby by his power, and gave himself to trust rather in God who gives life to his and Sarah's dead body, so must a human being trust in God, that God through Jesus Christ may work in Him to give life.
The successful Christian life can only be achieved by one thing: trusting in God. We must realize how hopeless we are apart from Christ's help, and ask Him to give us the strength, that we may obey His commandments, not only in the letter, but of the spirit, in the heart. This is only possible through the Holy Spirit's help, through our utter dependence on Him.
The only hope for us is to trust in God's grace to work in us to give us the desire and the power to obey Him. Nothing else will work. No amount of "5 steps to a holy life", or will-power will work. A blind man desiring to see, and really seeing is different. It is Christ who gives sight to the blind, and life to the dead limbs, and breathes life into our being.
We cannot wait to be healed before we go to Christ, or we will never go to Him. We must go to Him with our uncleanness, with our blindness, our deadness, trusting that Christ will give life to us. And going to Him never ends. We will go to Him until we are completely healed. He is our only source of true life. Let us give up all trust in our selves, and trust in Him who gives life to the dead!!
This is because to live a successful Christian life is to live a life of obedience.
But obedience is impossible for a human being, born with Adam's fallen spiritual DNA.
For God to command a human being to do something is like commanding a blind man to see, or a man with no legs to walk. It is not possible.
Yet that is what God did in giving mankind the Law. God in sum of the Ten Commandments asked man to do two things, to love Him and to love others.
Why did He do that? Why would he command the lame to walk, the blind to see, when he cannot? Why command us to do things that He knows that we cannot?
It was to reveal the utter sinfulness of our nature. It was to reveal that we are nothing. God gave an obstacle that is so high to reach, so that we will hurt ourselves trying to climb it, and realize how utterly impossible, how utterly impossible it truly is.
It was to reveal that salvation is by faith alone. Just as Abraham gave up all hope in himself in trying to make a baby by his power, and gave himself to trust rather in God who gives life to his and Sarah's dead body, so must a human being trust in God, that God through Jesus Christ may work in Him to give life.
The successful Christian life can only be achieved by one thing: trusting in God. We must realize how hopeless we are apart from Christ's help, and ask Him to give us the strength, that we may obey His commandments, not only in the letter, but of the spirit, in the heart. This is only possible through the Holy Spirit's help, through our utter dependence on Him.
The only hope for us is to trust in God's grace to work in us to give us the desire and the power to obey Him. Nothing else will work. No amount of "5 steps to a holy life", or will-power will work. A blind man desiring to see, and really seeing is different. It is Christ who gives sight to the blind, and life to the dead limbs, and breathes life into our being.
We cannot wait to be healed before we go to Christ, or we will never go to Him. We must go to Him with our uncleanness, with our blindness, our deadness, trusting that Christ will give life to us. And going to Him never ends. We will go to Him until we are completely healed. He is our only source of true life. Let us give up all trust in our selves, and trust in Him who gives life to the dead!!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
God destroys but He has also been destroyed
"Ascribing such destructive activity to the God whose love for people has always been praised is very disturbing, but the world in which we live functions by means of destruction, decay, and death. The New Testament seldom speaks of nature that way [although consider Rom 8:20], but it does continue to say that God’s work with human beings on earth requires destruction and death. This time it is the destruction of the Son of God, and that puts things
in a new light. It means that the Creator does not stand outside that circle of life, death, and new life, but participates in it personally"
From Amos: New Interpreter's Bible by Donald E. Gowan
From Amos: New Interpreter's Bible by Donald E. Gowan
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
God withholds glory to others because of His love
"I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols" Isaiah 42:8
But such thoughts are blasphemy and Satanic, on multiple levels. I'll explain why.
God the Creator alone is NATURALLY the one who alone deserves all the glory and honour. Why? Simply because He is the Creator, the Origin of all things that are existing. Everything owes its existence to Him. Nothing would never "be", if the great I AM THAT I AM called them into existence by His very command. He is the one who made all things, sustains all things, gives all things life and their beauty.
When we read this verse with human eyes and with our sinful hearts, we may think that God is being proud, or that He is a megalomaniac, saying that He will not share His glory with no other.
But such thoughts are blasphemy and Satanic, on multiple levels. I'll explain why.
The main reason is that, the reason why God does not give His glory to no other, that is, to creatures, is because God is LOVE. It is because He is loving to His creation that He does not give glory to them, and has it for himself. But why is this?
God the Creator alone is NATURALLY the one who alone deserves all the glory and honour. Why? Simply because He is the Creator, the Origin of all things that are existing. Everything owes its existence to Him. Nothing would never "be", if the great I AM THAT I AM called them into existence by His very command. He is the one who made all things, sustains all things, gives all things life and their beauty.
And glory and honour or WORSHIP must be preserved for the Creator alone. This is because only GOD can "handle" praise, glory, honour, worship and thanksgiving. Give praise, glory, honour and worship to a human being, and what happens? That person becomes proud, detestable and vile.The way to destroy a person is to praise him to death. Human beings don't know what to do with glory! They cannot handle it. It is like asking a child to handle a poisonous serpent. Human beings were not designed for glory.
This is why, God, in HIS LOVE, says, "I will give my glory to no other". He doesn't want to see his poor creatures destroyed with something they can't handle. This is perhaps then why famous people are often humbled with failures and disasters. It's all part of God's love.
It was the devil, the ex-angel, that took to himself glory, as though he can handle it. But it killed him. It made him an eternal slave to sin and condemnation.
Let us therefore thank God, and dare not to touch His glory. If we are to glory, let us glory in the Cross of Jesus Christ, upon which our dear Saviour became a laughingstock, so that we may have His glory, humbly, through an appreciation of His death. Blessed me to God our saviour.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Jesus' eternal scars
Though Jesus never went to hell to be punished for our sins, but instead, Jesus FOREVER retains the scars on His hands, feet and side. He is FOREVER considered to the "Lamb that was slain".
Jesus retained ETERNAL SCARS, FOR YOU!!! Don't turn away from Him when He calls you! FOREVER appreciate Him for what He has done to save you from ETERNAL HELL!!
Praised be the the Lamb that was slain.
Jesus retained ETERNAL SCARS, FOR YOU!!! Don't turn away from Him when He calls you! FOREVER appreciate Him for what He has done to save you from ETERNAL HELL!!
Praised be the the Lamb that was slain.
Jesus was judged first before you
Pilate sits down on the judgment seat and judges and condemned the one who has been appointed the Judge of the universe.
Yet we know that this was the judgment of God upon Jesus. We know that it was God who had given Pilate the authority to crucify Jesus and deliver Him over to death, for our sins, so that whoever will believe in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life:
So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. (John 19:13-16 ESV)
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
(Revelation 20:11-15 ESV)
Yet we know that this was the judgment of God upon Jesus. We know that it was God who had given Pilate the authority to crucify Jesus and deliver Him over to death, for our sins, so that whoever will believe in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life:
So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. (John 19:13-16 ESV)
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
(Revelation 20:11-15 ESV)
Jesus' only crime
Jesus' only crime was that He spoke the truth. It was worthy of death in this deceived, dark world:
The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.”
(John 19:7 ESV)
Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
(John 18:37 ESV)
The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.”
(John 19:7 ESV)
Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.
Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
(John 18:37 ESV)
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Let him become a fool
Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, making offerings to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to live, so that you may be cut off and become a curse and a taunt among all the nations of the earth?
(Jeremiah 44:8 ESV)
Nothing angers God more than this sin: making false gods and worshiping false gods. Sure, God is angry at our other sins: lying, stealing, hating, lusting, etc.
But nothing made God angry more againsst Judah than their making of their own religions and worshiping their own ideas of God. This was the primary reason that they were thrust out of the Promised Land.
Are we also provoking God to wrath? Do we also make our own versions of Christianity and our own images and ideas of Jesus Christ and God and worship them? Then let it be known to us that God is ANGRY with this more than any other sin. YOU SHALL NOT HAVE ANY OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. YOU SHALL NOT MAKE IMAGES. These are the top two commandments of His Holy Law.
God hates nothing more than our presumption of who God is. To say, "I know God!" while not knowing Him at all, and worshiping instead a selfish representation of the God of the universe, is the greatest sin a man can commit against Him.
The Jews thought they knew Jesus. The Jews thought that Jesus was just a poor carpenter from Nazareth saying some crazy things they didn't like. They thought they "saw" Jesus. So Jesus gave them this terrible warning:
Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
(John 9:39-41 ESV)
See what Jesus is saying: "Now that you say, 'We see', your guilt remains." If we act like we "see" God and Jesus Christ. If we THINK we know Him, just because we have made for ourselves images of God, whoever we THINK He is, then this is also what Jesus says to us: YOUR GUILT REMAINS.
What shall we do then? We must become fools. We must admit our lack of knowledge of Him! We must say with the blind man: "I don't know" (John 9:12)! As it is written:
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
(1 Corinthians 3:18 ESV)
Once we humble ourselves, and get rid of all our idols, our ideas of who we think God is, and submit ourselves under the Scripture, and pray to God to reveal Himself to us, then shall our eyes shall be opened, and we shall see Him as He is.
And then we shall truly worship Him, just as the once-blind-but-now-seeing man began to worship Him in spirit and TRUTH:
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
(John 9:35-38 ESV)
(Jeremiah 44:8 ESV)
Nothing angers God more than this sin: making false gods and worshiping false gods. Sure, God is angry at our other sins: lying, stealing, hating, lusting, etc.
But nothing made God angry more againsst Judah than their making of their own religions and worshiping their own ideas of God. This was the primary reason that they were thrust out of the Promised Land.
Are we also provoking God to wrath? Do we also make our own versions of Christianity and our own images and ideas of Jesus Christ and God and worship them? Then let it be known to us that God is ANGRY with this more than any other sin. YOU SHALL NOT HAVE ANY OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. YOU SHALL NOT MAKE IMAGES. These are the top two commandments of His Holy Law.
God hates nothing more than our presumption of who God is. To say, "I know God!" while not knowing Him at all, and worshiping instead a selfish representation of the God of the universe, is the greatest sin a man can commit against Him.
The Jews thought they knew Jesus. The Jews thought that Jesus was just a poor carpenter from Nazareth saying some crazy things they didn't like. They thought they "saw" Jesus. So Jesus gave them this terrible warning:
Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
(John 9:39-41 ESV)
See what Jesus is saying: "Now that you say, 'We see', your guilt remains." If we act like we "see" God and Jesus Christ. If we THINK we know Him, just because we have made for ourselves images of God, whoever we THINK He is, then this is also what Jesus says to us: YOUR GUILT REMAINS.
What shall we do then? We must become fools. We must admit our lack of knowledge of Him! We must say with the blind man: "I don't know" (John 9:12)! As it is written:
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
(1 Corinthians 3:18 ESV)
Once we humble ourselves, and get rid of all our idols, our ideas of who we think God is, and submit ourselves under the Scripture, and pray to God to reveal Himself to us, then shall our eyes shall be opened, and we shall see Him as He is.
And then we shall truly worship Him, just as the once-blind-but-now-seeing man began to worship Him in spirit and TRUTH:
Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
(John 9:35-38 ESV)
Monday, July 30, 2012
Stop straying; Return to Him
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed.
For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
(1 Peter 2:24-25 ESV)
In this small passage contains the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is sin? In this passage the word SIN in 1 Peter 2:24 corresponds with the word "straying" in verse 25.
Sin is straying, like sheep. It is having no shepherd, but just doing whatever we want, following the stupid, evil desires of our heart, falling into ditches, hurting ourselves, not knowing where we are going. It is having no direction in life, just existing, just 'cruising' through life, as the world says. That is called SIN. It is an aimless life that is like a blind man groping his way through utter darkness. It is having no LEADER in our lives, having no centre, but just being our own leader, which is like dumb sheep trying to lead itself without a Shepherd.
Yet what did Christ do? He came, and He bore our sins, all our straying in his body on the tree, that we may NO LONGER STRAY! By His wounds we have been healed from straying through life.
Christ rose again, and now when we look to Him who died in our place for our rebellion, when we look to our Shepherd who so loved us, we now RETURN to Him, AMAZED by His love (verse 25). This is what it means to "live to righteousness" (verse 24). We are now under His leadership. We now know where we are going - we are going to the FATHER through Christ the Way:
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:5-6 ESV)
We now have a reason for living: it is to glorify God. We now do what GOD wants, and go where HE wants us to go, and not where our stupid, foolish hearts want us to go. We are not just existing in this world, but we are counting every moment and every step as precious as it has been given to us by God to glorify Him with. We now have a goal in life, and it is Christ. It is to be like Him in every way. We are now living under His reign.
And moreover, we are now satisfied. Jesus Christ leads us to still waters and make us to lie down in green pastures. And so we readily give our selves to Him, all because He loved us and gave Himself for us.
Like sheep, let us trust our Lord and follow Him, knowing that He is our only hope, our only security, our only joy!!
By his wounds you have been healed.
For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
(1 Peter 2:24-25 ESV)
In this small passage contains the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is sin? In this passage the word SIN in 1 Peter 2:24 corresponds with the word "straying" in verse 25.
Sin is straying, like sheep. It is having no shepherd, but just doing whatever we want, following the stupid, evil desires of our heart, falling into ditches, hurting ourselves, not knowing where we are going. It is having no direction in life, just existing, just 'cruising' through life, as the world says. That is called SIN. It is an aimless life that is like a blind man groping his way through utter darkness. It is having no LEADER in our lives, having no centre, but just being our own leader, which is like dumb sheep trying to lead itself without a Shepherd.
Yet what did Christ do? He came, and He bore our sins, all our straying in his body on the tree, that we may NO LONGER STRAY! By His wounds we have been healed from straying through life.
Christ rose again, and now when we look to Him who died in our place for our rebellion, when we look to our Shepherd who so loved us, we now RETURN to Him, AMAZED by His love (verse 25). This is what it means to "live to righteousness" (verse 24). We are now under His leadership. We now know where we are going - we are going to the FATHER through Christ the Way:
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:5-6 ESV)
We now have a reason for living: it is to glorify God. We now do what GOD wants, and go where HE wants us to go, and not where our stupid, foolish hearts want us to go. We are not just existing in this world, but we are counting every moment and every step as precious as it has been given to us by God to glorify Him with. We now have a goal in life, and it is Christ. It is to be like Him in every way. We are now living under His reign.
And moreover, we are now satisfied. Jesus Christ leads us to still waters and make us to lie down in green pastures. And so we readily give our selves to Him, all because He loved us and gave Himself for us.
Like sheep, let us trust our Lord and follow Him, knowing that He is our only hope, our only security, our only joy!!
Sunday, July 29, 2012
On the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was not evil of itself. What I mean is, the TREE itself was not evil. It was good, just like all the plants and trees that God had made.
But why was it evil to eat that tree? I mean, it probably looked like any other fruit tree.
The ONLY thing that made it evil to eat of that tree was that God SAID it was evil to eat of it. There was nothing evil of itself, but simply that God said.
Thus there will be many things to us that looks good in our eyes, that looks PERFECTLY normal, but it is evil, only for one reason, God told us so.
That is the essence of obedience. God doesn't care if we think that path is good or not. HE says whether it is good or evil. Are we going to agree with Him?
It was not the tree itself that was evil, but it was, ultimately, Adam and Eve's evil HEART that disobeyed God's will. Hence it was evil to eat of the tree, ONLY because it was against God's word, and Good to not eat of it, ONLY because it was God's will. Hence it was the "tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil".
When God offered Christ the CROSS, Christ could have said, 'I don't think it is a good idea'. Indeed, there was NOTHING GOOD about the Cross, about condemnation, curse, being forsaken, and God's anger.
But Christ did not say that. He obeyed the Father, simply because the Father had spoken.
Are we willing to do simply because God said, and don't simply because He has spoken?
But why was it evil to eat that tree? I mean, it probably looked like any other fruit tree.
The ONLY thing that made it evil to eat of that tree was that God SAID it was evil to eat of it. There was nothing evil of itself, but simply that God said.
Thus there will be many things to us that looks good in our eyes, that looks PERFECTLY normal, but it is evil, only for one reason, God told us so.
That is the essence of obedience. God doesn't care if we think that path is good or not. HE says whether it is good or evil. Are we going to agree with Him?
It was not the tree itself that was evil, but it was, ultimately, Adam and Eve's evil HEART that disobeyed God's will. Hence it was evil to eat of the tree, ONLY because it was against God's word, and Good to not eat of it, ONLY because it was God's will. Hence it was the "tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil".
When God offered Christ the CROSS, Christ could have said, 'I don't think it is a good idea'. Indeed, there was NOTHING GOOD about the Cross, about condemnation, curse, being forsaken, and God's anger.
But Christ did not say that. He obeyed the Father, simply because the Father had spoken.
Are we willing to do simply because God said, and don't simply because He has spoken?
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Times of ignorance have ended already
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
(Acts 17:30 ESV)
"...God overlooked humankind's sin, especially false worship. He "overlooked" it not by excusing it or failing to notice it, but rather by not punishing it as it deserved" From Acts, William J. Larkins.
Not punishing it as it deserved. Yet we know in the Old Testament times God did punish sinners, sometimes with GREAT punishments. But yet what does Paul say? It was merely the "overlooking" of God.
How much more great then shall be the punishment for those who have sinned on that last day? How fearful, how terrible is that final punishment that a human being deserves for his idolatry? Just as no man has seen the things God has prepared for those who have believed in and have loved Christ in this life, no man has ever seen the full extent of the terrors of the wrath of God against iniquity.
The only escape is to REPENT, to turn away from idolatry and to trust in Christ, who has come as the only way out from that great and terrible day of the Lord!
(Acts 17:30 ESV)
"...God overlooked humankind's sin, especially false worship. He "overlooked" it not by excusing it or failing to notice it, but rather by not punishing it as it deserved" From Acts, William J. Larkins.
Not punishing it as it deserved. Yet we know in the Old Testament times God did punish sinners, sometimes with GREAT punishments. But yet what does Paul say? It was merely the "overlooking" of God.
How much more great then shall be the punishment for those who have sinned on that last day? How fearful, how terrible is that final punishment that a human being deserves for his idolatry? Just as no man has seen the things God has prepared for those who have believed in and have loved Christ in this life, no man has ever seen the full extent of the terrors of the wrath of God against iniquity.
The only escape is to REPENT, to turn away from idolatry and to trust in Christ, who has come as the only way out from that great and terrible day of the Lord!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Jesus came to breathe life to the Law
"For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" 2 Corinthians 3:6
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Matthew 5:17
The Jews were great at keeping the mere LETTER of the law. They did not murder, did not steal from the markets, they did not sleep with other people's wives. However they did not keep the SPIRIT of the law. They hated others. They stole from the lot that were to be given to their parents. They lusted after other women in their hearts.
But Jesus came, and it was as if he had come to give life to a dead man. Just as Adam was nothing but a corpse without God's breath, the Law was as good as dead without Jesus Christ coming to "fill" it with the spirit. Now, with Jesus Christ's giving of the full meaning of the law, the law is alive, and gives life to those who keep it, that is, believers of Jesus Christ who have been given the Holy Spirit. It now truly gives life, as it is kept by its true meaning, which is LOVE from the HEART.
Let us pray that when we hear God's commandments, God may breathe life to them, that it may come alive, and that we may understand its true meaning and God's intentions, that we may not merely do them because we must, but because we know and believe what it means.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD
Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!
Why would you have the day of the LORD?
It is darkness, and not light,
as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
(Amos 5:18-19 ESV)
The above passage says, the Day of Judgement will like a man who fled from a lion and a bear met him. And a man who went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him.
It is so, because the sinner dies a physical death, which in itself is a horrible thing to go through, full of misery and pain. Yet physical death will not the end of his misery. He will face the judgement of God, and die the spiritual death, forever. He will rise from the dead, like the righteous. Perhaps for a slight moment the sinner will think that he has fled from the lion. But in his resurrected body he will stand before Jesus Christ and be sentenced to eternal death for his sin. He will be thrown into the lake of fire, in his own body, to suffer eternal agony and pain in the Lake of Fire.
The only way to escape this fate, is to put our trust in Jesus and to live the life of repentance while on this earth.
Why would you have the day of the LORD?
It is darkness, and not light,
as if a man fled from a lion,
and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
and a serpent bit him.
(Amos 5:18-19 ESV)
The above passage says, the Day of Judgement will like a man who fled from a lion and a bear met him. And a man who went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him.
It is so, because the sinner dies a physical death, which in itself is a horrible thing to go through, full of misery and pain. Yet physical death will not the end of his misery. He will face the judgement of God, and die the spiritual death, forever. He will rise from the dead, like the righteous. Perhaps for a slight moment the sinner will think that he has fled from the lion. But in his resurrected body he will stand before Jesus Christ and be sentenced to eternal death for his sin. He will be thrown into the lake of fire, in his own body, to suffer eternal agony and pain in the Lake of Fire.
The only way to escape this fate, is to put our trust in Jesus and to live the life of repentance while on this earth.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Why God needs to 'test our faith'
"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:6-7
Why does God need to test our faith? Because like a precious, rare jewel, there are MANY counterfeits of the Christian faith. Many people profess to "believe", but is that faith genuine faith? To put it in another words, is that faith a gift that God gave you? "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" Eph 2:8. Or is that faith something that you have made for yourselves, like the people of old used to make their own idols of wood and stone?
How shall the genuineness of our faith be tested? With "various trials". It seems Peter is thinking the same thought as James: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" James 1:2-3.
When something bad happens, do we turn away from Jesus? Then maybe our faith was a counterfeit faith, because we trusted in a counterfeit Jesus who exists to give you a comfortable life. Maybe we are so disappointed and let down when troubles come because our trust was in the things that God gives us, and not God Himself.
Peter, the man who wrote the above passage, himself needed to be tested whether the faith he had was genuine. And we know that the faith he had was genuine: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” Luke 22:31-32.
Peter's test was obviously the crucifixion of his Master. Peter had believed that Jesus was the Christ, and that He was the Son of God. But when he saw this supposed Son of God get beaten and spat on, he was tested and shaken like no time before. And so with his lips at least, Peter denied his own Lord, three times.
Yet there was still faith in Peter's heart. By God's grace, the coal had not completely cooled from the devil's wind. There was still fire in his faith, because Jesus prayed for his faith, that it may not fail. And we know how boldly he testified the name of Jesus afterwards.
The test of our faith is this: whether it fails or not. It may appear as though we have lost all hope, and there may be moments when it appears that we are not even Christians, just as when Peter denied his Lord. Yet even through such failures, the fire will still be burning within the faith of our souls, IF that faith is genuine. The faith that is from God is invincible, and unquenchable, because GOD is the author of it and the perfecter of it: "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith" Hebrews 12:2.
Lord Jesus, give us Your faith, and increase the faith that You have given us by your grace. It is all Your doing, O Lord!
Why does God need to test our faith? Because like a precious, rare jewel, there are MANY counterfeits of the Christian faith. Many people profess to "believe", but is that faith genuine faith? To put it in another words, is that faith a gift that God gave you? "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" Eph 2:8. Or is that faith something that you have made for yourselves, like the people of old used to make their own idols of wood and stone?
How shall the genuineness of our faith be tested? With "various trials". It seems Peter is thinking the same thought as James: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" James 1:2-3.
When something bad happens, do we turn away from Jesus? Then maybe our faith was a counterfeit faith, because we trusted in a counterfeit Jesus who exists to give you a comfortable life. Maybe we are so disappointed and let down when troubles come because our trust was in the things that God gives us, and not God Himself.
Peter, the man who wrote the above passage, himself needed to be tested whether the faith he had was genuine. And we know that the faith he had was genuine: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” Luke 22:31-32.
Peter's test was obviously the crucifixion of his Master. Peter had believed that Jesus was the Christ, and that He was the Son of God. But when he saw this supposed Son of God get beaten and spat on, he was tested and shaken like no time before. And so with his lips at least, Peter denied his own Lord, three times.
Yet there was still faith in Peter's heart. By God's grace, the coal had not completely cooled from the devil's wind. There was still fire in his faith, because Jesus prayed for his faith, that it may not fail. And we know how boldly he testified the name of Jesus afterwards.
The test of our faith is this: whether it fails or not. It may appear as though we have lost all hope, and there may be moments when it appears that we are not even Christians, just as when Peter denied his Lord. Yet even through such failures, the fire will still be burning within the faith of our souls, IF that faith is genuine. The faith that is from God is invincible, and unquenchable, because GOD is the author of it and the perfecter of it: "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith" Hebrews 12:2.
Lord Jesus, give us Your faith, and increase the faith that You have given us by your grace. It is all Your doing, O Lord!
Two kinds of forgiveness
It appears that there are two kinds of forgiveness.
One is the legal forgiveness of God who as the judge forgives us of all our sins when we first put our trust in Jesus Christ and become new creatures. We are no longer criminals with the expectation of condemnation hovering our heads, awaiting our death sentence to be carried out. But we have been set free, atoned for by the Blood, and adopted as God's children.
The other forgiveness is familial forgiveness - one that we ask to our Father as His dear children. Once we have entered into God's family, we have now a new relationship with God. It is no longer a judge-criminal relationship, but a Father-son relationship. When we committed sins against our parents, we were rebuked and chastised and corrected for our mistakes, but when we turned around and humbled ourselves before them, they took us into their loving arms. They never refused us. They forgave us freely. How much more our Heavenly Father in heaven!
There is therefore two kinds of forgiveness. We as Christians do well to remember that we have been legally forgiven by God and have been justified by the blood of Jesus. Yet we ask for forgiveness everyday, but this we ask to our Heavenly Father, not to a judge as a criminal awaiting death sentence. If we have believed in Christ, we are His children, and we must act as His children, even when we sin against Him. Let us run to the Father, and ask for His forgiveness, not trembling as a criminal expecting hell, but as a son who knows he has hurt his father. Father, draw us back to your loving arms!
Christian's "Have to" is different
A religious man may say, "I must" or "have to" do such and such religious things. But what is the motivation behind that "have to"? For example, a Jehovah's witness may say, "I must witness to people". A Muslim may say, "I have to pray five times a day". A Buddhist may say "I have to do give alms to the poor". Or even a professing Christian may say, "I must go to Church on Sunday" Unanimously, these kind of "have to"s are most likely to be based on one thing: fear. They "must" do these religious duties. Why? Because they need to be saved. The Jehovah's witness believes if he witnesses to people everyday diligently he will be counted as one of those who shall enter into heaven. Same it is with the Muslim. The Buddhist must do alms so that in the hopes that he will have a good life when he is reborn. The professing Christian may say he must go to Church, because he believes that God will be please if he attends Church every Sunday, and somehow God will forgive him for the sins he has committed throughout the week.
Yet why does True Christian say "I have to". Why does he say that he "must" do good, he "has to" avoid sin, "needs" to love God will all his heart and all his soul?
It is not because of fear. It is because of God's love. The reason for the "have to" is this: Jesus Christ, the Maker of the universe, has come and died for the Christian's sin. THEREFORE, the Christian "MUST" do good. But this MUST is WORLD'S different from the religious' man's must. The latter is based on selfish reasons (hoping to go to heaven, hoping to be reborn, etc). But the true Christian's "have to" is GOD-centred, not self-centred. Christians must do right because Jesus Christ has already done so much for them. Christ has shed His blood and was crushed under the wrath of God, and rejected and ashamed by men in order to purchase forgiveness, to make forgiveness possible for us criminals doomed for the eternal death sentence.
So we Christian's also has an OBLIGATION, but this obligation or responsibility is not because we want to have something. NO! Not even rewards! We "HAVE TO" do good, and so push ourselves and force ourselves because of this one reason: gratitude! We are so thankful, that we just MUST do it. But this still requires a push, a struggle, constant remembrance of what He has done, and forceful efforts to please the one who has done good to us. It is good to say I MUST - but only if you are a True Christian. It is good to urge ourselves and beat our body into submission, ONLY and ONLY IF it is because we are so thankful for what Christ has done. Joseph said to his master's wife who tried to seduced to commit adultery: how CAN I do this wickedness against God, who has done such good to me? We must likewise exert ourselves.
We are to give voluntary offering to God. If we give a voluntary offering because it is simply commanded, then it is no longer voluntary but subscribed. We must offer ourselves a WILLING sacrifice. We must actively please God, making all the effort. Christ was so pleased at Mary who, out of her own will, broke the expensive jar of ointment and anointed with the feet of Christ. Christ did not necessarily command her to do that, yet Mary was merely following that old commandment of loving God with all of our heart, soul, and strength. Loving someone out of "have to", is not really love. But when we love because of a DIFFERENT "have to", then God shall be pleased.
Praise be to God through Jesus Christ, the Love of our souls.
Yet why does True Christian say "I have to". Why does he say that he "must" do good, he "has to" avoid sin, "needs" to love God will all his heart and all his soul?
It is not because of fear. It is because of God's love. The reason for the "have to" is this: Jesus Christ, the Maker of the universe, has come and died for the Christian's sin. THEREFORE, the Christian "MUST" do good. But this MUST is WORLD'S different from the religious' man's must. The latter is based on selfish reasons (hoping to go to heaven, hoping to be reborn, etc). But the true Christian's "have to" is GOD-centred, not self-centred. Christians must do right because Jesus Christ has already done so much for them. Christ has shed His blood and was crushed under the wrath of God, and rejected and ashamed by men in order to purchase forgiveness, to make forgiveness possible for us criminals doomed for the eternal death sentence.
So we Christian's also has an OBLIGATION, but this obligation or responsibility is not because we want to have something. NO! Not even rewards! We "HAVE TO" do good, and so push ourselves and force ourselves because of this one reason: gratitude! We are so thankful, that we just MUST do it. But this still requires a push, a struggle, constant remembrance of what He has done, and forceful efforts to please the one who has done good to us. It is good to say I MUST - but only if you are a True Christian. It is good to urge ourselves and beat our body into submission, ONLY and ONLY IF it is because we are so thankful for what Christ has done. Joseph said to his master's wife who tried to seduced to commit adultery: how CAN I do this wickedness against God, who has done such good to me? We must likewise exert ourselves.
We are to give voluntary offering to God. If we give a voluntary offering because it is simply commanded, then it is no longer voluntary but subscribed. We must offer ourselves a WILLING sacrifice. We must actively please God, making all the effort. Christ was so pleased at Mary who, out of her own will, broke the expensive jar of ointment and anointed with the feet of Christ. Christ did not necessarily command her to do that, yet Mary was merely following that old commandment of loving God with all of our heart, soul, and strength. Loving someone out of "have to", is not really love. But when we love because of a DIFFERENT "have to", then God shall be pleased.
Praise be to God through Jesus Christ, the Love of our souls.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Christ loved you before you cared
And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me - Galatians 2:20
When did Jesus die for Paul? Before the road to Damascus incident, or after? It was before! WHILE Paul was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the Church, Christ loved him and gave His life for him.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us - Romans 5:8
Same question we must ask ourselves: When did Christ start loving us? After we became Christians? After we 'decided' to follow Christ? After we led many people to Christ? After we have done many works of ministry in the Church? NO! It was before! Before we cared anything about Jesus or about anything related to God. While we were in sin and following the desires of the flesh and fulfilling the will of the devil, Christ loved us, and died for us.
Let us dive into this love of God, which passes all understanding. Christ never loved us as a response to what we did. God loved us before we even thought about responding. God so loved the world - the world, with all its rebellion against God - and gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life! Praise be to God for this amazing grace!
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10
When did Jesus die for Paul? Before the road to Damascus incident, or after? It was before! WHILE Paul was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the Church, Christ loved him and gave His life for him.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us - Romans 5:8
Same question we must ask ourselves: When did Christ start loving us? After we became Christians? After we 'decided' to follow Christ? After we led many people to Christ? After we have done many works of ministry in the Church? NO! It was before! Before we cared anything about Jesus or about anything related to God. While we were in sin and following the desires of the flesh and fulfilling the will of the devil, Christ loved us, and died for us.
Let us dive into this love of God, which passes all understanding. Christ never loved us as a response to what we did. God loved us before we even thought about responding. God so loved the world - the world, with all its rebellion against God - and gave his only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life! Praise be to God for this amazing grace!
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10
Friday, April 13, 2012
Unbelief is just another symptom of sin
Why do atheists not believe in God? Why do Christians sometimes struggle with doubt in God's promises?
Unbelief is only one of the whole string of symptoms of the disease called SIN. When we have the flu, we cough. It is natural. Likewise, sinners are unbelieving by nature. Adam and Eve first sinned by rejecting to believe in the truth of God's word "Eat of the tree and you will die", and thus brought slavery to sin and death to all mankind. All mankind from Adam and Eve are thus all bound to do the same that their parents did: disbelieve in God. It is a natural fruit of a diseased tree called humanity.
But the Good News is that the Son of God came to the world as a Man. He lived, and He was faithful to God's word. He trusted in God with His destiny, even as He undertook the wrath of God upon himself and died on the Cross for our sin. Even though He was terrified, and He knew that He was going to undergo the judgement of God, He trusted in the Father, that He would raise Him from the dead, and restore the glory that He had at first. He was not faithless, but gave glory to God as He gave Himself to be mocked and tortured by sinful men.
And when Jesus Christ saves a sinner, He imparts onto him a measure of His faith by the Holy Spirit, so that the sinner may believe in God through Himself. He is healed of his faithlessness, and he becomes faithful. He begins to see the evil of unbelief, the monstrosity of likening God to a sinful, unreliable creature that cannot be trusted. God works in the Christian's heart, so that not only he believes in God, but so that he himself may become more and more a trustworthy man himself - so that in this world of scepticism and distrust he may become the salt and the light, that the world may be told that it is okay to believe again.
Matthew 17:17 - And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me."
Unbelief is only one of the whole string of symptoms of the disease called SIN. When we have the flu, we cough. It is natural. Likewise, sinners are unbelieving by nature. Adam and Eve first sinned by rejecting to believe in the truth of God's word "Eat of the tree and you will die", and thus brought slavery to sin and death to all mankind. All mankind from Adam and Eve are thus all bound to do the same that their parents did: disbelieve in God. It is a natural fruit of a diseased tree called humanity.
But the Good News is that the Son of God came to the world as a Man. He lived, and He was faithful to God's word. He trusted in God with His destiny, even as He undertook the wrath of God upon himself and died on the Cross for our sin. Even though He was terrified, and He knew that He was going to undergo the judgement of God, He trusted in the Father, that He would raise Him from the dead, and restore the glory that He had at first. He was not faithless, but gave glory to God as He gave Himself to be mocked and tortured by sinful men.
And when Jesus Christ saves a sinner, He imparts onto him a measure of His faith by the Holy Spirit, so that the sinner may believe in God through Himself. He is healed of his faithlessness, and he becomes faithful. He begins to see the evil of unbelief, the monstrosity of likening God to a sinful, unreliable creature that cannot be trusted. God works in the Christian's heart, so that not only he believes in God, but so that he himself may become more and more a trustworthy man himself - so that in this world of scepticism and distrust he may become the salt and the light, that the world may be told that it is okay to believe again.
Matthew 17:17 - And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me."
Worthlessness of God-less activism
Answer to the question "What about the good, charity-giving atheists? Why do they go the hell?"
Because those "good, charity-giving" atheists choose for themselves what is "good", which is the fundamental idea behind sin. Eve saw the tree and saw that it is "good" and ate of the tree. It was sin in God's eyes, though she thought it was "good". Saul thought it was "good" to show compassion to Amalekites, and to take their sheep to offer to God, even though God had clearly commanded him to destroy all Amelekites and to devote everything to destruction.
We can define "goodness" all we like, and trust ourselves to be righteous by doing all the "good" things like giving to charity, helping the poor, etc, yet if it is not God's will, it is not good. Indeed, these things are good in and of themselves, but when they are done apart from the consciousness of doing them for God's glory, they are useless, and self-righteousness, and thus nothing but filthy rags and a filthy stench before God. God will not accept such sacrifices, for those charity giving atheists do these good things for their own glory, and not unto God's. Thus they are actually not "good" works, but EVIL works.
We must help the poor and pray for the needy and sacrifice ourselves for those who are hurting, because Jesus Christ has done the same for us, because He became poor, though He was rich, that we may be rich - rich in the things of God. Thus we see how such a sacrifice is acceptable to God, but those who rely on themselves and do "good things" to make themselves feel good (though God will definitely use their gifts to feed those who are hungry and to help the needy), their works themselves will be rejected before the throne of God, and they, unless they repent, will be cast into Hell forever - for they have not loved God, but loved themselves and fellow man over God.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Good Friday Grace
Today I had a fight with my wife. My sinful behaviour exposed my heart to reveal who I was: a filthy sinner.
Was down with myself, and after hours of grovelling, I confessed my sins and failures to God.
On the way home, I looked at myself. And a thought came down from heaven: How could Christ decide to die for "this"?
And my eyes were opened to the glory of God's grace. If I was Christ, I wouldn't have died for me. Jesus knew what kind of a person I was. He could see the depths of my sinful, evil heart. Yet He chose to die for me, on a Good Friday 2000 years ago. He knew what kind of a sinner He was dying for. He knew what He was signing up for. He could see how I would offend Him again and again and again and again.
Yet He signed the contract, and died for my sins. Why? I cannot tell you, except that He loved me. Was it because I was lovable, or was it because he thought I would repay Him with perfect service and devotion? No. It was to show the glory of His grace in loving and dying for a sinner like me.
Have you put your trust in Christ? If not, do so today. He can save the worst of sinners, because He died for sinners. Have you already put your faith in Christ? Know that Christ knows that you are a sinner, and that when you fall, Christ is not surprised, because He already knew what was in your heart. Yet the Good News is that He died for you, knowing the kind of sinner that you were. That is the amazing grace of God! Take heart, and dive into His river of grace, and do not come out from there. Christ loves you, not because you are lovable, but because He shows forth the glory of His grace in loving and even dying for unlovable people! Rather than simply getting down on your self, after you have pounded your heart, stand up, and give praise to God for revealing to you what kind of sinner you really are. And thank Jesus Christ who knew all that and still decided to enter into an everlasting covenant with you!
Praise be to God through Jesus Christ!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Christ the explainer of the Law
It was at Mount Sinai, after the God spoke the Ten Commandments, that Israelites feared, and desired that God speak to them no more, because of the holiness of God. Therefore it was fitting that God send Jesus Christ to pick up from where He had left off on the Mount. Jesus ascended the Mount of Olives, and went on the explain the commandments, speaking to them as a Man, so that mankind may be able to bear and thus perform the true meaning of the Law, that the Law may truly be fulfilled in those who put their trust in Jesus Christ:
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.
Matthew 5:
1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Friday, March 23, 2012
If we want to save others, we cannot save ourselves
"Chief priests' mockery is ... ironically true: 'He saved others, but he cannot save himself'. Ultimately, since Jesus is dying as a ransom for many, he cannot save himself if he wants to save the others" - From The Cross from a Distance by Peter G Bolt.
It is true for us. If we want to save others, we cannot save ourselves. If we want to bless others, we cannot bless ourselves. We cannot both keep our lives and give life unto others.
True Gospel with True faith is what saves
There is True Gospel and counterfeit "gospel", and likewise there is True Faith and counterfeit "faith".
So there are few possibilities:
1) You can listen to a counterfeit "gospel" and believe in it with a counterfeit "faith", and be damned forever.
2) You can listen to a counterfeit "gospel" and truly believe in it and give your life for it, and be damned forever.
3) You can listen to the True Gospel and have a counterfeit "faith", and be damned forever.
4) You can listen to a True Gospel, and have a True Faith that is given by God, that which continues, and that which works by love to God and man.
This last is what is needed for salvation. Let us pray for faithful preaching of the True Gospel of Christ crucified in our preachers, and also pray that the faithful preaching will be matched by True Faith, which is only the gift from heaven.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Justification
"I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing" Galatians 2:21
What does this passage mean? It means: If there was ANY possibility whatsoever that one could be seen as righteous before God's eyes by doing good works, then there was no reason for Christ to come. If that were so, Jesus could have just come and told us: "Just try harder, and then you will go to heaven".
But there was no possibility for a man to be justified by the law. God saw that it was IMPOSSIBLE for man to be righteousness before Him by works. This is why God sent His Son to die, so that all who would simply receive Christ's righteousness by faith would be counted as righteous before Him.
There is nothing we can do to make us look right before God. Even our best works are like filthy rags, contaminated by our imperfections. But it is Christ's righteousness that makes us to look beautiful and lovable in God's eyes. Praise be to God, who imputed the Righteous Christ with sin and guilt, so that He may impute us sinners with His righteousness.
Faith: looking to Christ and not on our deadness
"He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised" Romans 4:19-21
"Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 8:24-25
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" Galatians 5:22-23
God gave his promise to Abraham that he would become "the father of many nations". Abraham kept on believing in that promise, even though his was a "body of death", and his wife was past child-bearing age. Yet Abraham did not look to his own deadness, but he looked to God whom He thought could do the impossible, and bring life to his and his wife's dead bodies.
Likewise we Christians believe in God's promise of resurrection of our bodies, when we shall be revealed and declared to be the children of God, when we shall finally be "righteous", not just counted as righteous. We shall be completely free from sin, and we shall be like angels of the Most High, never dying again, but living forever in eternal enjoyment of our Saviour who saved us by His death.
We Christians believe that though we are dead and barren of any fruit of righteousness in and of ourselves, but we trust in Christ to live in us, and to bear in us the fruit of the Spirit. We don't look to ourselves and forever wallow in our wretchedness and our corruption, but we look to the life of the risen Christ to supply us with the Holy Spirit from heaven. We believe that God can bear in our sinful flesh the Isaac of righteousness, so that we may give glory to Him.
Thus we cry to God always "Abba, Father!", asking that He may give us the heavenly Water of the Spirit always, that we may be enabled to live this life always for Him. This is the life spent waiting for the hope of righteousness that is to be revealed when Christ shall come.
"For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness" Galatians 5:5
Saturday, March 10, 2012
We're not forsaken because Christ was forsaken
Psalm 37:25: "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread"
Why is this above possible?:
Mark 15:33-37:
"And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last."
Christ the Only Righteous One was forsaken for us on the Cross. He begged for thirst, and they gave him vinegar for drink. This is why we wicked, evil sinners can be brought into a relationship with God by faith in Christ, and forever be NOT forsaken by Him. Christ was counted to be a sinner on the cross, so that we can be called Righteous, so that we may have the blessing of God's unfailing love. Praise be to Jesus Christ
Why is this above possible?:
Mark 15:33-37:
"And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last."
Christ the Only Righteous One was forsaken for us on the Cross. He begged for thirst, and they gave him vinegar for drink. This is why we wicked, evil sinners can be brought into a relationship with God by faith in Christ, and forever be NOT forsaken by Him. Christ was counted to be a sinner on the cross, so that we can be called Righteous, so that we may have the blessing of God's unfailing love. Praise be to Jesus Christ
Christ's death opened heaven for us
Mark 1:10
"And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove."
Mark 15:38
"And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom."
The Temple of God in Jerusalem was a representation of the real Temple of God: Heaven. When Jesus Christ died, the curtain of the temple that veiled the Most Holy place was torn in two.
The meaning is this: As Jesus died the substitutionary death for us, He opened heaven itself, so that the Holy Spirit may descend upon us who believe in Christ, so that God may call all of us His beloved children, with whom He is pleased. Christ opened heaven for us, whereas before it was shut off from as with an iron wall. He shattered it by His blood, by which He paid for the price of our sins. Amen
Friday, March 9, 2012
Top two lies of the devil:
1) That you can go to heaven by your own works, and merit yourself eternal life. That you can please and move God to remove your sins away from you by some action of yours. That God will forgive you your sins by the amount of your penance and good deeds.
2) That you can go to heaven by having a superficial, man-made, intellectual, false faith in Christ, that does not prove itself by works of love, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. That God doesn't mind if you continually live in unrepentant sin and ungodliness for all your life as long as you confess that you believe in Christ. That you can have a dead faith without works and still make it into the Kingdom of God.
We will do well to avoid these two lies from hell, and ask God that He give us true faith in Christ always, that proves and expresses itself through deeds of love.
How to not be afraid of being shamed for Christ
Encouraged by these verses:
"A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull)" - Mark 15:21-22
While Simon from Cyrene carried the cross for Christ, who were the crowd hurling insults, spitting and making sport of? Rather, to WHOM were the mockeries directed at? Was it to Simon, or to Jesus? It was to Jesus Christ. Herein is encouragement for those of us, including myself, that are afraid of being ashamed for the name of Christ: Their mocking is not directed at you. Their cursing is not directed at you. We remember what Jesus said: "They cannot hate you, but they hate Me". When we speak of Christ to people, it is not us that they are hating. They are hating Christ. Their insults are directed at Christ, because it is Christ - God - that they hate, not us.
What Christ is saying to us is, 'I will take the shame for you, I will take all the insults, and shame, and mocking, as I have done on the way to Calvary, but take up the cross beside me'.
Christ is with us in all the mocking and insulting and abusing that we take for His Name, for it is Him those crowds are hating, not us directly. Thus we take shade under His wings, even in persecution.
Lord, help us to take up the cross, knowing that you are with us, to shield us from their arrows. Amen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)