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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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