Are you having a difficult time with understanding justification? Do you wonder if you have done enough to demonstrate that you are saved? Do you question whether you are good enough, if there is enough evidence of your faith to be true? Do you tend to be legalistic with yourself? One of the dangers of, “navel gazing” (self-examination) is that we become self-absorbed, we lose proper perspective. We begin to filter incoming information through a set of rules that constantly look at ourselves, and our performance, or lack thereof.
A filter is thing that removes particles from a stream, while allowing the rest of the particles to continue on to their destination. This can be a data stream, electrical stream, light stream, basically anything that flows. As we perceive information streaming in through our senses, we employ filters based on our cumulative view of the world (word view). When that view is built on a solid foundation of objective truth, it will lead us to proper understandings of what has happened, is happening, and will happen. We will filter out the untrue, and allow the truth to continue. When our filtration system is built on a false worldview, we filter out some truth, and we look at the world and ourselves through a lie.
God has given us His word, and like Him it is truth. We on the other hand, are fallible creatures, prone to accepting lies. Even with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and His illumination of the Word of God for us, and to us, we still get things wrong. This is yet another example of God’s grace towards His elect, we don’t have to get it all right, all the time, from the word go. None of us die with all the answers in perfect comprehension. In a sense, even the most spiritually mature Christian you know, will die with notions about God and His word that aren’t perfect.
Our works are tainted, our thoughts are tainted with sin and imperfection. If you are relying on either of those to get some kind of assurance that you are in, then you are going to find your faith shaken on a regular basis. Let’s look at Galatians 3 for a moment together.
Galatians 3 :: New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Faith Brings Righteousness
1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.” 11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” 12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”— 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Intent of the Law
15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.
Galatians 3 makes it clear that it is not our obedience to the law that makes us just, but rather our faith in Christ. Do you want some assurance? Believe in Christ and His work. Trust Jesus alone, and don’t mix in your ability to know more than someone else, or do more. Because neither of those things actually satisfy the law. The law is intended to be impossible to satisfy so that you are driven humbly to your knees before Jesus with no defense left but Him crucified, resurrected, and ruling for eternity. Repent of sin, and trust the Savior.
Easter, resurrection Sunday is quickly coming. It has been roughly 2000 years since our Creator condescended, deigned to don human flesh, and be born of a virgin. Jesus is “God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten and not made; of the very same nature of the Father, by Whom all things came into being, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,”(Nicene Creed) fully God, and fully man, Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. He suffered the abuse of mankind, and the just wrath of God against us, while on the cross, on our behalf, for His glory. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us– for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE “—(Gal 3:13)
Isaiah 53 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
Isaiah 53 The Suffering Servant 1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? 2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should desire Him. 3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our peace fell upon Him, And by His wounds we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But Yahweh has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living, That for the transgression of my people, striking was due to Him? 9 So His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. 10 But Yahweh was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If You would place His soul as a guilt offering, He will see His seed, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of Yahweh will succeed in His hand. 11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore, I will divide for Him a portion with the many, And He will divide the spoil with the strong; Because He poured out His soul to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
Psalm 22 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
Why Have You Forsaken Me?
For the choir director. According to Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David.
Psalms 22 1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my groaning. 2 O my God, I call by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest. 3 Yet You are holy, Enthroned upon the praises of Israel. 4 In You our fathers trusted; They trusted and You rescued them. 5 To You they cried out and were granted escape; In You they trusted and were not disappointed. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, A reproach of men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; They smack their lip, they wag their head, saying, 8 “Commit yourself to Yahweh; let Him rescue him; Let Him deliver him, because He delights in him.” 9 Yet You are He who brought me out of the womb; You made me trust when upon my mother’s breasts. 10 Upon You I was cast from birth; You have been my God from my mother’s womb. 11 Be not far from me, for distress is near; For there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. 13 They open wide their mouth at me, As a lion that tears and roars. 14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And You lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; 18 They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But You, O Yahweh, be not far off; O my Strength, hasten to my help. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, My only life from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the mouth of the lion; From the horns of the wild oxen You have answered me. 22 I will surely recount Your name to my brothers; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. 23 You who fear Yahweh, praise Him; All you seed of Jacob, glorify Him, And stand in awe of Him, all you seed of Israel. 24 For He has not despised and He has not abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; And He has not hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him for help, He heard. 25 Of You is my praise in the great assembly; I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him. 26 The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise Yahweh. May your heart live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to Yahweh, And all the families of the nations will worship before You. 28 For the kingdom is Yahweh’s And He rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship, All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep his soul alive. 30 Their seed will serve Him; It will be recounted about the Lord to the coming generation. 31 They will come and will declare His righteousness To a people who will be born, that He has done it.
1 Corinthians 15 Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
The Fact of Christ’s Resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:1-19 1 Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I proclaimed as good news to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I proclaimed to you as good news, unless you believed for nothing. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that, He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. The Resurrection of the Dead 12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we bore witness against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
The Order of Resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:20-49 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign UNTIL HE HAS PUT ALL HIS ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET. 26 The last enemy to be abolished is death. 27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. 29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? 30 Why are we also in danger every hour? 31 I affirm, brothers, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Become righteously sober-minded, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. The Resurrection Body 35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a corruptible body, it is raised an incorruptible body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.
The Mystery of Resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:50-58 50 Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the corruptible inherit the incorruptible. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on the incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this corruptible puts on the incorruptible, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the word that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Jesus Our Great High Priest
Hebrews 4:14 – 5:10 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things like we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins, 2 being able to deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3 and because of it, he is obligated, just as for the people, to also offer sacrifices for sins in the same way for himself. 4 And no one takes this honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. 5 In this way also Christ did not glorify Himself to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”; 6 just as He says also in another passage, “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” 7 He, in the days of His flesh, offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
You may have heard of, “vision casting.” Then again perhaps you haven’t. It has been around for a bit under two decades. In terms of the hip and relevant, it is pretty worn out already. The problem is that there are still Pastors using the lingo and practicing it. So, what is, “vision casting” you ask? In the best light, it simply is the practice of the Pastor/Preaching Elder coming up with a plan for the future of the local Church he shepherds and telling the Church about it. It gets more erroneous when the Pastor believes he has had some kind of extrabiblical personal revelation from God for the future of the Church and expects everyone to get on board. It reaches maximum insidiousness when the Pastor demands that all the Elders, and Church members submit to him and his plan claiming it to be from God, and if you don’t, then you are going against God!!!
Let’s start with the least problematic. This version of vision casting may just be a slight problem with terminology, and authority. The Preaching Elder might have gotten an idea of some direction he’d like to see the Church move in, and then employs the vision casting nomenclature unaware of how the rest of the world might interpret what he is saying. He might lack the contextual knowledge of Churches that practice vision casting, and not realize that he shouldn’t be talking like them. The Preaching Elder is not the boss Elder. His voice doesn’t trump the other Elders. The New Testament is pretty clear that the Church is to be led by the Elders. They discus, and eventually come to an agreement on any plans for future works they would like the Church to be involved with. The Preaching Elder is also held accountable by the other Elders, and the Church.
The Pastor who has heard from God… I always get a bit skeptical when someone tells me they heard from God unless they qualify that with a, “from His word.” Usually they don’t. Most of the time they go into how God spoke to them and laid it on their heart that (bruh, insert cool story here.) So, we are supposed to accept your extrabiblical personal revelation as originating with God and fall in line. This group of Pastors probably means well, and they truly believe they have heard from God somehow. The problem is, this sets up a condition where the Pastor can abuse his position and the flock. He could pretty much make up anything he wants and try to market it to the Church as long as he says it is from God. That is why there should be no room for extrabiblical personal revelations in the Church since we have the canon of scripture.
Finally, the next category is, “Who are you to touch the Lord’s anointed!?” If a Pastor were to have God speak to him, and reveal new words to him, we would be obligated to rewrite our Bibles and add what God said to the end of it. Since we are not ready to do that, and with good reason, we shouldn’t listen to these men, and (ahem cough) women pastors. They act as though they are wielding the authority of God because they had a vision from Him on how to grow the Church, and if you go against them, you are going against God. These guys are seriously angry when you don’t get behind them and their vision. They get vindictive because you are the bad guy questioning them, and doubting their vision, and their relationship with God. When you cross this guy, you’ll see the ugly come out. They can behave extremely unchristian in the name of Christ, very disturbing.
So, with these three types in mind, evaluate what you have heard from the pulpit. If the man is like the first kind, just consider what he has said and demonstrate some grace. If he is like the second, then it is appropriate to be concerned. You may sit, listen, and continue to examine what is coming from the pulpit for a while to determine when, and how to offer correction in love. Church discipline may even become necessary. If you are listening to the third example, call them to repent, and if you can, subject them to Church discipline. I doubt however that will be possible. In a Church like that they usually already have entrenched control. You will probably have to leave and find a new Church that believes and preaches the Bible.
The work of Christians is the great commission. We are to preach the gospel to all the world, and we are to make disciples of all men. We are to take offerings from the Church to accomplish this goal, as well as to support the Preaching Elder, and other Elders in the Church as they serve. We don’t need a vision from God to be cast from the pulpit down to us small, lesser, creatures to blindly obey. God has spoken in His word, and we have all the revelation we need 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The great commission isn’t about filling seats and the offering plate, it isn’t about a 16,000 square foot house, or $6000 sneakers. It is about Christ Jesus, the God-man, whose body was broken for us, and whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins.
If you say you are an atheist, and that it means you have no beliefs about god, do you believe the statement you just made? If so, that is a belief. Regardless of what you are insisting, you have made a statement about God. Guess what? That is a theological belief. So you have a religious belief. Which by the way is not what the word, “atheist” actually means. It does not mean to have no beliefs. The English word, “atheist” comes from the French, “athéiste” which comes from the Greek, “atheos.” Theos is Greek for god. Adding the prefix, “a” to the word, “theos” changes its meaning to, without god, or no god.
“21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,26so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.
27Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. 29For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.”
Paul, while in prison for preaching Christ crucified, wrote this for the Church in Philippi, “For to me, to live is Christ.” Then in v.22 explains what that means, “if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me;” His life was for the glory of God. He was living, and working to produce fruit. We know this to mean increasing the Kingdom of God by means of the gospel of Christ, the preaching of the word of God, and the teaching of the word of God. Paul had reason to want to depart this life. He says, “I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;” Consider from 2 Corinthians 11 how he was suffering for the gospel, and how even now he is imprisoned for it. “…in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches…” This was from Paul after being criticized over his Apostleship by the Jewish believers who were welcoming false apostles, but were opposed to Paul due in part to his lack of eloquence. Paul had suffered for his Lord. Jesus was His master, and he loved Him. For him to stay and work was fine, but you can truly understand why he would also want to be with his merciful God. Paul instructs the Church in Philippi to, “…conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…” in v. 25 and explains why in v. 26, “so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with on mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for the, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God…” As the Church today, we should also follow Paul’s instructions to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. In our testimony to the lost, as we live it out, If it be God’s will, they will also see that we have been, “granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,” If we suffer for Christ’s sake we will share in the suffering of our brother Paul as well as our Lord Christ Jesus, and all martyrs, to this age and beyond until the return of Christ. Maranatha!
As we will be studying what God’s word has to say about His holiness, I thought I would quote some of what our elders have said on the topic of holiness in this brief preface to our study. We can learn from their wise counsel. Also, We would be remiss to do a study of holiness without first acknowledging the source. The holiness of God is not merely, or solely, an attribute of His among many others. To quote Charles Hodge, “The holiness of God is not to be conceived of as one attribute among others. It is rather a general term representing the conception of God’s consummate perfection and total glory. It is His infinite moral perfection crowning His infinite intelligence and power.” There is no other quality of God that the seraphim angels praise three times, time and again in eternity. [Isa 6:3 NASB] “And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.” To know God, we must know He is holy, and we are not. “Only one attribute of God, in sacred Scripture is emphasized three times. Only once is a characteristic of God mentioned three times in succession. The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy. Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. The Bible never says that God is love, love, love; or mercy, mercy, mercy; or wrath, wrath, wrath; or justice, justice, justice. It does say that he is holy, holy, holy, that the whole earth is full of His glory.” R.C. Sproul.
God,
Being distinct, other than, separate, set apart, in moral perfection,
transcendent in His holiness, cannot be fathomed by man. This
holiness also manifests as majesty. The chasm that separates us from
Him due to our sin is so great, only the cross can bear us from one
sin to glory. R.C. Sproul wrote, “The most violent expression of
God’s wrath and justice is seen in the Cross. If ever a person had
room to complain for injustice, it was Jesus. He was the only
innocent man ever to be punished by God. If we stagger at the wrath
of God, let us stagger at the Cross. Here is where our astonishment
should be focused.” The only way to please the holy God, is for Him
to provide what is pleasing. In Christ, He has provided
righteousness for our justification. In Christ, we are separated
from sin, and set apart for His use. We are consecrated to and for
the glory of God. Jonathan Edwards wrote, “Never did God so
manifest His hatred of sin as in the death and suffering of His only
begotten Son. Hereby He showed Himself unappeasable to sin, and that
it was impossible for Him to be at peace with it.”
Our
problem is that we are not holy. Here is a quote from R.C. Sproul,
“Sin is cosmic treason. Sin is treason against a perfectly pure
Sovereign. It is an act of supreme ingratitude toward the One to whom
we owe everything, to the One who has given us life itself. Have you
ever considered the deeper implications of the slightest sin, of the
most minute peccadillo? What are we saying to our Creator when we
disobey Him at the slightest point? We are saying no to the
righteousness of God. We are saying, “God, Your law is not good. My
judgement is better than Yours. Your authority does not apply to me.
I am above and beyond Your jurisdiction. I have the right to do what
I want to do, not what You command me to do.” It is evident that
we must come to the knowledge of what holiness is by contrasting our
dire lack of it with its perfection in God’s being.
A.W.
Tozer had this to say, “We cannot grasp the true meaning of the
divine holiness by thinking of someone or something very pure and
then raising the concept to the highest degree we are capable of.
God’s holiness is not simply the best we know infinitely bettered.
We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique,
unapproachable, incomprehensible and unattainable. The natural man
is blind to it. He may fear God’s power and admire God’s wisdom,
but His holiness he cannot even imagine.” This is the transcendent
holiness of the Creator. It is on display for us, in the natural
creation, in His word, and personally in His Son.
“Without
such a vision of God’s holiness, true worship is not possible.
Worship is not giddy. It does not rush into God’s presence
unprepared and insensitive to His majesty. It is not shallow,
superficial, or flippant. Worship is life lived in the presence of an
infinitely righteous and omnipresent God by one utterly aware of His
holiness and consequently overwhelmed with his own unholiness… If
you have never worshiped God with a broken and contrite spirit,
you’ve never fully worshiped God, because that is the only
appropriate response to entering the presence of Holy God.” John
MacArthur.
“God’s
holiness means He is separate from sin. But holiness in God also
means wholeness. God’s holiness is His “God-ness.” It is His
being God in all that it means for Him to be God. To meet God in His
holiness, therefore, is to be altogether overwhelmed by the discovery
that He is God, and not man.” Sinclair Ferguson.
“If
every attribute of the Deity were a distinct member, holiness would
be the soul to animate them. Without holiness His patience would be
an indulgence to sin, His mercy a fondness, His wrath a madness, His
power a tyranny, His wisdom an unworthy subtlety. Holiness gives
decorum to them all.” Puritan, Stephen Charnock.
The predominate cult determines the culture. Until the last one and a half centuries, Christianity was the predominate, “cult” if you will, in America, and much of the civilized world. Post-modernism, and secular humanism have had their sway for the last 50, or more years. This has culminated in a Post-Christian, atheistic, and ever increasing antichrist cult, and resultant culture. The views of this cult are evident in the dogmatic doctrines of the leftist, otherwise known as socialists/communists. God is replaced by the state, because you shall have no other god than the state according to the enemy. After all, if they knew they were outright worshiping satan, the couldn’t immediately stomach it, or convince others to do so either. Give them the state as god, and they will rend themselves into a bloody foundation for it to set atop as a glorious, and gory crown to their sacrifice of neighbors, friends, and brothers. Its gaping maw ever open, ever consuming the human chattel like chafe tossed into a boiler furnace to further power the all-consuming monster of human suffering.
The god they worship has given them a sliding rule of right and wrong, that is more often than not, an inversion of God’s created order. This blasphemy, rebellion, and idolatry is no accident. It is engineered by the most infamous of totalitarian rulers, the devil himself. Our enemies are not of flesh and blood, but rather are spirit. Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Like unto marionettes dancing on the silken black threads of their malevolent master, they dance the dance of demoniacs immemorial. They have taken what is good, by force, blackmail, coercion, deceit, fraud, and theft, and corrupted it. They have convinced the world of the dead, enslaved to the satanic system that what is good, is actually evil, and that what is evil, is actually good. Good has become such an evil it requires the ultimate humiliation and punishment. They cry for blood, and have swift feat to carry them along to its macabre end. It is a slight of hand that should not work, but does.
For who can blame the deaf, blind, and dead, for not being able to discern the truth from a lie? From their state, there is no excuse. They remain fully culpable for their estate. God is just, and those who remain dead in their sins and trespasses will experience God’s wrath eternal. Would you like to change the world? Are you greatly vexed, as I am with the insanity, and immorality of the leftists? You won’t find the solution as a politique. Much like the politique of 16th century France, if you believe you will find the solution in human policies, and national strength, you will be disappointed.
The solution for our current debauchery lies in the miraculous power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. It quickens the dead soul to life, true life, life eternal! It makes the word of God come forth and dominate the darkened mind, it illuminates it, bringing light into the darkest man! O there is nothing more grand and glorious than the power of God displayed saving a wretch from his defiled and putrefied body of death except for God Himself! Preach the gospel to all the Earth, make disciples of all men! By His stripes we are healed! God commands all men everywhere to repent! Preach repentance and faith in our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ! For when a dead sinner becomes our true brother, he cannot help but to be changed in spirit, and soul! He will begin to hate the sin that he reveled in, and love the glory of God above all else! [1Co 6:20 KJV] 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. [Psa 115:1 KJV] 1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, [and] for thy truth’s sake.
[Eph 6:10-24 KJV] 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 21 But that ye also may know my affairs, [and] how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: 22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and [that] he might comfort your hearts. 23 Peace [be] to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace [be] with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
[Isa 53:1-12 KJV] 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither [was any] deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
[Act 17:22-34 KJV] 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, [Ye] men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by [that] man whom he hath ordained; [whereof] he hath given assurance unto all [men], in that he hath raised him from the dead. 32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this [matter]. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which [was] Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
[Rom 1:15-32 KJV] 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Let’s look a little closer at what the RCC believes about Mary. Here is a quote from the RCC(Roman Catholic Church) Catechism that was included in a Cripplegate article;
Catechism of the Catholic Church. In Article 9, section 6, paragraphs 966-969, it says:
966 “Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians: In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.
967 By her complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church’s model of faith and charity. Thus she is a “preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church”; indeed, she is the “exemplary realization” (typus) of the Church.
968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. “In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.”
969 “This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . . . . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.”
In the first sentence we see that Rome claims Mary was not born with a sinful nature like all other humans were after the fall. This is false. Mary did have a sinful nature just like the rest of us. The RCC also claims that Mary was taken up body and soul instead of awaiting the resurrection and the judgment, and that she is the “…Queen over all things…” reasoning that in so being she would be more conformed to the likeness of Christ. This means that she is more like Christ than any other Christian could ever hope to be. Many in the RCC insist that the, “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin” means that she did not die, but rather was taken up like Enoch. This is also wrong as witnesses in the first century were at her funeral and recorded it in writing. Many other Catholics believe that she died, and here body was taken up. “we must remember that the Patristic Fathers defended the Assumption on two counts: Since Mary was sinless and a perpetual virgin, she could not suffer bodily deterioration, the result of original sin, after her death. Also, if Mary bore Christ and played an intimate role as His mother in the redemption of man, then she must likewise share body and soul in His resurrection and glorification.”1 Much more erroneous is the insistence that this assumption was part of Christs resurrection and that of Christians who would die after them. Regardless of whether she initially died or not, they believe that she was bodily alive either by resurrection, or not dying to begin with, when she ascended to heaven. We read this NO WHERE in scripture. It is solely a doctrine of man created by the RCC. We know from the record of scripture that Christ had younger siblings sired by Joseph with his wife Mary. This is not debatable. The RCC claim that she remained a virgin after the conception, and birth of Christ is completely fallacious, and without merit. They misunderstand what it means to be the mother of Jesus, and place an import on it that corrupts proper Christocentric theology, and conflates the role of Mary with that of the Savior. This is evident by the next claim that it is her prayers that, “will deliver our souls from death.”
Understanding that they believe Mary to be perpetually sinless it follows that they would also believe that she accomplished, “complete adherence to the Father’s will, to his Son’s redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit,” This ignores that Biblical fact that she was sinner, and needed a Savior just as much as the rest of us. It is yet another contrived tradition of the RCC. Because of this doctrine they elevate her to the model of faith and charity, thus supplanting Christ, and robbing Him of His due glory. To further elevate her the catechism states, “preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church”; indeed, she is the “exemplary realization” (typus) of the Church. In other words when the Church is referred to in the Bible as the bride of Christ, Mary is to be understood as the fulfillment of that type instead of the Church itself, thus ostensibly setting up some incestuous relationship between Mary and Christ, equating in blasphemy.
If these blasphemous heresies were not enough, they go even further into their doctrines of the devil by stating this, “968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. “In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.” This is blatantly and abjectly satanic! The glaringly obvious and grievous error of attributing Mary with regenerative work quickening the human soul, replaces the Holy Spirit with a mere mortal woman! In this heresy she becomes our mother due to her regenerative work. What happened to being sons and daughters of God, through adoption? I guess now, Mary is the wife of her son and God. Notice the switch from, “For this reason” referring back to her, “work of restoring supernatural life to souls” to being, “mother to us in the order of grace.” The switch is explicit in line 969. It completely disregards the earlier clause, “for this reason” which made clear that it was addressing her regenerative work in regards to the soul.
The annunciation is the RCC tradition that surrounds the Biblical account of the angel Gabriel informing Mary of her coming conception, and motherhood to Jesus. According to the catechism, because of her consent to this (as if she had a choice) Evidently, due to her being the mother of Jesus, she suffered as He did during the crucifixion which earned her merit with God, and apparently still suffers until all the number of God’s elect come in. The next sentence leaves me bewildered how anyone can read it, affirm it, and claim to be Christian. “Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation” Wow! Who knew Mary had a saving office, and made manifold intercession? Here I always thought there was one intercessor between God, and man, and that being the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! Of course then there is a, “therefore” and we must ask what it is there for? “Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.” According to the RCC catechism because she is our intercessor, and savior, she must be blessed and recognized as our advocate, helper, benefactress, and mediator. Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t at least a couple of those attributes of the Holy Spirit? Just sayin’… Come on Patrick!
Having unpacked all of that, I’m wondering how the jam pack such a small statement with so much heresy? I am also pretty sure that is why people don’t refute it more often. It would take them forever to get through it all. If you obfuscate epochally enough the pile of manure you’d have to dig through to get to the bottom of it would be so large it would become its very own repellant to discovering the true extent of their lies.
Have
you been waking up still exhausted, and forcing yourself forward
through the drudgery of your morning, and work day? Do you feel
despair, hopelessness, and futility? Have you ever thought to
yourself, while at the brink of tears, “I can’t do this anymore.
I can’t keep going to that place, it is killing me a bit each time
I go.” Are the only things that keep you going, the thoughts of
your obligations to your family, some moral code you learned as a
kid, or a, “someday I’ll retire.” Kind of attitude? You’re
not alone. All of us have been there, are there, or will be there in
the future. It is not uncommon to mankind for us to feel this way,
and have these thoughts. I’m not making excuses for them, just
explaining that it happens.
We
don’t like to hear it, but the reason we feel this way, and have
these thoughts is that we are responding sinfully to God’s
righteous judgment, and punishment of original sin. God told Adam
what his punishment would be in Genesis 3:17-19,
“17
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of
your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you,
saying,
‘You
shall not eat from it’;
Cursed
is the ground because of you;
In
toil you will eat of it
All
the days of your life.
18
“Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And
you will eat the plants of the field;
19
By the sweat of your face
You
will eat bread,
Till
you return to the ground,
Because
from it you were taken;
For
you are dust,
And
to dust you shall return.”
This
punishment that God righteously, and justly applied to Adam, also
applied to all his progeny. All mankind is under a curse due to sin,
but there is hope in the second Adam, Jesus Christ.
Romans
5:15-21,
“15
But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the
transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of
God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to
the many. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who
sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression
resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose
from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17 For if by the
transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more
those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
18
So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to
all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted
justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s
disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the
obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 The Law came
in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased,
grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death,
even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1
Corinthians 15:22,
“For
as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
We
must be in Christ for this to apply. Simply put, we must be born
again, repent of our sins, and trust in Christ’s work on the cross
to justify us with God. When we have done that, we will have the
righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and we are in Christ. Jesus
told Nicodemus what it meant to be born again in John chapter 3,
“1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we
know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do
these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered
and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4
Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He
cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can
he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is
born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You
must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear
the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is
going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus
answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not
understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of
what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept
our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not
believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No
one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the
Son of Man. 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will
in Him have eternal life.
16
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world,
but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in
Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already,
because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God. 19 This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world,
and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds
were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does
not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But
he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may
be manifested as having been wrought in God.””
Peter
the Apostle explains what it looks like to be born again in 1 Peter
chapter 1,
“1
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To
those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the
Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May
grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according
to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain
an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade
away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of
God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little
while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so
that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is
perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in
praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and
though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see
Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy
inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your
faith the salvation of your souls.
10
As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that
would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 seeking to
know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was
indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories
to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving
themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to
you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit
sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.
13
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix
your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be
conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15
but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all
your behavior; 16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I
AM HOLY.”
17
If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to
each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your
stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable
things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited
from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb
unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was
foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in
these last times for the sake of you 21 who through Him are believers
in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your
faith and hope are in God.
22
Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a
sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the
heart, 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is
perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring
word of God. 24 For,
“ALL
FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,
AND
ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.
THE
GRASS WITHERS,
AND
THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,
25
BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.”
And
this is the word which was preached to you.”
Due
to sin, we will survive by toiling, and in that toil is inherent
suffering. Daily survival for mankind, whether you are in a
technologically advanced society, or one where finding clean water is
a daily challenge, will not be easy, pleasant, or comfortable all of
the time. If it isn’t the physical struggles to survive against an
untamed environment, the elements, and wildlife, it is the often mind
crushing struggle against the busy, disconnected, overthought, modern
lifestyle. We have subdued parts of the Earth, and brought things
that make modern life easier physically. We have sewer systems,
agriculture, housing with heating and cooling, clean water, schools,
hospitals, light by night, and so on. These advances make life
easier physically, but our physical struggles are replaced with new
ones. It is impossible to escape the curse of the fall, but we are
commanded to strive against human suffering, and the challenges of
living.
It
is easy for us, looking back, to see Adam’s sin, but do we see our
own? Can we see how our pride in possessions has caused us to
forsake God for idols? Can we see how our family can become an idol?
Can we see how our intellectual musings can be idolatrous? In our
hubris, and pride at what we have done in conquering the Earth, we
miss that we have left God behind, and become the gods of our own
small castles of sin and rebellion.
What
can be done? How can we be content in this life? There is hope for
our sinful responses to God’s justice. That hope is in Christ. If
we have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, repented of our sins,
and trusted in the perfect atoning work of Christ, we will no longer
be subjects of the flesh, and the sin that is in it. We will become
servants, slaves of Jesus. He has given us the power to subject the
flesh to righteousness, for the glory of God.
Colossians
3,
“1
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the
things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set
your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When
Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed
with Him in glory.
5
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts
to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of
God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also
once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put
them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech
from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside
the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self
who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of
the One who created him— 11 a renewal in which there is no
distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised,
barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in
all.
12
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a
heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a
complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also
should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the
perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom
teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
18
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19
Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20
Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is
well-pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your
children, so that they will not lose heart.
22
Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not
with external service, as those who merely please men, but with
sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your
work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that
from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is
the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25 For he who does wrong will receive
the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without
partiality.”
1
Corinthians 10,
“1
For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were
all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were
baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the
same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for
they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the
rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not
well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.
6
Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not
crave evil things as they also craved. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some
of them were; as it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND
DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY.” 8 Nor let us act immorally, as some
of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9 Nor let us
try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the
serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by
the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example,
and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the
ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed
that he does not fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as
is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be
tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will
provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure
it.
14
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men;
you judge what I say. 16 Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a
sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a
sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Since there is one bread, we who
are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Look
at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in
the altar? 19 What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols
is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I say that the
things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not
to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. 21 You
cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot
partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Or do we
provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?
23
All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things
are lawful, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own
good, but that of his neighbor. 25 Eat anything that is sold in the
meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake; 26 FOR
THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS. 27 If one of the
unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set
before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake. 28 But if
anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not
eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’
sake; 29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for
why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I partake
with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I
give thanks?
31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the
glory of God. 32 Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to
the church of God; 33 just as I also please all men in all things,
not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they
may be saved.”
We
only know work to be toil, but one day in eternity with Christ our
labor will be joyful. We will do His will only, and not sin. Sinful
temptations will be gone. Groaning under the curse of toil will be
over. For those who are in Christ, we will be with Christ forever.
What we do here, we must do to our best ability, and with the motive
of bringing glory to God, the one who made us, and who saves us. We
must labor for our own sustenance, and provide for our neighbors
deficiency. Not because government mandates it. That would be
unjust, but rather out of the new heart. With this in mind let us
subject the unredeemed fleshly complaints, to what we know about God,
and our hope in eternity with Christ. Let us live as though we are
already there, loving, forgiving, and working, all for the glory of
God.
Crossway, for a long time now has been manufacturing terrific quality premium, and value Bibles, as well as helpful Christian books. Oft overlooked are the study resources they publish. Today we are going to look at the, ” ESV Exhaustive Concordance.” If you’ve been a Christian for a while you probably already know what a valuable aid a good concordance can prove to be.
If you don’t know what one is, let me tell you. A concordance has every word in the Bible, no matter how small it is, listed in alphabetical order, along with every occurrence of that word, and where in the Bible it occurred. This one goes a bit further and includes Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek glossaries, with entries for those words in the original languages. There is also a list of the words followed by their scripture references only, so you can find every occurrence quickly.
If you aren’t quite sure what to do with a concordance here are a few suggestions; Do a word study. Check to see if the English word being used is translated from one or more different Greek words. Verify the veracity of someone’s claim. Trust me, once you start using a full concordance instead of the very abridged on at the back of some Bibles, you never want to be without one.
This concordance is well made for many years of use. It is a hardback edition. The spine is sewn, and rounded for easy use, and durability. There are black head and tail bands. The paper is 36 g.s.m. and opaque. I think it was about as thin as they could go without sacrificing legibility, considering the 6.5 Lexicon font. It strikes the perfect balance for a book of this size. The paper is white, and the type is clearly, and uniformly printed. Concordances, as you can imagine are not small books. This one is a hair thinner than my Strong’s. In the front of this concordance in the introduction you’ll find helpful diagrams of how to use this tome properly, as well as a Preface by Drayton Brenner who compiled it.
You should always have a hard copy of your most important books. Electronic copies, and apps, are nice, and convenient, but they can be changed in one update overnight. Some apps make it difficult to browse to the information you want. Sometimes, it is just easier to look it up in a book. To that end, I encourage you to go out and pick up this concordance for your ESV Bible. You can purchase it on Amazon, Christianbook, or Crossway’s page. To see more pictures of this concordance please see my flickr album.
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