“Dead or Alive?” What Does That Mean, in the Bible?

Dead or Alive

Ephesians 2:1-7, 8-10

Introduction:

In the old days, they tell us, in the old west, a reward poster might be distributed, stating that a particular desperado was out and about, location unknown. He was judged to be so dangerous that a bounty was placed on him: a cash prize was offered for his capture..

They didn’t particularly care how he was captured, and the reward was payable for his capture or killing. They would pay the reward for his body as surely as if he were brought in alive. The trial had already occurred. He was already guilty of capital crimes. The law required his death, and they weren’t particular about how he died. So, the poster said, “Wanted: Dead or Alive….” Fortunately, times have changed. We don’t really do that anymore, today.

But the fact remains that those are the only possibilities for each of us, as well. We are either dead or we are alive. There is no gray area in between.

**We Were All Dead (Ephesians 2:1-3 (read it))**

¹And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; ²Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: ³Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

God says that we all were dead in sins. How did we get there? 1^st Corinthians 15:22 states that “in Adam, all died”. Notice that in the Corinthian passage, it is a past tense fact of something that happened…we died (past tense) in Adam.

**We All Have Been Made Alive (Ephesians 2:4-7)**

⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, ⁵Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) ⁶And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: ⁷That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

In the Ephesian passage it is a past state of being: we “were dead” in trespasses and sins. This points to a change at some point. It does not say you “are dead”, but you “were” dead. Something has changed. The phrase “…you hath He quickened…” tells us what changed. The old English word “Quickened” means “made alive.” He has made us alive, who once were dead in trespasses and sins.

Positional Truth

We have talked in the past about the differences between positional and conditional truth. This passage is a key text regarding those concepts, because it clearly states that our position has changed, for those of us who have trusted in Christ as our blood sacrifice for sin. We were dead in sin, in Adam. But now we have been made alive in Christ, and are, now and forever, alive in Him.

God says we once were dead, and we now are alive. There are no qualifiers added. God simply states that to be the case. He does go on to elaborate on just how dead, and alienated from God we really were. He says (v. 2) we “walked in (trespasses and sins) according to the course of this world”…we went along with the whole world of sin, as a general life direction. And “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” We went along with Satan, in his rebellion and pride.

All of Us?

Yes…we all had our way of life among the children of disobedience. Jesus wasn’t overstating his case in John 8:44 when he told the Pharisees that they were of their father the Devil, and that they would do as he did.

That was our old heritage, too! We acted like him, because we were effectively spawned by him. When Adam was persuaded to sin, Satan corrupted not only Adam but all his progeny. Jesus said that Satan was a “murderer from the beginning.” So, who did Satan kill, and when?

He killed all of us, when he caused Adam and Eve to die, spiritually. We all died in Adam. When we read 1^st Corinthians 15:22 “…in Adam all died; but, in Christ shall all be made alive.” (Where did we die? In Adam! )That is a location…a position. And that is where we all started out. We were born there. We were by nature (by birth) the children of wrath (v.3).

“But God…!”

This is what makes the difference in life… “But God…!” I was lost, but God saved me. They were blind, but God healed their blindness. We were dead in sins (yes, all of us!) but God, who is rich in mercy….

“Rich in Mercy:” That has to be one of the richest ways one can be rich. Is God rich in possessions? Sure! He owns the universe! He owns every atom of every element. God owns the material universe and the immaterial—all the spirits and souls are His as well…He made them. We aren’t even sure what a soul or a spirit is, nor the difference between them. But God knows!

When Did It Happen?

“But God, who is rich in Mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us: (remember that it was his love that took Jesus to the cross. Our sins may have driven the thorns, the nails, and the spear, but his Love, the agapé love, is what made him a willing target.) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made us alive) together with Christ (by grace ye are saved). I have emphasized the words “were” and “are”…why? The tenses are vitally important here. We were dead in sins…past tense. We are saved by Grace.

This comes across as present tense in English, but in Greek, it is actually past participle, so “…have been saved” would be how we would say it. However, the old English is accurate as well, in that it correctly carries the flavor of “it’s a done deal”. We might say, “Well, I have been sick with the flu, too, but I am not today!” But, Salvation is not a temporary thing.

Jesus became the author of eternal salvation, according to Hebrews 5:9; and, more to the point, Hebrews 9:12 states that “…he obtained eternal redemption for us.” We have been eternally bought back out of the marketplace of sin, to be eternally set free. (But God…!)

**All Alive…Together with Christ**

But God …for His great Love, wherewith He loved us, (“Herein is Love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us.”) Even when we were dead… hath quickened us together with Christ. He has “made us alive”, together with Christ. He has raised us up together (with Christ,) and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ. (Where? In heavenly places, In Christ!) All of this is true simply because you are born again. None of it has anything to do with your behavior or subsequent service. In fact, it all happened the moment you placed your trust in Him as your Savior. It has nothing to do with works.

And what is God’s purpose in doing so? He says it was so “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

We are to be “eternal trophies” of His Grace. We are already seated in Heaven with Jesus, according to this passage, and we will be with Him forever! God says so!

Now, What?

What do I do about the position in which I find myself?

⁸For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹Not of works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

In verses 8-10, we see what is supposed to happen: we have been saved (and are saved) by Grace, through Faith. That salvation was the gift of God…we did not earn it! But the new creation, our new self that was created the moment we were born again, was created unto Good Works. We are His workmanship; (His new creation, it says elsewhere) and our purpose is to bring glory to God through good works. In fact, it says that He has already prepared those good works for us to do. All we have to do is walk in them.

Our New Job

He gave a special assignment to the whole church: He made us ambassadors of His Grace to the lost world around us. But He prepares a specific path of good works for the individual believer, as well. And all we have to do is walk in them, by faith. Colossians 2:6 says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.” How did you receive Him? By Faith! And that is how we walk in Christ as well: by faith, daily seeking His will and submitting ourselves to His hand.

You were dead in sin, but you have been born again, and you are now alive in Christ. Please learn to seek His face in prayer, and then allow Him to lead you.

Lord Jesus, teach us to rest in You, and not to be tormented by our frustrations and fears. We are confident of your Love for us. Teach us to rest in your Grace.

September 28, 2024September 29, 2024

What Should be the Result of Being “In Christ?”

In Christ—A Continued Study in Ephesians

Ephesians 1:15-23

Foundation for progress: Framework for prayer.

Introduction—Review

In our study of God’s Word, we find that some promises and commands are given to a single individual…and not to anyone else. Some are to a particular family or a particular nation. But, as a rule, the New Testament epistles are to every believer during the Church age. (The word “epistle” just means a “letter”—a written message. They are mostly instructions to the Church.)

A few weeks ago, we discussed positional truth; things that are true of us because we are in Christ. We learned some precious truths from Ephesians 1:1-14. As a brief review of our position in Christ: If you have placed your dependence upon Jesus Christ as your Savior, then:

Positional Truths

The book of Ephesians is written to you! (v.1)
You are one of the faithful in Christ Jesus. (v.1)
God has already blessed you with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, in Christ. (v.3)
God chose you in Christ, before the foundation of the world. (v.4)
You are holy and blameless before him, in His Love. (v.4)
You are predestined to be recognized as a full heir of God. (v.5)
Also, you are predestined to fulfill the good pleasure of His will. (v.5)
You are predestined to be to the praise of the Glory of His Grace. (v.6)
He has already accepted you “in the beloved” (that is, “in Christ”.) (v.6)
You already have been redeemed through His blood. (v.7)
You already have full forgiveness of your sins, according to the riches of His Grace. (v.7)
God has already abundantly blessed you in His wisdom and prudence. (v.8)
He has made known unto you the mystery of His will…one piece at a time. (v.9, 10)
Your inheritance in Him is secure. (v.11)
You will eternally be to his glory and praise. (v.12)
Your position in Him is sealed by the Holy Spirit. (v.13)
The indwelling Holy Spirit is the “down payment” of the rest of the glorious inheritance promised to you. You are secure in Christ because He says so, and because the Holy Spirit is your guide, your guard, and your seal until the redemption of the purchased possession. (v.14)

A Foundation for Progress:

These precious promises are the foundation for everything that follows. All the instructions to believers are based on the security of our position in Christ. Without that foundation, none of what follows would be possible, and most of it would be incomprehensible.

In verse 15, Paul has drawn some conclusions: He says that, based on their faith, and their secure position in Christ, he is praying for them. Praying for what? That they should win the lottery? To “live long, and prosper?” No: He says he gives thanks for them, every time he thinks of them. But he goes on to pray for certain specific things.

¹⁵Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, ¹⁶Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

A Framework for Prayer:

We can pray for any person, saved or unsaved. We can pray for physical health and prosperity for any person, saved or unsaved. But the things Paul chose to pray for, about the believers, can only be done for believers.

Without our foundation in Christ, none of what Paul is praying for is even possible. There is no point in asking God to fill an unbeliever with His wisdom, for instance. I will certainly pray for the health and welfare of non-Christians—but the very best thing I can pray for them is that they will be saved…that the Gospel will break through their resistance, and bring them to Christ. Believers are a different story: There are very definite things for which we ought to pray on their behalf. So, let’s see what Paul does ask for:

¹⁷That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

“The Spirit of Wisdom”

Paul prays that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ will give unto the believers the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. This is not about the Holy Spirit, who is resident in the body of every believer, but rather the result of His work in the believer’s life.

When 2^nd Timothy 1:7 says God “did not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and a sound mind,” He is not suggesting that there are several possible “spirits” he could have given, to be contrasted with the Holy Spirit, but rather that the result of the Holy Spirit in our lives should be that we are characterized by power, love, and sound thinking.

Similarly, because of the Holy Spirit’s work in my life, the Word of God should be increasingly open to me. I freely admit there are portions of God’s Word I have never understood. I am thankful that today I understand a good deal more of His Word, and of His character than I did 50 years ago, but I attribute this to God’s Grace, and His Holy Spirit, not to any particular strengths or gifts I possess, nor to hard work on my part.

“And of Revelation”

Paul prayed that the believers would be filled with God’s wisdom; and that He would reveal himself to them (remember they did not yet have the New Testament.)

We look for God’s revelation within the Written Word. Often, in my own study, I will suddenly “see” something that has always been there…a connection between two passages, or a pattern I had not previously grasped.

God continually reveals Himself to His people…just as Paul prayed He would. And He does so as His people seek to Know Him—that is, to gain an experiential, working, personal knowledge of the Living God (Gr. “ginosko”– in Spanish it would be “conocer.”)

This is not just being “aware of a fact.” There is a separate word in Greek for that—the word “eido.” (Spanish has this same structure: “saber” means “to know as a fact.” English lacks this distinction.) People may “know” that there is a God, for instance, but they can’t know Him personally until they approach him through Jesus Christ. And, even then, it will be a growing, deepening relationship, not a “once-met, fully-understood” idea.

“In The Knowledge of God”

So, how can we “Know God?” According to Proverbs 1:7, the beginning of such knowledge is the “fear of the Lord.” When we first recognize our sin and our hopeless guilt before the God who we now recognize as our Judge, we have experienced that initial fear of the Lord.

Then we approach Him as lost sinners, and we cast our hope upon His blood at the Cross. We still fear his displeasure, but now He is our Redeemer and our Savior. And now we can draw still nearer to him, as our provider, our teacher, and our friend. We read His Word, and we try to discern His will. And we pray, seeking to know His direction for our lives. We learn to love Him and trust Him more and more. And in the process, we learn a pattern of obedience, and we begin to reflect His likeness in our behavior.

Paul says this “relational knowledge” should produce the spirit of wisdom and revelation in our lives. His wisdom changes our behavior, and His constant revelation of Himself to us through His Word satisfies our souls.

Paul Prays that the “Eyes of Our Understanding” May be Enlightened.

¹⁸The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Physical eyes are useless without physical light. People frequently talk about having good “night vision”, but even cats, owls, and other such nocturnal animals cannot see in total darkness. All eyes require at least some light…it is just that some require less than others. But the source of light for “the eyes of our understanding” is the Word of God, alone!

John 1:1, 14 states that Jesus is the living Word. Revelation 19:13 calls Jesus “The Word of God.” John 1:9, 10 says that He is the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world. In John 8:12, Jesus said, “I am the light of the World!” Jesus is our only source of enlightenment. When Paul prayed for the eyes of our understanding to be “enlightened,” he expected it to be done through the agency of the Word of God—(Jesus, specifically, but the written Word, as well.)

So, what happens when eyes receive more light? Usually, they see more, right? So, what does Paul expect us to see, and understand, as our understanding is enlightened through God’s Word?

What Does Paul Expect Us to See and Understand?

We can understand and know what is the hope of His calling. God wants us to “dig in” and find out what it is He offers us…and truly understand the joy of what is yet to come. We are attempting to do exactly that in this study and others.
That we may know the riches of the Glory of His inheritance in the saints—not our inheritance in Him. I don’t fully understand this. I do know Jesus says his saints are a “treasure” to Him. But, quite frankly, I don’t see us that way. We are a bunch of rebellious, stubborn sinners, that He has somehow transformed into a body of believers. He has declared us to be righteous in Him. And it is literally so! But I can’t grasp that on an intuitive, emotional basis.

¹⁹And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Three Words For “Power”

Paul also prays we will understand the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe…the same power that He used when He raised Christ from the dead. There are several words translated as “power,” in the Bible, and three of them are used in this passage. The most common one is “dunamis”—this is the word from which we get the word “dynamo” (a power-generating device) and the word “dynamic.” It is the “Can Do” power of God: The “Is there anything too hard for me?” power of God. This is the first word translated as “power” in verse 19. It is His ability toward us who believe.

The second word for power, in verse 19, is the word “kratos”—meaning “dominion:” Rulership… ruling over things or persons. Because God has dominion over all things, He could raise Jesus from the Dead.

²⁰Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

The Importance of Authority

But another word translated as “power” is “exousia”—it means “authority.” Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth…” and He meant authority. But the “dunamis” power (the “can-do” power) is also His. So, because He is the Ruler, God possesses both the authority and the ability to do anything He desires, in this world and the world to come. And, He wants to exert that power through us to reach the world around us.

Notice that in verses 20 and 21, Jesus was not only “raised from the dead:” He was set at the right hand of God the Father (the proper place for God the Son), and He is “far above” every other authority (power,) including not only all human authority but all super-human (angelic) authority. This is where the word “exousia” is used in this passage…to point out that the authority of Jesus Christ exceeds all other authority. The Father and the Son are in perfect agreement—there is never a conflict there. But when we fear that some local “conflict of authority” may “limit” God’s protection for us, God says His authority exceeds all others.

Jesus is The Head of the Body, the Church

²²And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, ²³Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

God has made Jesus the head of a new creation—the Church: His body. The Church, proper, includes “all believers from the day of Pentecost to the moment of the Rapture.” I don’t understand everything about that Body. Verse 23, says that we are His fullness: I don’t understand how that is so, but it refers to Church-age believers, only. Not the Old Testament saints. I don’t know why God does things the way he does—and that is OK. He is God: what He does is right, and good, and Holy.

Now, notice: in the short outline for prayer that Paul laid out, he talks about things that are far beyond our scope of natural understanding:

He wants us to fully know the Hope of His calling
He prays that we will fully know the Riches of His inheritance in the Saints…the Church!
God wants us to fully know the utter enormity of His limitless ability, His dominion, and His authority, which He applies on our behalf.

And with that enlightenment of “the eyes of our understanding,” we have a reasonable hope of understanding at least a fair amount of it. All of the wisdom, understanding, and joy he offers is dependent upon us seeking a growing, deepening relationship with Jesus, the author of wisdom. This is a conditional promise, unlike the “positional” promises in the first 14 verses. Backing up further, it all depends upon our being “IN Christ” in the first place. The prime “condition” to all these promises, is our position in Him: having received Christ as our Savior.

Conclusion:

The first question, then, has to be: “Where are you today, in your own life?” Are you in Christ? Have you placed your trust in Jesus’ shed blood as full payment for sin? If so, then you are “in Christ,” a member of His body, and you are heir to all the things in Ephesians 1:1-14. The promises and blessings in the first 14 verses are all unconditional. If you belong to Jesus, then all those things belong to you, permanently. Salvation is a gift: it is completely dependent upon what Jesus did at the Cross. All God asks is that you place your faith in His completed work.

However:

The things in the last nine verses are conditional…they depend first upon your being a believer, and second, upon your choosing to grow!

We must choose to deepen our relationship with God. And, even while consistently choosing to draw near to God, there is an endless continuum, in which we can continue to grow; from today until the day when He takes us home forever.

Rewards are not a gift; they are dependent upon our obedient response in this area. If, as a believer, we choose to go our own way, we will not lose our position in Christ, but our condition will surely suffer, and our rewards will certainly diminish.

Whatever your position or condition today, I pray that you will respond to the call of God, and draw near to Him. May the Lord give you the strength to do so.

Lord Jesus, fill us with the desire to know You personally, and to learn to learn to walk with You.

September 21, 2024September 21, 2024

What is the Result of the “Federal Headship” Doctrine?

Romans 6:1-10; compare Romans 5:12 and 1^st Corinthians 15:22

Introduction:

Two (and three) weeks ago we talked in detail about our new position in Christ, reading from Ephesians 1:1-14. Last week we talked extensively about the concept of Baptism, specifically how we were baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ. Today we will look at both our position in Christ and that Baptism by the Holy Spirit, reading from Romans 6:1-10.

In the past, we talked briefly about the doctrine of “Federal Headship.” Since Romans 6 is so heavily involved with that particular doctrine, it seems good to spend more time with it today.

Romans 5:12

If you remember anything of the previous teaching, you will remember that when Adam sinned, we sinned with him…in him. God counted Adam’s fall into sin as our fall into sin> He acted as our representative. As a race, we have consistently demonstrated the truth of that bit of history, in that all of us continue in sin, to varying degrees.

Adam exercised his authority (probably unknowingly; truly ignorant of the outcome) to make a decision on behalf of the whole human race. He became the head of the entire fallen race of Man. We had no real choice in the matter, though it is evident that we would have made the same choice as Adam did. Collectively, we were “dead in sin,” as Paul teaches in Ephesians chapter two.

1^st Corinthians 15:22

But the other side of the Federal Headship concept is the fact that Jesus is the head of a new Man. Jesus exercised His authority as well; in full knowledge of what he was doing, to make a decision for all of humanity. But in this particular case, God gave us a choice. We can stay “in Adam,” where we were born, or we can be transferred into Christ via the new birth. Today, the text in Romans 6 speaks to those who already consciously have chosen to trust in Jesus’ blood sacrifice: those who already have been born again as members of that “New Man.” This letter is to the members of the Body of Christ.

Romans 6:1-10

Dead to Sin

Just as we fell into sin with Adam, and were dead in sin, we were crucified with Christ and are dead to Sin. We have no consciousness of either one. Both actions were done on our behalf. The one was done without our knowledge, and we had no personal choice—it is simply a fact. The other was also done without our knowledge, but, having heard the Gospel, we did have a choice: we could either receive that gift of Eternal Life, through Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection… or reject it.

We know, too, that Grace came, in the Person of Jesus Christ, as God’s only solution for Man’s sin. So, Paul first poses the question,

¹ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ²God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Should we sin more to get more Grace? Absolutely not! It is unfitting for us to remain in sin, because that is no longer where we live! We are dead to sin. This is Paul’s opening statement of fact, and upon its truth and exactitude hangs all the rest of the argument.

How Are We Dead To Sin?

How can Paul say that we are dead to sin? I certainly don’t feel dead! On the other hand, I doubt that I would have said I felt “dead to God,” before I was a believer. I felt pretty alive, and wouldn’t have even understood the concept of being “dead to God.”

Think back, though: when Adam fell into sin, he died spiritually the moment he physically ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He was separated from fellowship with God. Yes, 930 years later, his spirit was separated from his body, as well. We call that “physical death.” But at the moment he ate that fruit, his spirit was separated from God. He died spiritually.

God’s Intervention

Had God not intervened with Grace, and restored fellowship, Adam would have been lost… permanently separated from God. In my own case, as an unregenerate man, I was separated from God… I was dead to God. I was born that way. Had I physically died in that state I would have been eternally lost. That is the simple truth.

But now, being joined to God through Jesus’ sacrifice and by God’s Grace, I am “separated” from sin as a principle. In God’s sight, I have been separated from my old sin nature, because He gave me a new nature in the new birth. Now it is possible for God to fellowship with me, and it is possible for me to love Him…because I have a new nature.

From God’s perspective, the old sin nature is dead. He does not propose to patch it up, correct all its ills, or restore fellowship to it. If we read Romans 8:7, we can see that the old sin nature is (still…present tense) antagonistic toward God, and it cannot be made subject to Him. God says it can’t be done.

So, the only way He can redeem a fallen human is to offer them a new birth. The old sin nature had to be set aside. I have not lost my old sin nature, but I am “separated” from it. God wants fellowship with the new Me; He does not seek to change the old Me; but rather to let it starve as He feeds the new Me. So, how did I die to sin, then?

Baptized into Death

³Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

The baptism to which Paul refers, here, is not water baptism. There is no water in this passage. Water baptism is only an object lesson—a picture, or a demonstration— of something real that has already happened. Water baptism (in the New Testament) is reserved for believers because it announces that the baptism by the Holy Spirit has already occurred…that the believer has been placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. (1^st Corinthians 12:13)

So, Water Baptism announces what has already happened: I have been separated from my old sin nature, because Jesus’ death is reckoned as my death. I died with him: just as I died in Adam, and was lost, I have been crucified with Christ, and my sins have been dealt with at the Cross. I am separated from my old sin nature through that death. When did it happen? The moment I trusted His completed work at the Cross as being full payment for my sins. At that moment, the Holy Spirit placed me into the Body of Christ, though I was completely unaware of it.

But Paul says that “death with Christ” is not all I gained there: I also gained eternal life!

Baptized into Life

⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
⁵For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Just as I was fully identified with Adam in his sin and his spiritual death, and I was born that way, I am now fully identified with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection, to the extent that God expects me to start living in that reality. Why?

Because I have been re-born that way. In short, He says that because I already have been re-born a literal child of God, I am to begin acting that way. And his reasoning is very clear: he says that I am dead to sin—separated from it. I have a moment-by-moment choice to make as to which nature (old or new) will be manifest and prominent in my daily life. I am to “walk in the newness of life.” As I mature in my Christian life, that walk will become more consistent.

Two Natures

When I started Bible school, one of the staff members had two children living there in the school: I assumed they were much older than they truly were. The older girl seemed to be in her early twenties, but occasionally she acted like a 16-year-old. Her brother seemed to be ten or twelve, but occasionally he acted like a five-year-old. This was very irritating until I learned that she actually was 16 and he actually was five (but large for his age.) Both usually seemed fairly mature, but both kids occasionally just “acted their age!”

Sometimes Christians are under the control of the Holy Spirit, and we are impressed with the grace in their lives. Occasionally they “act their age,” so to speak, and behave like “natural” men. (And, YES, it is sin!) But that does not make them a hypocrite—it proves that they have two natures, just like you! We need the constant control and guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives to have any sort of consistent walk with Him.

The next phrase (verse 5) assures me that since I have been buried with him (in him—this is what Federal Headship implies), then I shall be (future tense) also in the likeness of His resurrection. From the moment I was born again, when I believed the Gospel and received Christ as my Savior, I’ve been guaranteed a resurrection, to be with Him and like Him forever!

A Done Deal

In fact, in Ephesians 2:6, he states that God has already “raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ.” There’s that “location clause” again. This is positional truth. The only conditions are the ones laid down by Jesus himself: (John 5:24) “He that heareth my words and believeth on Him who sent me…” Those who have heard the Gospel and believed it—placed their full trust in the completed work of Jesus at the Cross, are placed into Christ, and they are safe in Him forever.

The identification is so complete that God views it as already done. He will never again see me as a lost sinner; my old self is separated from the new me—“dead”—and the new person (created at my new birth, whether I knew it or not) is free forever from the curse of the Law. What an amazing change! My old position, in Adam, left me completely doomed. My new position, in Christ, leaves me completely blessed, and fully accepted by God.

What Should the Result Be?

⁶Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷For he that is dead is freed from sin.

If I know that I am dead to sin, and dead to the Law, what should the result be? I should begin to place my trust in that fact, and not give in to the desires of sin anymore. This is not just self-control; it’s recognition that those desires are no longer “mine”—they are the desires of my old sin nature, and, though it still exists within me, it is an “enemy within the gates”, so to speak.

I have to be conscious that it is there, recognize its movements and inclinations, and defend my heart against them. Fortunately, I am not alone in this battle. I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and He is faithful to warn me and to guide me, so that I can see what to avoid.

Only By the Spirit

Is it easy? No! In fact, without the constant empowering and enabling of the Holy Spirit, it is utterly impossible. Unbelievers, through self-control, can appear to be good persons, and do good things, and avoid bad things, etc., but their actions are still controlled by their old sin nature (the only one they have as an unbeliever.) So, the scripture says (Isaiah 64:6) that even their “righteousnesses are as filthy rags”; and so are mine, if I try to “do good things” in my own fleshly power and motives. This is true of the whole human race.

I have nothing to offer God except my new nature, and the work the Holy Spirit can do through me. As an unbeliever, even my thoughts and prayers were corrupted by who I was as a sinner. The only prayer of an unbeliever that God commits Himself to answer is the one that confesses Him as Savior and places faith in His Grace.

God’s Guarantee

⁸Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: ⁹Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. ¹⁰For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

God has given us a guarantee that we will live with Him eternally; He asks us to start living in that reality today—now. He says that since Jesus can never die again, and can never be tested again, and has paid the price for sin, once-for-all, we should take heart from that fact and step forward into the liberty He offers us as well. As a result, He says we can be free from the ravages of sin in our lives!

We do not have to be torn apart by fear, jealousy, pride, anger, and lust. We can be free from the destructive, conflicting desires of our old nature, only because we are part of a new creation. It is because we have been separated from our old nature to the extent that we no longer have to obey it. I will freely tell you, however, that while this is completely true, I certainly have not mastered this concept. I find it a very difficult idea to grasp.

Next time we will discuss how that is supposed to work.

Lord Jesus, lead us into the truth of your Word. Enable us to walk in the newness of life!

September 14, 2024September 14, 2024

See The Twin Ordinances of The Church: Baptism and Communion

The Twin Ordinances of The Church: Baptism and Communion

Baptism

1^st Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3, 4; Acts 8:26-40; Acts 16:31-33;

Communion…the Lord’s Table

John 6:35; 1^st Corinthians 11:23-31

Introduction:

The World has influenced us, through 2,000 years of “religious pageantry.” In addition, the humanistic “hunger for drama” has affected our perspective. Therefore, world religions have made both baptism and communion into “sacred rituals.” Since then, they claim that only priests having human-sourced ordination can carry out these “sacraments.” As a result, they demand a humanly sanctified priesthood. Religions call these ordinances “sacraments.” (That word means “a way by which to become holy.”)

No Special Human “Credentials”

But, John the Baptist came out of the desert, as an “unknown.” He looked pretty rough, and he acted rather strange. Obviously, He did not have “human training.” Humans did not ordain, or send him.” Furthermore, most of the apostles were also what we would call “blue-collar workers,” today. Finally, Jesus Himself was a carpenter, as was Joseph, His adoptive father.

**Ordinances, not Sacraments**

And the physical ordinances of baptism and communion have zero effect in making us holy to God. They only state that He has declared us Holy: we are His private property, reserved for His use.

Nobody knew for sure who John the Baptist was: The priests had heard all the rumors. The people were excited about John’s message. The priests wanted to “join the crowd.” Historically, they had the only “religious game in town.” They could not afford to allow an outsider to outshine them, so they hoped to be baptized with all the others. I expect that they intended to co-opt him into their fold, and take all the energy of his ministry and redirect it to their own. Obviously, that is just a guess.

Who was John the Baptist?

But two things happened: The first was that they came, and John recognized their unrepentant hearts. He said, “You brood of serpents! Who has warned you of the wrath to come?” He warned them that they had better bring forth fruits appropriate to repentance. He evidently did not say such things to the others who came for baptism.

The other thing: John 1:19-23 says that the priests and Pharisees sent messengers. They asked John who he was. They wanted his credentials.

John’s Credentials:

So, they asked him, “Are you the Christ?” And he said, “No!”

They asked, “Are you Elijah?” And he said, “No!”

They asked, “Are you ‘that prophet?’” (Meaning the prophet predicted by Moses, in Deuteronomy 18:15) And John replied, “No.”

So, they asked, “Who are you, then?” He replied, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, saying ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as said the prophet Isaiah.”

Why did the priests and Pharisees desire Baptism?

None of John’s answers made them feel any more comfortable with him. So why did they seek baptism?

Everyone else confessed their sins, in seeking baptism. They requested baptism to publicly identify with the message that John preached. He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

John did not preach the Gospel of Christ (also called the “Gospel of Salvation,” or the “preaching of the Cross.”) He was announcing the presence of the King. Jesus was right there, if only they would receive Him. (And Jesus initially preached that same message, until they formally rejected Him.)

But they wanted to identify with the message of the Kingdom. Some of them saw that they were sinners. They needed cleansing, before entering that Kingdom. I expect that those few were later the ones who received Him as their Savior.

But, Why Baptism?

The English translators rendered the Greek word “baptizo” into “Baptize.” Different forms of the word are used, but they all mean “to dip.” When Jesus “dipped” the sop in the cup, before giving it to Judas Iscariot, the Greek word is “bapto.” When people dyed cloth, they dipped the fabric into a pot of dye, and the word was “baptizo.” It permanently identified the fabric with the specific dye into which it was dipped. (A cookie dipped in milk will never be “just a cookie” again.)

The people wanted to be identified with John’s message. Jesus needed to be identified with that message, too, which is why he insisted, there in the Jordan, that John baptize him. Why should He be identified with the Gospel of the Kingdom?He had no sins to confess, so, confession of sins was not the issue. It was because He was the King!

In 1^st Corinthians 12:13, it says that the Holy Spirit has baptized every believer into the Body of Christ, the moment they believe. We understand that, when the Holy Spirit “placed us into” the body of Christ, He permanently identified uswith Him in every aspect of His Life, His Death, His Burial, and His Resurrection. Romans 6:3, 4 says so! (And that is where God sees you from that moment on! There is no “water” in Romans 6. If we dip someone in water, it changes nothing. When the Holy Spirit places someone into the Body of Christ, it changes everything.)

Examples

In Acts 8:26-40, we see the Ethiopian Eunuch requesting water baptism, after hearing and believing the Gospel of Christ. The Ethiopian Eunuch confessed his faith in Jesus Christ. Philip baptized (dipped) him in some water that was beside the road. God did not tell us what water it was…a pond, a lake, a stream, or whatever.

Acts 16:31-33 tells us that Paul and Silas preached the simple Gospel of Christ, and the Philippian jailer and his family believed and were baptized immediately. Again, God did not tell us what water Paul used, although we do know there was a river close by.

Water baptism simply testifies that our Baptism by the Holy Spirit, into the Body of Christ, (as explained in 1^st Corinthians 12:13) has already occurred. Water baptism is an outward testimony that we have chosen to be identified with Jesus.

Each person desiring water baptism testifies that their faith for salvation is in Jesus Christ. Whether they understand it or not, they also testify that they have already been placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. They have become identified with Him in His Death, His burial, and His Resurrection. And they desire to publicly identify with Him in their life.

What About Communion? The Lord’s table…The Lord’s Supper?”

Obviously, we teach this ordinance quite regularly…once a month. To begin with, in John 6:35, Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life!” The Jews knew that He was comparing Himself to the Manna given to their forefathers. He said that He was the fulfillment of that “picture.”

But, in the original Passover, the people did not “just” strike the blood of the Lamb onto the lintel and the two doorposts: They also (everyone in the household) ate of that Lamb! Therefore they partook of that sacrifice personally, confessing that it was their sins that necessitated the sacrifice, and that the Blood of that little Lamb was shed for them… personally!

It was not just a “nice theory,” nor was it “just a ritual.” They knew, that very night, that a destroyer was coming through Egypt, and in every home, the firstborn was going to die, if they were not all sheltered under the Blood of the Lamb. And, ever since that day, the Jews have celebrated the “Seder:” as a commemoration of that Passover.

According to 1^st Corinthians 11:23-26, we see that our communion, too, is a commemoration: When we partake in Communion, we each testify that “Jesus died for me! His Blood was the blood sacrifice for my sins! He willingly gave His body to be beaten and torn and pierced, for me!” And, whether we know it or not, we also testify of our faith in His second coming!

Let’s celebrate that Communion, by sharing in the Lord’s Table now. Afterward, we will have a baptismal service, as several young folks have asked to be baptized.

September 7, 2024September 7, 2024

In Christ—Comparing “Position” and “Condition:” Part Two

“In Christ”—Comparing “Position” and “Condition”

© C. O. Bishop

Introduction

Last week we began examining the difference between our “Position” in Christ, and our “Condition” as His people. In the process, we spoke briefly about the difference between being born into the family of God through the new birth, and being “adopted.”

I tried to point out that human adoption, as we know it, always means taking someone who is not your offspring (the Greek word is “teknon”, meaning “born-ones”) and declaring them to be your child. It means legally taking responsibility for their well-being. This is true whether the overall experience is wonderful, good, bad, or terrible; and, regardless of the motives involved.

Good and Bad

There are wonderful examples (and we have personally known many of them) of people who adopted and reared numerous children, with wonderful results. The children grew up considering the couple who cared enough to shelter and provide for them and loved them unconditionally to be their “real” parents, because, as one woman told her son, “anyone can plant seeds: it takes a farmer to raise a crop.”

On the other hand, I have personally known families who deliberately adopted large numbers of children, to use as labor on their farm, or for other nefarious motives. The same is true for those who have biologically produced lots of children for similarly bad motives. The real issue becomes the question of “parenting” at that point, not whether one human is the biological source of another human’s genetic makeup.

I have known people whose only memories of their father (sometimes multiple “fathers,”) were bad…terrible. Their experiences were so negative, and the abuse had been so horrific, that when they hear the words, “Heavenly Father” they are repulsed. All their experiences were terrible, at the hands of those who claimed that position, so they cannot think of God in those terms. They are emotionally damaged, and only the Lord can heal their hearts.

He is the perfect parent and caregiver, and our very best example.

Identification

Sometimes agencies government attempting to solve a crime, or, perhaps trying to verify a claim upon an estate, use genetic mapping to determine family relations. When people insist that they are the offspring of some rich celebrity who recently died, DNA sampling may be the only way to defend against a false claim or to prove a legitimate claim to an inheritance.

In the case of solving a crime, however, police agencies often have a DNA sample from a crime scene, and they hope to find the person to whom it belonged. In recent years, they have used computer databases to find family connections, and then find those families and investigate whether some relative of theirs could have been in the area where the crime was committed at the time it happened. Occasionally, that method results in positive identification of the perpetrator, and justice may be served.

Spiritual Identification

In John 3:7 Jesus told Nicodemus “You must be Born Again!” 1^st Peter 1:23 says that we have been “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” And, in Revelation 19:13, we see Jesus identified as The Word of God.

In 1^st John 3:9, God says that the implanted Word has another effect: we cannot remain in the same old patterns of sin. He says we cannot continue to practice sin, because His seed remains in us. The Prodigal Son, while feeding the pigs in a far country, had been a Son, all the time, but he reached his limit, realized that he did not belong there, and he chose to return to his father’s house. The fact that he was a Son is what eventually turned him away from his foolish behavior.

How are the Children of God Identified?

In 2^nd Corinthians 5:17, God specifically points out that we are a New Creation in Him!

The only sure identification we have as God’s Children is the one that God can see: He sees us as his offspring from the moment we are born again. Lot was of God’s offspring, by faith, just as his uncle, Abraham was. But, Abraham lived his faith, as a rule: Lot did not.

If we only had Genesis chapters 13-19 to work from, I would have guessed that Lot was probably not a believer. But 2^nd Peter 2:7, 8 says that he was! God said Lot was a “Just man”…a Righteous man! God only declares sinners righteous through faith. Abraham believed God’s promise and God credited it to him as Righteousness. That is the only way anyone has ever been declared righteous by God. So, we conclude that Lot must also have placed his faith in God, though it had very little outworking in ways that we can observe.

It Depends on Who is Looking

Other humans identify us by our appearance…the things we do and say, and how we treat other people. God sees the heart. Other humans may refuse to admit that a person who commits some specific sin could be a believer. Scripture teaches us that, while the implanted Word does make some changes, it does not make the same change in every individual, and the outward appearance is not a reliable proof of a person’s spiritual identity, either way.

There are “good people” who are “as lost as a ball in tall weeds,” and people like Lot, and like Samson, whose lives do NOT reflect the Grace of God, nor His righteousness, but whom God has claimed as his own.

How Does God See Us?

God identifies us through His implanted Word. He speaks. We either believe His Word, or we don’t. When you first took God at His Word and believed that Jesus’s Blood was the full payment for your sins, He implanted His Word in you, and you were born again. At that same moment, the Holy Spirit placed you into the Body of Christ. You are now in Christ. And He is now in you! You have been permanently identified with Him. You have his spiritual “Genetic code” planted in you, if you want to use that illustration. (Be careful with that idea: I only mean it as an illustration.)

The credentials God requires, however, for us to enter His eternal presence include having been born again into His family.

But, What about Adoption?

As we taught, last week, the New Testament concept of Adoption is that “God takes all those who through the new birth are already His offspring, and declares them to be His heirs.

Romans 8:23 tells us when that will happen. Romans 8:15 says we already have the Spirit of Adoption. But the Adoption itself…the “placement of Sons, ” as we read verse 23, will come when we get our new bodies.

Moving On With Ephesians Chapter 1

Ephesians 1:8-14

⁸ Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

God says he has abounded his Grace toward us in all wisdom and prudence. We may try to “do our best,” perhaps, but the fact is, we cannot say this of ourselves regarding how we raise our children—we may try to abound toward them in Grace, love, wisdom, and prudence, but each of us who is honest looks back and says, “There are some things I wish I had done differently.”

God will never have to say that—His character is so completely perfect that he never has to struggle over a decision—he does what his character demands that he does, and it is always exactly right—full of His Grace, Love, and Wisdom. God never blesses indiscriminately—He blesses to produce more blessings and more righteousness.

⁹ Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

This may refer to the mystery God is going to reveal through Paul, in chapter 3—or it may simply be the fact that in all the Word of God, he has revealed the mystery of His will at one level or another. No one ever got the whole picture—they all got pieces of the picture. Even though we have the completed Bible, we still don’t know the meanings of many of the prophecies yet to be fulfilled. So, although it could be in reference to the general revelation, I suspect it refers to the specific revelation coming about two pages later… a foreshadowing, if you will. This is borne out in verse 10:

¹⁰ That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Verse ten says, as a continuation of verse 9, that the mystery is the fact that God intends to join together in one, things previously kept separate, namely, as we will see in Chapter 3, the Jewish and Gentile believers.

A Secure Inheritance

¹¹ In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

¹² That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

According to verses 11 and 12, the things that follow are guaranteed to be eventually true in us, because of our position in Christ. The inheritance is ours, period. We will be to the praise of His Glory. Who will? Those who have trusted in Christ. Not just the believers of the first century—all of us!

How Does it Work?

¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

How did we get saved? We heard the word of truth, the Gospel, and we believed—then, he says, the immediate result was that we were sealed, by the Holy Spirit—where? It says we were sealed in Christ! If the Holy Spirit has sealed you in Christ, you are saved! You are secure!

¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Paul concludes by saying that the “Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance…” the “down payment.” if you will. He is with us for the duration, to give us the confidence to know that our inheritance is secure in Him, and the guidance to know how to live for God.

For how long? Until we sin too much? Nope! It is “…until the redemption of the purchased possession.” In other words, we are sealed in him, and The Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance until Jesus comes to take us to Himself.

Conclusion

So, what have we found to be true of us, based on our position in Christ? Let’s review: If you have placed your dependence upon Jesus Christ as your Savior, then:

The book of Ephesians is written to you! (verse 1)
You are one of the faithful in Christ Jesus. (verse 1)
God has already blessed you with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, in Christ. (v, 3)
You were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. (v. 4)
You are holy and blameless before him, in His Love. (v. 4)
You are predestined to be recognized as a full heir of God. (v. 5)
You are predestined to fulfill the good pleasure of His will. (v. 5)
You are predestined to be to the praise of the Glory of His Grace. (v. 6)
You are already accepted in the beloved (Christ.) (v. 6)
You already have been redeemed through His blood. (v. 7)
You already have full forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace. (v. 7)
God has already abundantly blessed you in His wisdom and prudence. (v. 8)
He has made known unto you the mystery of His will…one piece at a time. (v. 9)
Your inheritance in Him is secure. (v. 11)
You will eternally be to his glory and praise. (v. 12)
Your position in Him is sealed by the Holy Spirit. (v. 13)
The indwelling Holy Spirit is the “down payment” of the rest of the glorious inheritance promised to you. You are absolutely secure in Christ because He says so, and because the Holy Spirit is your guide, and your guard; and He seals you in Christ until the redemption of the purchased possession. (v. 14)

The Foundation is Laid

These precious promises are the basis…the foundation…of all that follows in the book of Ephesians. All the instructions to believers are based upon the security of our position in Christ. In the coming weeks, we will continue to learn from Ephesians what God would have us to know about our relationship with Him.

Please take the time this week to read back over these truths, in Ephesians chapter one, and reflect on what it means to be in Christ. We will talk about it more in the coming weeks. Next week there will be several baptisms, here: We will see how both Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are testimonies of the Gospel.

Lord Jesus, please awaken in us the heartfelt desire to know You for who You truly are, and to rest in You as our final refuge. Give us a heart to obey You and to honor You with our lives.

August 31, 2024August 31, 2024

Compare your “Position” In Christ vs. Your “Condition”

In Christ—Comparing “Position” and “Condition”

(Part One)

Ephesians 1:1-7

Introduction:

Recently, questions have come up in our Bible Studies which convinced me that we should take a break from 1^st Corinthians. We need to address some foundational truths in Ephesians. Please turn with me to the book of Ephesians, chapter one.

Ephesians 1

¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: ² Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

To The Believers

The Apostle Paul initially addressed his Epistle to the church at Ephesus, but he used words showing that it truly is addressed to all believers, everywhere, throughout the Church age. The first major theme is that the believers are “in Christ.”

Paul said the letter is to the Saints at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. That includes all the believers of the Church age. He offers to all believers the Grace of God which results in the Peace of God. Another thing: he referred to the believers as “Saints”…we tend to think of saints as “super-Christians.” But the word means “holy; sanctified; set apart for God’s purpose”—it does NOT mean problem-free, or sinless.

The saints here are the “faithful in Christ Jesus”—and if you are a believer, that includes you. (Notice it does not say, “…those who are faithful to Christ.” but rather “…those who are the faithful in Christ”) That means the believers—this letter is addressed to you—these truths apply to you. (Listen carefully, because the book of Ephesians is a letter from God to you.)

**Grace, then Peace**

Now: notice that Grace always precedes Peace in the Christian experience. This is especially true at Salvation, where God’s Grace had to be extended to me before I could have peace with Him. But, it is also true in daily life, where I continue to need God’s Grace to experience His peace. The one peace is the peace with God; the other is the peace of God.

One is named in Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Compare Ephesians 2:8, 9 “By Grace are ye saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” ) Romans 5:10 says that we were enemies of God. But now we are at peace with God.

The other (the Peace of God) is identified in Philippians 4:6, 7. “Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

I need to seek God’s Grace all the time—He is my sustenance, and by His Grace, I live. He’s the true source of peace. Peace with God means God no longer holds my sins against me. His Justice and Holiness were truly satisfied at the Cross. The Peace of God is what sustains me in everyday life—especially in rough times. But both are the result of His Grace.

All Spiritual Blessings

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

It is strange, how we extend our blessing back to God…but we do—and it is something that is very consistent throughout the scripture. It would seem logical that only He can bless us…but the reality is that we also bless God. It is a form of worship.

And the next thing it says is that He has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. This is the introduction to the next section…He says four things:

God has blessed us—(that’s past tense…He already blessed us)
With all spiritual blessings—(there is nothing lacking)
In heavenly places—(not all the blessings are visible: we accept His blessing by faith.)
In Christ—(the blessings are in Him, and they are ours because we are in Him.)

All Spiritual blessings are already yours, because of your relationship with Jesus Christ. This is called a positional truth. If you have received the Lord Jesus as your Savior, all the things in this passage are already yours. Some may argue that this statement only means that the blessings are in Christ, but we will see that not only are we “In Christ.” but we are also “seated in the Heavenlies” with him, though we certainly don’t feel that way. Ephesians 2:6 says you are already seated in the heavenlies. But, most importantly, you are in Christ.

There Are Two Possible Positions (Locations):

1^st Corinthians 15:22, lists two positions: “in Adam,” and “in Christ,” with the results of each. These two possible positions (or locations) can be compared with the same relative positions regarding Noah’s Ark. When the flood came, everyone on earth was in one of two places—they were either in the Ark, or they were not in the Ark. Similarly, everyone today is either in Christ or not in Christ…in which case they are still in their natural state, “in Adam.” Let’s see what the Bible says is true about you, because you are in Christ.

⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

This is where it says we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. Now I could take that at least two different ways. I could say that “we” who believe were chosen in Christ (that is, as a group—“those who would believe”) or I could say that each of us were hand-picked for his glory. And I believe both are probably true.

Why Two Positions?

1st John 2:2 says Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, but not all people choose to receive Him. The majority do not! In John 6:44, Jesus said, “No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” But, in John 12:32, He also said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” His Grace is extended to all, but not all believe.

This agrees with John 1:12 “…but as many as received Him, to them gave He power (exousia: “authority”) to become (genesthe: “be generated as…born as”) the sons (the word here is tekna: “children”—literally, “born-ones”) of God, even to those who believe on His name.”

There is an element of personal choice, as confusing as it may sound. To be honest with God’s Word I have to teach both ideas—God’s Sovereignty, and Man’s free moral agency. It is a powerful, precious, and dangerous gift, this gift of choice. Use it wisely. Choose Christ.

We are Chosen to be Holy and Blameless before Him.

This is in the context of positional truth, so I’ll address it that way first. You are holy to God—you are blameless in His sight. This is simply a fact, (Ephesians 4:24 says that our new nature…the one we received at the new birth, is “created in righteousness and true holiness.”)

This is a positional truth…it is true because you are in Christ. Now: based on that reality, you are also called to live a holy life and to live a blameless life. But God says He will give you both the will and the ability to do it. Philippians 2:13 says “It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Our position does not dependon our condition. We will talk more about position and condition. For the moment, remember that:

“Position” is WHO you are, and WHAT you are, because of WHERE you are (In Christ!)
“Condition” is HOW you are doing, and WHAT you are doing.

Practical Application

Your position in Christ is perfect: your condition may be terrible. Samson was in terrible “condition” as a believer—but his position was perfect.

Lot was in such bad shape as a believer that no one would have guessed he was one. But in 2^nd Peter 2:7, 8, God says Lot was a righteous man. As believers, because we are in Christ, our lives are lived under the mantle of God’s unconditional Love. He no longer sees us as lost sinners. He sees us as His dear children, born to Him by the new birth. Therefore, He brings us along, step by step, as He molds us into His own image. He is pleased with our toddling efforts to learn to walk with Him. He no longer condemns us for our failures.

What is Biblical Adoption?

⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

As believers, we are predestined to what God calls “adoption.” (The Greek word is huiothesis:) It means the “placing of sons.” It is a legal term, an official term: not a familial term. Adoption is not how you became a child of God: Adoption is how you, as a born child of God will be recognized as a full heir of God. This idea comes from Greek and Roman society, where a man had to officially recognize an heir, before that child was recognized as a “Son”—a “huios.”

Romans 8:23 says the completion of that process will not happen until you receive your new body. We already have been born again, begotten of God. We are called “teknia:” His “born-ones”—His offspring… His little children. But we will not be fully established as Sons, until we are with him. However, we have received the Spirit of adoption, according to Romans 8:15.

No Confusion Needed

To avoid confusion, it is good to understand the difference between the kind of “adoption” that is common in our society and the one that is spoken of in the New Testament. In our society, adoption always means “taking responsibility for someone who is not your offspring and treating them as someone who is your offspring.” But, the Bible word “adoption” always means taking your own offspring, and declaring them to be your legal heir.

Remember that in our form of adoption, our adopted child will never take on our genetic characteristics, because they were not born to us. In the New Testament, while Jesus declared that not all are God’s children, He also said that all could become God’s literal children by faith, through the new birth. The invitation is to “whosoever believeth in Him.”

Incidentally, it is probably good to notice that it is “according to the good pleasure of HIS will” that He does this—not because we want Him to, or any other reason. He is the Sovereign God and the Eternal Father. (Do you want something to think about, and puzzle over? Read Isaiah 9:6, 7—Then ask yourself, “Who is the Everlasting Father?”)

What Will Be The Result?

⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

I will be “to the praise of the glory of His grace!” By His Grace, He has (past tense) made me accepted in the Beloved…I’m accepted by God, in the Beloved(Jesus Christ.) There’s that “position” thing again…because I am now found in Christ, I am accepted by God in Him.

I can’t overstate the importance of your position in Christ: If you are not in Christ, then none of these things are true about you. They don’t apply. You are not accepted, not predestined to the adoption of sons, etc. So. Where is the “dividing line?” How do I know whether I am “in Him?” Well, that is the next verse!

⁷ In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

The redemption is through His Blood. If I have placed my dependence in His Blood, as the only possible payment for my sins, then I now have redemption in him. I have now been “bought back” out of the marketplace of Sin. Redemption is a precious concept. This Greek word, “lutroō,” means to be set free—it is used together with another word (exagorazo) meaning “bought out of the marketplace, not to be sold again.” They mean I have been bought out of the slave-market of sin, with the express purpose of being set free, forever. (Wow!)

How Can We Know for Sure?

So, “How can I know if I am in him?” The answer is fairly simple—it is on the strength of Jesus’ promise in John 5:24. “Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”

Because of that promise, I can confidently say: “If you have heard the good news of Jesus’ death for your sins, and His resurrection, and have placed your faith in His finished work at the cross, then you have eternal life (read the promise again—that’s exactly what it says), you will never be condemned, but rather, you have crossed over (there’s your “dividing line”) from death unto life. It can’t be any simpler.

What Have We Learned?

The Book of Ephesians is to you!
You are one of the faithful in Christ Jesus. You are a Saint: God’s private property!
God has already blessed you with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, in Christ.
Along with all believers, You were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.
You are holy and blameless before God, in His Love.
You are now predestined to be recognized as a full heir of God.
Also, you are now predestined to fulfill the good pleasure of His will.
You are now predestined to be to the praise of the Glory of His Grace.
God has already made you accepted in the beloved (in Christ.)
You already have been redeemed through His blood.
You already have full forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace.

Next week we will continue into Ephesians 1:8-14. By the time we complete the first 14 verses of this chapter, we will see seventeen things that are all true of you, because you are “In Christ.”

Lord Jesus, take us in hand and teach us the elements of Faith, so that we may stand firm in the perfect position You have purchased for us, and learn to behave in a manner appropriate to that position.

August 16, 2024August 16, 2024

Food Sacrificed to an Idol vs. The Lord’s Table

Foods Sacrificed to Idols Versus the Lord’s Table

1^st Corinthians 10:14-29

¹⁴Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

¹⁶The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? ¹⁷For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. ¹⁸Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

¹⁹What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? ²⁰But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. ²¹Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

²²Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

(What then?)

²³All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. ²⁴Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.

²⁵Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: ²⁶For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof. ²⁷If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. ²⁸But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: ²⁹Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?

Introduction:

Flee Idolatry

¹⁴Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

Paul circled back to his discussion about idols, and what hazard they may present to believers. “Flee Idolatry” cannot be equated with “Be afraid of other people’s images.” Idolatry is a heart-issue, and we can find enough idols in our own hearts. Other people’s idols are a separate subject. Paul expected the believers to exercise wisdom and understand what he said.

We already addressed the issue of covetousness, and we saw that covetousness is idolatry, according to Colossians 3:5. But Paul specifically speaks about food offered to pagan idols.

What Is the Table of the Lord?

We eat bread, and we drink grape-juice, in Communion, and we share that food. We “fellowship” or “partake together” of a commemorative meal. By doing so, we honor Jesus, and we confess that His Grace alone (in the form of His Blood, poured out at the Cross, and His body, torn and pierced for us) is our only hope of salvation.

When we partake together of the Lord’s Table, it is an act of Worship, and of Obedience, and of Testimony. We testify that “He died for me!” And, we confess that “My sins put him on that Cross!” We confess our faith His Death and His burial, and His Resurrection, on the third day. Finally, we declare that He is coming again.

In verse 16, Paul says, “¹⁶The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”

Communion Means Fellowship

This is where we get the word “Communion:” The Greek word, “koinonia” means fellowship, or sharing. Please don’t be confused by those who teach that “communion” means “common union:” That is simply not true. But do remember that “fellowship” implies “partnership.”

So, we ask ourselves, “Is this a person with whom (or a practice with which) I can have fellowship?” We need to remember that whatever and whoever it is, we are asking “Do I want to be a partner in what is going on, here?”

If the Person in question is Jesus Christ, or like-minded believers who desire to follow Jesus on a day-by-day basis, and who believe His Word, then Yes, I do want to be a partner in that fellowship.

If a practice dishonors Him or there are people who are advocating a different Gospel, then I must remember that Galatians 1:6-9 says they are accursed. I cannot try to be “partners” with them, nor pretend fellowship with them: They are going a different way, and it will present a wrong message, at the very least. I have to be kind, and loving, but I cannot “go along to get along.” There are some limitations to how much we can “Go Along” with the world.

Paul Also Compares Our Feast (Communion) With That Of Israel

¹⁷For we being many are one bread (or, “loaf”), and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. ¹⁸Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? (This is an important point!)

We base our unity upon the One Sacrifice that Jesus made. We declare our unity and our partnership with Him and with one another when we share in the Lord’s table.

Israel shared the bronze altar and the tabernacle. Those who ate the sacrifices of that altar declared their allegiance to, their dependence upon, and their worship of the God of that Altar.

Every single person n the original Passover, in each house where the lamb was slain, ate of that lamb! Every single person who claimed to be “under that blood”—ate of that lamb!

As a general rule, by eating food dedicated to a deity, one declares one’s identification with that deity. And eatring such food usually constitutes an act of worship to that deity. But Paul points out the facts, here, in verse 19:

^“19What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?”

The Idol Itself Is Nothing…But There Is A Spiritual Connection

The implication here, as well as in chapter eight, is that the idols are just lumps of clay, wood, metal, or stone. They are material, physical, inanimate objects. The idols themselves are nothing to fear at all. They have no more power than a brick or a chunk of firewood has.

However, there is a spiritual connection that affects the adherents to that religion. Paul explains, “²⁰But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. ²¹Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.”

Don’t Mingle Darkness With Light

Paul says we are not to join people in their worship of demonic creatures or forces. We are not to give the impression that we agree with their teaching. There would at least be a conflict of interest! On the one hand, we take communion, together, stating our allegiance to, and our dependence upon, and our worship of Jesus Christ.

If we then turn and celebrate something that denies that truth, we are shaming Jesus, as our actions publicly state that we do not trust in His finished work at the Cross: We are not dependent upon Him, and our allegiance is not entirely to Him, so at best, we deliver a sadly mixed message. Light and darkness don’t mix: The only way darkness can exist is in the absence of light. And the smallest light dispels darkness in the area it can reach.

Children of the Light

1^st Thessalonians 5:5 says we are Children of the Light and Children of the Day. Paul says we “glow in the dark” with the Light of Christ. Philippians 2:15, 16 says that we are to shine as lights in this dark World and offer people the Word of Life.

Ephesians 5:8-12 confirms this, saying “we”you are children oif the light…so walk as children of light. Don’t attempt to mix your light with the darkness of the world. Light dispels darkness. Light makes visible the things that are in darkness. Don’t try to mingle darkness with the Light of Life. Jesus is the Light of the World. You are a child of the Light. Shine like Jesus Shines!

²²Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

The obvious answer to both rhetorical questions is, “No!” So, if we are casual in our tolerance of worldly influences and demonic worship, then we need to remember that God is a jealous God: He does not share his honor with demons or any sort of idol. Further, it is a reminder that He is omnipotent: If you do provoke Him to wrath, nothing can stop His judgment!

1^st John 1:5. 6 says, “This is the message that we have heard of Him and declare unto You, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.”

Don’t try to mix light and darkness.

Why is this Even an Issue, if the Idol Has Not “Contaminated” the Food?

²³All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. ²⁴Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.

It is not “all about us” anymore. We need to consider how our actions and words may affect others. Yes, we have great liberty, but some things could truly be counterproductive in terms of our potential for ministry. We are to seek to promote the spiritual well-being of others, not just our own comfort, convenience, or pleasure. Paul gave his commands regarding “eating meats sacrificed to idols” for a purpose. He tells us to not cause a weaker brother to sin, and to not turn unbelievers away from Christ through what they perceive as blatant hypocrisy.

What About Food Sold in the Open Market? Or Served at a Feast?

^“25Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: ²⁶For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof. ²⁷If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.”

The meat is not a “spiritual booby-trap” that can “ensnare your soul” because you ate it. So, the point of “not asking” would be that the seller may become convinced that the Spirit living in you is greater than the spirits of their idols. Yes, God owns it all, and He has not surrendered control to Satan, as some teach. He has always maintained control and supervision. He allows a great number of “bad things” to happen, in life, but it is because “The wages of sin is death.” The whole world is suffering the consequences of humanity’s collective sin.

The women and girls who used to paint the dials of “radium-dial” watches all died of terrible cancers of the jaw, tongue, and face. It was not their fault: The sin was not theirs! Their supervisors told them that the radium was harmless, and ordered them to twirl their brushes in their mouths to achieve a fine point for applying the luminous spots on the clocks and watches. So, they did: And the result was a gruesome death!

There are countless other historical tragedies we can recite. But God’s sovereignty stands, though He grieves with us for the consequences of humanity’s sin.

But eating that meat (as a rule) is not asin. He explains what the problem is, in the next verses:

What About Testimony?

²⁸But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: ²⁹Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?

So as not to contaminate the other fellow’sconscience, in that situation, we avoid the food. (“Oh! Thanks for telling me!”) If the opportunity comes to explain that it would have no effect on you, that is fine, but to prevent an imagined “smudge” on your testimony, and to satisfy the conscience of the other person, that is a good time to abstain. Yes, we have liberty, but we do not use that liberty in such a way that it damages others.

Keep in mind that when we share in Communion, we are joining as partners with the Body of Christ at Large, stating that He is our Savior, too, and that we Believe in Him, Depend upon Him, and Worship Him. We do not do that with other things or people, nor do we have faith in any other God. Jesus is our All in All. We do not mix His service with service to any other deity,

Lord Jesus, we often struggle to understand Your Word. It is above our human ability to comprehend. We ask that You continue to teach us by Your Holy Spirit and mold us into the Image of Christ.

August 10, 2024August 10, 2024

How To Find Examples By Which To Live

By What Examples?

1^st Corinthians 10:1-14

¹ Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; ²And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³And did all eat the same spiritual meat; ⁴And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

⁵But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

⁶Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

⁷Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

⁸Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

⁹Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

¹⁰Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

¹¹Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

¹²Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

¹³There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

¹⁴Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Introduction:

Bear in mind that virtually all of both Corinthian letters is given to corrective teaching.

Paul Makes Several Odd Statements in this Passage:

Speaking of the Whole House of Israel that emerged from Egypt, following Moses, after they had all partaken of the Blood of the Lamb at the Passover, he reminds the Corinthian believers that of all those people,

All were under the cloud
All passed through the sea
They All were baptized unto Moses (identified with him) in the cloud and in the sea
All ate the same spiritual meat (food…Manna)
All drank the same spiritual drink (water…miraculously delivered)
- They All drank of a Spiritual Rock that followed them (KJV) or accompanied them,
- And that Rock WAS Christ.

Without this passage, I would have supposed that the Rock was, well …just a rock! And I assumed they either circled around, somehow and came to the same place, or it was two different rocks. But God said the Rock went with them and the Rock WAS Christ! Amazing!

So, he says that, collectively, they all had the same “foundation,” as believers.

But!

He then says that God was not pleased with all of them! As a result of their constant rebellion and sin, thousands of individuals and the entire first generation (all those who were over twenty years old when they exited Egypt) died in the wilderness and never entered the promised land.

In most Western cultures we assume that the “Promised Land” is analogous to Heaven. But it is not! Remember that those who did enter the land were immediately immersed in a war that lasted their whole life! They literally, and physically, had to fight enemies to gain every bit of land they gained, even though God gave it to them, positionally, the condition was that they had to fight for it…and He backed them. That would be a pretty rough “heaven,” compared with what little we know about it from the Bible (no fear, no danger, no death, no sorrowing, etc..)

No, the “Promised Land” is analogous to the Normal Christian Life. We, too, were immersed in a spiritual war, the moment we crossed over into life with Christ. That is why Ephesians spends half a chapter explaining the Spiritual Armor God has given to believers.

So, those who died in the wilderness for whatever reason, though they were genuine believers, never got to begin the battle for the Land. They never crossed over into the normal life in the land. In most cases, as we read the specifics of why they died in the wilderness, it turns out that there was some sin from their old way of life that they refused to let go of. Let’s look!

Bad Examples (Do Not🙂

Lust after evil things
Practice Idolatry
Commit Fornication (sexual immorality)
Tempt Christ (pushing your luck…testing His Judgment)
Murmur (complaining…desiring to “go back to Egypt,” which is a picture of the World.)

Where Do These Examples Come From?

Paul referred to Old Testament Examples in Every Case, Here:

“Lusting After Evil Things”

It can simply mean yearning after whatever feeds our old sin nature. In Israel’s case, it was very simple: They wanted meat to eat, and they were despising the manna that God miraculously supplied. So, in Numbers 11:18, 20, 33, 34 we see that the people demanded that Moses give them meat to eat. God said in verse 20 that He wouldsend meat for them. He said that they would eat meat until it came out their nostrils!

He sent millions of quail through the camp. Everyone harvested them, piling quail meat all over the camp. But, they had disrespected God and despised the manna of God. So, he sent a plague along with the quail. Verses 33 and 34 say the plague struck “while the meat was in their teeth.” Many people died. We don’t know how many, but verse 34 says they named the place “Kibroth-hattaavah:” the “Graves of Lust,” because they buried so many people there, due to the plague.

“Practicing Idolatry”

We don’t tend to think about idolatry very often. We think of it as “something people in other times and places did.” But when we focus more solidly on something other than God, than we do upon God Himself, then we are tending toward idolatry.

Colossians 3:5 says that, from God’s perspective, covetousness (greed…avarice) is idolatry. So, in the form of covetousness, idolatry can be a nearly invisible sin, because only the heart and mind can do it. No other part of the human body can “covet.”

Idolatry is always a heart issue. When we fix our hopes, dreams, plans, and desires on God, we are truly free from idolatry. When we fix our heart on anything else, the further we go toward that thing in our commitments and desires, the further we find ourselves away from a clean relationship with God. But there are other types of idolatry:

The people of Israel set an example for us that was very easy to identify. The passage Paul cites is in Exodus 32, where while Moses was on Mount Sinai, Aaron made the golden calf and the people worshipped that calf, and evidently they were naked (according to verse 25.)

Paul quotes Exodus 32:6, specifically, though the whole chapter gives us the context. Three thousand died by the sword (verse 28), and who knows how many by the plague (verse 35.)

God is serious about sin!

“Committing Fornication”

We are very familiar with sexual immorality in our culture. Our culture has become saturated with it. But Paul is referring to Numbers 25, where the men of Israel went to the pagan worship feasts with the Midianite and Moabite women, and committed fornication with them, both there and in the camp of Israel. In Numbers 25, it says 24,000 died of the plague due to that sin.

Here in 1^st Corinthians 10:8, it only mentions 23,000… but that is the number who died in one day! It certainly does not deny that there were others, after that day, as a continuing result.

God IS serious about sin!

“Tempting Christ”

This is a strange phrase, to us, because we only use the word “tempt” in the sense of luring someone else to sin. But, in scripture, it usually carries the connotation of “testing.” Putting someone to the test: Seeing “just how far you can go,” in pushing them.

In Numbers 21:5-9, the people accused God and Moses, blaming them for all their complaints. But God responded by sending migratory desert vipers through the camp, by the thousands. Many people were bitten and died.

In John 3:14, 15, Jesus used that story (the bronze serpent) as an example, a teaching platform by which to present the Gospel. Paul used the sin of the people as an example of “what not to do if you want to learn to walk with God.” Don’t push your luck. Jesus is still the Eternal Judge!

“Murmuring”

This “murmuring went far beyond just public complaining. Numbers 14 is the passage Paul cites. The twelve spies had just returned from the “inspection tour” of the promised land, and TEN of them said, “Yeah, the land is great, but the giants in the land will eat us alive! Don’t go in!”

The remaining two spies (Joshua and Caleb) were faithful and said, “The land is exactly what God said it would be! He promised to fight for us! We can’t lose! Let’s go in immediately!”

But the People believed the ten spies. Not only were they discouraged, but they also wanted to stone to death Joshua and Caleb, replace Moses with a new leader, and head back to Egypt!

God’s response was to declare that none of the adults who had come with Moses out of Egypt would enter the land. And He destroyed the ten unfaithful spies, by plague, on the spot!

How Should We Respond to These Examples?

All these were Examples for us: the Church age believers! They are warnings to take our walk with Jesus seriously. You can’t lose your position in Christ, but your condition can become so miserable that you are no longer walking with Jesus at all: no longer living as a child of God.That is why he says,^“wherefore, let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” If we get cocky, we are headed for a fall!

**God Has Also Provided Good Examples**

Examples for us to Follow

James 5:10 says, “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.”

1^st Peter 2:21 says, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.”

John 13:15 says, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

Examples for us to Be

1^st Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation (meaning behavior…conduct…how we live), in charity (Agapé Love), in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

1^st Peter 5:3 says to the elders, “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.”

Paul’s Conclusion:

¹⁴Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

God is with us, and He oversees the testing that we endure. He provides His Grace into which we are called to flee, to find rest and help in time of need. We have been given access to the Throne of Grace, and He invites us to come there boldly, not timidly. We belong there!

Don’t allow anything to come between you and Jesus!

Lord Jesus, we ask that You bind our hearts to You, so that we willingly choose to follow in Your steps and learn from You as disciples. Solidify our Love toward You, and make us strong in Your Love for us.

July 20, 2024July 20, 2024

What does “Strive for Mastery” Mean? What if We Fail?

How Do We Strive for Mastery? What if We Don’t?

1^st Corinthians 9:19-27

¹⁹For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

²⁰And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

²¹To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

²²To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

²³And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

²⁴Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

²⁵And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

²⁶I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

²⁷But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Introduction:

Paul introduced several concepts, here in the latter half of 1^st Corinthians chapter nine. He says that he:

Chose to be a servant to all, that he might gain more (reaching souls for Christ.)
Lived as those around him lived, so as not to cause an offense and turn people away.
He did all these things for the sake of the gospel…not to deceive them in any way.
He did so, that he might be a partaker in the Gospel with his hearers. He wanted them to serve Christ with him, and to be in Heaven with him!

Paul reminded the people that there is usually only one “first-place prize” in a race. The analogy only goes so far: the point is that we want to apply ourselves as if we were striving to win, not just participate. We can win collectively and individually. But if we are not giving diligence to the things of Christ, then He will reward us accordingly. Ultimately, we are slacking, and we are not “in it to win,” either individually nor as part of a group,

God has given each of us a task: If we are not applying ourselves diligently to that task, then we are not “Striving for Mastery.” We are treating our service to God only as a hobby, not a calling…and we ARE His “called ones!”

What Does it Mean, Then, to “Strive for Mastery?”

In his 93^rd year, the famous cellist, Pablo Casals was still practicing his cello three hours per day. Someone asked him why, at his age, he was still practicing so diligently. He replied, “I think I am seeing some improvement!”

If anyone had truly mastered the cello, he was the one. And still, he “strove for mastery!” He continued to work toward improvement. We cannot easily attain mastery. Perhaps a true expert would say “Mastery is never truly achieved…it can only be more and more closely approached.”

Some people (mistakenly) think that I am a master at violin making. (I absolutely am not!) There are men and women whom I consider to be masters at the craft. They might be kind enough to approve of my work, but none would say I have mastered any part of the craft. At best, they might say, “You have come a long way, Chet! Your work is improving!”

All I can do, one by one, is, try to make each instrument better than the one before. I can try not to keep making the same mistakes over and over.

So, What is Our Goal, as Christians?

In Hebrews 12:1, the writer (probably Paul) says, “Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, (Meaning, the collective testimony of the Old Testament saints in chapter eleven) let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us.”

All we can do is “press on!” 2^nd Corinthians 10:12 says we are not to compare ourselves with others. “¹²For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

The race is not a competition against one another. Philippians 3:14 shows that it is a striving forward, pressing on into Christ, reaching forward “toward the mark for the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We contend “against the course itself,” in a sense: (the race that is set before us.)

When I was trying (and failing) to maintain a regimen of running, my brother advised, “Never let the course beat you!” He explained, “Set small goals, as needed, but follow through and complete the course. Don’t allow yourself to establish an accepted pattern of failure.” I never did establish such a pattern of diligence and I have suffered the consequences, physically.

However, I have occasionally been able to apply that concept in other areas. For example, at work, I analyzed my tasks and tried to determine where I was behaving inefficiently. I found ways to optimize my efforts so that I accomplished more work in a day. It was not that I was competing against other workers: I was competing against my own track record. I was striving for mastery.

God Sets Goals Before Us

In Philippians 2:5-8, He says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus….” And then he enumerates the steps of “kenosis” (the self-emptying) that Jesus followed, to be the Servant of God that He was. We can see a seven-fold self-emptying, here:

He did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped at—or clung to;
He set aside the honor and prerogatives of deity (making himself of no reputation) and literally became a “nobody”. Jesus was not honored as an important member of His society.
Jesus took on a much lower form—that of a created being, though he was the Creator; that of a servant, though He was the ultimate Lord and Master.
He was made in the form of a man—in fact, arriving as men arrive—a naked, helpless baby; completely dependent upon others for food and care.
He humbled himself. There was no hint of pride in anything Jesus did on earth. There were no “Look at me now!” moments.
He was obedient in all things, big and little, convenient and inconvenient.
He was obedient even though it cost him his life.

Then, in the following three verses (9-11,) we can see the seven-fold reward He received:

The Father has Highly Exalted Him:
Has given Him a Name which is above every name
That at the name of Jesus, Every knee shall bow
Of things in Heaven (the holy Angels, the righteous resurrected dead, and the raptured church)
And things in Earth (whoever is living on the restored Earth…in the Millennial Kingdom, apparently), and
Things under the Earth (I assume he means the inhabitants of Sheol), and
That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.

Each Person Has His or Her Own Assignment

Jesus had a different assignment than we do, and yet, we are told to see Him as our supreme example. He told us to emulate Him. None of us can become a savior for anyone else. But we can exhibit His nature as we “run the race that is set before us.”

In 2^nd Peter 1:3-11, he says, “³According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

⁴Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

⁵And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

⁶And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

⁷And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

⁸For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁹But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

¹⁰Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

¹¹For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Let’s Examine What Peter Said, There:

In verses three and four, he said that God has given to us (past tense) everything we need to live godly lives, through the knowledge of Him that has called us!

How has he given us this ability? Through the Word! He says it is by the “exceeding great and precious promises” that we can become partakers of the Divine Nature.

Which promises? Effectively, all of ‘em! But the journey begins when we place our trust in His Promise of salvation through His Blood! Romans 3:25 says, “He is the propitiation (the satisfaction of God’s Righteous Judgment of our Sin) through faith in His Blood.”

Jesus reiterated that promise in John 5:24. He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent me, Hath everlasting Life, and shall not come into condemnation; but has passed from death unto Life!”

Believing that promise (applying it to our own need by faith) brings us into the family of God as newly re-born children of God. From that point forward, he exhorts us to begin learning to live like His children because we ARE His children.

Next time I am teaching we will examine these things in detail.

For now, we will close, and celebrate communion together. I will be out of commission for at least a week, as I go back for the surgery on my left eye.

Randy will be teaching next week.

Lord Jesus, help us to learn to walk with You in such a way as to not cause offense, and to know You more closely, every day.

July 15, 2024July 15, 2024

How Does The Burden of the Gospel Affect Us?

The Burden of the Gospel

1^st Corinthians 9:1-19

¹ Am I am not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? ²If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

³Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

⁴Have we not power to eat and to drink? ⁵Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? ⁶Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

⁷Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? ⁸Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? ⁹For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

Application of Old Testament Truth in New Testament Practice

¹⁰Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. ¹¹If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

¹²If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

¹³Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? ¹⁴Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

¹⁵But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. ¹⁶For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

¹⁷For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. ¹⁸What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

¹⁹For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

Introduction:

Wherever the Gospel went, there were various responses. The most common response was (and still is) rejection. But, among those who seem to receive the Gospel, there is a wide range of “receptions.”

Some claim to believe the message, and they verbally agree with every point of the message. But when it gets “close to home,” so to speak, then they begin to argue. If the message requires a change in their beliefs or their behavior, they balk. They say, “Well, I don’t see it that way! I don’t think that is what it really means!”

The false believers attack the messengers as the arguments become more intense. They question the credentials of the messenger. If that doesn’t work, they attack his or her looks, mannerisms, grammar, or some other (equally irrelevant) thing. If the message is true, it does not (should not) matter who brings the message. It doesn’t matter whether you “like” that messenger.

God did not tell us what the accusations against Paul were. We can deduce from his defense what the various attacks might have been.

Appearance Is Not A Good Criterion for Judgment

Appearance is not an accurate predictor of the content of books, nor the expertise of teachers. The adage, “Never judge a book by its cover” is especially true in teachers. Our society has taught us to think that, “If a person looks good, they must be good. If they look trustworthy, they must be trustworthy.”

This is not peculiar to our society: God prophesied against the Jews, that they would do the same. Isaiah 3:6, 7 “⁶…. a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:

⁷In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.”

In that prophecy, one person attempts to nominate another for public office, because he looks good, and has appropriate clothing. But. the response is shallow, too. The man says that his outward appearance is deceptive: that he is truly destitute, so he declines to rule.

But when has physical wealth ever been a good predictor of leadership quality? Both outlooks are wrong! Remember Nabal: He was very wealthy, but he was an utter, self-centered fool.

Grammar and Accent are Also Undependable

Rudy Johnson was a humble and a truly Godly man. He was one of my best teachers. But, he had an odd speech impediment that made it very difficult for him to pronounce words correctly. He did not allow it to stop him, though it engendered a good deal of humor amongst those who heard him. Some people meant it as good-natured humor, but some were derisive.

Some simply enjoyed what seemed to be just a dialectic peculiarity, because he also had a deep southern accent. But others rejected him because “he can’t even talk right!”

I enjoyed him immensely, but I did not find out until years later that his garbled speech was due to some medical anomaly. He and his wife both assured me that he wanted to pronounce words correctly, but he was unable to do so. It was frustrating to him, but he served faithfully anyway.

Orthodoxy is Not Necessarily a Guarantee of Godliness

The word “orthodox” simply means “having correct opinions,” or “teaching correctly.” But a person may recite a creed correctly without believing it. They “parrot the words.” They learned the words. But they have not applied the meaning of those words to their own lives.

I have known blatantly ungodly individuals who could correctly quote scriptures and teachers who could correctly teach through a given passage of scripture, though they, themselves, were not believers, and did not believe the Bible was the Word of God. It was “literature” to them.

They had “correct opinions” about what the Bible said, but no personal commitment to those truths. So, at best, a person who chose to pursue the “job” of preaching, because he saw it as a “reasonably well-paid job, with minimal real work,” is a hireling. He may superficially believe that the Bible is “true,” but he does not allow it to direct his life. He may have learned “correct information” only because he saw it as a means by which to “get the job.” But, at worst, he may be a charlatan, hoping to “fleece the flock of God.” Money may be his only motive.

Remember, the Priests and the Pharisees were “orthodox” as a rule, but they hated Jesus, and they had zero care for His flock. They only wanted the prosperity and honor that came along with their social status.

**So, Why Did People Reject Paul?**

Appearance, Perhaps?

Paul had gone through some pretty savage treatment at the hands of unbelieving Jews, in the weeks or months just before he first arrived in Corinth. (Acts 14, 16 and 17)

Stoned

The people at Lystra (Acts 14:19) stoned Paul. They thought they had killed him. But he eventually got up and walked back into the city, and he left the next day. He suffered some serious injuries in that attack, for sure: possibly permanent disfiguring marks and scars.

Beaten

The magistrates at Philippi savagely beat Paul and Silas in Acts 16:22, 23. He and Silas were probably still bleeding from that beating when they came to Thessalonica. (His arrival there was only a few days after the Philippian Jailer had dressed his wounds and those of Silas.)

At Thessalonica, there was a riot and a revival, in response to the Gospel. Many had believed the Gospel, but the unbelieving Jews stirred up a mob of Gentiles and made an attack on the house where Paul had been staying. Paul wasn’t there at the moment, though; and the believers sent him away for his safety and theirs. He had only been in Thessalonica for about three weeks.

Paul then went to Athens, but only stayed a short while. He preached there, but he had very little fruit, so he left and went to Corinth. And, there, he preached only Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.

As a result of all of the above, he arrived in Corinth looking “pretty rough.” We don’t know just how badly he was wounded in the stoning at Lystra, but we suspect there were severe head wounds, and later, it is revealed that his eyes were affected. We can’t prove it was because of the stoning at Lystra, but it seems likely. So… the people who eventually argued against Paul had his appearance to use for “ammunition,” if they chose to do so.

In reality, those scars should have been seen as emblems of integrity: Paul had endured the stoning and the beatings, and he continued to teach, wherever he went. (People don’t usually do that for a message they know to be a lie.) See his comment about those scars in Galatians 6:17.

Language, Mannerisms, and Motives?

Paul was a Jew from Tarsus, so whatever stigma that added could be used as well. His detractors were local, whether Jews or Gentiles, so they may have seemed more attractive to their audience simply because they spoke in the same way as their hearers. (They sounded less “foreign.”)

Further, Paul says he came to them determined to “…know nothing except Christ and Him Crucified.” (1^st Corinthians 2:1, 2) His detractors had no such limitation, and some of them (we see later) were professional orators. Paul was simply giving the truth of the Gospel.

Unorthodox Teaching

Unlike the Judaizers, Paul was preaching the Gospel of Christ, which eliminated the “partition” between Jews and Gentiles. So, to both the Jews and the Gentiles, Paul seemed to be teaching “strange doctrines.” Had they listened closely (and some did) they would have learned that this “new doctrine” was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. In other words, it was not “unorthodox,” in the truest sense. It was just “unusual:” They had never heard it before.

Unorthodox Behavior

Also, unlike other “traveling teachers,” Paul was not “taking up a collection.” He was not demanding anything in return for the message he proclaimed.

There is a common notion that something of lesser “price” must therefore be of lesser “worth.” It is a common idea today, too. “There must be a reason it is free, or offered at such a low price!” “You get what you pay for!” “Yes, you got it for free and it has been worth every penny!”

We know the price of something without knowing its value. Notice that the words “priceless” and “valueless” have opposite meanings.

So, the fact that Paul refused to be a burden to his listeners may have been one of the things used as an accusation against him.

Corrective Teaching

Paul pointed out that he DID have the right to expect support from those he taught, but that he chose to forego that right, so as not to burden these new believers.

He pointed out that the other apostles were married, and were supported, but that he had chosen to serve single, and to support his ministry by physical work. (As a tentmaker with Aquila and Priscilla, there in Corinth. Acts 18:1-3) They saw him working, supporting himself and his entourage, and they jumped to the wrong conclusion that he had less credibility and authority than the traveling teachers who perhaps rented an auditorium and then charged admission fees to attend. In verse 18, he said that would have been an abuse of his authority.

Paul confirmed that it was ordained by God in the Old Testament that the teachers and leaders were to be supported by those of the flock.

Pauls Motive in Declining Pay

But, in verses 15-18, he said that he would sooner die than have his testimony destroyed by such a small issue. He went on to say that his assignment was to preach the Gospel of Christ, whether he did so willingly or unwillingly. If he worked willingly, there was a reward coming! But, if he was unwilling, the assignment did not change: You see, he saw the preaching of the Gospel as his only job. And if he failed to do it, he was in trouble with the Lord!

Remember in verse one, he said, “Am I not free?” (meaning, “I am not your slave!”) But he concludes in verse 19 that though he truly was free from bondage to any human, he counted it a privilege and a reward, to offer the Gospel of Christ free of charge. Therefore, he willingly became the servant (slave) of all people so that he might reach more people with the Gospel.

We would do well to emulate that attitude, ourselves.

Lord Jesus, please allow us to emulate Your Humility as described in Philippians chapter two, and empty ourselves of our incessant demand for recognition. Let us lay aside our “rights” and our self-aggrandizement and our self-affirmation, and offer Glory only to You!

Dead or Alive

Ephesians 2:1-7, 8-10

Introduction:

We Were All Dead (Ephesians 2:1-3 (read it))

We All Have Been Made Alive (Ephesians 2:4-7)

Positional Truth

All of Us?

“But God…!”

When Did It Happen?

All Alive…Together with Christ

Now, What?

Our New Job

In Christ—A Continued Study in Ephesians

Ephesians 1:15-23

Foundation for progress: Framework for prayer.

Introduction—Review

Positional Truths

A Foundation for Progress:

A Framework for Prayer:

“The Spirit of Wisdom”

“And of Revelation”

“In The Knowledge of God”

Paul Prays that the “Eyes of Our Understanding” May be Enlightened.

What Does Paul Expect Us to See and Understand?

Three Words For “Power”

The Importance of Authority

Jesus is The Head of the Body, the Church

Conclusion:

However:

What is the Result of the “Federal Headship” Doctrine?

Introduction:

1st Corinthians 15:22

Romans 6:1-10

Dead to Sin

How Are We Dead To Sin?

God’s Intervention

Baptized into Death

Baptized into Life

Two Natures

A Done Deal

What Should the Result Be?

Only By the Spirit

God’s Guarantee

The Twin Ordinances of The Church: Baptism and Communion

Baptism

Communion…the Lord’s Table

Introduction:

No Special Human “Credentials”

Ordinances, not Sacraments

Who was John the Baptist?

John’s Credentials:

Why did the priests and Pharisees desire Baptism?

But, Why Baptism?

Examples

What About Communion? The Lord’s table…The Lord’s Supper?”

“In Christ”—Comparing “Position” and “Condition”

© C. O. Bishop

Introduction

Good and Bad

Identification

Spiritual Identification

How are the Children of God Identified?

It Depends on Who is Looking

How Does God See Us?

But, What about Adoption?

Moving On With Ephesians Chapter 1

Ephesians 1:8-14

A Secure Inheritance

How Does it Work?

Conclusion

The Foundation is Laid

In Christ—Comparing “Position” and “Condition”

(Part One)

Ephesians 1:1-7

Introduction:

Ephesians 1

To The Believers

Grace, then Peace

All Spiritual Blessings

There Are Two Possible Positions (Locations):

**We Were All Dead (Ephesians 2:1-3 (read it))**

**We All Have Been Made Alive (Ephesians 2:4-7)**

**All Alive…Together with Christ**

1^st Corinthians 15:22

**Ordinances, not Sacraments**

**Grace, then Peace**

1^st Corinthians 10:14-29

1^st Corinthians 10:1-14

**God Has Also Provided Good Examples**

1^st Corinthians 9:19-27

1^st Corinthians 9:1-19

**So, Why Did People Reject Paul?**