How Do I Know All of the Bible is For Me? (Part 3)

**How Do I Know All of the Bible is For Me? (Part 3)**

2^nd Timothy 2:15 and many others…

Introduction

For three weeks, we have explored evidence that “the whole Bible is for me, though not all of it is directed to me.” But, what about the idea that perhaps not even every bit of the New Testament is “directed to us?”

We cited the example of Jesus’s command to Judas: We agreed that it was not directed to us, but only to Judas Iscariot. But, along with the context in which that command was given, we see that Jesus was in full control of the circumstances of His death. When He said, “No man taketh my life: I lay it down of my own will, and I will take it up again,” He spoke the truth. And so, even that command was FOR us. We gain faith through it!

But that is only a tiny example of the question we are really asking: When we read the account of the Lord’s Supper, we hear Jesus say, “This cup is the New Testament (or New Covenant) in My Blood!” So, the New Testament, proper, could not begin until His Blood was shed at the Cross. What does that tell us about the Gospels?

What About the Gospels?

Though they are the introduction to the New Testament (or New Covenant,) the Gospels are the culmination of the Old Testament. Galatians 4:4 states, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law….” Jesus was born under the Law, lived His entire life under the Law, and He kept the Law perfectly.

Jesus initially preached the Gospel of the coming Kingdom (the Messianic, or Millennial Kingdom.) His message was focused on Israel, and He eventually warned Israel of what the Tribulation would entail for them. As a result, there is a great deal of Kingdom-age teaching and a fair amount of warning to the Jews who will live during the Tribulation, that the end of the Tribulation is imminent and that the King will soon return. (Matthew 24:3-34)

But, What about Us? The Church?

Can I learn from the messages Jesus preached in the Gospels? Yes! Absolutely; I can! But is His message “to the Church?” Sorry…no! He only mentions “the church” three times: twice in Matthew 18:17, and in that verse, it only means “the assembly” (the Greek word, “ecclesia,” translated as “church,” means “assembly.”)

The only time Jesus mentions the “Church, proper” (with the same meaning as in the Epistles,) is in Matthew 16:18, and it is prophetic. He was looking forward to what His Church would be.

When Jesus mentions the “Kingdom” He is talking specifically about the Kingdom the Jews had been waiting for. John the Baptist also preached “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” (Why? Because Jesus, the King, was right there!) Theoretically, had they received Him as their King, right then, He could have ushered in the Kingdom age.

But He knew what they were going to do: Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22 were already in writing! They already had it in their scriptures! The Crucifixion was going to happen! Revelation 13:8 says that Jesus was “the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the World.” The offer was legitimate, but God already knew the outcome.

But, What about the Parables?

All the Parables were primarily about Israel, not the Church, proper. They declared the requirements of God’s Righteousness and the standard of righteousness in the coming Kingdom. They especially addressed the fact that “professed faith” is not what God wants: He wants the real thing! Jesus said the religious “piety” of the Jewish leaders was not what He wanted.

The Jews had been professing faith for centuries! But God condemned their hypocrisy, in the Old Testament! For example, in Ezekiel 33:30-33, God warned Ezekiel that the people coming “to hear him speak the Word of the LORD” were only coming for entertainment value, as though they were attending a concert or a recital. They enjoyed hearing the Word of the LORD, but they were not at all willing to allow it to change their lives. (We can learn from that!)

What can we Learn in the Gospels?

Matthew: Jesus the King!

In Matthew 23:34-36, we see that Jesus is the one who sent the prophets and teachers to Israel! And, in the next passage, (Matthew 23:37-39) Jesus mourns that, down through the ages, He has been offering to lead, comfort, and protect Jerusalem; but they have rejected Him! He revealed Himself as the King of the Jews, and Jerusalem utterly rejected His claim.

Mark: Jesus the Servant!

In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus stopped the storm by his sheer authority. The disciples were mostly seasoned, experienced fishermen, but they believed they were about to drown, In their fear, they called on Jesus, and, amazingly, He stood up and calmed the storm with His spoken Word!

And then they were more afraid of Him than they had been of dying! They said, “What manner of Man is this, that even the wind and the waves obey him?” They began to see that the God of the Universe was in the boat with them! And they were terrified! (We can learn from that, too!)

Luke: Jesus the Son of Man!

In Luke 16:19-31, we learn truths about the afterlife that we could not learn elsewhere. We learn that there were once two compartments in Sheol/Hades. One side, a temporary holding place for the righteous dead, was sometimes called Paradise, or “Abraham’s Bosom.” It was a place of total Comfort and Peace. The other side, a temporary holding place for the unrighteous dead, was simply called “Hell.” It was a place of Torment, Flame, and (maybe) solitary confinement. But it was not the Lake of Fire. (That place is explained later, and it is permanent.)

John: Jesus the Eternal God

The Gospel of John (the entire book) presents Jesus as THE omnipotent God of the Universe. In John 1:1-3, John introduced Him as the Word of God, as God, and as the Creator! Then he revealed His incarnation as Jesus, the Messiah, in verse 14. In the Gospel of John. Jesus reveals His Deity, His office as Savior, His character as the Shepherd, and His authority as the Judge,

Yes, every bit of the Gospels is for us. And many passages of the Gospels can be applied directly to us. But we want to be careful to discern whether a particular command or promise is to the church and church-age believers, or specifically to the tribulation saints, for example, as there is plenty of that sort of teaching, as well.

So, What About The Book of Acts?

The Book of Acts is “about the Church,” it is “for the Church,” and it is “to the Church.” It is the true “transition” between the Old and New Testaments. It is an exciting Book to read, and we can learn a great deal, there. But, a few odd things occur there, which are never repeated: They demonstrate the omnipotent authority of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is GOD! He can do things we didn’t expect. He can give commands we don’t understand. When something of that sort is in view, we may not want to “build a general doctrine from it” as it may be a “one-time-only” miraculous intervention. But the Book of Acts is definitely Church-age teaching. It is for us, and it is directed to us!

Then, What about the Church Epistles?

Aha! Now we are talking about letters to the Church! As we see in the various epistles, the language includes the modern church! (Ephesians 1:1 is addressed not only “to the saints at Ephesus,” but also “to the faithful in Christ Jesus.” (That’s us!) Also, in John 17:20, Jesus prayed “ Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.” (That’s US! Jesus was praying for YOU, right there in His High Priestly prayer!)

Are there any Exceptions?

Are there certain passages within the epistles, where a certain individual is called out by name? Yes, of course there are! There are very few, but even those are still within the context of church-age teaching, and we can apply them pretty freely to our own case.

For example, in Philippians 4:2, 3, Paul tells two believing women, called by name, to learn to get along with each other and to choose to be in unity. But, I can compare it to other scriptures and see that it applies equally to all believers.

What was special about these two was that both women were named as faithful servants of God, who had served with Paul: but, for some reason, their fellowship had been broken. They had allowed their differences to build up a wall of enmity between them. He begged them to put that rift aside, and rebuild unity. He begged the others to help them to do so. Does that apply to believers at large? Yes, it does! Does he have to call us each by name, as He did those two women? Of course, not!

Do some passages seem to address problems, that perhaps were peculiar to a certain culture? Probably so…but I want to be very careful not to “just ignore” things that are peculiar to a given culture, simply because “I don’t like it.” (Maybe because it’s “uncomfortable” or “inconvenient,” or because it cuts across our culture.) But, if it is in the epistles, it probably is “to me.”

Finally, What About the Revelation?

All but two chapters of the Apocalypse (“the Revelation”) are either prophetic (Chapters 4-22) about a time during which we will no longer be on the earth,) or (Chapter 1) about the specific vision of Christ that prefaced all the rest of the book.

Chapters 2 and 3 are TO the Church:

They are specifically “to the Churches.” (That means us!) Were they primarily addressing specific churches at that time? Certainly, they were! Were they also (possibly) predicting the trajectory of the Church at large, throughout the Church Age? Probably so. But without a doubt, those two chapters are “to the churches.” Jesus says so!

Warnings

There are warnings about apathy, there. Jesus warns the churches against tolerating subversive teaching and people who encourage immorality. Jesus warns that if a church continues in counterproductive behavior, He will shut it down!

He warns that He is Holy, and reminds the churches that He is their Source of Life and Light. He is the One who empowers the churches to be the Light of God in their communities.

Promises

Jesus promises the believers of the churches that the eternal life He has given is theirs and that He is aware of their faithfulness, love, and labor. He promises that rewards will accompany their salvation. He promises that the second death will not touch them.

Exhortations

Jesus admonishes the hearers (seven times) to heed what the Holy Spirit says to the Churches. He acknowledges that what He says is also what the Spirit says. The Holy Spirit is never at variance with the Word of God.

The Prophecy of the End Times

From Revelation 4:1-19:21, the Book of the Revelation gives us the events of the Tribulation (also called “the Seventieth Week of Daniel,” and sometimes “the Time of Jacob’s Trouble.”)

God allows us to see what is coming. We cannot understand every bit of it: Some events will not be understood until they occur. But He gives us enough detail that when the people of the Tribulation see those events occurring, they will understand them clearly.

Conclusion

So, what can we say about all this? ALL of God’s Word is “Sheep Food.” If you are hungry, eat! Yes, all of it is for you. All of it is “edifying.” (That means, when you read God’s Word, it “builds you up and strengthens you.”) Study it, meditate upon it, and learn to understand it.

2^nd Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” (What??) Is he saying we are supposed to divide the Word? (Some translations use the word “handle.”) And, does it say that there are “right” ways to divide it, and, (by implication,) wrong ways to divide it? (Or, to “handle” it?) Well, yes, that does seem to be what he just said!

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

And…you may have noticed: that is what we have been attempting to do. We are trying to “Rightly divide the Word of Truth!” Every time we teach, every time we preach, and every time we study, our goal is to “show ourselves approved unto God”…and to “rightly divide the Word of Truth. And God says that, as a result, we will be “workmen that need not be ashamed!”

This is not always a comfortable idea, but when we are committed to correctly understanding what anyone says, we must also carefully consider who said it, exactly what was said, to whom, and the context in which it was given.

The various News Media and Political influencers frequently do exactly the opposite, in their attempt to mislead the public. We know it is happening. We try to avoid being deceived. But it is difficult! We do not have a clear, reliable “source of truth” in the News Agencies. Each reporter has an agenda: Each is willing to “shade the truth” (lie) to accomplish his/her goals.

But we do have God’s Word! He has given to us a source of unchanging truth, and in 2^nd Peter 1:19-21, God says it is our only reliable source of light until the Lord Jesus returns for us! We need to take this seriously! We need to choose to hunger for the Word of God.

And, He says, if you eat, you will grow strong!

Lord Jesus, please stir our hearts to hunger for Your presence, and to find your blessing by feeding on your Word. Protect us against the deceit of the enemy, the deceit of the world around us, and, the deceit of our own sinful hearts. Let us see the path before us through Your Eyes, in the Light of Your Word!

June 1, 2024June 1, 2024

How Can I Know That All of the Bible is For Me? (Part 2-1/2)

**How Do I Know all of the Bible is For Me? (Part 2-1/2)**

Romans 7:13; Romans 8:2 and many others…

Introduction

Last week we ran out of time, so we had to truncate “part 2” and continue later. We left off in the portion about the Law itself…the Mosaic Law…the Old Testament Law, with which we are all familiar, to one degree or another, and about which we have a wide variety of reactions.

We had already talked about the Old Testament Narratives…the history books, from Genesis to Judges, and a little about the personal narratives, such as Ruth, Esther, and Job.

**But, What About The Law?**

In Exodus 19:5, God told Israel that they were to be “a peculiar people” unto Him. (We would say, “special.”) The concept is that God gave His covenant (and His Law) to Israel alone. That Law was “iron-clad” to Israel, but it had zero bearing on the heathen nations around them. (By the way, “Gentile” means “heathen.”) The Law revealed the depravity of the entire human race. That judgment includes Israel, but the Law was only directed to Israel, and Israel alone.

If someone from another nation desired to become part of Israel, they had to submit to God’s Law for Israel. They could “do business” with Israel without becoming a Jewish Proselyte. They could even worship the God of Israel without becoming a proselyte. But they could not “attach themselves” to the Nation of Israel without embracing the Law.

Naaman the Syrian, in 2^nd Kings 5, is a prime example. Naaman chose to worship the God of Israel but he never became a Jewish Proselyte. God healed his leprosy “by Grace, through faith.” (Does that sound familiar?) He placed his faith in the God of Israel but he remained a Syrian! He asked for, and took a mule-load of Israel’s soil, to make an altar at home: He chose, now, to worship only the God of Israel. And through Elisha, God pronounced His blessing on his choice.

Then What Value Does the Law Hold for Us, Today?

That question comes up repeatedly, today: But the “road to understanding the answer” has two “ditches.” (Most roads have two “ditches.” The idea is to “stay between the ditches!”)

“Ditch 1:”

One “ditch” to avoid, is the idea that the Law has no bearing on our lives today. That is simply not true! It has great value, as Romans 7:13 points out. Paul says the Law “showed the exceeding sinfulness of sin!” We can learn the principles of the Righteousness of God by reading the Law and meditating upon the underlying concepts.

“Ditch 2”

Trying to“achieve the righteousness of God” through our human efforts at obedience is the other “ditch” to avoid. 2^nd Corinthians 5:21 tells us that God made Jesus (who knew no sin) to BE sin, for us “…that we might be made the Righteousness of God, in Him!”

“Staying between the Ditches”

God has to do it! You cannot “achieve” the righteousness of God. Romans 10:3 says (regarding the Jews) that in “…going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God.” This righteousness is not based on works at all! It is God’s gift, through Jesus Christ. God has to “declare you righteous.” We call that “justification.”

Galatians 2:19-21 says “I, through the Law, am dead to the Law that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not frustrate the Grace of God: for if righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

You see, the Law cannot produce Righteousness: it never could! God “declared righteous” the Jews who placed their trust in the God of Israel because of their faith…not their ability to keep His Law.

Justified by Faith

In Genesis 15:6, we read thatAbram “believed God,” and God credited it to him as righteousness. Romans 4:1-4 reiterates this concept, reminding us that this is the only way anyone has ever been “declared righteous” (justified) by God.

Peter confirmed this truth in Acts 15:7-11. He said that the Jews had never been able to keep God’s Law! He showed that it was unreasonable, unjust, and unkind for the Jewish believers to try to burden the Gentile believers with the Law when they couldn’t keep it themselves!

But the Law still stands as a principle of holiness. Jesus upgraded the Law of Moses; First by pointing out that all sin begins in the heart. He gave examples: He showed that God fully condemned the sin in the heart, just like the outward expression of the same sin.

Then, He taught that anyone who “loved God with all his heart,” and who “loved his neighbor as himself,” fulfilled the whole Law. (Mark 12:28-34) He confirmed that the Agapé Love encompassed all the Old Law…in principle.

Finally, He gave a new commandment: John 13:34, 35 “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Therefore, when Galatians 6:2 commands “…so fulfill the law of Christ,” It specifically refers to the practical outworking of that Agapé Love: reaching out to help another brother or sister.

What About “The Law of Sin and Death?”

When Romans 8:2 says Jesus set free from the Law of Sin and Death, it looks back to the only law Adam faced: “…in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

But ALL of the Mosaic Law connected “sin” to “death:” either YOU died, as a guilty sinner, or, in most cases, it was possible for a blood sacrifice to take your place in death. Ezekiel 18:4 encapsulates this connection, saying “…the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

Through further study, we discovered that “death” always has to do with “separation:” Physical death for humans is the separation of the soul and spirit from the physical body. Spiritual death, whether temporary or permanent, is the separation of a human spirit from the Spirit of God. In Revelation 20:14, we see something called the “Second Death:” This is the permanent separation of human spirits from God, in the lake of Fire.

How Can We Be Free?

So, Romans 8:2 says, “…the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. I am no longer under that law! Why? Because Jesus fulfilled the righteous demands of that Law by His death in my place, at the Cross. His blood met the Law’s demand for a blood sacrifice. The Law of God declares that He died in my place. And, as a result, God’s Old Testament Law, the “Mosaic Law,” now sees me as dead: it has nothing more to say to me! (The Law does not talk to dead people!) God sees the believer only “in Christ.”

The Law is still God’s Word, and it is eternally valuable to convict my stubborn heart and to remind me that I cannot live up to God’s standards in my own strength or ability. Jesus confirmed this in John 15:5, saying “…Apart from Me ye can do nothing.” We tend to “re-phrase” that passage, to say, “Without Me, you can’t do as much!” But that is not what Jesus said. He said, “Apart from Me, ye can do nothing!”

Philippians 2:13 also confirms this: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Yes, the Law is still FOR me…but it has never been TO me!

What About the Prophetic Books?

God shows that they are all for us, as a general rule…but not all are “to” us. Let’s look at some passages filled with information, hope, and blessing for us.

Daniel

Daniel heard the prophecy God gave, but he complained that he couldn’t understand it. And God told him (Daniel 12:8-13) “Write it down, close the book, and run along! It is to the people of the end times! (Not you!)” So, some parts are “not directed to us.” But the whole Bible is “for” us.

In Daniel 9:24-27, the prophet reveals details about the Tribulation, the Antichrist, and the Kingdom Age. And the Lord Jesus cites his prophecy (Matthew 24:15,) and God recommends that we read it and understand it.

Isaiah

Isaiah ministered to Judah alone, but some of his messages are for specific Gentile nations. Also, he announced a “sign” in Isaiah 7:14 and spelled out the Virgin Birth! And in Isaiah 9:6, 7 we see part of the mystery of the Trinity spelled out for us! (“The Son shall be called the Everlasting Father!” Do I truly understand that? No! I don’t!)

In Isaiah 53:1-12 we can read about the crucifixion and the resurrection.

¹ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? ²For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

(Remember that this prophecy was from 700BC. It was all “future” even though much of it is given in”past tense”)

³He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. ⁴Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

God’s Purpose in the Suffering of Christ

⁵But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ⁶All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

⁸He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. ⁹And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

The Result of His Suffering

¹⁰Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

¹¹He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. ¹²Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

It says that after His death, when God has made His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed…His offspring… and shall prolong His days. That is the resurrection and the church age!

In Isaiah 65:17 we see the “new heavens and the new earth” that God promises is coming!

Jeremiah

Jeremiah also ministered to Judah alone, but his prophecy (Jeremiah 31:31-34) included the promise of the New Covenant! And, the way it is worded, it sounds very much as though it was offered only to Judah and Israel! (Read it!)

“³¹Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: ³²Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:

³³But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. ³⁴And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

What a great promise! And it WILL be fulfilled to Israel! But God is already fulfilling it in part, with the Church! He has given us the indwelling Spirit, and He remembers our sins no more!

Ezekiel tells us what the Kingdom age temple will be like, and describes the tremendous geographical changes that will occur with the beginning of the Kingdom.

And the Rest!

Habakkuk 3:17-19 teaches us to choose Joy in the God of our Salvation, in the face of the destruction of all we know and love. We tie that to 1^st Thessalonians 5:16-18.

And, in all these things we see that God has not changed: He remains the same, His Grace is not new, and His plan for redemption (involving the Cross) was in place before He created the World! (1^st Peter 1:19, 20; Revelation 13:8.)

Finally, Micah 5:2 says the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem! Furthermore, scholars tell us that there are roughly 300+ other prophecies specifically concerning the life and times of Jesus the Messiah. And all of them had to be fulfilled in that one life: That One Person!

Please do take the time to feed heavily on God’s Word: Several of you are involved in programs that arrange for reading through the entire Bible every year. That is a good idea…but it’s all Food! If you are hungry, eat!

Next week, we will consider all of the New Testament.

Lord Jesus, Open our eyes to the divisions in Your Word that YOU ordained. Help us to be “workmen that need not be ashamed.” Help us to “rightly divide” Your Word, and faithfully to proclaim Your Name to others.

May 25, 2024May 25, 2024

How Do I Know ALL of the Bible is Really For Me? (Part 2)

How Do I Know the Bible is For Me? (Part 2)

Romans 7:13; Romans 8:2 and many others…

Introduction:

Last week we began looking at the internal evidence that some of the Bible is directed to us, personally, and ALL of it is for us, given for our learning and edification. (“Edification” means to “build up,” or to strengthen. The word “edifice” is still sometimes used to mean “a building.” And, in 1^st Corinthians 3:9, God says “…ye (plural) are God’s building.” So, He wants to “build us up” and strengthen us. And all of His Word is given for that purpose.

2^nd Timothy 3:16, 17 reminds us that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, (complete) thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Last week we looked at commands and promises given to individuals in the historical narratives of the Old Testament, and we saw how some of them could be applied as being for us to live by. But God gave others, only for examples from which we can learn the principles of God’s righteousness.

In 1^st Corinthians 10:11, Paul says, “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

Who is it For?

You remember that Daniel (in Daniel 12:8, 9) was told that the prophecy he had just received was not for him but rather for the people of the end times. The Apostle Paul saw that the church is increasingly part of that “end times” fulfillment. Today we eagerly look to see that “end times” fulfillment of Daniel’s Prophecy, as it is happening. But, we also need to look eagerly to see and obey the admonitions of the Old Testament scriptures that Paul points out.

David spoke to that effect, as well, in Psalm 119:9-11, 105, 130. “⁹Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. ¹⁰With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from they commandments. ¹¹Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

“¹⁰⁵ Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”

“¹³⁰The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.”

This is how we learn to walk with God: by feeding on His Word. (And it is all food! If you are hungry, Eat!)

What About the “Personal” Books?

In the books of Ruth, Esther, and Job, we see corroboration of the historical books, as well as “inside information” about some of the events in those histories.

The events in the Book of Ruth all occurred during the history of the Book of Judges. But it tells us some “inside information” regarding the Genealogy of Christ, and, in doing so, it paints a clear picture of the coming Kinsman-Redeemer. We could see that Boaz was a picture of Jesus, our Redeemer. We could also see that Ruth, the Moabite woman, was a picture of the Church. She was a gentile woman. She came from a tribe God had cursed (the Moabites,) but God “grafted her into” the genealogy of Christ, as one of his human ancestors!

The events in the Book of Esther happened during the Babylonian captivity: This book links the Jews in Exile to their Redeemer, showing that He had not forgotten them. When the enemy moved to destroy them, God intervened. (Incidentally, this book is also the origin of the Feast of Purim, which commemorates that delivery, and is still celebrated today by Orthodox Jews.)

The events in the Book of Job probably transpired about the same time Abraham was alive, though we can’t attach a definite date. But it tells us a good deal of “inside information” about our relationship with God, the limitations of Satan’s authority, and a few details about the Creation, as well as hints about the angelic host. And we see a prophecy, (Job 19:25–27) reaching far into the future, to the second coming of Christ, after the Great Resurrection!

Again: it is all food! If you are hungry, EAT!

What About the “Meditations and Wisdom” Portions?

What Should We Do With Them?

The Psalms and Proverbs hold Eternal Wisdom. So do the Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes. Some parts are more easily applicable than others, but all of them are there for us to read, to memorize, upon which we are encouraged to meditate, and always, by which we are to profit!

We just quoted a portion of Psalm 119. That chapter is 176 verses long, and all but four verses refer in some way directly to the profitability and necessity of the Word of God! David used many other terms other than “word” to make clear the multifaceted nature of God’s Word:

“Precepts, commandments, statutes, testimonies, law, ways, judgments, words, truth, and ordinances.” All these are used to describe His Word. And, the four verses that do not directly refer to His Word all speak of His faithfulness and judgment, or (in one verse) His eternal Name.

Wisdom is Practical

In the Proverbs, we find God’s Wisdom, in practical application. Proverbs chapter two says that if we want the wisdom of God, we must pursue it through His Word and ask for it in Prayer.

In Ecclesiastes, we hear the echo of God’s Wisdom coming through a man (Solomon) who had engaged in much folly. At the end of his life, he recognized the total waste of time and energy it all had been. He counseled that the reader should drop the nonsense and focus on the Lord.

The Song of Solomon describes a love relationship between a bride and her beloved, the King. In the time when it was written, it spoke of the king (Solomon) and his betrothed (The Shulamite girl.) But, the ultimate fulfillment is in the relationship between Christ (the King of Kings) and the Church (The Bride of Christ.)

It is all food for your soul, and if you feed upon it, you will grow!

**But, What About The Law?**

In Exodus 19:5, God told Israel that they were to be “a peculiar people” unto Him. (We would say, “special.”) The concept is that God gave His covenant (and His Law) to Israel alone. The Law was “iron-clad” to Israel, but it had zero bearing on the heathen nations around them. (By the way, the word “Gentile” means “heathen.”) The Law revealed the depravity of the entire human race, including Israel. But God gave it to Israel, and Israel alone.

Naaman the Syrian, in 2^nd Kings 5, is a prime example. He chose to worship the God of Israel but never became a Jewish Proselyte. God healed him of his leprosy “by Grace, through faith.” (Sound familiar?) God’s Grace moved him to faith in the God of Israel, but he remained a Syrian! He asked for, and took a mule-load of Israel’s soil, to make an altar at home: He said he would now worship only the God of Israel. And through Elisha, God pronounced His blessing on his choice.

Then What Value Does the Law Hold for Us, Today?

That question comes up repeatedly, today: The “road to understanding the answer” has two “ditches.” (Most roads have two “ditches.” The idea is to “stay between the ditches!”)

“Ditch 1:”

One “ditch” to avoid, is the idea that the Law has no bearing on our lives today. That is simply not true! It has great value, as Romans 7:13 points out. Paul says God gave the Law “to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin!” We can learn the principles of the Righteousness of God by reading the Law and meditating upon the underlying concepts.

“Ditch 2”

“Staying between the Ditches”

The Law cannot produce Righteousness: it never could! Even the Jews who placed their trust in the God of Israel were declared righteous by God because of their faith…not their ability to keep His Law. In Genesis 15:6, we read thatAbram “believed God,” and God credited it to him as righteousness. Romans 4:1-4 reiterates this concept, reminding us that this is the only way anyone has ever been declared righteous by God.

The Law Still Stands!

But the Law still stands as a principle of holiness. Jesus upgraded the Law of Moses; First by pointing out that all sin begins in the heart. He gave examples, showing that the sin in the heart was just as condemned as the outward expression of the same sin.

What About The Law of Sin and Death?

When Romans 8:2 says we are set free from the Law of Sin and Death, it looks back to the only law Adam faced: “…in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

So, Romans 8:2 says, “…the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. I am no longer under that law! Why? Because Jesus fulfilled the righteous demands of that Law by His death in my place, at the Cross. His blood met the Law’s demand for a blood sacrifice. And God’s Old Testament Law, the “Mosaic Law,” now sees me as dead: it has nothing more to say to me! (The Law does not talk to dead people!”

The Law is still God’s Word, and it is eternally valuable to convict my stubborn heart and to remind me that I cannot live up to God’s standards in my own strength or ability. Jesus confirmed this in John 15:5, saying “…Apart from Me ye can do nothing.”

What About the Prophets?

God shows that they are all for us, as a general rule…but not all “to” us.

Daniel heard the prophecy God gave, but he complained that he couldn’t understand it. And God told him (Daniel 12:8-13) “Write it down, close the book, and run along! It isn’t to you, but rather to the people of the end times!” So,God gave some parts that are “not directed to us.” But the whole Bible is “for” us.

Isaiah ministered to Judah alone. But the book of Isaiah directs some messages to specific Gentile nations. Also, he announced a “sign” in Isaiah 7:14 and spelled out the Virgin Birth! And in Isaiah 9:6, 7 we see part of the mystery of the Trinity spelled out for us! (“The Son shall be called the Everlasting Father!” Do I understand that? Nope! I don’t!)

In Micah 5:2, it says the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem! Furthermore, scholars tell us that there are roughly 300+ other prophecies specifically concerning the life and times of Jesus the Messiah. And all of them had to be fulfilled in that one life: That One Person!

Please do take the time to feed heavily on God’s Word: It’s all Food! If you are hungry, eat! Next week, we will consider all of the New Testament.

April 18, 2024April 18, 2024

“Who Are the “Unrighteous?” It’s a Divine Identity Question

A Question of Identity: Who Are the “Unrighteous?”

1^st Corinthians 6:9-11

⁹Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, ¹⁰Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

¹¹And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Introduction

People often take this passage to prove that “sinners can’t get to heaven,” (thus making salvation dependent upon our works.)

There is no one here who does not confess that he or she is a sinner. In fact, had I not confessed that I am a sinner, unable to save myself, I could not have been saved. I had to place my full trust in Jesus, His Blood, and His completed work at the Cross: not in any works of my own!

So, when we read this stark condemnation, that “the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” we have to ask, “Then, who are the unrighteous?” The world would reply that the answer is obvious: “The next sentence lists them by their sins.” And that begs the question, “Well, then: who are the righteous?” And that is the question we truly need to address.

Definition of Biblical Terms

We need to define some central terms, here.

Righteous: “Having a right standing with God.”

Unrighteous: “Not having a right standing with God.”

Notice that both of these ideas have a “positional” character: “Where are you with God? What is your standing before Him?” And, what does it take to achieve or receive such a right standing?

In verse 9, the opening statement is that “those who do NOT have a right standing before God” will not “inherit the kingdom of God.” Then Paul goes on to list the general characteristics of the lost, Christless world. He lists things that demonstrate an unregenerate heart: the character of one who has not been “born from above.”

Defined by God: Observed by Behavior and Character

In general, we expect the character of those who have been born from above…born again…to be different from that of the unregenerate world.

But, is this right standing something we “achieve” by strength of character, by “persistence in well-doing,” or through “heroic service” of some sort? Or is it something that we must receive?

An inheritance usually depends upon the written will of someone who died… and no effort by those not included in that will can put them into it so that they can claim that inheritance. Either the Testator wrote them into that “Last Will and Testament,” or He did not.

We may observe that the “worldly heir” of some vast “worldly fortune” may seem to be an undeserving wretch. They may be selfish, spoiled, and vain… and possibly grossly immoral, as well. That does not change the written will that caused them to inherit.

One might protest, “But isn’t that unfair?” Maybe it is! But like it or not, it is reality. We need to embrace reality. We have to accept the fact that life is frequently “unfair.” Sin has ruined the world in which we live. God has not yet lifted the curse. The Psalmists saw this reality and warned us to not fret over the apparent injustice in the world. God’s Justice is supreme, and He sees all of what is happening. As His “born ones,” we need to learn to trust in Him for the eventual outcome. He has “written into His Will,” as His born-again offspring!

Our Past

Paul has cited a list of gross sins. He stated that the people characterized by that list are not God’s heirs. Then he says, “And such were (past tense) some of you!” Your past includes all of your old way of life. Perhaps it did include some of the sins listed here, perhaps it did not. But, if I trust in my own righteousness, then the smallest sin is sufficient to condemn me.

Ezekiel 33:13 says, “When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.”

My past, whether checkered with sins of every kind, or seemingly pure, in the eyes of humans, is all under the Blood of Jesus Christ at the Cross.

In John 5:24, which we frequently quote, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him who sent Me, HATH everlasting life (present tense,) and SHALL NOT come into condemnation (future tense,) but IS PASSED from death into life (past perfect tense!) All of my past is under the blood of Jesus. His promise guarantees my future is. And, in the here and now, I already have eternal life! Jesus says so!

So…What Changed?

Just for the record, my past was anything but “pure.” I was an atheist, I was immoral, and I was a total rebel against God. I was on God’s Death Row. Ezekiel 18:4 says, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die!” That is where I was. That was my position, as a lost sinner. And I was cocky and proud, and I had no concept of my peril. There was nothing I could have done to save myself. I had already utterly broken God’s Law. I was guilty.

Potentially, I might have tried to do “good deeds” to earn God’s approval. But my sin contaminated them all! That is why, in Isaiah 64:6, it says, “…all our righteousnesses are as filthy rag.” Our ever-present sin has already contaminated anything “good” we can do, as natural humans. So, what had to change?

But Ye Are Washed!

There is the beginning of the change: He washed us! How did that occur? Jesus spoke of it in John 13:10. He said the disciples (not including Judas) were “washed.” But He did not say by what means He had washed them. In John 15:3, after Judas had departed, He told the remaining disciples, “Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you.”

And in Ephesians 5:26, Paul said that Jesus cleansed the church. He made it holy through the “washing of water by the Word.” That is both a one-time occurrence and a continuing process. Your initial cleansing occurred the moment you believed the Gospel: the moment you placed your sole trust in the Person and Work of Jesus at the Cross for salvation. You were made positionally clean. At that moment, you became one of His heirs, in writing! (Because it says “Whosoever believeth in Him!”)

Remember that Jesus declared that Peter was clean, in John 13 and John 15. Peter’s sin in denying the Lord occurred later that same night! Did that change Peter’s position? Was he no longer “cleansed by the Word?”

No! It changed his condition. He was miserable and despairing and guilty. He was not in fellowship with Jesus or even with the other disciples. Effectively, until that rift was healed, Peter lived as if he was “spiritually dead.” His position had not changed. He was still clean in Christ. But he desperately “needed his feet washed.” He had been in some deep mud!

If you have chosen by faith to place your trust in the cleansing blood of Jesus, then you “are washed!” That is a permanent reality. What else has changed?

Ye Are Sanctified!

“Sanctified” means “made holy.” It means “set apart” for God’s use, as His personal property.

God says you are now Holy! He has permanently declared that you are his child by rebirth. (Not by “adoption:” Biblical adoption comes later… see Romans 8:23.) He declared you to be clean through having believed His Word. He has now declared to be holy unto Him.

As you may remember, the Babylonian army stole the holy vessels of God’s temple in Jerusalem and took them to Nebuchadnezzar’s treasury in Babylon. But a later king, Belshazzar, took those vessels and used them in a worship service to his numerous false gods.

Did that deliberate misuse by Belshazzar and his officials defile those vessels? Yes, it did! They truly needed cleansing, and re-consecration to the service of God! But were they any less Holy? No! They still belonged to God! They were still “set apart for His specific use, in the temple of God.” God says that you now are His own treasure, and you are “set apart” for His use!

Ye Are Justified!

We posed a question, back in the introduction: “Who are the Righteous?” This is the answer! So, here is another term to define:

“Justified” means “declared righteous.” It is obvious, then, that it truly matters who “declared you to be righteous.” If I declare myself righteous, then we call it “self-justification,” and the only possible result is “self-righteousness.”

No one likes self-righteousness, but we all tend toward self-justification. We protest our excuses for our failures and we bolster our fragile egos, usually, by self-justification. Romans 10:3 says, “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God,”

Yes, Paul was specifically referring to the Jews in that passage, but it has general application to all those who “justify themselves” at any level. When we self-justify, we fail to avail ourselves of God’s Righteousness.

How Can We Avail Ourselves of the Righteousness Of God?

In 2^nd Corinthians 5:21, God says, “He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God, in Him.

In Genesis 15:6, it says Abram believed God and God reckoned it to him as righteousness. (I can hear legalists howling, “But that’s “easy believe-ism!” Sorry: it is God’s Word, telling the means by which GOD declared Abram to be a righteous individual. Like it or not, that is what it says!)

Paul reiterates this concept in Romans 4:1-3. He emphasized that Abraham was declared righteous on the basis of Faith, alone: before any “religious works” were recorded. He cites Psalm 32:1, 2, where David confirmed that the real issue is whether God counts you as righteous.

If God has called you Righteous, based on your faith in Him, then you stand Righteous before Him forever! In Romans 11:29, we read that “the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance”…(without revocation.) He will not “repent,” or change His mind about you. Jesus said, (John 6:37) “He that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out!” In John 10:27, 28, Jesus confirms His promise, saying, “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish!”

Do You Desire to be Declared Righteous by God?

If you have not placed your faith in Jesus Christ as God’s chosen sacrifice for your sins, then this is your path! Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” He also said (in John 10:7), “I am the Door of the Sheep!”

If you “want in,” He is the “way in.” And you “access Him” simply by believing Him: By taking Him at His Word and receiving Eternal Life, as a gift from Him to you. You cannot “achieve” Eternal life! You can only receive it. God says, “The wages (earned and deserved) of Sin is Death, but the gift of God (unearned, and undeserved) is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

As a believer, you have received that gift of eternal life. You are eternally secure in Christ. He has already “declared you Righteous” in Him through Faith. God now calls you to live for Him. He says we no longer belong to ourselves (as if we ever truly did.) He says that, as those risen from the dead through His authority, we should be living in the newness of His Resurrected Life. We are to live as a light to the world around us and as a continual act of worship to Him!

The Resulting Reward

This is the sort of life that results in hearing, “Well done, thou Good and Faithful Servant!” That honor is truly the best any believer can hope for. And, it is something we achieve: it is still done by faith, simply by walking with Him and allowing Him to live through us. But the walk with Jesus is not easy: it is impossible, apart from His continued control: It is not just difficult, it’s impossible! “Walking on Water” is not “difficult:” It is impossible, unless Jesus enables us! And that is what Jesus said! “Apart from Me, ye can do Nothing!”

No one had to “explain” to Peter that “walking on water is impossible!” He knew it, and he got out of the boat, knowing that unless Jesus backed him, it was a fatal error! But…he walked! And when he took his eyes off of Jesus, he sank! That is as clear a lesson as we can ask for! You are declared righteous by Faith. But you are also called to walk in Him by faith.

Lord Jesus, teach our hearts to believe in You and to focus on You so that we can faithfully walk with You, in all circumstances. We know hard times are coming, and we want to honor You with our lives through those hard times; not to fail through lack of faith. Make us the Men and Women of God that You have called us to be.

March 30, 2024March 30, 2024

Judgment, Justice, Grace, and Mercy in the Resurrection

Judgment, Justice, Grace, and Mercy

Introduction:

How does Easter show the Judgment and Justice of God?

We frequently consider what the Bible calls the Day of the LORD: It is the terrible Judgment of God (followed by great blessing) which is to be poured out upon the whole World, but especially upon Israel, since they had the most information, and they failed to respond. We saw how the final warning was given to Israel by Jesus, in His “Palm Sunday” entrance into Jerusalem.

Judgment on Jerusalem

The crowd of disciples who had worshipped him as the King, as he rode into Jerusalem, were not the ones screaming for his death, three days later. Rather, the citizens of Jerusalem rejected their King. We also saw that, since they rejected the King, they inherited the promised Judgment.

The Judgment described thereafter (specifically the fact that not one stone of the temple, proper, would be left standing on another) definitely includes the destruction under the Roman general Titus, in AD 70, but it also includes the Great Tribulation, which has not happened yet. Judgment is definitely coming!

Judgment on Jesus

However, we seldom think of the Judgment that fell upon the Lord Himself that Wednesday: Isaiah 53:4, 5 says, “He bore our griefs, and carried our sorrows…but we thought he was smitten by God (as an evildoer). But (in contrast): He was wounded for our transgressions, and He was bruised for our iniquities…” The Scriptures make it clear that He didn’t die for anything He had done. He died in the place of the whole World, for all that we have done, or failed to do.

Most Easter sermons focus either on the Lord’s sufferings, in gory detail, or upon the facts of the Resurrection, and the effects it had on the lives of all those who were actually there. I would like to focus, instead, on the reason for His suffering, and the result of His resurrection, for us, who were not there!

The Specific Reasons for The Crucifixion

There were many ways in which prisoners might have been executed in those days. Some were relatively quick, others were deliberately slow and agonizing. The Cross was one of the latter: it usually took several days of torturous struggling to breathe and straining against the spikes holding them to the cross. We can compare crucifixion with the Old Testament law regarding “hanging a criminal on a tree,” which was actually only done to a criminal who was already dead (usually by stoning,) to signify God’s curse on that particular criminal:

The Scriptures had to be Fulfilled

According to Deuteronomy 21:23 they were not to be left hanging overnight. They had to be cut down before sundown, according to the Mosaic Law.
- Jesus was taken down before sundown, though Crucifixion usually took days!
When they wanted the execution shortened, they accomplished that end by breaking the legs of the condemned individual, so that he could no longer lift himself to breathe. Thus, he died in minutes, instead of days. (John 19:31)
- But for the Passover Lamb, which was a picture of Christ, it was specifically forbidden that any bone be broken (Exodus 12:46.)
- Why did Jesus choose to “cut the suffering short” and “lay down his life?” (Remember, in John 10:18, He specifically said that no man could take his life: He would lay it down of His own accord.) When they came to break the legs of the criminals, he was already dead. Thus, though they broke the legs of the other two men, they did not break a bone of the Messiah…our Passover Lamb!
The scourgings and beatings were described in Isaiah 53 (bruised, stripes, etc.)
The crucifixion was described in Psalm 22:7-18 (Read it!)
The fact that he was to be crucified at Jerusalem, by the Jews, is given in Zechariah 13:6 “What are these wounds in thine hands? …Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.”
The fact that it is the eternal God who was wounded for our transgressions is given in Zechariah 12:1-10…and it was God the Son!
The Old Testament sacrifices were tied to the altar by the four horns of the altar… they were held by four points, just as in the crucifixion.
The Original Passover predicted the crucifixion, in that the people were commanded to kill the lamb, catch its blood in a basin, and to dip a bundle of Hyssop into that blood, and then strike it on the lintel and the two doorposts. The physical action of striking the lintel and the two doorposts physically described a bloody cross in the air across that doorway. Those frightened Jews believed God’s Word regarding the imminent destruction of the firstborn. They obeyed the command of God by faith, and chose to accept the blood sacrifice that HE would accept. And, as a result, they were huddled under the blood of the Cross, just as we do today. The difference is that they expressed that faith 1500 years before the Crucifixion, while we do so 2000 years after it.

He Fulfilled the Prophecies!

God’s Judgment for the sins of the whole world fell upon Jesus at the Cross. How do I know? Jesus said so! John 3:16-18 says,

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ¹⁸He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Notice the parallel with what we just saw, regarding Palm Sunday: Jerusalem rejected her King, and inherited the Judgment. All those who do not believe the Gospel, inherit judgment because they, too, reject the Savior, the King. Also, notice that it does not say they “will be judged,” or “will be condemned:” it says that they are already condemned because they do not believe in the Name of the only begotten Son of God.

So: How does that apply to me? For the first eighteen years of my life, I was on God’s “death row,” as an unbeliever; and as a natural-born rebel against God. I was already condemned. Had Jesus not stepped in and died in my place, I would still be headed for Hell. (That is the “Bad News” of the Gospel! And it is the reason for the “Good News” of the Gospel!)

So, What is The Good News of the Gospel?

According to 1^st Corinthians 15:3, 4, the Good News is divided into three parts:

The Death of Christ, fulfilling God’s Prophecies
The Burial of Christ, also fulfilling His Prophecies (including the time-lapse.)
And, the third-day Resurrection: God’s confirmation that the sacrifice was accepted!

**Why is His Death Good News?**

1^st John 2:2 clearly states that Jesus is the satisfactory sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. “And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (“Propitiation” means the sacrifice that satisfies the Justice and Righteousness of God.) The fact that it was for the sins of the whole world is especially reassuring: if God had named a list of people, ethnic groups, or whatever, there is a chance I might not be on that list. If I were called by name, it is still possible that it meant someone else with that name…not me.

But he included the whole world…so I am “on the list.” John 3:16 says “…whosoever believeth in Him…” You see, “whosoever” includes me!ThatBlood Sacrifice, ordained by God the Father, offered by God the Son, and administered by God the Holy Spirit, is full payment for all my sins, past, present and future. All the work of Salvation and Redemption was finished by Jesus at the Cross. All that’s left for me to do, is to place my faith in His finished Work.

**Why is His Burial Good News?**

The fact that Jesus died on the evening of Passover, as our blood sacrifice—our Passover Lamb—is significant enough. But why do I say he was crucified on Wednesday, when tradition has always held out for Friday? The tradition that Jesus was crucified on a Friday is patently false.

In Matthew 12:39, 40 Jesus Himself said that Jonah, being three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, was a specific prophecy that He, Himself, would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Between Friday evening and Sunday morning, there are two nights and one day! But, if He was Crucified on a Wednesday, then any time after sundown Saturday, by Jewish understanding of time and days, Jesus was free to leave the Grave. This was another sign that He was the Messiah! It had to be that specific time frame.

He also had to have died with criminals, (as in the crucifixion, with thieves beside Him) but also with the rich (Isaiah 53:9)…which would usually be a total paradox. The bodies of criminals were cast into the city dump, and left for the scavengers, vultures, flies, etc., as a statement of the result of their evil deeds.

But rich people had hand-carved stone tombs for their graves. So, this seemed a contradiction, perhaps, or at least very puzzling. But, two rich men (Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea,) asked for the body of Christ, and they buried it in the tomb that Joseph of Arimathea had prepared for his own burial. So, Isaiah 53:9 was fulfilled, just as it was written!

And, The Best News of All: The Resurrection!

So, three days and three nights later (Wednesday night, Thursday, Thursday night, Friday, Friday night, and Saturday: three days and three nights!) Jesus left the grave behind, forever! Mary Magdalene and the other women showed up at the tomb long before daylight, Sunday morning, and He was already gone. The angels had rolled away the stone for the express purpose of letting the women and the disciples see that He was already gone.

**What is The Result of the Resurrection?**

Remember the result of the Crucifixion: The disciples (all of them, not just the eleven), were scattered, just as Jesus predicted, fearing that they were “next on the list;” slated for execution. When Jesus appeared, the Eleven were hiding; locked in an upper room, fearing the Jews.

But what was the result of the Resurrection, in the lives of those same believers? Confusion and disbelief, initially! But, as they gained confidence that Jesus was really alive, and that He was really all He had claimed to be (literally God in the Flesh,) they became completely bold, where they had previously been in hiding. They committed their lives to His service, as those alive from the dead, as they began to recognize that:

His death was in place of their own deaths;
And, His righteousness had been credited to their own accounts, and that
His resurrection was the guarantee of their own resurrection.

Thus, they had no further fear of death. Their life took on a sense of Eternal Purpose, as they began to allow the Lord to live through them (Galatians 2:19-21; Philippians 1:21,) and their priorities were completely rearranged, as Jesus became the center of their existence.

But, What about Repentance?

We are often told, “Yes, but you have to repent!” That is surely true! But what does that mean? Does it mean “groveling on your knees begging for forgiveness”? Or, “renouncing sin forever?”

The word translated as “Repentance” is the Greek word, “metanoia.” It literally means to change your mind. Change your mind regarding Jesus. Who was He, to you, before you believed the Gospel? A myth? Just a Man? A Prophet? Or, did it even really matter to you? (It didn’t matter to me: I was lost, and I didn’t know it, or even care.) So, when you believed the Good News of Jesus’s Death, and Burial and Resurrection, you “changed your mind” regarding all that you had previously thought about Jesus.

You also “changed your mind” regarding all that you previously thought about sin. Somehow, you came to realize that you, personally, were a lost sinner, and you feared the judgment of God. You changed your mind regarding Jesus’s work, realizing that you could not save yourself, and, at some point, you threw yourself upon the Mercy and Grace of God!

The Result of that Repentance

At that moment, according to Jesus’s promise, in John 5:24, you received eternal life. (That is Grace!) You will never face judgment again. (That is Mercy!) You permanently crossed over from being spiritually dead, to being spiritually alive. Yes, you were truly born again! You received a new nature, and you were permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit! All these are true, even if you were not aware of any of these things, as they happened!

This is why the Resurrection is such a huge joy and relief to all of us. We weren’t there to see the Crucifixion, the Burial, or the Resurrection of the Lord, but those three together still make the best News in history! He is Risen! And we have been forgiven and set free, through Faith!

Lord Jesus, teach us the importance of the facts of the Gospel, especially the fact of Your Resurrection, and make them a living reality in each of our lives.

March 16, 2024November 28, 2025

How To Know What Jesus Meant: “For Judgment I am come….”

I came into this World For Judgment

John 9:39-41

Introduction:

As we read this passage, please remember, that Jesus had just healed a blind man, who was born blind. He miraculously gave the man his sight. The Jews persecuted the man, afterward. They did not persecute him because his blindness had healed, but because he credited Jesus with the miracle. And they cast him out of the synagogue….essentially, they “excommunicated” him, for confessing that Jesus had healed him, and for refusing to recant his testimony.

When Jesus found him again and introduced Himself as the Son of God, the formerly blind man spontaneously worshipped Him. We still have people today who resent those who worship Jesus…or anyone who prays to Him. I once had a pastor tell me that he did not want people praying to Jesus. Such people reveal their hearts by their attitude. They reveal what they think of Jesus. And the next verse is what Jesus said in response:

³⁹And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

What a strange thing to say! And, who was He talking to? His disciples were there with him…the healed man was there…and some Pharisees were there. Those are the only ones we know of, for certain.

Context

Remember the context: Jesus had been under attack for the last two days. In John 8:1-11, He dispersed the men who wanted to stone the woman caught in adultery. In John 8:12, He introduced Himself as the Light of the World. The Jews tried to stone Him, when He announced His own eternality, in John 8:58, and the fact that He preexisted Abraham. Then, immediately after miraculously escaping the mob in the temple, he went out of His way to heal a man who had been born physically blind.

This Blindness was not Judgment

In John 9:1, 2, The disciples asked Jesus whether that man or his parents had sinned, to bring this “judgment” of congenital blindness upon the man. Jesus said that neither had sinned…God had prepared this man for the purpose of showing His own mighty works. (Unlike Bartimaeus, this man had not even asked Jesus for healing. He knew nothing about Jesus before this day.)

But, Jesus explained His identity. And this man fell down and worshipped him! Jesus took away not only his physical blindness but also the spiritual blindness of his soul. He saw Jesus for who He was!

Jesus remarked on the irony that His presence gave sight to the physically blind but also revealed the spiritual blindness of those who rejected His light. Remember John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation; that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

The people had an issue with the light, there, too. They rejected the Light of Christ.

Blindness Can be Judgment for having Disregarded the Light

Samson and others ignored the light of God’s direction and His Word. Samson’s enemies physically him, and enslaved him

Romans 11:25 also records that “…blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”

Most of the Jews rejected Jesus at that time. (And they have done so, ever since then.) Those few Jews who believed became the foundation of the church. (Along with the Jewish proselytes on the day of Pentecost.) They taught the Gentile believers who believed afterward.

When Jesus confronted Saul of Tarsus on the Road to Damascus, two things happened. He fell to the ground, along with the others in his group, and he (alone) became blind. Three days later, Jesus sent another disciple, Ananias, to restore his sight. Saul then changed his name to “Paul.” Jesus healed his physical and spiritual blindness, and He saw Jesus for who He was.

The rest of Israel remains partially blinded, to this day, and in Romans 9:1-3, Paul grieved their loss. But God promises to restore their sight, as a nation, and they will see Him, physically, and, for the first time recognize Him for who He is.

Zechariah 12:10 says “…They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and be in bitterness for Him as one is that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

For Judgment I am Come

Jesus had earlier said that He had come to save the lost. But, in the same verses (John 3:18, 19) He had said that condemnation was already there in the World. He said, “He that believeth not is condemned already…and this is the condemnation… that light is come into the World, and Men loved darkness rather than light.”

Many people teach, that “if you don’t stop sinning, you’re going to be condemned!” But the truth is, we can’t stop sinning, and we are already condemned! The whole human race was in this same trap of sin…every single one of us was guilty and lost. Our only hope is in Jesus!

Romans 1:21, 22, tells us how that happens. “When they (the human race) knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”

By choosing darkness, we, as a race, were filled with darkness, and we perpetuated our role as children of darkness. All that we do, as humans, confirms what God had said from the beginning. He said, “In the day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die!” Adam ate, and all his progeny (including Eve) were instantly plunged into the darkness of sin: spiritual separation from the Light of God. We became spiritually blind and spiritually dead!

Jesus is the Light of the World (John 8:12)

His presence revealed the hearts of everyone who came in contact with Him. Those who rejected light rejected Him. Those who yearned toward the light turned to Him in faith. Even today, the same truth applies.

The Light of Christ appears in the World, through his servants, the believers. People will either turn toward that light, in faith, or they will reject that light, and even attempt to extinguish it.

The Blindness of “Religion”

Romans 2:19 tells us that the Jews saw themselves as being “…a light of them which are in darkness.” But Judgment was about to fall on them, because, in truth, they were the opposite of a “light to those in darkness:” They shrouded the light with their corruption, and their hypocrisy, to the extent that no one could see the Light of God in them at all. And they tried to extinguish the Light of Christ when He was there among them. They revealed who they truly were!

⁴⁰And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? ⁴¹Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

It is easy for us to sneer at the Pharisees and say, “Yeah, those bad old Pharisees!” But, we are always in danger of doing something similar! We can become so self-satisfied and smug in our “good doctrine,” or our “healthy church,” that we close ourselves off from the unsaved world.

At that point, we are no longer allowing the Holy Spirit to reach out through us to the world around us. We would be “just a bunch of religious folks.” That is what had happened to the Pharisees, and to a certain extent, to the entire nation of Israel. They were “very religious” people, but they denied the reality of the Love and the Power of the God they claimed to serve.

A Modern Example:

Years ago, I visited a church, which was so ingrown and exclusive, that when a shabby-looking stranger arrived on Easter Sunday, they didn’t know what to do. (I was the “stranger!” My car was a beat-up old Toyota, and I was wearing clean, but older, inexpensive clothing.) The four “greeters” looked like “deer in the headlights,” clutching their church bulletins against their suit-clad chests. They stared at me, wide-eyed, but they did not greet me at all. They offered no handshake, nor asked my name: Never offered me a bulletin, nor asked whether I knew the Lord: they said nothing. As “ambassadors,” they had become irrelevant.

The Pharisees had become blind to the light of God. That was Jesus’s judgment of them: He revealed their true blindness. In Revelation 3:19 the church at Laodicea as a group, had become blind, as well, and Jesus shut them down! He still invited them to fellowship with Him, individually, but as a church, He completely shut them down.

Professing themselves to be Wise, they Became Fools

Because the Pharisees still claimed to “see,” and even claimed that they saw better than others, they were under the Judgment of God. In John 5:22, we see that Jesus, alone, as God the Son, is the “Judge of all the Earth,” and He is the One they were rejecting and slandering!

Less than 40 years later, the Romans would destroy the entire temple and everything they held precious. Through repressing a series of bloody revolts, over 70 years, the Romans killed hundreds of thousands of Jews. The Romans eventually eradicated Israel, as a nation. They renamed it “Palestine,” to exterminate the memory of Judaism. And, it stayed that way until 76 years ago, when it was reborn as “Israel,” on May 14^th, 1948. But the spiritual blindness remains, even today.

The Assignment of the Church is to Represent Jesus

God called us to be Ambassadors of Christ…we are to represent Him before the World. But the way we apply God’s Word in our daily lives and the way we respond to others because of His presence in our lives will determine the result of our service.

He told us to testify to His Love and His Grace. Our job is to demonstrate His Love and His Mercy. As His Body, we become His hands and feet. God calls us to function as His voice, speaking His Righteousness, Love, and Mercy into the ears of the lost World.

When we partake in communion, we testify before one another that His blood was shed for us, and that we are trusting in His Grace, and looking forward to His return. But the result of that Sacred Relationship should be that we willingly, voluntarily reach out to the people around us, too. This isn’t all about us! Jesus’s agenda reaches out to the whole world.

Changed Lives

The result should be that we desire His righteousness and His wisdom. It means that we should want to see our lives transformed, to be like Him. We should be concerned that the “grime” in our lives does not shroud the light of His presence. The sin in our lives should grieve us as deeply as it does Him. We should want what He wants.

As ministers of the light…servants of the light, we need to make certain that the light we shine is clean and clear. We mentioned some time ago that the headlamps of a vehicle can become so encrusted with road grime that the light burning within seems very dim as seen from the outside.

He wants our lives to be clean enough and clear enough that anyone looking our way will see the light of Jesus. He wants us to “Glow in the dark.” He told us to “shine as lights, in a corrupt nation.” No nation in history has been completely free of corruption, but God’s people are to shine through that darkness, drawing people to Jesus: (not “to church:” to Jesus!)

A Fragrance of Christ

In 2^nd Corinthians 2:14-16, we are called to “smell like Jesus.” The Fragrance of Christ is to emanate from our lives at all times. The only way that will happen is if we allow Him to live through us, and allow His presence to permeate our lives.

As we celebrate communion together, please be thinking about what that may mean, to allow Jesus to live through you.

Lord Jesus, we know that we are blind to so much of the truth of God. We yearn to experience Your light in such a way that it transforms us into Your likeness. Let us be true children of the light, and not limit Your light in any way.

March 2, 2024March 2, 2024

What Does The New Testament Say About “Judging?”

What About “Judging?”

Introduction:

As a matter of course, this Sunday we would have gone forward into 1^st Corinthians 5, simply because last week we completed chapter four. However, the various subjects of chapter 5 are fairly uncomfortable for most people. They include the concepts of sin and judgment, as well as some things such as polygamy, which is illegal in our culture, but fairly common in other cultures. Finally, it deals with “church discipline” which is a very uncomfortable idea for most people.

In particular, Paul names a specific sin of sexual immorality involved, which we may feel is not an appropriate subject for a Church service. But he deals with the subject of judgment rather strongly, there, as well, and not in a “negative” sense. In that passage, he commands the Church to judge something.

Since our modern society tells us that “judgment is a bad thing,” we need to study what God says about judgment and make our best determination about what we are to do. (Are there other things we should consider? Under some circumstances, God commands us to not judge. Under some circumstances God commands that we must judge! And under some circumstances He simply advises us to use good judgment, or to judge carefully what we should do.)

What Can We Learn About Judgment?

We usually think of “judging, and judgment,” only in a negative sense: The unbelieving World acts as if “all judgment is bad.” (But is it?)

Jesus is the Judge of all things, and over all the World. Genesis 18:25, says Abraham recognized Him, face to face, as the Judge of all the earth. And, in John 5:22 Jesus confirmed that He, Himself, God the Son…is that Judge!

So, it follows, at the very least, that not all judgment is “bad.” Further, we use the same word, saying, “One has to exercise good judgment, to avoid the snares and bad decisions in life!” So, we admit, by our words, that there is such a thing as “good judgment.”

But then we insist that “there must be a different kind of judging, that Jesus condemned!”

Perhaps we need to examine the various Greek words used in the New Testament, and translated as “judge, judging, or judgment,” to see what Jesus truly said about the matter:

Several Greek Roots for the New Testament Passages about Judgment:

Primary Greek Root: Krinō

Krinō is the infinitive verb, “to judge.” It includes, but is not limited to, the concept of condemning. It also includes the concept of making a good decision or discerning between good and bad.

Krinō can also include making an authoritative decree as a Judge, in a civil matter, or making a weighty decision in church matters, that calls for “good judgment.” Or it can even mean just “stating an opinion.” (Krinō is used 110 times in various grammatical forms, and it is translated as “judge” 87 of those times.)

Secondary Greek Root: Krima

This means to judge or condemn. (This is where we get our English words, “crime,” “criminal,” and “incriminate.”.) (It is used only 29 times…and it is translated as “judgment” 13 of those times. The other uses are mostly “condemnation” or “damnation.”)

So, in the following passages, we hope to examine examples of each of those ideas and the particular grammatical changes in the Greek root.

Four Other Greek Roots:

Hegeomai: This means “to consider.” It is only used once in the New Testament, and it carries the idea of “regarding,’ or ‘considering” Hebrews 11:11 (about the faith of Sara) “…because she judged Him faithful Who had promised.” We rarely use this form in modern English, but it was once quite common. (“We judged that a quart of water ought to be enough to prime the pump…”)

There are others: (dikē) is related to the concept of the judgment of a ruler. (It is only used in that way nine times.)

A few other examples related to the concept of knowledge or thinking: (three from the Greek root “gnosko.”) Or the concept of perception, (one from the Greek word “aesthesis.”)

The Majority of Biblical Examples Come from “Krinō”

The majority of the occurrences of the English words, “judge,” or “judgment” in the New Testament are from the root “Krinō,” in various grammatical forms. Here are five examples:

Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” (This verse is most commonly quoted.) (krinete with negative prefix “mē.”) but “krima” (condemnation) appears in the very next verse: “with what judgment (krima) you judge (krinō) ye shall be judged (krinō)….” So, the “krinō” judgment, in this context, is connected to “krima,” implying condemnation.

Matthew 19:28 Judging, as righteous, ordained Judges… (Jesus said that the apostles would serve as judges over Israel.”…ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”) (krinontes…judging)

Acts 13:46 Judge: (krinō, krinete) (meaning, to “give an opinion:” especially an authoritative opinion…a judgment) “…ye put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life…”, and

Acts 15:19 “Wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God.” (“Sentence,” here, is from the word “krinete”… meaning “judgment.”)

John 18:31 “Pilate said, take Him and judge Him according to your law.” (“Judge,” here, is from “krinate” meaning “to sit in Judgment”…in court)

There are Various Concepts of Judgment

1^st Corinthians 6:1-8 is a very good passage within which to see the various uses of the verb “krinō.”

¹Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law (krinesthai) before the unjust, and not before the saints? ²Do ye not know that the saints shall judge (krinousin)the world? and if the world shall be judged (krinetai) by you, are ye unworthy to judge (kritērion)the smallest matters? ³Know ye not that we shall judge (krinoumen) angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

⁴If then ye have judgments (kritēria) of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge (the word “judge” is not in the original, it is only implied by the context…it literally just says, “set them up”) who are least esteemed in the church. ⁵I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge (diakrinai) between his brethren?

⁶But brother goeth to law (krinetai) with brother, and that before the unbelievers. ⁷Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law (krinata) one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? ⁸Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

Multiple Uses: Multiple Implications

We can see that there are ten different uses, with six or eight different implications, all lumped under the Biblical word “judgment,” just in that one passage!

Go to judgment in a legal court
Judge over the world, in righteousness.
To Judge as an arbiter of justice between people of the world
Judge as one having to make decisions by good judgment: discernment.
Judge over angels (!) No idea where that takes place.
Judgments as court cases…civil disagreements.
Judge as an arbitrator.
Take to court, as opponents

Not all of these examples are negative. God advises some, and commands others, while He prohibits still others. We must read carefully and understand the context, to know what kind of “judgment” is in question.

Another Example:

Romans 14:1-4 gives a pair ofconflicting opinions that may arise between believers. And Paul says that they are not to “judge” each other over such issues.

“¹ Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful (“diakrisis:” judgmental) disputations. ²For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

³Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge (“me krinetō”not judge) him that eateth: for God hath received him.

⁴Who art thou that judgest (“krinōn” judging) another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

⁵One man esteemeth (“krinei” judges…considers) one day above another: another esteemeth (“krinei” judges…considers) every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”

So, there we see another four applications of the word “krinō.”

Hold in Disregard
Criticize
Condemn
Consider (judging something to be a certain way.)

What Did Jesus Mean?

Jesus said, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” I would have guessed that the word He used was “krima,” meaning condemn, as a criminal. But it is not: The word is actually the Greek word “krinē.” And, in the subsequent verse, he uses two other forms of the same root word, “krinō”

He says those who believe on Him (meaning “trust in Him as Savior”) are not judged (“ou krinetai…not condemned,” KJV) but that those who do not believe are already judged (“kekritai…condemned,” KJV) because they have not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

So, we can see that the range of meaning in the infinitive verb krinō (“to judge”) is pretty huge!

Different Kinds of Judges

No one condemns a person for taking a position as a livestock judge in a county fair, or, if they are qualified to do so, a judge in any contest. We require a referee or an umpire, in most sporting events. Sometimes we employ electronic devices to eliminate errors due to human failings. But the judges are still there. And we want them there!

No law-abiding person condemns another person for taking a position as a Judge in a court of Law. We only require that they do that job with integrity and justice; entirely following the law. Kindness and Mercy are additional qualities we admire in a good judge. We see Patience, in listening carefully to testimonies from upset, confused people, as another good trait.

Jesus is that sort of Judge.

He is perfect, and Holy, but He is kind, and just. His Mercy and Love took Him to the Cross to blot out the Holy judgment against us: not by denying it, but by fulfilling it. His blood, spilled at the Cross, fulfilled the righteous demands of His Holiness and made it possible for us to approach Him through that Blood Sacrifice.

We need to learn to emulate Jesus, the One perfect Judge, so that we do not fail to judge correctly and do not exceed His judgment and begin to condemn others.

Lord Jesus, take each of us in hand: Correct our heart attitudes toward those around us. Help us to Love as you Love, and not to harbor ill-will. Free us from our slavery to sin.

February 23, 2024February 23, 2024

How to be Emissaries of God

Emissaries of God

1^st Corinthians 4:17-21

¹⁷For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

¹⁸Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

¹⁹But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

²⁰For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

²¹What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

Introduction:

Several times in our studies, we have seen Timothy mentioned as a companion in Paul’s travels, or as his fellow laborer. But this time, Paul states the reason Timothy was sent… the service that Timothy was to carry out. And, implicit in the assignment, is the authority of God backing His Emissaries.

What is an Emissary? The Dictionary defines an Emissary as “a person sent on a mission to represent another.” Paul was also such a person, then. So are the missionaries we support. So are we all, in the general sense. God has called each of us, individually and collectively, to be Ambassadors of Christ, according to 2^nd Corinthians 5:20.

Timothy had a more specific assignment: He was to remind the people (to re-teach the believers) exactly what Paul had taught them originally. He had some other responsibilities as well.

When Jesus sent the eleven apostles, He authorized them to teach and to make disciples in all the world. He specifically commanded them to teach the believers all that He, Himself, had taught the Apostles. He said that they were to teach the believers to behave according to that teaching.

What Were Timothy’s Instructions?

We read in 1^st Timothy 1:2-20 that Paul gave Timothy some very specific tasks when he sent him to Ephesus. He was to straighten out some tendencies toward false teaching and corrupt behavior that were springing up in that church.

In 1^st Timothy 3:1-8, Paul instructed Timothy regarding how to select and appoint church leadership. (Ordination is not a “popularity contest.” It is not a “general election.” Timothy sorted out the character of the men in question. He determined by scripture who God had raised up to perform that work.

Then he appointed them publicly, and he recognized that calling. That entire process of examining the character and publicly recognizing such a person as an elder (a pastor) is called “ordination.” We see that both Timothy and Titus were commanded to “ordain elders (plural) in every church” (singular.)

More Specific Instructions

Incidentally, 1^st Timothy 4:12-16 underscores this concept. God sent Timothy, but Paul and other elders appointed, and recognized him. Because he had God’s backing as evidenced by prophecy and public ordination, he was to remember that other people’s opinion of his “youth” was no longer a valid concern. Paul told him to allow no one to despise his youth. Instead, Paul said to devote himself to being a good example for the believers, in every way.

“¹²Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. ¹³Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. ¹⁴Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. ¹⁵Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. ¹⁶Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Can we List His Instructions?

Let no man despise your youth.
Be an example for the believers,
- in word
- in conversation
- in charity
- in spirit
- in faith
- in purity
Until I come, give attendance to
- Reading
- Exhortation
- Doctrine (teaching)
Don’t Neglect the gift that is in you.
- In Timothy’s case, prophecy revealed the gift, The elders of his home church ordained him. (Presbytery is a transliteration of the Greek word “presbuteros,” meaning “elders.”)
Meditate upon these things.
- Give yourself completely to the assignment.
- In this way, the spiritual blessing and flourishing in your life will be obvious to all those around you.
Pay close attention to yourself, and to what you are teaching.
- Continue with this assignment and lifestyle.
- The result will be salvation for your hearers as well as yourself.
  - (“salvation” has three different tenses: what is meant, here?)

Can We Apply this Assignment to Ourselves?

We are Ambassadors of Christ. There is no question that, at least in some regards, all of this could apply to each of us. One thing I would immediately point out is that we are ambassadors of Christ, directly. We are not to be concerned with whether the Apostle Paul is going to show up in our presence and sharply rebuke us: (He is already doing so in the pages of the Book you hold in your hands!)

But we are to be cognizant of the truth that Jesus is going to return, without further warning, and our opportunity for faithful, voluntary service in this life will end forever. God has given you a gift, but it must be used today, in this life.

We cannot keep “putting off” the idea that we are servants of God, or thinking, “Well, I will do some growing, first, and then I will see how He wants me to serve!” No: the call of God is a “come as you are” event! He wants us to start where we are, today, and then allow Him to do the “cleaning up and straightening out” that is needed in each of our lives.

Choose Obedience First

When Isaiah’s call came in Isaiah 6:1-8, God said “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” And Isaiah immediately replied, “Here am I Lord! Send me!” Notice that Isaiah did not know what the assignment would be. He volunteered first, and then waited while God told him the assignment!

Paul gave Timothy and Titus a very specific ministry: He sent them to travel from church to church, to straighten out doctrinal problems and behavioral issues, and to set up qualified leadership in every church.

They were not pastors. They had an itinerant ministry, whereas the pastors (elders, overseers…always plural) did not. Paul gave the elders strict instructions to “stay put.” He told them to feed (tend) the flock they served. (Acts 20:28-31)

But God calls every believer to be an ambassador! He appointed every believer a priest in the Body of Christ. As such, He calls us to bring spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, as well as prayers for the other believers and the unbelievers around us. He re specifically commands us to pray for the leaders of the unbelieving world, as well as for the salvation of others.

Every believer has assignments that are specific to him or her alone. God calls each of us to a life of intentional discipleship, learning to follow Christ, and applying His written Word to our lives.

False Teachers

Some teachers rebel against sound teaching, and they teach others to reject God’s Word. Some go so far as to teach that Jesus will not physically return, but only will come in some mystic fashion and permeate the world with His presence in that way. Several cults teach something along this line of thinking. But it is a lie: He will return! He will return physically and visibly, as predicted in Zechariah 12:10 and Zechariah 14:3-5, and where He places his feet (on the Mount of Olives) will split wide open! (There is nothing “mystical” about that!)

The irony is that some of the very people who once taught that Jesus would never return (or that He had already returned in some invisible, mysterious fashion, but would not return physically) will be there, at the end of the Tribulation, to see Him physically return! They will be unable to “go back and change their minds.” Judgment will arrive with Jesus! No one will escape. Whatever they have done and whatever they have become will be permanent at that point.

Paul warned the rebels in Corinth that he would be coming to town to confront them personally. This is a good picture for us of the same warning that is given to the world today. Jesus will return and Judgment comes with Him!

God’s Word is not just rhetoric, not just wishful thinking: the false prophets of Jeremiah’s day had wonderful things to say, promising God’s intervention and saying that the siege of Jerusalem would fail. But God showed that their words were just that: “their words!” He said that they did “dream dreams,” but that they caused the dreams themselves! (Jeremiah 29:8)

So, What is the Difference?

God’s Word is not of human origin! His Word accomplished what He sent it to do! Romans 1:16 says that the Gospel of Christ is “the power of God unto Salvation to them that believe.” We have seen how God’s power has transformed each of our lives to varying degrees, and we can read the scriptural account of how the disciples were transformed. They were terrified men, hiding for fear of execution, when the Holy Spirit came upon them and they were changed into fearless advocates of Christ, cheerfully accepting whatever it cost them to follow Jesus.

Paul says the Kingdom of God is not just about words, but about power…specifically, the power to make things happen! (I had thought the word for “power,” here, might be the Greek word, “exousia,” meaning “authority,” but it is not. It is the Greek word, “dunamis:” meaning, “the “ability to make things happen, physically.”

Paul knew that, if necessary, God would work through him to bring judgment on the rebels at Corinth. As an Apostle, he carried tremendous authority. In my case, I have no such authority. All I have is God’s Written Word. But the Authority behind the Written Word of God is the Living Word of God: Jesus Christ!

His Word will be fulfilled, to the letter! All we can do is either align ourselves with His Word, or ignore His Word, and eventually find that He is forced to oppose us!

Paul’s Conclusion

Paul asked the Corinthian believers how they wanted Him to arrive: In Gentleness and love, or, in Judgment and heavy consequences? We can ask ourselves the same question: When we see Jesus, will we be grateful, glad, and blessed to finally see Him face to face, or will we be dismayed and sorry to have wasted our lives in foolish pursuits?

The choice is ours, and we make our choices every day. We choose, moment by moment, how to respond to Jesus, the Living Word of God, by the way we respond to what we know of His Written Word.

We need to re-read these passages and meditate upon what they mean in our individual lives. God grant that we will make good choices as a result. He says that good choices in this area will result in our own deliverance, and will result in deliverance for others, as well. Our lives always affect others. Consider how your life will affect those in your sphere of influence. Will it turn hearts to Jesus, or will it turn them away?

Lord Jesus, awaken our hearts to follow You faithfully and act as Your Emissaries: Your Ambassadors. Teach us to use our lives wisely, so as to receive Your blessing.

February 15, 2024February 15, 2024

How To Learn The Humility of Discipleship

The Humility of Discipleship

1^st Corinthians 4:8-16

⁸Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

⁹For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

¹⁰We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

¹¹Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;

¹²And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

¹³Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

¹⁴I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

¹⁵For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

¹⁶Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

Introduction:

Remember the context, here, as we begin to study this warning to the Church at Corinth:

They were already displaying a great deal of carnality, division, and pride. Paul had already begun to admonish them regarding their sin, and this is simply a more pointed address to the source of their error.

In verse eight, Paul addresses their self-confidence and self-aggrandizement. He sounds almost as though he is mocking them, but he at least is highlighting their arrogance, by comparing their attitudes to those of the apostles.

Ye are Kings!

The Christians in Corinth had excessively high opinions of themselves: Theythought they were really something special. Possibly in their immaturity as new believers, they had simply become elated at their new position in Christ, but it led to becoming inflated in their own minds.

They felt self-satisfied and smug, it seems. So, Paul is calling them out because of their pride. He approached them fairly gently about it, compared to some of the preachers of past ages. (Jonathan Edwards, in his famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” blasted his hearers and condemned them, saying that they were lower than worms and hanging on the brink of an eternity in Hell!)

Paul is very gently chiding these baby believers and leading them to see themselves accurately. He does something similar in Romans 12:3, where he commands the Roman believers to “not think more highly of themselves than they ought to.”

He went on to make three contrasting comparisons between the believers in Corinth and the Apostles who had actually introduced them to Christ.

Three Contrasts

We are fools, but ye are wise!
We are weak, but you (plural) are strong!
And, we are despised, but you are honorable!

Even today, the church at large has attempted to make itself “attractive to the world” by attempting to look wise, strong, and honorable to the world around us. In a limited sense, that was what was beginning in Corinth. They felt as though they had “arrived,” and had a special “in” with God. But today it has gone further!

The organized churches of every stripe have built huge buildings, with amazing architecture, and tried to attract rich parishioners, even to the extent of rejecting those who “didn’t measure up.” James warned against this practice in James 2:1-4. He says if you are turning the poor away, or treating them differently, then you are in sin!

How Bad did it Become?

In some past ages, the so-called “church” has even taken on “military status,” literally having its own armies to back the armies of “approved” nations against those that were unapproved. The Spanish Armada (also called the “Invincible Armada”) was a classic example. The king of Spain sent it to attack England and force it to return to Catholicism. And, the Pope at that time had guaranteed the Spanish king that if the Armada made landfall in England, then the Pope would send in troops to participate in the invasion!) Providentially, the Armada never made landfall. The “Invincible Armada” turned out to not be so “invincible” after all!)

The Crusades were a similar travesty. And these were by no means the only examples.

Other Examples

The powerful “churches” of that time extorted money from the poor to fill the treasuries of their cathedrals. Then they tortured and killed those who disagreed with them. In no case did such behavior honor the Lord, and in no case did He approve of any of it at all. In fact, in many cases, that “Strong, Wise, and Honorable” organization was imprisoning, torturing, and killing His people! This powerful so-called “Church” considered as an “enemy” anyone who simply believed Jesus for their salvation, and refused to follow their teaching, So they tried to destroy them all.

We remember the Inquisition as a horrible, cruel time in history. But those people who declared themselves “wise, honorable, and strong” carried it out! Other church organizations have committed similar crimes. Jesus does NOT command believers to “attack unbelievers.” The unbelievers are precious souls for whom He died, the same as the Believers! He commanded us to take them the bread of life, and offer hope, not condemn them!

In Romans 1:22, Paul explains the problem: He says, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools!”

**What is Our Calling?**

1^st Corinthians 1:26-29 says, “²⁶For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

²⁷But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

²⁸And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

²⁹That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

If that is the sort of people God has chosen, then why on earth do we insist on appearing to not be that kind of person? Why are we so desperately trying to show the World that we are “Wise, strong, and honorable?”

You see, that is what the Corinthian believers were doing, too!

**But, Aren’t We Supposed to Be Wise?**

There is nothing wrong with doing what God says is wise. There is nothing wrong with allowing God’s strength to be our sufficiency, and if it brings good results, then the honor goes to God!

And, of course, if we behave in a manner that God says is honorable, then, the result will be mixed: those who hate the smell of Jesus will despise us along with Him. Those who see Him as their only hope will be drawn to us, along with Him. If Jesus is rejected, we should expect to be rejected along with Him! And we are to accept that rejection with Joy!

Hebrews 13:12, 13 says, “¹²Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. ¹³Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”

Jesus calls us to join Him in the rejection the World has given Him (and still gives to Him.)

So, What was the Problem in Corinth?

Several times, Paul confronted the believers of Corinth. He condemned their pride. Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Pride always has bad results! The Corinthian believers were not only torpedoing their testimonies by conceit, but they were wrecking their walk with Jesus because God hates pride!

Proverbs 6:16-19 says, “¹⁶These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: ¹⁷A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, ¹⁹A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

Over and over, God condemns pride, in both the Old Testament and the New! So, Paul begins to offer the contrast between the Apostles and the believers at Corinth. They were heading down a dangerous path.

Isn’t it odd that today the media tells us to be proud? That pride is a wonderful attribute, when God says it results in strife and discord, and war?

What about the Apostles?

What does Paul; say the lives of the Apostles looked like? He said:

Hunger,
Thirst,
Nakedness,
Physically buffeted,
Homeless!
They labored, working with their own hands: (self-supporting)
Being reviled, they blessed.
When they were persecuted, they accepted and endured it:
Being defamed, they intreated
They were made as the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things.

(Wow! What a great ministry! Sounds like a “recruiting poster for servanthood,” doesn’t it?) No, it does not! From a human perspective, it sounds like a great occupation to avoid!

Jesus did not say that discipleship would be “fun.” He never said it would be a “source of pride or position.” When the twelve disciples were bickering about who would be greatest in the kingdom of Heaven (the Millennial Kingdom,) He straightened them out by saying that the greatest would be those who approached Him as a child approaches. Without any self-will or arrogance. And that those who served would be the best rewarded. “He who would be chief among you, let him be your slave.”

The Apostles seemed to be the last in line for honor, in this world. As far as we know, the unbelievers eventually executed all of them were for the sake of Jesus, with the possible exception of John. (History is unclear regarding some of them.)

And Paul’s Conclusion?

Notice that he softens the admonition by saying that he is bringing this rebuke in love, as a father to his children. He had no desire to shame them, but he had to warn them of the trap into which they were walking. He reminded them that he, himself, had led them to Christ. His heart toward them was as a father to his children.

His conclusion was, “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me”

In effect, he said, “Please follow our example! We Apostles have led you to Christ, and we have taught you how to walk with Him. Follow our example, and drop all this heady nonsense of pride and personal glory!

Some of this may sound foreign to some of you, but, if you think about it, I would expect that at least some of you may have run into these attitudes before and may even have fallen prey to them yourselves. In either case, God warns us that such conceited self-satisfaction in our “super-spirituality” is a guaranteed recipe for disaster, both as individuals and as a church.

We need to learn and embrace the humility of discipleship.

Lord Jesus, open our eyes to our true condition and help us to change, as You transform us through the renewing of our minds. Teach us to walk with You in true submission and humility, rather than insisting on our own way. Make us able ministers of your truth.

January 6, 2024January 6, 2024

Salvation or Rewards: A Gift or Wages?

1^st Corinthians 3:9-15

⁹For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry (a cultivated field), ye are God’s building (In other places this building is called the “Temple” or “habitation” of God).

¹⁰According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

¹¹For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

¹²Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

¹³Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

¹⁴If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

¹⁵If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Introduction:

We have seen the difference between the ministry of Paul and the ministry of Apollos. Paul said, “I planted, and Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.” Paul goes on to use a slightly different metaphor. Remember that he used two ideas in verse nine. He likened us first to a cultivated field, and then to a building.

So, as appropriate to the first metaphor, he said that he (Paul) had planted, and Apollos had watered. But then he moves on to the second metaphor…the building…an edifice of some kind. And in verse ten, he says, “I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.”

Consider the Cultivated Field

When a farmer plants a field with seed, he doesn’t step back and say, “There is a fruitful field!” He waits and watches to see the germination take place and the leafing-out of whatever the young plants are. Finally, he is grateful to see the field bearing the fruit he hoped for.

What About a Building?

Consider how a General Contractor, specializing in concrete work, begins a project. He completes the excavation for the building site. Thinking ahead, he makes allowances for the wiring and plumbing that must also happen. He will lay down the necessary loads of crushed rock, onto which the concrete foundation will be poured. The contractor erects the plywood forms, into which he will pour the concrete. Ultimately, he will pour the concrete, making certain to leave no air-voids.

Finally, after the concrete is sufficiently cured, he will strip the forms from the newly cured concrete. Then he may hand-trowel a layer of finishing mortar onto the portions that may remain exposed. He may also apply various additives or sealants to enhance the longevity or looks of that foundation.

The Foundation is Complete and Permanent!

But at some point, he can say, “I have laid the foundation!” And, as a general contractor, he would then turn the work over to the other builders who will complete the structure in the prescribed manner, according to the plan of the Architect.

This is the metaphor Paul introduces in this passage: And the whole context teaches the result of the efforts of the subsequent builders.

Our question, then, becomes, “What am I accomplishing as I build upon the foundation which has been laid in my life?”

The Foundation

He says, “As a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.”

In the case of the “cultivated field,” once the farmer had planted the seed, others completed the remaining cultivation. Those who watered that field did the rest, and God brought the increase. But, in the case of the building, once the foundation has been laid, the rest of the building is for someone else to accomplish.

In any physical building, if the foundation is of questionable quality, then the subsequent building is unsecure, regardless of the craftsmanship of the builders. If the ground under the “foundation” is unstable, then even the foundation is unsecure.

But, in this case, Paul identifies the Foundation: He explains in verse 13 that the foundation is Jesus Christ. (In other passages, we find that He is also the Monolithic Bedrock under the “foundation” in our lives.) Everything that has become “possible” in our lives, as new believers is only possible because of the absolute security of that foundation. Jesus said, “Upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” (And He was not referring to Peter!) Jesus is the Rock of our Salvation, and He is the Foundation of the Work God plans to accomplish in our lives.

The Gift

Think clearly about this: You did not lay the foundation! Someone else came to you with the Gospel of Christ and eventually, one way or another, you chose to believe it. God, through the agency of that other person, laid the Foundation of Christ in your life at that moment. Paul brought Christ to Corinth, and, in doing so, he laid the foundation there in Corinth. They did not do it for themselves. It was the gift of God.

The Foundation was a gift! Salvation is a gift! What you do with that gift after having received it, is another matter. Paul warns that the character of resulting overall construction is up to you to decide, moment-by-moment and day-by-day.

The Warning: “Let Every Man Take Heed!”

Paul said, “But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”

“Take Heed!” (Pay attention!) Listen up! There is a caveat, here! A warning: Salvation is a gift! But rewards are not! This matter can easily confused us. Some teach that salvation is the reward for good behavior. That is absolutely false! You cannot earn salvation. You can receive it as the gift of God, precious beyond price and beyond imagination, or you cannot receive it at all.

Example one

I visited in the home of a man in Mexico, many years ago. He was a coppersmith…a very good one. He had personally hand-forged a beautiful copper pan for my wife as a gift. I do not speak even semi-fluent Spanish. However, during that evening I had shared the Gospel with this man. He rejected it, saying, it is too easy: “I have to earn it!” I thought for a moment, then felt in my pocket as if for money, and said, “So, how much do you want for that copper “casserole” you made for Ann?”

He instantly was furious: “No! That was a gift!”

“That’s right, “I replied. “You are angry because I offered to pay for the gift you made for Ann, aren’t you?” He was still angry, so he blurted “YES!”

So I asked, “How much more angry do you think God may be, that you are offering to pay for the blood of His only Son?” His countenance changed, and his eyes went round, as he realized what he quite literally had been doing. I never saw him again, but I know that, at that moment, he understood the Gospel for the first time. What he ultimately chose to do about it, I don’t know. But I hope to see him in eternity.

Salvation is a Gift!

We have received a gift, each of us who has placed our trust in Christ. We have eternal life.

Example two

On another occasion, later, not knowing that the young lady to whom I was speaking was not a believer, I was only trying to teach her about her security in Christ. Eventually, I offered her a dime, saying, “Here: take this!”

She took it, and I asked, “Now, whose dime is that?”

She replied, “It’s mine, now!”

So, I asked, “But what did you do to get it?”

And she (bless her heart) said, “Nothing! I just reached out and took it!”

And then she started crying! I was thoroughly confused, since I really didn’t understand what was happening. So, I finally prayed with her, and she gave me a ferocious hug, and then she and her husband drove away. That was January 9^th, 1994.

Two weeks later, she explained to me that she was born again that day, as she simply believed God and received the GIFT of eternal life in Christ. GOD laid the foundation, that day, even though I did not at all understand what was going on!

And it was a gift!

**But, Rewards are NOT Gifts!**

The warning here is that we can receive rewards…or NOT, depending on how we respond to the Lord after receiving that gift.

I have frequently heard people say of someone who recently died that “He has gone to his reward!” And, in most cases, they were not even saying the person was a believer…only that they were dead! As an unbeliever, had I died before I was eighteen, my “reward” or “wages” would have been eternity in Hell! Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of Sin is Death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord!”

But, here in 1^st Corinthians 3:9-15, Paul tells us that a reward is possible! And he says that the reward is commensurate with the work done, as we have either “worked with Jesus” or we have rebelled and “worked on our own…” choosing our own ideas of “how to please God,” as opposed to what His Word says.

The Building Materials

Paul continues his metaphor in verse 12, now likening the product of our lives, the “building” we are producing, as being of “different grades of building materials.”

He chose two categories of materials: the first group, “Gold, Silver, Precious stones,” when considered as building materials, were completely outside the reach of anyone but the wealthiest of individuals. The second group were materials that even the poorest people could probably acquire, though there was still some expense, most likely, and a good deal of work as well.

**It is not just about the cost of the Materials**

One group implies “intrinsic value,” while the other does not! However, in verse 13, Paul tells us a far more important difference between the two groups: one is combustible, and one is not!

He says the final test of our works will not be so much upon how much work we did to accomplish it, how “important” it seemed, nor how “skilled” we are, but upon the intrinsic value of the materials and their permanence. He says that our work will be tested by fire.

So, where would a person get the “Gold, and Silver, and Precious Stones” that Paul mentions, here? Think forward a bit: In 2^nd Peter 3:10, God also says that in the day of the final judgment, “the elements will pass away with a fervent heat and a great noise!” (Yes… but, “Gold and Silver and Precious Stones” are “elements,” too, aren’t they? Won’t they just be burned up?)

Materials From God are Eternal

Therefore, we are not talking about literal, physical wealth here, which none of those believers had, anyway. (Including the Apostles: Remember, it was Peter (and John) who said, addressing the lame man, “Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee: In the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”)

The building materials God wants us to use, have to come from Him! That is why Jesus said, in John 15:5, “Apart from Me ye can do nothing!” The work has to be the direct result of our “pulling in double harness” with Jesus! That is why verse 9 says, “We are laborers together with God!”

The Result: Reward or Loss

Finally, in verses 14, and 15, Paul says that the result of the testing for permanence and value will be either that our work simply burns up like a barn with a haymow fire, or that it still remains, and a reward will be given. He points out that the foundation is permanent: He says that if any believer’s work burns up, the believer himself will still be saved, but “as one escaping through the flames.”

Was there a Reward for Lot?

Abraham’s nephew, Lot comes to mind as a prime example: He had already received great riches as a result of his travels with Uncle Abraham. But he squandered that fine start by moving into the City of Sodom. Ultimately, when God destroyed Sodom, Lot and his immediate family were saved, but they lost everything: The angels dragged them out of town, and whatever they dragged with them was all they had left. If it were not for the fact that, in 2^nd Peter 2:6-8, God specifically names Lot as being a righteous man, I would never have guessed he was a saved man! And that helps secure my faith that He will save me, too! He laid the foundation!

But the reward is another matter! Lot came out of the City of Sodom with essentially nothing but his life! His salvation was a gift! But, there was no reward for his behavior!

Will there Be a Reward for Us?

Paul tells us that we have a choice: we can learn to “pull with Jesus in double harness,” being “laborers together with God,” thereby receiving from Him (and building with) the materials that have eternal intrinsic value, and eternal substance that will outlast this life…or not.

Let’s pursue the goal of learning to walk with Jesus, as His flock: learning to work with Jesus as His partners in the Work of God. The result, whether we follow or not, will have eternal results, for better or for worse.

Lord Jesus, please teach us to walk with You and to serve as your agents here in the fallen world in which we live. We know that we are Your ambassadors, but we want to be faithful at that work, serving with You looking for eternal results.

How Do I Know All of the Bible is For Me? (Part 3)

Introduction

What About the Gospels?

But, What about Us? The Church?

But, What about the Parables?

What can we Learn in the Gospels?

Matthew: Jesus the King!

Mark: Jesus the Servant!

Luke: Jesus the Son of Man!

John: Jesus the Eternal God

So, What About The Book of Acts?

Then, What about the Church Epistles?

Are there any Exceptions?

Finally, What About the Revelation?

Chapters 2 and 3 are TO the Church:

Warnings

Promises

Exhortations

The Prophecy of the End Times

Conclusion

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

How Do I Know all of the Bible is For Me? (Part 2-1/2)

Romans 7:13; Romans 8:2 and many others…

Introduction

But, What About The Law?

Then What Value Does the Law Hold for Us, Today?

“Ditch 1:”

“Ditch 2”

“Staying between the Ditches”

Justified by Faith

What About “The Law of Sin and Death?”

How Can We Be Free?

What About the Prophetic Books?

Daniel

Isaiah

God’s Purpose in the Suffering of Christ

The Result of His Suffering

Jeremiah

And the Rest!

How Do I Know the Bible is For Me? (Part 2)

Introduction:

Who is it For?

What About the “Personal” Books?

What About the “Meditations and Wisdom” Portions?

What Should We Do With Them?

Wisdom is Practical

But, What About The Law?

Then What Value Does the Law Hold for Us, Today?

“Ditch 1:”

“Ditch 2”

“Staying between the Ditches”

The Law Still Stands!

What About The Law of Sin and Death?

What About the Prophets?

A Question of Identity: Who Are the “Unrighteous?”

1st Corinthians 6:9-11

Introduction

Definition of Biblical Terms

Defined by God: Observed by Behavior and Character

Our Past

So…What Changed?

But Ye Are Washed!

Ye Are Sanctified!

Ye Are Justified!

How Can We Avail Ourselves of the Righteousness Of God?

Do You Desire to be Declared Righteous by God?

The Resulting Reward

Judgment, Justice, Grace, and Mercy

Introduction:

How does Easter show the Judgment and Justice of God?

Judgment on Jerusalem

Judgment on Jesus

The Specific Reasons for The Crucifixion

The Scriptures had to be Fulfilled

He Fulfilled the Prophecies!

So, What is The Good News of the Gospel?

Why is His Death Good News?

Why is His Burial Good News?

And, The Best News of All: The Resurrection!

What is The Result of the Resurrection?

**How Do I Know All of the Bible is For Me? (Part 3)**

**How Do I Know all of the Bible is For Me? (Part 2-1/2)**

**But, What About The Law?**

**But, What About The Law?**

1^st Corinthians 6:9-11

**Why is His Death Good News?**

**Why is His Burial Good News?**

**What is The Result of the Resurrection?**

1^st Corinthians 4:17-21

1^st Corinthians 4:8-16

**What is Our Calling?**

**But, Aren’t We Supposed to Be Wise?**

1^st Corinthians 3:9-15