How To Maintain The Seven-fold Unity of the Spirit

The Seven-fold Unity of the Spirit

Ephesians 4:3-6 (Read it)

Introduction:

I don’t know what your inward thoughts may be, but, in my flesh,I know I feel perfectly free to mentally dismiss another person, just because I disapprove of something in their life. We used to say, “I don’t like the way he parts his hair,” when we really meant, “I have taken an unreasoning dislike to that person.”

Many of us think we have “personal freedom” to like or dislike people on a whim. We may exclude someone from our personal sphere of fellowship because of some small difference of opinion. The problem with this behavior is that God says we do not have that right!

Last time we spoke, we saw that Ephesians 4:3 says , “endeavor to maintain the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” It is a command: Though it is stated as a plea, that is a command. In order to obey a command, one must at least understand what it says. So; what in the world is the “Unity of the Spirit?” And how do we “endeavor to maintain” it?

The Seven-Fold Unity of the Spirit

God centers our real, God-established unity around seven things:

One Body
One Spirit
One Hope of our Calling
One Lord
One Faith
One Baptism
One God and Father

If all of those unities are in place, we are not to break fellowship. If someone is deliberately teaching contrary to those, then they are heretical, that is, “causing division,” and must be avoided.

Not “Human-Sourced”

None of those seven are “humanly established”—they are simply facts, established by God. Based on those seven unities, which, together, comprise the Unity of the Spirit, we are to function in unity as well. We are not to have discord among us. Proverbs 6:16-19 gives us a pretty good idea about how God feels about disunity: “These six things doth the LORD hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto him…” Sowing discord among brethren is one of ‘em, folks. So let’s take a closer look at the Unity of the Spirit, with a view as to how we are to maintain it.

Why “Seven?”

First, it seems appropriate to point out what may be obvious to many…the unity is Seven-fold. Many times, in scripture, God uses the number “seven,” to convey a sense of “completeness.” For instance, the judgments in the book of The Revelation include seven “seals,” within the seventh of which are seven blasts of angelic trumpets—the seventh of which is commonly referred to as the “Last Trumpet,” or the “Trumpet of Doom.” Within that seventh trumpet are seven bowls or vials. This is the completion of Man’s reign on earth. “Three” is often seen as the number of humanity…and “seven,” the number of completion. Hence three sevens, nested within one another.

Jesus lists seven churches in Revelation chapters 2-3, summing up either the possible attributes of all local churches, or spanning the complete history of the Church age…or both, depending on how one sees it.

But here we have the Unity of the Spirit, given by God as a completed entity; “no assembly required, no batteries needed.” All we are told to do is maintain it. So…how do we do that? By not breaking it unnecessarily. Church splits and fractured unity are so common, today, that the world sees us as a laughingstock.

They talk about “believing Baptists”…meaning, “if we don’t fully agree, we’ll ‘be leaving!’” Believers hop from church to church, finding something in every assembly to justify their leaving, frequently in a self-righteous huff.

But, God says “maintain the Unity of the Spirit”…endeavor to do so—work at it! That is what “endeavor” means…it isn’t simply that we should half-heartedly “try.” (“Well, we did our best, but you can’t be friends with everybody…”) God says, “Work at it. Endeavor to keep it.”

There is Only One Body of Christ.

We talk of the various denominations as being different churches, and, in a sense, they are. But the only acceptable division is to be geographical, and demographic, in the sense of language, culture, etc. It is never to be a division regarding some obscure doctrine, or “which teacher a particular assembly likes to follow.” Look at 1^st Corinthians 1:11-13: Paul notes that specific reason for divisions and he utterly condemns it. He points out that neither he nor Apollos were anything important…and, more importantly, that Christ is not divided. Nor is the Body of Christ to be divided.

There were numerous house-churches in larger cities, but, in general, it seems, there were only geographical differences; the church at Ephesus—the Churches of Galatia, etc. It was not the “First Baptist Church of West New Orleans” or some such thing. At most, it might be the “Church that meets at Chloe’s house.” Again, geography was the only barrier.

Could language be a barrier? Certainly, it could be. It is tough to fellowship freely with someone whose language is completely foreign to you. But remember: all members of the Body of Christ speak Agapé as their native language. I have had good (but limited) fellowship with believers of other languages. The Love and acceptance were there…we just couldn’t talk about it much.

There is Only One Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God. There is only one of Him, and he indwells every single real believer, individually. He does not need us to tell them how to live. He tells them in His Word, and He tells them by his guidance of their new nature. Does he send believers to correct other believers? Surely He does! But we frequently specialize in “correcting” areas concerning which the Holy Scriptures are utterly silent…and we often ignore things about which it is clear. And when we do attempt to “correct” someone, too often we are not in tune with the Holy Spirit, because the correction is not born of Love, but of condemnation and pride.

The same Spirit indwells us all and makes us one in Christ. Bear that in mind, regarding people with whom you have “personality conflicts.” (God has a shorter word for this: He calls it “Sin.”)

The Holy Spirit never leads contrary to the Written Word of God. Remember this, when someone (maybe you) claims that “The Holy Spirit is leading them to” do such and such. If it is clearly contrary to sound doctrine, then it is not the Holy Spirit doing the leading. There is only One Holy Spirit, and He never creates division, except to demand that believers follow the Word of God…you see, not all of them want to do so. We are to endeavor to maintain His unity.

There is Only One Hope of our Calling.

Did you think there is a different heaven for other churches, maybe? All real believers are headed for the same real place, facing the same real God, standing before the same real Judgment Seat of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:10, 11) Do you want to stand next to someone at that Judgment Seat, and for the first time in forever, see them as your beloved brother or sister, with whom you should have been having pure fellowship, but with whom you only had discord? How will that feel? On what basis do you feel justified in rejecting any believer you have known? Or, having been on the receiving end, by what excuse have they rejected you? (Usually, it is mutual.)

Remember that you will spend eternity with that person. Better to learn to love them now, rather than to go through life having your fellowship with God damaged by your bad relationship with other believers. Do you think that can’t happen? Peter specifically warned husbands to love their wives in a particular way, so that their prayers would not be hindered. (1^st Peter 3:7)

There is Only One Lord.

The “One Lord” is referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. One might think that this one is a “given.” But many people have taken license to “re-construct Jesus” to their own specifications. One aspect of this “re-construction” is that they generally conclude that Jesus is not God in the Flesh, but rather (pick one):

Just a great teacher and prophet
An exalted man
A powerful spirit being
A lesser god
Or some other form of created being, but NOT the Creator.

Sorry…any doctrine that concludes Jesus is other than the Everlasting Father is false . Why do I say this? I mean, really…: He is God the SON, right? (Turn to Isaiah 9:6, 7.)

“His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, THE mighty God, THE everlasting Father.” (There it is!) Do you know what Jesus said about this? He claimed to be the Judge of all the Earth (John 5:22…compare Genesis 18:25). He said that all men were to honor Him “as they honor the Father” and He went on to say that if they do not honor the Son (to that level) then they do not honor the Father who sent Him. (John 5:23)

Make a Choice!

That’s a pretty straight, hard, clean “line in the sand,” if you ask me. You either see Jesus as THE God of the Universe, or you do not truly see him.

Further, his character and doctrine are carefully laid out in the Word of God. He is not some radical philosopher, or social activist, or ascetic monk, or any of the other ways he has been portrayed; he is the Holy God of the Universe, in Human flesh. Fully Man…and fully God.

Deal with it! Embrace it! Accept him as the Bible teaches him to be! And, if the church you are attending does not honor him in that way, then you may prayerfully consider finding a church that does. One thing all the “cults” have in common is that they all claim to honor Jesus, but none (that I am aware of) embrace his deity as spelled out in scripture.

One further point: He is Lord! He is the Master. We are to obey him in all things, and when we do, there will be unity. There can only be disunity when we are not following Him. Dr. McGee points out that, when an orchestral conductor lifts his baton, all the players’ eyes are on him and all their instruments are silent. When the conductor begins the count, the instruments all come in at their proper times, playing their proper melodies, counterpoints, harmonies, etc.! Why?

Because; (a) they have the written music before them, (b) they are in full agreement as to what it says, and (c) they have agreed to allow the Conductor to interpret it for the group. Make no mistake—the Conductor is Christ…not some pastor or teacher. But when we are in tune, and following that Conductor, we will be in harmony here on Earth.

There is Only One Faith.

Throughout history, people have tried to codify this “one faith” in creeds, each claiming to outline the “one true faith.” The word “catholic” has been stolen by a particular group of people claiming to have that “one true faith.” The English word “catholic” used to only mean “universal”…but now it is so completely associated with the Roman Catholic sect, that I never use the word in teaching. I am trying to not cause doctrinal confusion. When that word is used, today, every single hearer automatically thinks of Romanism, not the unity of the body of Christ. So I have abandoned that term to the opposition. The concept is what matters.

We believe the Bible to be literally God’s written Word, and, in the original Manuscripts, without error. Could someone be saved and have some doubts about that? Certainly, they could. Many do, because of bad teaching. But could they miss the fact that Jesus is the only Savior and that His blood was shed as the single payment for the sins of the whole world and still be saved? I would have trouble with that one unless they were a brand-new believer, and completely untaught. At some point, the “One Faith” has to center on the “One Savior.”

There may be various digressions into error that would not separate them from the Person of Christ, but any teaching that turns the heart of the believer away from a personal faith in the living Christ as being their only avenue to God is at least suspect, and probably fatally flawed.

What is the “Apostles’ Doctrine?”

Acts 2:42 refers to “the Apostle’s Doctrine.” I would say that is the same as the “one faith.” If you want to see what it entails, then study the epistles. The epistles comprise the Apostle’s Doctrine. Most churches have a “doctrinal statement,” somewhere, that can be requested and read. I am told that we have one somewhere, but I’m not sure I have seen it.

We simply believe the Bible is the Word of God and that it is completely true: that it is meant to be understood and, where applicable, obeyed. We believe that Jesus truly is who he said he was…God in the Flesh, and the only Savior. We believe that faith alone, in response to His Grace is all that is required for salvation. We believe that one can know now…today…that one has eternal life; and that one’s sins have been completely forgiven. All these are part of that “One Faith.”

There is Only One Baptism:

This is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, wherein He permanently places the believer into the Body of Christ. (1^st Corinthians 12:13) This is not water-baptism. There are many different forms of water baptism, and we are not to break fellowship over them. Oddly enough, the main contention over the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is concerning when it occurs.

According to the scriptures, it happens at the moment of salvation. Romans 8:9 states that if you don’t have the Holy Spirit, then you aren’t saved. So it has to happen at the moment of salvation. Jesus stated (John 5:24) that when a person hears the Gospel and believes it, they are saved. They have eternal life at that moment. So, it must happen at the moment one places his or her faith in Jesus as his/her savior.

There is Only One God and Father of all.

Many have interpreted this to mean that God is the Father of all Humans. Jesus showed the falsehood of that teaching. He told the Pharisees that they were of their Father, the Devil (John 8:44). Paul confirmed, in Ephesians 2, that we were (past tense) all the children of wrath, by nature—by birth. In Romans 5:10 he stated that we were all the enemies of God…not his beloved children.

But that One God and Father, who is the Father of all believers, through the new birth, is the One to whom we owe our Love and Worship. Remember that Jesus is called the Everlasting Father. Do I understand the Trinity? No! Absolutely not! But do I preach it? Yes, absolutely! And that One God is above all else; He is through all time and Space, and He is in all true believers. He is preeminent, omnipotent, omnipresent, and indwelling His children forever.

How Do We Maintain Unity?

Based on these seven facts that collectively form the “Unity of the Spirit” we are commanded to maintain Love and fellowship between ourselves and all other believers. It is possible that some differences, while they do NOT destroy unity or fellowship might still be a practical hindrance to working together, say, in Evangelism. Paul admits this. But we are still free to work separately, rejoicing that they, too, are carrying the Gospel to those who have not heard it.

So, rather than bicker, let’s get on with the job, ourselves, and not allow our petty disagreements to defile the message of Christ. We all have work to do, and we are all called to work with Jesus at that task.

God give us Grace to Work together, and to Love one another, in Jesus’ Name.
Amen!

October 18, 2024October 18, 2024

Three Points Are Needed In Our Testimony As Believers

The Testimony of a Believer

Ephesians 2:11-22

Introduction

Last week we took a rather quick trip through Ephesians chapter 2. Today we will go back and pick up some details.

We often hear people encouraging us to “share our testimony” with others. Sometimes that seems difficult to do. The fact that so many “celebrities” have given “dramatic” testimony on television, the radio, or in public forums doesn’t make it any easier.

We are left to think, “Well I guess I have nothing to say! I didn’t sell drugs on the street, or lead a motorcycle gang, or star in ungodly movies, or run a multimillion-dollar business, or anything like that, and I certainly don’t have a very interesting life.”

But drama is not what the believer’s testimony is about. We are told to very simply share our testimony, to present the good news of salvation, as if we were each just one beggar telling another beggar where to find free food.

What Makes a Salvation Testimony?

Every Christian, in the simplest analysis, has the same testimony:

I was lost
Jesus saved me
I am saved, and (hopefully) am enjoying my new relationship with God. (Details vary.)

Where is the “drama” in that? The only real drama happened at the Cross. If people want drama, they can read the gospel story, and see the crucifixion, and hear Jesus’s promise to the thief on the cross, “Today, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise!” That’s real Drama! And that part is true for every believer. We will be with Jesus forever.

Let’s look at Ephesians 2:11-22, and see what Paul wrote to the believers at Ephesus, during the first century.

**Our Old Position**

The people to whom he wrote were all believers, but they were predominately Gentile believers. There had been at least a few Jewish believers in that church originally, and I assume that there still were, but evidently, it was mostly Gentile, and he addressed them as Gentiles, reminding them of their OLD position.

Remember, we have talked about positional truths so far, in most of the book of Ephesians. The subject is about to change to “conditional” truths: things that should be true of all believers, but often are not.

Remember!

Paul said, “Remember…” It is good for us to reflect on the facts of our life,

before salvation,
at the time of our salvation, and
in our life since then.

Paul told them (the Ephesians believers) to remember that they HAD been Gentiles in the flesh—born as heathens—with no connection with God. They were still “genetically Gentiles,” of course, but it no longer affected their relationship with God. The following twelve verses explain what changed, and what resulted from that change.

He said “…remember that you were “called the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision in the flesh, made by hands.” Those who called them that were only outwardly changed. In reality, they were just as separated from God as the Gentiles whom they scorned.

He said, “…at that time you were without Christ” (no Messiah was promised to the Gentiles, specifically—though the Messiah promised to the Jews was also the Messiah for the Gentiles—but most Gentiles knew nothing about the promised Savior.)

He said, “…you were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel…” (Israel rejected them, and the Gentiles were unable to join their ranks without major changes forced upon them.) He said, “…you were strangers from the covenants of Promise….” None of the promises to the Jews were specifically TO the Gentiles, though there were plenty that involved them.

We Were Without Hope

Paul pointed out that at that time, before their salvation, they were without hope, and without God—”lost as a ball in high weeds,” effectively. They were in the world, and lost; without hope and without God.

Now—did this only apply to the “bad” people— those who were criminals, or immoral, or something? No, it applied to ALL who were “without God.” That is always the deciding factor.

Think back to Genesis. When Noah went aboard the Ark, and his family went with him, and two of every kind of animal—what happened to those left outside? They all died. Just the wicked? I suppose that could depend on your point of view, since God says we all are possessed of a wicked nature—but good, bad or indifferent, everyone outside the ark was lost. And everyone who is without God (whether they know it or not) is also without hope.

A few verses back, in verses one through three of this same chapter, God described the lostness of the whole human race. And his solution, there (verse 4) and here (verse 13) is the same. In verse 4, it began, “…But God, who is rich in mercy…” here, in verse 12, it says, “But now in Christ Jesus…”

So, What Changed?

This is the transition, in everyone’s testimony. “Yes, I was on God’s ‘death row’, but Jesus died in my place!” or, “I was lost and didn’t even know it—I was just happily headed for Hell—but God sent someone to shine a light on my life, and let me see my lost condition, and Jesus became my Savior when I placed my trust in His shed Blood!” That is the transition, the change—the “What Happened” part of the story.

What does God say about that transition? He says that we have been brought near to God, by the blood of Christ, and that we are in Him. Though we were far away, we have been brought near, in Christ. See verse 13.

He goes on to say that Jesus is our peace, as he has made the two human groups (Jew and Gentile) who once existed side by side, but were always at odds, to be one group, healing the rift between them. In his own flesh, He abolished the enmity between Jew and Gentile.

And, How?

How did he do it? By completely fulfilling the Old Testament Law, that had stood as the divider, for all ages. He fulfilled it for himself, by living a perfect life.

But how did he fulfill it for me? I had already broken the Law, and the Law had only one thing to say to me…it said, “You must die!” Ezekiel 18:4 says “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” So Jesus fulfilled the Law for me…by dying in my place.

Turn to Galatians 2:19…There, Paul stated, “for I, through the Law, am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God.” Through Jesus keeping the Law for me, I am dead to the Law—when God’s Law looks at me, it sees a dead man, upon whom judgment has already been completed. There is no further condemnation because that judgment was poured out at the Cross. Now I can live for God. I am actually free to do what I was designed to do.

Back in Ephesians again…when Jesus had completed the fulfillment of the Law, he preached peace to us all—Jew and Gentile. Jesus himself had predicted this in John 10:16 by stating, “…other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” I’m not at all sure that the disciples understood that statement, but in light of the rest of scripture, it is pretty easy to see, and to know that this passage in Ephesians is making the same statement.

**What is Our New Position?**

The bottom line becomes the fact that we have all gained access to the throne of God by the Holy Spirit. The Jews assumed they had access because of being Jews, and because they professed to keep the law. But God says, in Romans 5:2 that we only have access to His Grace by faith—that is the access offered to the whole World.

Ephesians 2:18 states that, as believers, we have access to God, via the Holy Spirit. We cannot approach Him in the flesh. This is a key point to understand. We have been joined to Him permanently; we are saved eternally, but, in terms of relationship, we can only draw near to Him by the Holy Spirit. So, we have to learn to walk by faith, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, if we want to consistently have access to the throne of God. We do so via 1^st John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Then we go back and obey again.

Still In Christ

Are we always “happy” in Christ? Nope. We get frustrated, and cranky, like a bunch of little children whining from the back seat, saying “Are we there, yet??” We still have an old nature…we are still sinners…just saved sinners. Sinners saved by grace. We either learn to walk with God, confessing our sins and learning to obey Him, or we live lives that are up and down…sometimes happy, sometimes not. As a little child, learning to walk, the secret to success is in getting up more often than you fall down.

What else does Paul say about our new position in Christ? He says that we are no more strangers and foreigners. God no longer sees me as a heathen. In fact, he says I am a fellow citizen of heaven, right along with all the saints that have gone before—and, more importantly, I am part of the family of God. I have been born again, and God is my real Father.

What does the Future Hold?

Together with all the believers of this age, we are being built together as a habitation of God. The Holy Spirit lives in each of us individually. But God lives in us collectively. And, collectively, we are called the Temple of God. I don’t feel like a “brick,” or a “doorpost”…but God says I am part of that living temple that He is building for his own glory and pleasure. And that is a good reason to learn to live for Him today. We are now the living temple of God!

We are already placed in His body, as members of the Body of Christ. He says we are currently being built together as a habitation of God. We want God to be glorified in us…so the book of Ephesians is written to that end. God wants us to know how to go about it. We have learned about our new position in Christ, and in the coming weeks, we will examine the rest of what God says about our walk with Him.

But, For Now:

In the meantime, remember that your testimony has three parts, just like the testimony of the Ephesian believers. You can accurately say, I was lost—I was without God. Then you can tell how you were saved…what Jesus did at the Cross for you, and when it was that you received Him as your Savior. Finally, you can tell what it has been like to live as a believer. It is not always easy, is it? Then say so! But then you can tell how Jesus has met your needs in the hard times.

The more frequently you share this story with others, the more natural and easy it will become. Proverbs 11:30 says, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise.” Let’s begin to show that kind of wisdom, and look for opportunities to win souls, as He has commanded us.

Lord Jesus, open our eyes to the lostness of the world around us. Open our hearts to feel their pain. Help us to reach them with the Good News of the Gospel: the free food that was once offered to us, and which we now offer to others. Allow the light of Your presence to shine through us, to Your Glory.

September 21, 2024September 21, 2024

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

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

Introduction:

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

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

Romans 5:12

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

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

1^st Corinthians 15:22

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

Romans 6:1-10

Dead to Sin

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

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

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

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

How Are We Dead To Sin?

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

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

God’s Intervention

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

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

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

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

Baptized into Death

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

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

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

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

Baptized into Life

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

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

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

Two Natures

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

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

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

A Done Deal

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

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

What Should the Result Be?

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

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

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

Only By the Spirit

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

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

God’s Guarantee

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

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

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

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

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

August 31, 2024August 31, 2024

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

In Christ—Comparing “Position” and “Condition”

(Part One)

Ephesians 1:1-7

Introduction:

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

Ephesians 1

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

To The Believers

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

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

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

**Grace, then Peace**

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

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

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

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

All Spiritual Blessings

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

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

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

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

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

There Are Two Possible Positions (Locations):

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

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

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

Why Two Positions?

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

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

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

We are Chosen to be Holy and Blameless before Him.

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

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

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

Practical Application

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

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

What is Biblical Adoption?

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

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

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

No Confusion Needed

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

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

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

What Will Be The Result?

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

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

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

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

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

How Can We Know for Sure?

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

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

What Have We Learned?

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

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

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

August 16, 2024August 16, 2024

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

Foods Sacrificed to Idols Versus the Lord’s Table

1^st Corinthians 10:14-29

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

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

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

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

(What then?)

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

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

Introduction:

Flee Idolatry

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

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

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

What Is the Table of the Lord?

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

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

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

Communion Means Fellowship

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don’t Mingle Darkness With Light

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

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

Children of the Light

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

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

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

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

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

Don’t try to mix light and darkness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What About Testimony?

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

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

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

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

July 20, 2024July 20, 2024

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

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

1^st Corinthians 9:19-27

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Introduction:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So, What is Our Goal, as Christians?

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

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

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

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

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

God Sets Goals Before Us

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

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

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

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

Each Person Has His or Her Own Assignment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s Examine What Peter Said, There:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Randy will be teaching next week.

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

April 13, 2024April 13, 2024

Family Trouble: Handling Interpersonal Dispute in the Church

Family Trouble: Judgment of Interpersonal Issues

1^st Corinthians 6:1-8

¹ Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

²Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

³Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

⁴If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge 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 between his brethren?

⁶But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

⁷Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law 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.

Introduction:

We have spent six weeks talking about the topic of Judgment. We have not done so because it is enjoyable (it isn’t!) but because it is necessary. The Church at Corinth had some serious problems, requiring a great deal of corrective teaching. As we study through the letters to Corinth, we cannot escape the topic of Judgment.

Paul addressed them as genuine believers. But they were largely “carnal” believers, as he said in 1^st Corinthians 3:1-4. They were not living by faith, or walking with Christ in obedience. They were making decisions in their fleshly minds and according to their fleshly desires. Their behavior reflected the results, in every area.

Safety Training

We don’t enjoy reading about all the messes they were making of their lives. Please see this as “training in what to avoid.”

I used to teach Industrial Safety at the company where I worked. I recounted numerous injury accidents, errors, and fatalities that had occurred. Some had happened right there in that plant, or nearby companies, or affiliated companies.

Someone in the Human Resources department scolded me, saying I was going to frighten away potential employees. But, the best way to teach safety is to explain the hazards and explain how to avoid those hazards.” There are hundreds of “potential ways to die,” in heavy industry. My goal was to make sure everyone went home alive, safe, and uninjured.

God teaches “Safety Training” by the same method. Jesus spent far more time and gave far more teaching about the reality of Hell and Eternal Judgment than He spent describing Heaven and the Eternal Joy awaiting believers. Yet some people scold us, and say that such “negative teaching” will turn people away! If that is the case then we need to take it up with the Savior, because He is also the Judge. And He went to great lengths to warn us away from the eternal “hazard” associated with sin, and the lurking enemy who will try to ensnare us there.

Please take the twin books of 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians as “Safety Training.” It may not be very pleasant, but it could keep us out of trouble, both as individuals and, as a church.

**So, What Was the Problem, This Time?**

When conflicts arose, the believers in Corinth were quite willing to take one another to court. Today we say such people are “lawsuit-happy” or, “litigious!” They were making no attempt to follow what Jesus said about personal conflicts. The people knew nothing of forgiveness, nor of simply accepting the wound or the loss inflicted by a fellow believer. They were taking one another to court before the unbelieving judges of their society. They were shaming the Church and shaming Jesus as well. (Notice, we are still talking about judgment!) Do you see what Paul points out regarding judgment, here?

¹ Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? ²Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Through Paul, Jesus commanded us to judge. He commanded that this judgment not be left to the unbelievers. It is a shameful thing when the Body of Christ requires unbelievers to tell us how to live. Hopefully, when conflicts seem insurmountable, a pattern of coming before the church for spiritual judgment will prevent the more drastic judgment from unbelievers.

Limits of this Judgment

[By the way, this is about civil matters: If it were a matter of criminal offenses, then the situation is already completely out of hand, and the sin has crossed the line into matters where the world takes over and exercises judgment. And God says (Romans 13:1-7) that He put the civil authorities in place for that specific purpose. We just want to avoid that necessity, by obeying His Word all the time; not just when we are in trouble.]

When God says the believers at Corinth are “Saints,” it does not mean “super-spiritual Christians.” It means that they have been claimed by God as His Personal Property. This is true of every single believer. The moment you trusted Christ as your Savior, several things happened:

You were born again as a legitimate Child of God.
You were indwelt by the entire Godhead, in the person of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit placed you (literally, “baptized” you) into the Body of Christ, by that Spirit.
You were Redeemed: “bought back out of the marketplace of sin, to be set free.”
Your sins (past, present, and future,) were forgiven.
You were washed clean by His Blood.
You were declared His personal property: Holy, for His use alone… A Saint.

Did you “feel” any of that? I seriously doubt it. But all of it is a fact, and there is much more. I only listed these few to show why He could call this mixed-up circus of spiritually immature clowns in Corinth “Saints!” Guess what? It includes us!

Yes, the Church is Qualified to Judge!

And, because we also fit into that category, He says that we should be able to deal with the ordinary conflicts of life without screaming to the unbelieving world for “justice!”

I knew a couple who faced such a dilemma: their house was damaged by fire, and another Christian couple (whom they considered friends) invited them to stay with them for a few months while the repairs were being made. They gladly accepted, and they offered to pay rent, but the other couple refused. But, when their repairs were done and they went to move home, their hosts demanded steep payment for having lived with them…and then threatened a lawsuit.

The couple I knew submitted to this scripture: they sadly paid what was demanded, though it seemed unreasonable. They suffered loss rather than open the church to criticism by the ungodly.

Judge The World? And Angels?

²Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? ³Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

**So—When will the Believers “Judge the World?”**

So far as we can see in the Bible, the only time in Human history when believers will be judging the world, on Earth, will occur during the Millennial Kingdom. Jesus told his followers that faithfulness would result in rewards. And, that one of their rewards during the kingdom age would be increased responsibility…rulership over cities, etc.

And I’m sorry, but I do not at all know when we will judge angels. However, consider that God says you are already “in Christ.” According to Ephesians 2:6, you are already seated in the throne with Him. So, possibly, in whatever way Jesus exercises judgment, because we are in Him, it could also be said that we are part of that judgment.

So, when Jesus exercises and pronounces judgment on the fallen Angels, we will be there for the occasion, and we will be part of it. Perhaps that is part of what this is about. If not, then I simply don’t know.

But, regardless of whether we fully understand his premise (that we will “judge angels,”) we can easily comprehend his conclusion: “We are worthy to judge the smallest things.”

One does not have to be “certified smart” by an ungodly institution before being competent to discern good and evil, or truth and fiction, or to give good counsel and exercise sound judgment.

Paul says that, as the children of God, we have been given His wisdom in the Scriptures, and that we should be ready to exercise that wisdom and judgment in the everyday affairs of normal life. And, if we cannot, then there is something seriously wrong.

Just How Serious Is This?

⁴If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

According to Paul, (speaking by the Spirit of God,) we would be better off to set up as a judge the person least qualified in the church, rather than to go before unbelievers and shame the church and one another.

Even that believer whom we consider least qualified (for whatever reason) still is indwelt by the Spirit, of God, and thereby is better qualified to give counsel than any unregenerate person. And, honestly, that is pretty serious!

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 between his brethren?

“I speak this to your shame” is an old-fashioned way of saying “Shame on you!” They regarded the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Wisdom He offered too poorly. They did not even consider dealing with interpersonal personal matters privately. In that way, they would bring no dishonor to God .

He challenged them to look around them and pick an arbitrator: there has to be someone you can trust to make a fair decision, based on the facts! Is there no one at all, among God’s people, that you would trust to make a good decision?

Or, is it All About “Winning?”

Are you so hung up on “getting your own way,” or “getting some money” out of someone else, that questions of “right and wrong” no longer matter?

In Ephesians 4:31, 32, God says “Let ALL bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor be put away from you will ALL malice, and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you!”

Does that no longer matter? Have you assumed that there must be some sort of “exception clause,” so that the “ALL” in that passage somehow does not really mean “ALL?” (Here’s a tip: “all” means “ALL!” Forgiveness requires that we absorb the loss, not seeking either retribution or revenge. Jesus accepted the full weight of the wrath of God, to satisfy the Righteousness, Holiness, and Justice of God, to provide forgiveness for us. Can’t we absorb the comparatively insignificant hurts and injustices we experience from one another, and accept one another on the same basis by which we have been accepted by God?

Give that some thought!

Paul’s Conclusion:

⁶But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

Paul concludes by pointing out that in taking one another to court, they were not only completely wrong, but in a form of wrong far worse than whatever injustice they had suffered. He said that they would have been far better off to have just “backed off” and accepted the loss at another’s hand. They would be better to forgive the wrong, “losing the case,” (so to speak,) to “win” the approval of God, in an attempt to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Wronging the Church

He reminds them that they are “wronging the brethren” by taking their opponent to court. They are not only wronging the other party. (One might argue that “No! They are wronging us!”) The fact is, they are wronging all the believers by their behavior, and shaming all the believers. And, they were dragging the Name of Jesus in the dirt, in the eyes of the unbelievers.

In Romans 2:24, Paul pointed out that the unbelievers blaspheme the Name of God, because of the behavior of people who claim to be believers. We do not want to be part of that tragedy!

Lord Jesus, free us from our ego so that we can shine as your lamps in the darkness of this world. Keep us from covering our light with such dirt and shame that Your light can no longer be seen. Fill us with Your Love for the believers around us and Your compassion for the Lost, so that we reach out as Your hands and behave as Your ambassadors, loving as You love.

April 6, 2024April 6, 2024

Fail to Address Sin? Pride is Still the Root of the Problem

Pride is Still the Root of the Problem

1^st Corinthians 5:1-13

¹ It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. ²And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

³For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, ⁴In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁵To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Pride was the Problem!

⁶Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? ⁷Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: ⁸Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

⁹I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: ¹⁰Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

¹¹But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. ¹²For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? ¹³But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Introduction:

This is a very uncomfortable passage to study: The immoral behavior of the persons in question repulses us, and the response of the assembly perplexes us. But then, we are also uncomfortable with the response of the apostle in calling for judgment.

The simple fact is, we are uncomfortable “talking about sin,” as sin! We are conscious of our own fallibility: and due to our fragility, we are reluctant to judge sin in others. A friend once encouraged me to sing some sacred songs to a group of hardened unbelievers. I told him I thought it would be inappropriate, as Jesus had said (in Matthew 7:6) “Do not cast your pearls before swine, neither give that which is holy to the dogs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn and rend thee.”

He said, “But, are we supposed to judge such things?”

I retorted, “Of course we are! How else could we obey the command?” He said, “I never thought of that!” You see, we have to “use good judgment!”

Things to Bear in Mind

There are several points of which we should take note, as we seek to understand this passage: First, simply as a foundation for reading, we need to see that this is not about “condemning” believers. Romans 8:1-4 teaches that “there is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ.”

In John 5:24, Jesus promised that “he that heareth my Word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life.” (Again, no condemnation!)

Second, we need to see that, while the correction God extends to his saints may seem harsh, at times, His only goal is to teach us to walk with Him.

Third, we need to remember that Jesus is the Judge, here. This is not an encouragement for believers to attack believers. The only goal is restoration.

Finally, the twin purposes of this chapter are (a) to protect the church by removing someone who was badly affecting the other believers, and (b) to bring that sinning believer to repentance and restore him to a walk with Christ.

What Do We See in 1^st Corinthians, chapter 5?

There is a fairly obvious “outline” we can discern as we read through the chapter:

This Was Open, Public, Flagrant Sin

The sin in question was open, flagrant, and unbelievers universally condemned it. Thus, it was truly affecting the testimony of the whole church. This was not some “quiet” thing, that was affecting no one else. Everyone already knew about it. It affected the whole church.

In the past, unmarried couples have attended here and in other churches. They were quietly living in error. But we did not reject, judge, or condemn them. We taught the Bible as the Word of God, and the scriptures soon convicted them. They asked the church to marry them. And we rejoiced with them!

The situation in this chapter was not that sort of thing. Unbelievers universally condemned the sin, and it could not be rectified except by confession and repentance. It had to stop, not just change. Technically, it was incest. Virtually all cultures forbid this sin: usually by law.

**This Was Not a “Questionable” Issue**

Virtually every culture has things largely disapproved, but which have no bearing on the teachings of the Bible at all. This is not such a thing. Some people think it is sin to subscribe to a Sunday newspaper. Others think it is sin to wear colorful clothing. Some judge others for their haircut, their personal hygiene, or their grooming. This is not that sort of thing.

We have had members who truly desire to stop a bad habit, such as smoking. The Bible does not touch on that at all, yet some people condemn it as a sin, as if it were a definite moral issue. But it is not. Is it unhealthy? Surely, it is! So is welding; as are most heavy construction jobs. So is overeating. So are many other societal patterns. We do not condemn such a person.

If they need help, we offer our support. We pray for one another. In some cases, we go to such a person privately, and we intervene at one level or another, encouraging them to drop the self-destructive behavior and to follow Jesus. But there is no condemnation.

God condemned this particular sin and the unbelieving world rejected it, as well. Everyone knew it was wrong. The man involved was not ignorantly sinning, nor did he just “innocently fall into a bad pattern.” It was not just a “lifestyle choice.” It was open rebellion and sin.

Pride is Still the Root of the Problem

We saw back in the first chapters of the book, that pride was dividing the church and demonstrating the carnality of the church. And pride was still the root of the problems. The believers at Corinth were “proud of their tolerance.” They were “puffed up.” They did not mourn the sin; nor did they consider the damage to their testimony. They approved of the sin and thought they were “spiritual” for doing so!

Romans 1:32 concludes, “Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them.” They approve of the sins that God condemns. In Romans, Paul was addressing the sins of the unbelievers.

We still see the same patterns today as those spelled out in Romans chapter one. For example, the movies that receive the highest ratings in terms of popularity are always the ones with the most sin in them, whether violence, nudity, vile language, or immoral sexual behavior. Even when a society “claims to reject such behavior,” they vote with their feet and pocketbooks, and those movies show the overall approval of the population.

Unfortunately, when we tolerate flagrant sin, as believers, one of the possible results is that we can become “proud” of it. We are proud of our reluctance to “judge sin.” But God commanded us to judge sin. Pride has led us astray once again! We are “proud of tolerating evil” and “proud of not admitting that evil is evil.”

And, it still is the problem, today!

This is becoming a very current issue, today, in the modern church: There is a local church group here, who are quite proud of their sin, and they no longer see it for what it is. There are no Bibles in their building. Their teacher no longer addresses the Word of God at all. They have forgotten the repeated teaching in the Bible that Jesus is the Living Word of God. They still claim the name of Christ, but they have turned away from Him entirely, and they have dragged His Name into such deep shame, by their uncleanness, that they are truly a dead church.

In Revelation 2:20, Jesus condemned the behavior of the Church at Thyatira, specifically because they tolerated the sin of the woman he called “Jezebel.” She was teaching believers to commit immorality and idolatry. Yes, He judged the sin of that person and those who followed her into sin, but He also judged the Church for tolerating the sin.

Why is it such a problem? Because it infects the whole Church, one way or another. Verse six compares sin to leaven or yeast. It does not stay in one spot. It spreads and grows until it permeates all of the bread dough it can reach.

**What is the Goal of this Warning?**

The purpose or goal of this warning, which required the church to unanimously judge sin, was twofold:

to purge the church of that specific uncleanness, or wickedness, and
to restore the sinning believer. (Verse 5)

This is in keeping with Galatians 6:1-5…the purpose of “church discipline” is always restoration, not condemnation of the believer. And, again, notice that the judgment is not directed toward unbelievers: this is about those who call themselves believers, but who are polluting the church by open rebellion against God.

We treat unbelievers kindly: they are welcome here, but they are not allowed to teach, nor to create division. This church does not ask for money from visitors, at all, lest anyone think that contributing to a church brings a right relationship with God. We cannot become a “monastic” society, closing ourselves off from the World. We are here to reach out to the world. Verse 10 points out that we would have to “leave the planet” to achieve such separation.

But a believer, who is bringing shame to Christ by his or her behavior, is in a different category. Those are the ones regarding whom this warning is given.

No Hierarchy of Sin

Finally, when we look at “sin” as a general topic in scripture, we cannot discern a “hierarchy” of sin. God lumps them all together as condemned by His Righteousness. In Proverbs 6:16-19, the one “list” where God says, “these things the LORD hates,” Pride is listed, along with gossip, lying, and talebearing: But sexual immorality is NOT. Does that mean God does not hate all sin? No…but the heart issues that cause all the others are where God points out the root of the outward sins…the heart is the source, and pride is frequently the root.

Everyone sins. There are no exceptions, except for Jesus, who was God in the Flesh. We confess to everyone that we are saved sinners. We continually confess our sins to God, to maintain a fellowship relationship with Him. So, this is not an invitation to a “feeding frenzy” of believers attacking other believers for perceived faults. (Remember, in Revelation 12:10, we see that Satan is the “Accuser of the Brethren.” We do not want to do his “dirty work!”)

The Church at Corinth was in trouble. And the issue was their pride in their tolerance of open rebellion and sin. Not simply that there was “sin in the camp.”

What is the Real issue?

The church can be seen as a “hospital for saints and sinners.” We are not surprised that the “hospital has sinners:” That is why we are here! We confess that Jesus died for our sins. And, yes, our sins grieve us, and our failures grieve us. We are not “surprised that it happens.” We are simply grieved that it continues!

But consider again the “illustration” of a hospital ward. A “patient” may come in with zero desire for healing. Also, he is preventing others from healing. Such a patient is to be quietly and kindly ushered back outside. They do need help, but we can’t help them when they reject the help.

We want them to know we care about them. We assure them that, if they repent, and come back to submit to the Great Physician, desiring to be healed, they will be welcomed with open arms. There is no condemnation. It is simply a matter of protecting the church from those who turn others away from the Christ who bought them with His Blood.

Lord Jesus, help us to read your Word, understand it, and take it to heart. Help us to apply it with the Love and Mercy that You offered through the Cross.

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 23, 2024March 23, 2024

What Really Happened on Palm Sunday?

Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; Zechariah 12, 14, etc.

Introduction:

I have frequently heard preachers say that the very people who praised Jesus, shouting “Hosanna” to Him as he rode into Jerusalem on the young donkey, were the same ones who, a few days later, were howling for his crucifixion. I’d like to examine that claim this morning. Especially in light of what the scripture says regarding the coming Judgment of Jerusalem, it seems important.

We have read so much of the coming Judgment, in various prophecies. It becomes difficult to even imagine the complete return to blessing that will follow. But let’s look carefully at the frequently made claim; that “Jesus’s followers-at-large turned against Him.”

Matthew 21:1-11

¹And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, ²Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. ³And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

⁴All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

(Here is the Prophecy!)

⁵Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

⁶And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, ⁷And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

⁸And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

⁹And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

¹⁰And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

¹¹And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

Fulfilled Prophecy!

Verse five, above is a partial quote of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Not all of the Gospel accounts mention that there were two animals, but this prophecy should have been ringing in the ears of the watching Jews, regardless. So the important question becomes, “Who were the ‘multitudes’ in verses 8, 9, and 11?”

Luke 19:29-40

²⁹And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

³⁰Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

³¹And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. ³²And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. ³³And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? ³⁴And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

³⁵And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. ³⁶And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

Another Fulfilled Prophecy

³⁷And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the DISCIPLES began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; ³⁸Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

This one originated in Psalm 118:25, 26 and Zechariah 9:9

³⁹And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. (They were not His disciples, by their own words, but they were amongst the multitude)

⁴⁰And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

⁴¹And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

⁴²Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. (This is judicial blindness!)

⁴³For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

⁴⁴And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

Where Was Jesus Coming From?

If we back up a few verses, to Luke 18:35-43, we see that Jesus had just passed through Jericho, heading up to Jerusalem. En route, if we read all the gospel accounts of this visit, he healed three blind men; one as he entered Jericho, and the other two as he left. He also encountered Zacchaeus, and transformed his life forever. But he was headed for Jerusalem all the time.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany and Bethphage, just outside of Jerusalem, he was in the town where he had raised Lazarus from the dead, and where his friends Mary and Martha still lived with their brother, Lazarus. He was among friends, who had seen His miracles and had heard His teaching. These were people who loved Him. These friends, his disciples, gathered to walk with him to Jerusalem. We are not talking about just the twelve, now: Luke says it was a whole multitude of His disciples…a crowd. But they were a crowd who genuinely liked Jesus, even if they weren’t really sure who He was. So, Jesus was coming from Bethany into Jerusalem.

Who was Following with Him?

Turn back to Matthew, and notice what happened when this multitude of His disciples began to announce His coming as the King, coming in the name of the Lord: as they entered Jerusalem, the whole city (Jerusalem) was stirred up, and asking, “Who is this man??” The crowd of disciples answered that Jesus was the prophet of Nazareth, of Galilee. Did they not understand that He was also the Savior…the Messiah? Maybe not, but the word “Hosanna” means “save us now!” So, they at least saw Him as “a” savior of some sort…a deliverer. Maybe they only thought He would deliver them from the Romans.

But we need to differentiate between the crowd of disciples, confused though they may have been, and the city of Jerusalem, whose response, eventually, was to kill Him.

Turn back to Matthew 23:37-39, please: Jesus is weeping over Jerusalem again (a different day).

³⁷O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! ³⁸Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

³⁹For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till YE shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Now: compare this passage with the one we just read, in Luke 19:37, 38. In that passage; who were the ones shouting “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord?” It was the multitude of His disciples! The inhabitants of Jerusalem were just “stirred up” by the call—they did not receive Him as their King.

Why Jerusalem?

Jerusalem is the City of the King: they were the ones who had to officially receive Him. God says that the Jews finally will turn to Jesus as their Messiah, weeping over their sin, and the fact of their guilt, having crucified the Messiah. But, where will it occur? At Jerusalem! And, when will it occur? After the tribulation! How do I know? Jesus says so!

In Matthew 24:29-31, Jesus gives the time frame, saying:

²⁹Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

³⁰And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

³¹And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect (The Tribulation Saints) from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

MORE Fulfilled Prophecy!

Zechariah 14:3-5 gives us the specific location: on the Mount of Olives, just outside Jerusalem, just as the angelic messengers foretold in Acts 1:10, 11.

³Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. ⁴And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

⁵And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

Acts 1:10, 11 (At the ascension.)

¹⁰ And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹ Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Repentance in Jerusalem

Zechariah 12:10 says the inhabitants of Jerusalem will completely repent, weeping over the One they Crucified.

¹⁰And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

This is what Palm Sunday was all about: Jesus made His final offer to Jerusalem during that visit, and He was rejected. But the One they judged, illegally, and with total prejudice, is the Judge of all the Earth, and who Judges righteously, without prejudice…without respect of persons. How do I know? Jesus says so! He said that the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son. (John 5:22)

The Day of the LORD

So, the “Day of the Lord” about which we studied some time ago, is the entirety of what Jesus just barely began to warn against in Matthew 24. It begins with what we call the Rapture, as taught in 1^st Thessalonians 4:13-18; it continues directly into the Tribulation, as seen in 1^st Thessalonians 5, and it culminates in the return of Christ and the Millennial Kingdom; ending with the Great White Throne Judgment, in Revelation chapters 19 and 20.

In Matthew 24, Jesus described only the Great Tribulation and the coming of the King: Why? Because Jerusalem had just rejected the King. His disciples were scattered, during the trial and the crucifixion: they were not the ones howling for his death. It was Jerusalem, proper, finally rejecting their King by calling for his execution, just as Jesus had predicted. This is why the message in Isaiah predicts Judgment on Jerusalem, (among other places) as the chief offenders. It was Jerusalem, as Jesus said, who routinely rejected and killed the prophets.

What were the Disciples Doing?

The ones who had shouted, “Hosanna” (the disciples) were terrified that they would be executed next. Remember that when Jesus first met with the eleven after the resurrection, they were hiding in a locked room for fear of the Jews. All the disciples were scattered. Jesus predicted this, too: (Matthew 26:31 “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” He was quoting Zechariah 13:7.)

And that is exactly what happened!

But Good News is coming! Next week, on the resurrection day, called Easter, we will examine “The Rest of the Story.”

Lord Jesus, direct our hearts to apply your Word correctly: to read carefully, seeking earnestly to see the light of your countenance in the written Word. Help us to apply your Word to our lives, and to walk as your disciples.

The Seven-fold Unity of the Spirit

Introduction:

The Seven-Fold Unity of the Spirit

Not “Human-Sourced”

Why “Seven?”

There is Only One Body of Christ.

There is Only One Spirit.

There is Only One Hope of our Calling.

There is Only One Lord.

Make a Choice!

There is Only One Faith.

What is the “Apostles’ Doctrine?”

There is Only One Baptism:

There is Only One God and Father of all.

How Do We Maintain Unity?

The Testimony of a Believer

Introduction

What Makes a Salvation Testimony?

Our Old Position

Remember!

We Were Without Hope

So, What Changed?

And, How?

What is Our New Position?

Still In Christ

What does the Future Hold?

But, For Now:

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

Introduction:

1st Corinthians 15:22

Romans 6:1-10

Dead to Sin

How Are We Dead To Sin?

God’s Intervention

Baptized into Death

Baptized into Life

Two Natures

A Done Deal

What Should the Result Be?

Only By the Spirit

God’s Guarantee

In Christ—Comparing “Position” and “Condition”

(Part One)

Ephesians 1:1-7

Introduction:

Ephesians 1

To The Believers

Grace, then Peace

All Spiritual Blessings

There Are Two Possible Positions (Locations):

Why Two Positions?

We are Chosen to be Holy and Blameless before Him.

Practical Application

What is Biblical Adoption?

No Confusion Needed

What Will Be The Result?

How Can We Know for Sure?

What Have We Learned?

Foods Sacrificed to Idols Versus the Lord’s Table

1st Corinthians 10:14-29

(What then?)

Introduction:

Flee Idolatry

What Is the Table of the Lord?

Communion Means Fellowship

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

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

Don’t Mingle Darkness With Light

Children of the Light

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

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

What About Testimony?

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

1st Corinthians 9:19-27

Introduction:

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

So, What is Our Goal, as Christians?

God Sets Goals Before Us

Each Person Has His or Her Own Assignment

Let’s Examine What Peter Said, There:

**Our Old Position**

**What is Our New Position?**

1^st Corinthians 15:22

**Grace, then Peace**

1^st Corinthians 10:14-29

1^st Corinthians 9:19-27

1^st Corinthians 6:1-8

**So, What Was the Problem, This Time?**

**So—When will the Believers “Judge the World?”**

1^st Corinthians 5:1-13

What Do We See in 1^st Corinthians, chapter 5?

**This Was Not a “Questionable” Issue**

**What is the Goal of this Warning?**

**Why is His Death Good News?**

**Why is His Burial Good News?**

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