High Theology Equals High Doxology! That Is The Purpose Of This Podcast! The More We Know Of Who God Is And What His Word Teaches The More We Will Worship And Be In Awe Of Him! The Bible Is Better Than What We Have Made it!
Hebrews 9:25-28
Hebrews 9: 1-12
Hebrews 7:1-2
The eternal household plan of God was for God's household to be made up of Jews and Gentiles. Although veiled in the Old Testament this mystery has been revealed through Christ who is the One to which the eternal household planned has been summed up. Gentiles by God's grace alone are no longer strangers, but fellow citizens of the household of God on which the foundation is the prophets and the apostles. However, the most important piece of this building that is being fitted together into a holy temple is the Cornerstone which is Christ. Gentiles, who were once restricted at the temple by the barrier of the dividing wall are now by God's grace are being fitted together and growing into the holy temple in the Lord.
The difference between those in Heaven and those in hell is grace! The response to His grace is praise to the glory of His grace. The more we see have undeserving we are, the more we will understand how amazing is His grace!
Paul continues to pray that the saints of have a greater knowledge of Christ as this leads to greater assurance and hope of their inheritance. Another aspect of the knowledge of God is to understand the greatness of His power toward those who believe. The power, strength, and might of God are on full display toward those who are His in regeneration. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that was needed to raise the spiritually dead heart of all His elect to life. God raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the Heavenly places which is what happens in salvation. It took the same omnipotent power (and nothing less) that raised Jesus to raise our unregenerate dead heart to life in regeneration. How dare we ever think that faith ever precedes regeneration as we never have that power in and of ourselves. Christ has been exalted to the right hand of God the Father which is the seat of authority via the ascension. The believer who is "In Christ" can have assurance of their inheritance as a result of Christ's supreme reign over all things who has predestined the believer for that very inheritance and no force can thwart His will! Christ has all authority over all things including authority and rule as head of the Church. Christ is omnipresent as He fills everyplace at all times with His fullness. He is not lacking anything or in need of anything from anyone. However, Paul expresses what we would understand in our human understanding, that the head without a body is not full or complete. The Church is the called the fullness of Christ (not that He needs the Church), but that through the eternal household plan that is summed up in Christ.
No one can have spiritual understanding of God without the sovereign hand of God sending the Holy Spirit to give understanding and knowledge concerning the truth of God. Having knowledge of God both salvifically and in sanctification is an act of God's grace! The knowledge of God can be distinguished into two categories: Salvific knowledge of Him via regeneration and increasing knowledge of Him throughout the sanctification process. A characteristic of a Christian is growing in the knowledge of God as this leads to sanctification which is the will of God for the elect. Theology matters! Disciple (mathétés) means learner, student. The problem in not seeing God is not an eye problem, but a heart problem. This is why only the hearts that have been regenerated by the supernatural sovereign monergistic power of God can have any spiritual understanding of God. Paul prays for God to give them increased knowledge/understanding of the hope of His effectual call. The elect of God have a hope (meaning a guarantee) of an inheritance in Christ. The true believer has eternal life, will forever dwell with God, and will see God as He is! The greater the knowledge we have of Him the more assured we are of our salvation and inheritance.
The eternal household plan of God is summed up in Christ in whom we believe, have our hope, are in union with, and are eternally secure!
All things are from Him, through Him, and to Him including the salvation of His elect. If God had looked down the corridor of time to see who of His fallen creatures whose hearts were made of stone, who was hostile to God, who were enslaved to sin and the devil, and were dead in sin would choose Him, He would see no one! No unregenerate heart could ever choose Christ. Therefore, before the foundation of the world in love God, according to the kind intention of His will, and according to the counsel of His will God the Father chose a group of people who were unable to save themselves and showed His love, mercy, and grace upon them(elect). He chooses the elect not based on their works or merits but by His purpose and grace, to the praise of His glorious grace. Those who the Father chose before the foundation of the world had their names written in the Lamb's book of life before the foundation of the world. He gives those who He has chosen to the Son and when the fullness of time had come, the Son became flesh and entered His creation to live and die for those whom the Father had chosen. The Holy Spirit is sent to apply the work of Christ to the elect and seals them, promising them their inheritance. Many will question why God choses some and not others or why He doesn't He save everyone? The question is not why doesn't He save everyone, but rather why does He save one? If we truly knew the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man, the question would be why does He save anyone? The result and purpose of His election, predestination, redeeming, sealing, and granting an inheritance to His elect is for the praise of His glory and grace! God gets all the glory and praise!!!
God's eternal plan and will to redeem His people was fully realized in the incarnation of the Logos and His redemptive work. In Christ all the elect have obtained and inheritance which is eternal life dwelling with God forever through our union with Christ in sonship.
The elect of God (the sheep) are those who Christ, the Good Shepherd has laid His life down for and has redeemed through His blood on the cross. This also speaks on limited atonement/particular redemption. He redeemed His people according to the riches of His grace.
The result of God the Father choosing and predestining the elect on the basis of the kind intention of His will and not based on the grounds or our merits, works, and choice is that it brings about praise of the glory of His grace. He receives all the glory in His election. This grace is given freely as God is free in offering grace, salvation, and mercy to whoever He desires. This grace is freely bestowed upon the elect as a result of being in Christ who is the true Beloved of God.
Gideon and the defeat he had against the Midianites is a foreshadow of the victory that Christ will have on the Last Day when He defeats His enemies, brings judgment, and consummates His kingdom. Gideon had victory over the enemy after blowing a trumpet, breaking pitchers that had torches inside, letting the light from torches shine, and shouting "the sword for the Lord and for Gideon." When Christ returns it will be with a trumpet being blown, Him shattering all His enemies like earthenware, Him coming in fire, and Him defeating the enemy with the sharp sword out of His mouth. We also can see our salvation in this story as well. We are earthen vessels that are brought to brokenness and mourning over our sins by the power of the Holy Spirit. He shines the Light of Himself and the gospel into our hearts and as a result the Light of Christ shines out of us for the world to see. This was done by grace and mercy and not of ourselves, so our boasting is only found in Christ.
Although Peter had failed Jesus and was broken, he would be restored and would be instructed to shepherd and feed Christ's sheep out of love for Christ. He is now restored and will strengthen the brethren because Christ had prayed for him (Luke 22:31-32). Peter was told of his future martyrdom which would be on a cross and still he picked up his cross and followed Christ. This is the call of every Christian as we are to pick up our cross and follow Christ even unto death. As the gospel according to John ends, John reminds his readers the purpose of the words written in this book. Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is [h]the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.(John 20:30-31).
Although Peter had failed Jesus and was broken, he would be restored and would be instructed to shepherd and feed Christ's sheep out of love for Christ. He is now restored and will strengthen the brethren because Christ had prayed for him (Luke 22:31-32). Peter was told of his future martyrdom which would be on a cross and still he picked up his cross and followed Christ. This is the call of every Christian as we are to pick up our cross and follow Christ even unto death. As the gospel according to John ends, John reminds his readers the purpose of the words written in this book. Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is [h]the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.(John 20:30-31).
All who have believed have believed as a result of the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. Christ breathed on His disciples to signify that He and the Father are whom the Spirit is sent from, and they will soon receive the Spirit that is promised. God breathed into Adam, and he became a living soul. The breathing of the Holy Spirit into the lives of His elect by the hand of God the Father and God the Son brings eternal life as He is a life-giving Spirit. It is by the Holy Spirit one who has never seen Christ can believe in Him and love Him and are blessed. The Holy Spirit inspired the Word of God and illuminates the Bible to His elect. It is through the pages of Scripture that God speaks to His people and that the gospel is revealed. The purpose of the gospel according to John is clearly defined. The things written in this book were written so that one may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing one may have eternal life.
The world thought they had victory over Jesus and His followers as they watched Him die and His dead body was laid in a tomb. However, in three days Christ would be raised victoriously. It was in His resurrection that the Father had validated Him in His life and His sacrificial death. The resurrection declares that the sacrifice of Christ was accepted by the Father. His death and resurrection are personal to His elect as they are united with Him in both. All that the Father has given to Christ will be raised spiritually from death to life in regeneration by the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. They will also share in the likeness of His bodily resurrection as He is the firstfruits of those who are in Him. It was impossible for Him not to be resurrected and it is equally impossible for His elect to not be raised spiritually and on the Last Day physically. His resurrection is our living hope! He is not here, He is risen!
Someone who had died on a cross would not have been buried in a rich man's tomb but would rather have had a relative come and take their body, have their lifeless body eaten by birds, or thrown into the garbage heap to burn and be eaten by worms. When Jesus declared “it is finished” He meant that all that the Father had sent Him to accomplish was complete. It also meant that His humiliation was finished, and it was now time for His exaltation to begin which would begin in His burial. The spices and the anointing of His body would not be needed as His body would not see decay (Acts 2:22-36). His body was placed in the tomb, but it was impossible for death to hold Him (Acts 2:24). As He had promised His disciples earlier:” A little while, and you will no longer see Me; an again a little while, and you will see me (John 16:16).
Jesus is the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) and the Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45). His legs were not broken on the cross as He is the true Passover Lamb and His blood applied is what allows rescues from death. His side was pierced on the cross as Christ, the Last Adam would suffer wounds to bring to Him His bride. As Jesus arose (resurrection) from His deep sleep (death), He will forever bear the marks of wounding that brought about His bride. The first Adam's sin and disobedience resulted in him, and his bride being kicked out of paradise. However, the Last Adam's sinlessness, obedience, and taking upon Himself the sins of His bride results in Him welcoming His bride into paradise!
Many are looking for a red heifer to be sacrificed in a rebuilt temple but let all the looking for a red heifer cease immediately. The red heifer was a shadow pointing to Christ who entered into the greater and more perfect temple to offer Himself as a sacrifice that would cleanse from defilement and death brought about by our sin. To say there will be rebuilt temple while returning to animal sacrifices is to stomp underfoot the finished work of Christ and His sacrifice. God forbid!
When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal 4:4-5). He lived a perfect life, He fulfilled all righteousness, and has now drunk the cup of wrath from the Father to be the atonement and propitiation for His sheep. He accomplished all He was sent to accomplish from the Father and as He is dying declares "it is finished." He is declaring that the debt that His sheep owed which was death and the wrath of the Father has been paid for by His substitutionary life and death. He is the Good Shepherd as He lies His life down for the sheep. The salvation of His elect was guaranteed when He declared "tetelestai, it is finished." Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed me white as snow. It was for this hour that He came!
Christ was sinless and innocent and not deserving of death on the cross. He was there on that cross not because of His sin or guilt, but rather because of the sin of His elect. Christ died a substitutionary death for His sheep on the cross and was numbered among the transgressors as He was hanging in between two criminals on the day of His crucifixion. The two criminals heard the same words from Christ that day and saw the same event unfolding in front of their eyes. So why did one criminal believe and the other did not? There was not alter call with soft music in the background, no raise your hand to accept Christ, and no sinner's prayer. His heart was brought from death to life by the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit. In the middle of the pain, agony, anguish, bleeding, and torture of the cross, God made His soul regenerated so the criminal would believe. As the criminal was first nailed to the cross, he was a lost sheep and before he died, he was a found sheep. Christ laid down His life for His sheep and He was dying for this criminal. Christ and His cross was in the middle of two people and their responses were completely different. The side of the cross you are on determines your eternal destination. Those on the unbelieving side will have eternal punishment in the lake of fire and those on the believing side of the cross have the promise given to the believing criminal on the cross: that one day we will be with Christ in Paradise.
We are all guilty of sin and legally we stand before Christ condemned (Romans 3:19-20). God is the avenger who will bring about judgment and wrath on the Last Day. However, there is an escape for as there was for those fleeing to a city of refuge. Those who realize their sin and guilt which comes through regeneration run to Christ as He is the only escape as He is our only refuge. Those who run to Christ and take refuge in Him are set free by His death as He is the true anointed (the Christ) High Priest. His death is what pays our debt, allows us freedom, and results in no condemnation although we were guilty (simul Justus et peccator). Just as the cities of refuge were available to sojourns and aliens the gospel is extended to the Gentiles. All those who have not taken refuge in Christ will one day face the full wrath, fury, and vengeance of God. We as Christians have a refuge in our High Priest that we ran to for refuge, rescues, and atonement and have the privilege to run to every single second of the day in prayer and in His Word! This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, Christ is our refuge!
Jesus wore a crown of thorns that was to inflict pain and to mock Him. However, there is great depth, symbolism, and importance to Him wearing the crown of thorns. The curse placed on the ground after the fall in the garden was that it would produce thorns. Thorns were representative of the curse from the fall due to sin. Now Christ the King of Kings is wearing not a crown of gold, but rather a crown of thorns representing the curse as He Himself would become a curse on behalf of His people to redeem them and set them free from the curse of sin. He is King of Kings and every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This King left His glory in Heaven to become a curse to set His people free! And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Jesus was innocent and without sin but was sentenced to death as was ordained in the eternal plan of redemption. He entered into His creation to testify to truth and everyone who is of the truth which are His sheep hears His voice. His sheep were guilty and deserved to die and suffer the wrath and judgment of the Father. However, Christ the eternal only begotten Son of God the Father died in place of His sheep as their substitute so they could become the adopted sons of the Father!
The wall of Jericho falling are a shadow pointing the Lord conquering the kingdom of the world on the last day to establish His eternal kingdom in the eternal promised land. All those who believe and are in union with the true Vine, the true Israel of God which is Christ will after their wilderness journey enter the eternal promised land on the new earth. Now as we live and walk on this earth we are living among the kingdoms of this world. However, on the last day when the wrath of God is poured out, the kingdom of the world will come the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ and He will reign forever. He will destroy the kingdom of the world on the last trumpet and with word coming out of His mouth which is the sharp sword as the walls will fall and He will establish His eternal kingdom. We like Rahab can enter and dwell in the promised land by faith. When the Israelites came to conquer the city, they looked for the scarlet cord in the window of Rahab and by her faith her life was spared, and she could dwell in the land. When the true Israel of God comes on the last day, He will be looking not for a scarlet cord tied in faith, but rather the scarlet blood of the Passover Lamb applied in faith. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
The examination and questioning of Jesus has begun as they will look to find a way to bring Him to death. There are no credible witnesses against Jesus because He is the spotless, unblemished Lamb of God who is without sin. As Jesus stands before the high priest for questioning, what the high priest does not realize is that the One who they are questioning is God in flesh, the true eternal High Priest who intercedes for His people forever. He was perfect and innocent and God sovereignly hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes for if they understood they would not have not crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor 2:8) and we would have no hope of salvation. We see Peter denied Christ three times even after walking with Him closely, see countless miracles, hearing His teaching, and professing He would never deny Him. So let us pray for boldness and courage in the time of testing and witnessing around friends, family, co-workers, etc so that at no time we deny Christ by our actions or words and hear the rooster crow. However, Peter would be restored because Jesus had prayed for Him (Luke 22:31-32). Beloved take heart, if you are numbered among the elect, He prays for you as well.
The place and timing of the arrest of Christ was ordained before the foundation of the world as this was part of the eternal plan of redemption. With the sound of His voice all those who came to arrest Him could have been struck dead as the breath that He gives could have been taken away by His sovereign hand. All the soldiers and officers who came to seize Him did not overpower Him and arrest Him against His will. The men who thought they were strong in might and number as they came to arrest Him were knocked to the ground by the power of the proclamation from Jesus that He was Yahweh. Just as He willingly will lay down His life for the sheep, He willingly allows them to bind Him and lead Him away as this would lead to cross. It was for this hour that He came to drink the cup that the Father had given Him. As He was arrested and led away, He was the Lamb who was being led to the slaughter.
The nation of Israel was led out of Egypt, passed through the water, led into the wilderness to be tempted, failed in their temptation and testing, and failed to keep the law perfectly. Christ, the true Israel of God came of Egypt, was baptized in the Jordan river, tempted in the wilderness but did not sin, and then succeeded in keeping the Law perfectly. As a result of our union with the true Israel of God, the true Servant of God, the true Vine which is Christ we are regarded as spiritual Israel and will inherit the true promised land forever!
John 17 is a unique chapter in the Bible as we see an intertrinitatian prayer from God the Son to God the Father. The hour has come and the cross is in sight. As He is nearing the final moment of His life, the eternal Son lifts His eyes to Heaven and prays to the eternal Father. And what is on His mind? What is of importance in these movements before His arrest in the garden? The Father is on His mind, the disciples are on His mind, and all that the Father had given Him are on His mind. Before the world was the Father was loving His only begotten Son. It is that same love to which the Father loves the elect and gives them to the Son before the foundation of the world by mercy and grace. The Son has lived a perfect life fulfilling all righteousness for the all the Father had given Him and now is moments away from being the substitutionary death for them. It is all that the Father had given Him that are on His mind as well as finishing the work He was sent to accomplish to glorify His Father. He is interceding for them in this prayer, He will intercede for them on the cross, and will continue to intercede for them for all eternity. This prayer is personal as salvation is personal. Christ was thinking about and praying for all believers in the hours before His death as it was for them He was sent. He had prayed that all that the Father had given Him would see His glory and be with Him. Because of His work, that prayer will be completely fulfilled when one day we see Him as He is and be with Him where He is forever just as He prayed to His Father in His High Priestly prayer!
The Ark of the Covenant is pointing to Christ. The manna speaks of Him being the Bread of Life. Aaron's rod speaks to Christ being our High Priest. The 10 commandments represent the holy Law of God that no one could keep perfectly except Christ. He would meet the perfect requirement of the Law so that requirement of the Law and His perfect righteousness would be imputed to all who believe. The mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant had two angels, one on each end of the mercy seat. The mercy seat was the place where the blood of the sacrifice would be sprinkled to atone for the sins of the people by the high priest. It would be between the mercy seat and the angels on the Ark of the Covenant that God would meet them there. Christ is both our High Priest and our mercy seat and His death upon the cross is where God meets His people.
After Christ our Passover Lamb's blood is applied in faith, believers are set free from slavery to sin, death, and the devil. We are baptized into Christ and begin our journey with Him. Our spiritual thirst and hunger are satisfied in Christ as we travel in this life as His gives living water and is the Bread of Life. Our bodies, which are our earthly tents that we travel and dwell in as we journey in this wilderness are temporary as they will one give way to our immortal bodies in the eternal Promised Land. Unbelief will keep one out of the Promised Land, but belief in Christ brings the promise of eternal life and dwelling with God forever. As we journey throughout this life those who are adopted sons of God and believe in Christ are being led and guided by the Holy Spirit until we reach the Promised Land to where we will find our eternal home and find our eternal rest, the true Promised Land for Spiritual Israel!
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