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The Bible recognizes Satan's world-system and warns us not to love it. John writes and tells the Christian, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:15-16). We live in a fallen world, and John's command is intended to warn us of real danger. First, John opens with the negative particle Μὴ Me, which is followed by the Geek verb ἀγαπάω agapao, which is in the imperative mood—the mood of command. The word ἀγαπάω agapao denotes desire or commitment to something or someone. Allen comments on love: "In its essence love is two things: a desire for something and a commitment to something … Whatever it is you desire and whatever you're committed to, that's where your time and resources will go. If you love football, that's where your time and resources will go. If you love hunting or fishing, that's where your time and resources will go. If you love your spouse, you desire to spend time with her and you are committed to her. Love is more than an emotional feeling. Love requires a commitment of time and resources."[1] John then gives the object we are not to desire or be committed to, namely, the world (τὸν κόσμον). The Greek word κόσμος kosmos is used in Scripture to refer to: 1) the physical planet (Matt 13:35; Acts 17:24), 2) people who live in the world (John 3:16), and 3) the hostile system created and controlled by Satan that he uses to lure people away from God (1 John 2:15-16). It is this third meaning that John has in mind. Hence, the word κόσμος kosmos refers to “that which is hostile to God…lost in sin, wholly at odds with anything divine, ruined and depraved.”[2] Concerning, the word κόσμος kosmos, Allen writes: "Sometimes the word “world” is used to refer to the organized evil system with its principles and its practices, all under the authority of Satan, which includes all teachings, ideas, culture, attitudes, activities, etc., that are opposed to God. A fixation on the material over the spiritual, promotion of self over others, pleasure over principle—these are just a few descriptors of the world system John is talking about. The word “world” here means everything that opposes Christ and his work on earth. Jesus called Satan “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30; 16:11), and Paul called him “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). In Luke 16:8 Jesus referred to all unsaved people as “the sons of this world.”[3] Satan's world-system consists of those philosophies and values that perpetually influence humanity to think and behave contrary to God and His Word. This operating apart from God is first and foremost a way of thinking that is antithetical to God, a way of thinking motivated by a desire to be free from God and the authority of Scripture, a freedom most will accept, even though it is accompanied by all sorts of inconsistencies and absurdities. Chafer writes: "The kosmos is a vast order or system that Satan has promoted which conforms to his ideals, aims, and methods. It is civilization now functioning apart from God-a civilization in which none of its promoters really expect God to share; who assign to God no consideration in respect to their projects, nor do they ascribe any causality to Him. This system embraces its godless governments, conflicts, armaments, jealousies; its education, culture, religions of morality, and pride. It is that sphere in which man lives. It is what he sees, what he employs. To the uncounted multitude it is all they ever know so long as they live on this earth. It is properly styled “The Satanic System” which phrase is in many instances a justified interpretation of the so-meaningful word, kosmos."[4] Lightner adds: "The world is the Christian's enemy because it represents an anti-God system, a philosophy that is diametrically opposed to the will and plan of God. It is a system headed by the devil and therefore at odds with God (2 Cor 4:4). Likewise, the world hates the believer who lives for Christ (John 17:14). The Lord never kept this a secret from his own. He told them often of the coming conflict with the world (e.g., John 15:18-20; 16:1-3; 32-33; cf. 2 Tim 3:1-12). It is in this wicked world we must rear our families and earn our livelihoods. We are in it, yet are not to be a part of it."[5] Many people who live in Satan's world-system exclude God and Scripture from their daily conversations. Some actively exclude God from their daily lives because they feel He offers nothing of value to them, or they are afraid to mention Him for fear of persecution. Most exclude God passively, in that they just don't think about Him or His Word. This exclusion is true in news, politics, academic communities, work and home life. God is nowhere in their thoughts, and therefore, nowhere in their discussions (Psa 10:4; 14:1). These are the agnostics and atheists. But there are others in Satan's world-system who are very religious, and these are the worst kind of people, because they claim to represent God, when in fact they don't. In the Bible, there were many religious people who spoke in the name of the Lord (Jer 14:14; 23:16-32; Matt 7:15; Acts 13:6; Rev 2:20), claiming to represent Him, even performing miracles (Deut 13:1-4; Matt 24:24; 2 Th 2:8-9; Rev 13:13). The Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes where this way, and they said of themselves, “we have one Father: God” (John 8:41b). But Jesus saw them for what they really were and said, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father” (John 8:44a). The religious—like Satan—are blinded by their pride. Humility must come before they will accept God's gospel of grace, and it does no good to argue with them (2 Tim 2:24-26). These false representatives loved to talk about God, read their Bibles, pray, fast, give of their resources, and spent much of their time in fellowship with other religious persons. Theirs is a works-system of salvation, which feeds their pride; giving them a sense of control over their circumstances and others.[6] These false organizations and their teachers appear as godly and righteous, but Paul described them as “false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ” (2 Cor 11:13). Though very religious, these are in line with Satan, who operates on corrupt reasoning and is a deceiver. Paul goes on to say, “No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds” (2 Cor 11:14-15). The contrast between the growing Christian and the worldly person is stark, as their thoughts and words take them in completely different directions. The growing believer thinks about God and His Word all the time, as “his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psa 1:2). The word law translates the Hebrew word תּוֹרָה torah, which means law, direction, or instruction. Navigating the highways of this world can be tricky, and the believer needs the direction or instruction God's Word provides. It is our divine roadmap for staying on God's path and getting to the destination He intends. At the core of Satan's world-system is a directive for mankind to function apart from God, and when obeyed, people produce all forms of evil, both moral and immoral. We should understand that Satan's system is a buffet that offers something for everyone who rejects God, whether that person is moral or immoral, religious or irreligious, educated or simple, rich or poor. Satan is careful to make sure there's even something for the Christian in his world-system, which is why the Bible repeatedly warns the believer not to love the world or the things in the world. We are to be set apart (Col 2:8; Jam 1:27; 4:4; 1 John 2:15-16). Lightner notes, “The world is the Christian's enemy because it represents an anti-God system, a philosophy that is diametrically opposed to the will and plan of God. It is a system headed by the devil and therefore at odds with God (2 Cor 4:4).…It is in this wicked world we must rear our families and earn our livelihoods. We are in it, yet are not to be a part of it.”[7] It is important to understand that we cannot change Satan or his evil program; however, we must be on guard, for it can and will change us if we're not careful to learn and live God's Word. At the moment of salvation, God the Father “rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col 1:13), and now “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20). This transference is permanent and cannot be undone. Once this happens, we are hated by those who remain in Satan's kingdom of darkness. For this reason, Jesus said to His disciples, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you” (John 15:18-19; cf. John 16:33; 1 John 3:13). Love and hate in this context should be understood as accept or reject, which can be mild or severe in expression. When praying to the Father, Jesus said, “they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14b), and went on to say, “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). It is not God's will that we be immediately removed from this world at the moment of salvation, but left here to serve as His representatives to the lost, that we “may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). We are not to participate in worldly affairs that exclude God, but are to “walk as children of Light” (Eph 5:8), manifesting the fruit of the Light “in all goodness and righteousness and truth, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:9-10), and we are told, “do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Eph 5:11). The growing Christian faces real struggles as Satan's world system seeks to press him into its mold, demanding conformity, and persecuting him when he does not bend to its values. The world-system not only has human support, but is backed by demonic forces that operate in collaboration with Satan. Scripture tells us “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). The battlefront is more than what is seen with the human eye and is driven by unseen spiritual forces. As Christians living in the world, we are to be careful not to be taken “captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Col 2:8). Realizing the battleground is the mind, we are to think biblically in everything, which is our only safeguard against the enemy (2 Cor 10:3-5). As Christians we face situations every day in which we are pressured to compromise God's Word. We face difficulties at work, school, home, or other places, in which we are confronted by worldly-minded persons, both saved and unsaved, who demand and pressure us to abandon our biblical values. There is room for personal compromise where Scripture is silent on a matter; however, where Scripture speaks with absolute authority, there we must never compromise! Wiersbe correctly states, “The world, or world-system, puts pressure on each person to try to get him to conform (Rom 12:2). Jesus Christ was not ‘of this world' and neither are His people (John 8:23; 17:14). But the unsaved person, either consciously or unconsciously, is controlled by the values and attitudes of this world.”[8] By promoting the gospel and biblical teaching, the church disrupts Satan's domain of darkness by calling out of it a people for God. By learning God's Word, Christians can identify worldly conversations and activities and either avoid them or seek to redirect them by interjecting biblical truth, which should never be done in hostility. When sharing God's Word with others it's proper to know that not everyone wants to hear God's truth, and even though we may not agree with them, their personal choices should be respected (Matt 10:14; Acts 13:50-51). We should never try to force the gospel or Bible teaching on anyone, but be willing to share when opportunity presents itself. At times this will bring peace, and other times cause disruption and may even offend. In this interaction, the growing Christian must be careful not to fall into the exclusion trap, in which the worldly person (whether saved or lost) controls the content of every conversation, demanding the Christian only talk about worldly issues, as Scripture threatens his pagan presuppositions. Having the biblical worldview, the Christian should insert himself into daily conversations with others, and in so doing, be a light in a dark place. He should always be respectful, conversational, and never have a fist-in-your-face attitude, as arrogance never helps advance biblical truth (2 Tim 2:24-26). The worldly-minded person may not want to hear what the Christian has to say, but he should never be under the false impression that he has the right to quiet the Christian and thereby exclude him from the conversation. Dr. Steven R. Cook [1] David L. Allen, 1–3 John: Fellowship in God's Family, ed. R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 96–97. [2] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, p. 562. [3] David L. Allen, 1–3 John: Fellowship in God's Family, 96. [4] Lewis S. Chafer, “Angelology Part 4” Bibliotheca Sacra 99 (1942): 282-283. [5] Robert P. Lightner, Handbook of Evangelical Theology: A Historical, Biblical, and Contemporary Survey and Review (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1995), 206. [6] There are many church denominations today that call themselves “Christian”, but who come with a false gospel in which human works are added as a requirement for salvation (i.e., Catholics, Methodists, Church of Christ, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc.). [7] Robert P. Lightner, Handbook of Evangelical Theology, p. 206. [8] Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, New Testament, Vol. 2, p. 18.
A new MP3 sermon from Truth Matters Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Freedom in Christ (Col 2:6-23) Subtitle: Expository Devotionals Speaker: Jeremy Preece Broadcaster: Truth Matters Church Event: Devotional Date: 5/9/2025 Bible: Colossians 2:6-23 Length: 10 min.
It may surprise us to read that holiness starts with a negative action: ‘Therefore put to death …' (v. 5); later we have the positive side: ‘Therefore … put on' (vv. 12–17). These appeals are undoubtedly of a high moral and spiritual standard and they will challenge and search the soul; but they must not be rebelled against nor neglected. It is the Christian's calling to seek God's grace so as to walk in a holy manner. Paul exhorts them to refuse to yield to the appeal of sin: ‘Put to death your members'. We possess a fallen human nature, but the call is to subdue the passion and power of the flesh (cf. 1 Thes. 4:3, 7). Holiness negatively considered (vv. 5–11) Sinful self-indulgence (vv. 5–7) Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. The word mortify means “put to death.” Because we have died with Christ (Col. 3:3), we have the spiritual power to slay the earthly, fleshly desires that want to control us. Paul called this “reckoning” ourselves to be dead to sin but alive in Christ (Rom. 6:11). Our Lord used the same idea when He said, “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out” (Matt. 5:29–30).[i] John Owen's said The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought yet to make their business all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.[ii] The reliance on the Holy Spirit to help us overcome sin is the only way that works. All other ways of mortification are vain, all helps leave us helpless; it must be done by the Spirit…Mortification from self strength, carried on by ways of self-invention, unto the end of a self righteousness, is the soul and substance of all false religion in the world.[iii] 1Sa 15:32 Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me." So Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." 33 But Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. Not only was Paul negative in this paragraph, but he also named sins; and some people do not like that. These sins belong to the old life and have no place in our new life in Christ. Furthermore, God's judgment falls on those who practice these sins; and God is no respecter of persons. God's wrath fell on the Gentile world because of these sins (Rom. 1:18ff), and His wrath will fall again. “Because of these, the wrath of God is coming,” Paul warned (Col. 3:6,). Five self-indulgent sins of the flesh, mind and heart are listed here. Christians must put them all to death. ‘Fornication' is sexual immorality in general and includes sex outside of marriage which is contrary to God's law. ‘Uncleanness' is moral impurity of all kinds and has an inward reference here to the mind and thoughts including “lustful impurity that is connected with luxury and loose living.”. ‘Passion' is lust that uses others for self-gratification. It describes a state of mind that excites sexual impurity. The person who cultivates this kind of appetite can always find opportunity to satisfy it[iv] ‘Evil [wicked] desire' is a craving for evil things. desires lead to deeds, appetites lead to actions. If we would purify our actions, then we must first purify our minds and hearts. What we desire usually determines what we do[v] If I create in my children an appetite for candy, then I must satisfy that appetite. If they become overweight and unhealthy, then I must change their appetites, and I must teach them how to enjoy foods other than sweets. “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 51:10) should be our prayer; for it is out of the heart that these evil desires come (Mark 7:21–23).[vi] ‘Covetousness which is idolatry' is not a reference to stone or silver gods or goddesses, but to a greedy heart. Greed is idolatry. Literally, it is ‘to have more'—thus adultery is idolatry, as it wants more. Covetousness is the sin of always wanting more, whether it be more things or more pleasures. The covetous person is never satisfied with what he has, and he is usually envious of what other people have. This is idolatry, for covetousness puts things in the place of God. “Thou shalt not covet” is the last of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:17). Yet this sin can make us break all of the other nine! A covetous person will dishonor God, take God's name in vain, lie, steal, and commit every other sin in order to satisfy his sinful desires.[vii] Col 3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. Do believers in local churches commit such sins? Unfortunately, they sometimes do. Each of the New Testament epistles sent to local churches makes mention of these sins and warns against them. I am reminded of a pastor who preached a series of sermons against the sins of the saints. A member of his congregation challenged him one day and said that it would be better if the pastor preached those messages to the lost. “After all,” said the church member, “sin in the life of a Christian is different from sin in the lives of other people.” “Yes” replied the pastor, “it's worse!” God hates these sins. They are against his moral law (Exod. 20), and those who do them are called ‘sons of disobedience' (v. 6); unrepentant sinners will feel the just wrath of God (Matt. 10:28; 25:19–30; 2 Thes. 1:8–9). Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions [i] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 134). Victor Books. [ii] VI:7. [iii] VI:7. [iv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 135). Victor Books. [v] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 135). Victor Books. [vi] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 135). Victor Books. [vii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 135). Victor Books.
The Passion Prayers of Jesus“Our technologies permit us to manipulate time and space. They leave distance annihilated, cause things to grow and improve productivity.” - Michael KratsiosIf you are a born again believer, there are two ways that you have already experienced spiritual time travel.The first way is that the Bible teaches that if you are a believer, you were crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20), died with Christ (Rom. 6:8), buried with Christ (Col. 2:12), raised with Christ (Col. 2:12), made alive together with Christ (Eph. 2:5), raised up with Christ to heavenly places (Eph. 2:6), fellow heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17), are one spirit with Christ (1 Cor. 6:17), will be with Christ after death (Phil. 1:21, 23), will return with Christ when He returns to earth (Rev. 17:14, 2 Tim. 2:12).The second way is that in the last 72 hours of Jesus' passion week, He prayed many specific prayer requests that still get answered today 2,000 years after He prayed them!The prayer of restoration for believers.“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” - Luke 22:31-32The prayer of thanks despite an impending ordeal (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26)The prayer for basic discipleship commitments of followers (Jn. 17:1-26). -That Christians will grow in their relationship with God (v. 3, 5)-That Christians will be good stewards of God's words (v. 8) -That Christians will know their eternal security in Christ. (v. 9-10)_-That Christians will experience unity (v. 11, 22-23)-That Christians will experience the fulfilling joy of Jesus (v. 13)-That as Christians live in the world they will be protected from the Evil one (v. 15)-That Christians will ‘bathe' regularly by obeying the Bible's truths (v. 17)-That Christians will reproduce as they go out into the world (v. 18, 20).-That Christians will be with Jesus and behold His Heavenly glory (v. 24)-That Christians will be known for having the love of Jesus within (v. 26)The prayer of surrender despite personal anguish (Mark 14:36)He was pierced for our transgressions. - Isa. 53:5aWhen they look on Me, on Him whom they pierced. - Zech. 9:10bIt was the most unusual trial outcome ever – Jesus was proclaimed innocent, yet executed as if He was guilty.The prayer of forgiveness (Luke 23:34)The prayer that our sin caused (Matthew 27:46)The prayer of completion (Luke 23:46; John 19:30)The prayer of blessing over a meal (Luke 24:30-31, 35)The prayer of blessing (Luke 24:50-52)Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. - Heb. 7:25
The story of the man of God, Hudson Taylor is that although he was living an extraordinary life of service, he had a deep feeling of his own sin and failure. When the Spirit opened his eyes to the Scriptures about being united with Jesus, in an instant he received a joy which lasted the rest of his life. What was this truth? (Col 1 & 2, Eph 2 & 3)
Send us a textToday, we dig into how Paul declared that in Christ, there is neither Greek nor Jew, bond nor free. Since we have put off so many things by coming to Christ, Paul encourages us to put on better things. He gives us wonderful instruction for how to live, and how we are to treat one another. Despite putting on mercy, kindness, and many other things, he entreats us to put on charity above all these things.In our Q&A segment, we were asked the following question: While listening to Mary did you Know, I began thinking about the Lord and Mary… when she got to Heaven, did she have a glad reunion with her Son, or a reunion with her Savior… or did she do both?This is a glorious episode, one with which we are proud to offer to our listeners… give it a listen and let us know what you think!
These messages are from Ocean City Baptist Church in Ocean City, NJ. Visit oceancitybaptist.org for more information.
Paul' Thankfulness (1:3-8) Paul gave thanks to God for his readers frequently. He told them so, in order to enable them to appreciate the fact that he knew of their situation, and that he rejoiced in their good testimony. These six verses are all one sentence in the Greek text, indicating the unity of thought in this Bible passage. The Apostle Paul was a great encourager, and this epistle is a good example of the grace of thanksgiving. In this section he gives thanks for what Christ has done in the lives of the Colossian Christians. But he also mentions thanksgiving in five other places in this letter: Colossians 1:12; 2:7; 3:15, 17; and 4:2. When you recall that Paul wrote this letter in prison, his attitude of thanksgiving is even more wonderful.[i] Like Paul, we should be grateful for what God is doing in the lives of others. As Christians, we are all members of one body (1 Cor. 12:12–13). If one member of the body is strengthened, this helps to strengthen the entire body. If one church experiences a revival touch from God, it will help all the churches[ii] Col 1:3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, He gives thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1:3 God and Father: The terms are used to show Jesus was one in nature with God This is a affirmative statement about Christ's Deity Col 1:4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints He Thanks God for the Faith they embraced 1:4,5 We see the 3 main graces that God gives us faith, love and hope. 1Co 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1Th 1:3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 1Th 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. The modern attitude is, “If you believe, you are safe.” But the obvious question is, “Believe in what?” Their answer: “Just believe!” Nor are we saved by faith in a set of doctrines. I have often told the story about the famous evangelist, George Whitefield, who was witnessing to a man. “What do you believe?” Whitefield asked. The man replied, “I believe what my church believes.” “And what does your church believe?” asked the evangelist. “What I believe,” replied the man. Undeterred, Whitefield tried again and asked, “And what do you both believe? ”“Why, we both believe the same thing!” was the man's evasive reply. Saving faith involves the mind, the emotions, and the will. With the mind we understand the truth of the Gospel, and with the heart we feel conviction and the need to be saved. But it is only when we exercise the will and commit ourselves to Christ that the process is complete. Faith is not mental assent to a body of doctrines, no matter how true those doctrines may be. Faith is not emotional concern. Faith is commitment to Jesus Christ.[iii] The evidence of true saving faith is love for fellow believers He Thanks God for The Love they exhibit and of your love for all the saints of truth. Any other kind of faith is but superstition—it cannot save.[iv] He Thanks God for The Hope they experienced v5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel 1:5 The Believers hope is inseparable from his faith. He has hope in going to heaven and sharing the glory of God Certainty of going to heaven because God has promised Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, , It centers in a Person—Jesus Christ. The theme of this epistle is the preeminence or supremacy of Jesus Christ, and He is certainly preeminent in the Gospel. The false teachers who had invaded the fellowship in Colossae were trying to remove Jesus Christ from His place of preeminence; but to do this was to destroy the Gospel. It is Christ who died for us, and who arose again[v] 2 Corinthians 5:15 It is the “Word of truth” (v. 5) This means that it came from God and can be trusted. “Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17). There are many messages and ideas that can be called true, but only God's Word can be called truth.[vi] Everybody has faith in something. But faith is only as good as the object in which a person puts his trust. The jungle pagan worships a god of stone; the educated city pagan worships money or possessions or status. In both cases, faith is empty. The true Christian believer has faith in Jesus Christ, and that faith is based on the Word Jesus secured it. Ephesians 2:11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men) 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. The word Gospel means good news. The word originally was used to express the good news of victory in battle or birth of a king It is the good news of Christ's victory over Satan, sin, and death He Thanks God for the growth they encountered Col 1:6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 1:6 The Gospel is preached to the whole world and It is for the whole world It is the message of God's grace (v. 6b). Two words in the Christian vocabulary are often confused: grace and mercy. God in His grace gives me what I do not deserve. Yet God in His mercy does not give me what I do deserve. Grace is God's favor shown to undeserving sinners. The reason the Gospel is good news is because of grace: God is willing and able to save all who will trust Jesus Christ.[vii] Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Paul said that the Gospel was bearing fruit in all the world. The Word of God is the only seed that can be planted anywhere in the world and bear fruit. The Gospel can be preached “to every creature which is under heaven” (Col. 1:23). Paul's emphasis was on “every man” (Col. 1:28). False teachers do not take their message to all the world. They go where the Gospel has already gone and try to lead believers astray. They have no good news for lost sinners! If people are to be saved, they must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And if they are to hear, we who are saved must carry the message. Are you doing your part?[viii] 3 kinds of fruit: Spiritual attitudes Righteous actions New Converts Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. He Thanks God for The Ministry they enjoyed They Were Discipled (Col. 1:7)[ix] Col 1:7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 1:7 Epaphras is most likely the founder of the church in Colosse He shared the good news of God's grace with them Epaphras did not simply lead the Colossians to Christ and then abandon them. He taught them the Word and sought to establish their faith. The word translated “learned” in Colossians 1:7 is related to the word disciple in the Greek language. It is the same word Jesus used: “Learn of Me” (Matt. 11:29) or, in effect, “Become My disciple.” These new believers were in danger of turning from the truth and following the false teachers. Paul reminded them that it was Epaphras who led them to Christ, discipled them, and taught them the Word. The word before (Col. 1:5) probably means “before these false teachers appeared on the scene.” Like the Colossians, we should beware of any religious leader who does not seek to win lost souls, but who devotes himself to “stealing sheep” from the flocks of others. Epaphras was a faithful minister. He not only won people to Christ, but he taught them the Word and helped them to grow.[x] He also shared the good news of their faith with Paul When danger threatened the members of the church, Epaphras went to Rome to get counsel from Paul. He loved his people and wanted to protect them from false doctrines that would destroy the fellowship and hinder their spiritual development.[xi] In that day, a disciple was not simply a person who sat and listened to a teacher. He was someone who lived with the teacher and who learned by listening, looking, and living. Discipleship involved more than enrolling in a school and attending lectures. It meant total surrender to the teacher. It meant learning by living. Perhaps our modern-day medical students or trade apprentices come close to illustrating the meaning of discipleship.[xii] Epaphras faithfully taught his people and related them to Jesus Christ, but the false teachers came in and tried to “draw away disciples.” (For Paul's warning about this problem, see Acts 20:28–30.)[xiii] They Became Faithful in Christ (Col. 1:6, 8)[xiv] Col 1:8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. The Word of God is seed (Luke 8:11). This means the Word has life in it (Heb. 4:12). When it is planted in the heart, it can produce fruit. “All over the world this Gospel is producing fruit and growing” When God's Word is planted and cultivated, it produces fruit. Faith, hope, and love are among the firstfruits in the spiritual harvest. These spiritual graces are among the evidences that a person has truly been born again (see Rom. 5:1–4; Eph. 1:13–15; 1 Thes. 1:3; Heb. 6:9–12; 1 Peter 1:3–9).[xv] True Salvation Evidence Faith comes through the hearing of God's Word (Rom. 10:17). Our Christian lives start with saving faith; but this is only the beginning. We learn to walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7) and work by faith (1 Thes. 1:3). It is faith that gives power to prayer (Luke 17:5–6). Faith is a shield that protects us from Satan's fiery darts (Eph. 6:16).[xvi] Love is another evidence of true salvation, for the unsaved person is wrapped up mainly in himself (Eph. 2:1–3). The fact that these people loved all the saints was proof that God had changed them and given them eternal life. Christian love is not a shallow feeling that we manufacture; it is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts (Rom. 5:5; Col. 1:8). It is worth noting that Colossians 1:8 is the only verse in the letter that mentions the Holy Spirit, and it is in connection with love.[xvii] Hope is also a characteristic of the believer. Unsaved people are without hope because they are without God (Eph. 2:11–12). Those outside of Christ have no hope (1 Thes. 4:13). In the Bible, hope does not mean “hope so.” Our hope in Christ is as definite and assured as our faith in Christ. Because Christ is in us, we have the “hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).[xviii] Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.[xix] Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -John 8:32 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten. hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en His Love Ministries on Itunes Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions [i] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [ii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [iii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 107). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [iv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [v] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [vi] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [vii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 106). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [viii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 107). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [ix] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 107). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [x] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xi] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xiii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xiv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xvi] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 108). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xvii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 108–109). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xviii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 109). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [xix] The New King James Version. (1982). (Heb 6:19–20). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Bill Kittrell continues our sermon series, Colossians: Celebrating the Supremacy of Christ, in Colossians 3:12-15 with this week's message titled "Put On Christ."
Bill Kittrell continues our sermon series, Colossians: Celebrating the Supremacy of Christ, in Colossians 3:12-15 with this week's message titled "Put On Christ."
Know that you are complete in Christ, and live out of your true identity. (Col 2:1-10)
Work is a good gift of God that has been frustrated by sin, but redeemed by Christ. We are free to serve our earthly masters when we see that it is a way to serve our true heavenly Master Jesus and provides an opportunity to love and serve our neighbor. This message was preached by Pastor Erick Cobb on October 13, 2024.
Send us a textToday, we have the pleasure of going over some of the most powerful verses one can read! We talk about how it is by Jesus all things were created, and that includes in heaven and on earth, and things visible and invisible. Everything was created by Him, but also for Him as well. He was before all things, and it is by Him that all things consist. He is the head of the body, He is the firstborn of the dead, and He is to have the preeminence. In our Q&A segment, we were asked an interesting question: Were Adam and Eve Jews? We feel this study will be a blessing to all who listens, so go ahead!
Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: SabbathLeviticus 23:3, Colossians 2:16-19, Revelation 1:9-11 (ESV)3 “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.Colossians 216 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.Revelation 19 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”Sermon OutlineWe are nourished to grow when we connect with God each week by looking up to Christ.1. HeadCol 2:19 “…holding fast to the head…”Col 2:18 “… puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind…”2. SubstanceCol 2:17 “these are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ”Col 2:16 “let no one pass judgment on you… with regard to… sabbath”3. LordRev 1:10 “in the Spirit on the Lord's day” (Lev 23:3 “a holy convocation”)Col 2:16, 18 “let no one pass judgment on you”, “let no one disqualify you”Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty God, you are above all. We humble ourselves, admitting our need of forgiveness. We have been puffed up, thinking we are fine apart from you. We have been prideful, striving to earn what we could never attain. We have sought life in the shadowy things but not in the substance, Jesus Christ. Our restless souls are mired in the mess we have made because of the sinful thoughts and actions that spring from our corrupt hearts. We are setting our minds above, to where Christ is seated, to remember your mercy and ask again for forgiveness. Bring rest to our weary souls, and nourish us for the growth that comes from you alone. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat nourishes your soul? As you look back, what has helped you grow?Why is Jesus described as a “head”? What is it about a head that is important for us to understand?What practices can you prioritize on the first day of the week to help you put your mind in connection with the mind of Christ? What can you do to help you see what Jesus wants you to see?What can go wrong if you are chasing mystical experiences?How can keeping a sabbath day become burdensome?What can we learn from Jesus being presented as the “substance”, with all that was before him being shadow?What is significant about Christians gathering weekly on the day Jesus was raised? How is the gospel a help for anyone trying to keep the discipline of a day of rest? What challenges will come up as you try to keep this practice and why is God's grace important for working through them? What kind of rest is possible when you are working the gospel into your life (what weighs on you that can be lifted as you gain the mind of Christ and his grace)?
Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: SabbathLeviticus 23:3, Colossians 2:16-19, Revelation 1:9-11 (ESV)3 “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.Colossians 216 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.Revelation 19 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”Sermon OutlineWe are nourished to grow when we connect with God each week by looking up to Christ.1. HeadCol 2:19 “…holding fast to the head…”Col 2:18 “… puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind…”2. SubstanceCol 2:17 “these are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ”Col 2:16 “let no one pass judgment on you… with regard to… sabbath”3. LordRev 1:10 “in the Spirit on the Lord's day” (Lev 23:3 “a holy convocation”)Col 2:16, 18 “let no one pass judgment on you”, “let no one disqualify you”Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty God, you are above all. We humble ourselves, admitting our need of forgiveness. We have been puffed up, thinking we are fine apart from you. We have been prideful, striving to earn what we could never attain. We have sought life in the shadowy things but not in the substance, Jesus Christ. Our restless souls are mired in the mess we have made because of the sinful thoughts and actions that spring from our corrupt hearts. We are setting our minds above, to where Christ is seated, to remember your mercy and ask again for forgiveness. Bring rest to our weary souls, and nourish us for the growth that comes from you alone. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat nourishes your soul? As you look back, what has helped you grow?Why is Jesus described as a “head”? What is it about a head that is important for us to understand?What practices can you prioritize on the first day of the week to help you put your mind in connection with the mind of Christ? What can you do to help you see what Jesus wants you to see?What can go wrong if you are chasing mystical experiences?How can keeping a sabbath day become burdensome?What can we learn from Jesus being presented as the “substance”, with all that was before him being shadow?What is significant about Christians gathering weekly on the day Jesus was raised? How is the gospel a help for anyone trying to keep the discipline of a day of rest? What challenges will come up as you try to keep this practice and why is God's grace important for working through them? What kind of rest is possible when you are working the gospel into your life (what weighs on you that can be lifted as you gain the mind of Christ and his grace)?
Big Idea: Working for Christ is an inside out endeavor Jesus-centered, inside out work has a renewed: 1. Scope (3:23a) 2. Focus (3:23b) 3. Motivation (3:24)
Bill Kittrell continues our sermon series, Colossians: Celebrating the Supremacy of Christ, in Colossians 1:15-20 with this week's message titled, "The Glorious Christ."
Bill Kittrell continues our sermon series, Colossians: Celebrating the Supremacy of Christ, in Colossians 1:15-20 with this week's message titled, "The Glorious Christ."
Send us a Text Message.Have you ever wondered why some Christians thrive in their faith despite severe persecution while others struggle with temptation and sin in the relative ease of the West? In this compelling episode, we uncover the inspiring story of Roy and Jillian Orpin, missionaries in Thailand whose unwavering dedication led to significant spiritual conversions among the Mio people, even as they faced heartbreaking trials, including Roy's tragic death. Their story serves as a powerful contrast to the comfort many of us experience, urging us to keep our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus Christ, as Paul encourages in Colossians 3:1-4.Navigating the battle against temptation often feels like a losing game. We challenge the ineffective "just say no" approach and delve into the transformative power of seeking Christ in His fullness. Drawing from Paul's teachings, we explore how true victory over sin isn't found in sheer willpower but in communion with God and embracing our new identity in Christ. By focusing on Christ's supremacy, character, power, presence, and love, we find strength and transformation that surpass any self-imposed legalistic efforts.Modern life is rife with idols that promise happiness but deliver emptiness. Through personal stories and literary insights, we examine how the pursuit of earthly pleasures often leads to disillusionment. Drawing on Ray Bradbury's "Dandelion Wine," we highlight the transient nature of worldly joys and stress the profound contentment found in Christ. Reflecting on the sacrifices made by missionaries and the eternal hope in Jesus, we call believers to grow in faithfulness and non-believers to discover the lasting happiness that only Jesus can provide. Join us in this heartfelt journey towards true joy and purpose in Christ.Support the Show.
Send us a Text Message.A few years back, a Hebrew Roots documentary was released called "The Way," in which they interview all sorts of Torah-keepers and really make a case for why people should be keeping the Torah feasts, avoiding Christmas and Easter, eating biblically clean (kosher), keeping the seventh day Shabbat, and so on. (And for the record, I see no problem with anyone choosing to do any of those things. If that's the way you feel led to live out your faith, go for it!) But most Torah keepers don't view it as an optional way of life. No, they preach it as the only correct way to follow Jesus. And once they cross the line from optional to required, they've entered the unbiblical and dangerous waters of Torahism, which champions a false gospel that requires more than faith in Jesus to be righteous. In that the trailer for that documentary. they pose 17 common Hebrew Roots questions designed to challenge mainstream Christianity. And in this video we answer them all. We also respond to 10 "contradictions" leveled at the Church.Soli Deo Gloria!Defending the Biblical Roots of ChristianityOur websiteOur YouTube ChannelProf. Solberg's BlogSupport our Ministry (Thank you!)Links Mentioned in this EpisodeGrafted Into What? Jews, Gentiles & Israel5 Reasons we can't follow the Gospel and the Law at the same timeTorah Shadows of Christ (Col. 2:16-17)One Law for the Native and the StrangerA Case for Sabbath-keeping: Part 1 (OT) | Part 2 (NT)Clean & Unclean Foods - Examining Monte Judah's teaching on the kosher food laws: Part 1 | Part 2Chapters00:00 Introduction03:08 Fielding the questions05:13 #1 If Yeshua kept the law why don't we?06:03 #2 Why did the apostles keep the feasts?06:39 #3 Why does the Church claim Israel's blessings?07:39 #4 How can something everlasting come to an end?08:34 #5 How could the definition of sin change?10:38 #6 Why did Paul celebrate Passover?10:57 #7 How is Jesus sinless if He broke the Sabbath?11:08 #8 Why did Peter still not eat unclean food?14:10 #9 Why did Paul say he keeps the law? 15:00 #10 Why do we act like some Torah laws are silly?16:54 #11 How can the Church change the Sabbath?17:47 #12 Isn't disobeying the law offensive to Jesus?18:44 #13 Why did Paul say the law is spiritual? 19:13 #14 Can Christians celebrate Wiccan holidays?20:28 #15 Why do you say the law is too difficult?23:54 #16 Why don't we keep Passover?25:41 #17 Why don't we keep Saturday Sabbath?26:04 Addressing Ten "Contradictions"
Because God's goal in our salvation is that we would be remade in the image of Christ, we also must pursue this as our goal, seeking to walk daily by faith with Christ, yielding to His life-transforming work in and through us.--I. God's Goal in Your Salvation is to Re-make You into the Image of Christ- Gal 4-19, etc- 1- The Goal of Your Salvation is Christ-likeness- -To see Christ formed in you--- 2- Sanctification is the Process by which your life is being reshaped into Christ's image daily-- 3- God's big goal in redemption is to see the beauty of His image restored in us through faith--II. God's goal to reshape your life into Christ's image must now become Your Goal in Life- Col 3-9-10- Eph 4-20-24-III. How do we pursue Christ formed in us-- How do we cooperate with God's grace in this--- -1- It starts with conversion- -2- Look to Him to do this work- That's the promise- This is His purpose for you as a Christian-- -3- Set your mind to be renewed as you learn to think like Christ- Col 3-1-2- -4- Fix your Eyes on Jesus Daily and Follow Him- - -5- Depend on the work of the Holy Spirit whom God has given to lead you to Christ daily-
Because God's goal in our salvation is that we would be remade in the image of Christ, we also must pursue this as our goal, seeking to walk daily by faith with Christ, yielding to His life-transforming work in and through us.--I. God's Goal in Your Salvation is to Re-make You into the Image of Christ- Gal 4-19, etc- 1- The Goal of Your Salvation is Christ-likeness- -To see Christ formed in you--- 2- Sanctification is the Process by which your life is being reshaped into Christ's image daily-- 3- God's big goal in redemption is to see the beauty of His image restored in us through faith--II. God's goal to reshape your life into Christ's image must now become Your Goal in Life- Col 3-9-10- Eph 4-20-24-III. How do we pursue Christ formed in us-- How do we cooperate with God's grace in this--- -1- It starts with conversion- -2- Look to Him to do this work- That's the promise- This is His purpose for you as a Christian-- -3- Set your mind to be renewed as you learn to think like Christ- Col 3-1-2- -4- Fix your Eyes on Jesus Daily and Follow Him- - -5- Depend on the work of the Holy Spirit whom God has given to lead you to Christ daily-
Our salvation is seen in three phases. Because we have trusted Christ as our Savior, we have been saved from the penalty of sin (John 5:24; Rom 8:1, 33-34; Eph 2:8-9), are being saved from the power of sin that we might live righteously (Rom 6:11-13; Col 3:5), and will be saved from the presence of sin when we leave this world and enter heaven (Phil 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2, 5). These three aspects of our salvation are also referred to as justification (declared just before God once for all), sanctification (our progressive righteousness over time), and glorification (removal of the sin nature after we leave this world). This section will focus on phase two of our salvation, looking mainly at the biblical concept of spirituality and the steps the Christian can take to advance to spiritual maturity. After we heard the gospel message that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and raised again on the third day (1 Cor 15:3-4), and we trusted Jesus as our Savior (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 16:31), we became children of God (John 1:12; Gal 3:26), and were transferred from Satan's domain of darkness into the kingdom of Christ (Col 1:13). Having been born again to new spiritual life (John 3:3; 1 Pet 1:3, 23), and indwelt by God the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16), God now expects us to feed on the nourishment of His Word (1 Pet 2:2), advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1), and manifest a life of righteousness (Rom 6:13; 2 Tim 3:16-17). In His Word, God has given us everything we need to accomplish this mission. The objective for us is to learn Scripture and embark on the journey of faith that glorifies God, edifies others, and brings us to the place of spiritual adulthood. Spirituality Defined The word “spiritual” derives from the Greek adjective pneumatikos (πνευματικός), which, according to Joseph Thayer, refers to “one who is filled with and governed by the Spirit of God.”[1] Spirituality is very nuanced and, according to Christopher Beetham, denotes “the whole range of activities, attitudes, experiences, etc., that ultimately depend on and derive from the Spirit and that draw their significance from the Spirit.”[2] Such an understanding is contrasted with the worldly system of values and practices that originate with Satan, which are totally at odds with the Word of God and seek to hinder the Christian's walk with the Lord (1 John 2:15-16). Dr. Steven R. Cook [1] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm's Wilke's Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 523. [2] Christopher A. Beetham, ed., “Πνεῦμα,” Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2021), 755.
A new MP3 sermon from Truth Matters Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Col. 1:3) Subtitle: Expository Devotionals Speaker: Jeremy Preece Broadcaster: Truth Matters Church Event: Devotional Date: 6/13/2024 Bible: Colossians 1:3 Length: 6 min.
Throughout scripture we see the relationship in the Godhead clearly defined where there is God the Father and Christ the Son. Scripture does not combine these two distinct persons, nor does it mix-up their relationship, and neither should we-
Throughout scripture we see the relationship in the Godhead clearly defined where there is God the Father and Christ the Son. Scripture does not combine these two distinct persons, nor does it mix-up their relationship, and neither should we-
Throughout scripture we see the relationship in the Godhead clearly defined where there is God the Father and Christ the Son. Scripture does not combine these two distinct persons, nor does it mix-up their relationship, and neither should we!
Election Election derives from the Greek verb eklegō (ἐκλέγω) which, according to BDAG, means “to make a choice in accordance with significant preference, select someone or something for oneself.”[1] According to Norman Geisler, “The word election (or elect) occurs fourteen times in the New Testament. An elect person is a chosen one; election (or elect) is used of Israel (Rom 9:11; 11:28), of angels (1 Tim 5:21), and of believers. In relation to believers, election is the decision of God from all eternity whereby He chose those who would be saved.”[2] Geisler further states, “The words chosen and chose are used numerous times. The terms are employed of Christ (Luke 23:35; 1 Pet 1:20; 2:4, 6), of a disciple (Acts 1:2, 24; 10:41; 22:14; John 15:10), and even of Judas (John 6:70; 13:18), who was chosen to be an apostle. Soteriologically, a chosen one is a person elected to salvation by God.”[3] Election is that free choice of God from eternity past in which He chose to save and bless some (Eph 1:4-5). The elect are the ones chosen. God elects groups (Luke 6:13-16; John 6:70) and individuals (1 Ch 28:5; Acts 9:15). Election is to salvation (Acts 13:48; Eph 1:4-6; 2 Th 2:13), spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3), holy and righteous living (Col 3:12; 1 Pet 2:9), and service for the Lord (Jer 1:4-5; Gal 1:15-16; cf. Acts 9:15). In election, God is sovereign and people are free. Both are true. This is why Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). Here we observe the coalescence of God's sovereignty and positive human volition as the Father gives and people come of their own choice.[4] We observe something similar in Acts where Luke wrote, “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48). Here we observe Gentiles who were appointed to eternal life, and that they personally exercised their volition and believed in the Lord for salvation.[5] Robert B. Thieme Jr., states: "[Election is] the recognition by God, before the foundation of the world, of those who would believe in Christ; the sovereign act of God in eternity past to choose, to set apart, certain members of the human race for privilege, based on His knowledge of every person's freewill decisions in time. While God is sovereign, having the right to do with His creatures as He pleases, never has He hindered or tampered with human free will. He did not choose some to be saved and others to be condemned. Instead, in eternity past, God first chose to accomplish the work of man's salvation through the Son. Then, He looked down the corridors of time and elected for salvation everyone He knew would believe in Jesus Christ (Eph 1:4). God elected believers in the sense that He knew ahead of time that their free will would choose for Christ….Moreover, God did not elect anyone to hell: unbelievers are condemned to eternally reside in hell only because they have used their volition toward unbelief (John 3:18)."[6] Predestined by God When writing to the Christians at Ephesus, Paul said, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (Eph 1:4-5). The word predestined translates the Greek word proorizō (προορίζω), which means, to “decide upon beforehand, predetermine.”[7] Harold Hoehner defines the word similarly as, “to determine beforehand, mark out beforehand, predestine.”[8] Geisler notes, “Just as God predetermined from all eternity that Christ would die for our sins (Acts 2:23), He also predestined who would be saved. As Paul says, ‘Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son' (Rom 8:29).”[9] According to Paul Enns, “Even though election and predestination are clearly taught in Scripture, man is still held accountable for his choices. Scripture never suggests that man is lost because he is not elect or has not been predestined; the emphasis of Scripture is that man is lost because he refuses to believe the gospel.”[10] Predestination refers to what God purposes for us. The Bible reveals that God has predestined us to adoption as His children (Eph 1:5), to our ultimate conformity to Christ (Rom 8:29–30), and to the blessings of our future inheritance (Eph 1:11). Warren Wiersbe states, “This word, as it is used in the Bible, refers primarily to what God does for saved people. Nowhere in the Bible are we taught that people are predestined to hell, because this word refers only to God's people. Election seems to refer to people, while predestination refers to purposes.”[11] According to Robert B. Thieme Jr., predestination refers to “God's predetermined, sovereign provisioning of every believer for the purpose of executing His plan, purpose, and will in time (Eph 1:4-6, 11).”[12] Thieme further states: "In eternity past God decreed, or established with certainty, the believer's destiny for time and eternity. However, the divine act of predestination is never to be confused with the ideas of kismet [the idea of fate] or any other human-viewpoint system of fatalism. God did not negate free will or force anyone into a course of action. Rather, He only decreed and provisioned what He knew would actually happen. He predestined believers based on His eternal knowledge that they would, by their own free will, accept Jesus Christ as Savior. Long before human history began, sovereign God determined that every Church Age believer would be united with the resurrected Jesus Christ, the King of kings. Those who believe are predestined as heirs of God and joint heirs with the Son of God—sharing the eternal destiny of Jesus Christ Himself (Eph 1:5). Furthermore, God predestined believers with everything necessary to fulfill His plan in time. No Christian is dependent upon human energy, personality, or human effort, because God established a grace way of life and furnished the divine means of execution (2 Tim 1:9). Every believer in this age has equal opportunity to either accept or reject God's predestined provision. Regardless of personal failure or success in time, all believers are predestined to be completely “conformed to the image of His Son” in resurrection bodies in heaven (Rom 8:29)."[13] Foreknowledge Peter wrote of God's elect as those “who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Pet 1:1-2). Here, the word foreknowledge translates the Greek noun prognōsis (πρόγνωσις), which means “to know beforehand, know in advance”[14] Foreknowledge simply means that omniscient God, from eternity past, knew in advance all that would happen in time and space, and He knew the actions of every person and whether they would be saved or not. Jesus communicated His foreknowledge when He said to His disciples, ‘“There are some of you who do not believe.' For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him” (John 6:64). God also knew His own actions in time and space, either to direct, permit, or overrule human or angelic decisions, and to judge everyone fairly for their actions. According to Norman Geisler: "Being omniscient, God also eternally foreknew those who would be saved: “Those God foreknew he also predestined” (Rom 8:29). Indeed, they were “elect according to the foreknowledge of God” (1 Pet 1:2). Since His foreknowledge is infallible (He is omniscient), whatever God foreknows will indeed come to pass. Hence, His foreknowledge of who would be saved assures that they will be."[15] In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom 8:29). The word “foreknew” translates the Greek verb proginōskō (προγινώσκω) which, according to BDAG, means “to know beforehand or in advance, have foreknowledge.”[16] Here, the word connotes God's knowing people in an intimate sense and not merely what they will do. This speaks to the richness of the relationship God has with each individual. Though we exist in time and space and live our lives in a chronological manner with one experience sequentially following the next, God exists in the eternal realm, beyond time and space, in the eternal now. This means that God is present at all times and places in human history simultaneously. Scripture speaks of what God foreknew from eternity past as it relates to the choices of His elect, but His foreknowledge is not detached or impersonal; rather, it is intimately connected to the formation of His family and the execution of His purposes in the world (see Jer 1:4-5). Prevenient Grace Prevenient grace refers to the grace of God that precedes and prepares a person's heart and will for salvation. The term “prevenient” means “preceding” or “coming before.” According to Geisler, “Prevenient means ‘before,' and prevenient grace refers to God's unmerited work in the human heart prior to salvation, which directs people to this end through Christ…This grace is also seen in the fact that ‘the goodness of God leads you to repentance' (Rom 2:4). Thus, prevenient grace is God's grace exerted on our behalf even before He bestows salvation on us.”[17] Because God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4), and is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9), He works in a preparatory manner to convince the fallen human heart to welcome Christ (2 Tim 1:9). Jesus spoke of the role of the Holy Spirit in the dispensation of the church age, saying, “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me” (John 16:8-9). According to Geisler, “The act of convicting, then, is that by which God persuades a person that he is a sinner and, thus, is in need of the Savior.”[18] This prevenient work of God is necessary because of the sinfulness of mankind. It is not considered to be salvific in itself but rather a preparatory grace that allows individuals to cooperate with God's saving work in Christ. In this perspective, salvation is seen as a cooperative process where individuals have the ability to accept or reject God's offer of grace. Christians are Elect in Christ From eternity past, God intended for His grand plan of salvation for all humanity to be achieved through His Son. Scripture reveals “the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14), and “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10), and He is “the Lamb who has been slain” from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8). Jesus is the Father's Chosen One. God said, “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen One in whom My soul delights” (Isa 42:1). And He said of Jesus, “This is My Son, My Chosen One” (Luke 9:35). And Peter describes Jesus as “chosen and precious in the sight of God” (1 Pet 2:4). Jesus was chosen by God before the foundation of the world to be the Savior of all mankind, and Christians are elect because we are in Christ. Geisler states: "Christ is eternal, and the universal church was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4); hence, in the mind of God, the church of God is eternal. Further, Christ is the elect of God (Matt 3:16–17), and we are elect in Him; not only is Christ the elect One, but in the New Testament those “in Christ,” the church, the members of His body, were elect in Him before time began."[19] Scripture reveals that Christians “are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Pet 1:1-2), that Christ “was foreknown before the foundation of the world” (1 Pet 1:20), was “chosen and precious” in His sight (1 Pet 2:4), and that God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4). The prepositional phrase “in Him” (ἐν αὐτῷ) speaks to our election and union with Christ (Eph 1:4). According to L. B. Smedes, “This strongly suggests that God elects people for salvation in the same decision that He elected Christ as their Savior.”[20] Because Jesus is God's Chosen One, it is asserted that we, God's elect, were chosen at the same time as Christ, and He “saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim 1:9). When we believed in Jesus as our Savior, God placed us into union with Christ, for “by His doing you are in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor 1:30). Paul wrote, “I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen [eklektos], so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory” (2 Tim 2:10). The prepositional phrase, “in Christ” (ἐν Χριστῷ), emphasizes the idea of believers being in union with Christ. This union is not merely a metaphorical expression but signifies a profound spiritual reality. The Apostle Paul frequently uses this expression to convey the intimate and transformative relationship that believers have with Christ (Rom 8:1; 12:5; 1 Cor 1:2, 30; Gal 3:28; Eph 1:3-4; Phil 1:1; Col 1:2; 2 Tim 1:9; 2:10). Being “in Christ” signifies that believers are, in a real spiritual sense, united with Him. This identification includes sharing in His death, burial, and resurrection, for we have been “crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20), and “we died with Christ” (Rom 6:8), were “buried with Him” (Rom 6:4), and “have been raised up with Christ” (Col 3:1). In a real way, we were with Him on the cross, in the grave, and at His resurrection. In the eyes of God, His experience has become our experience. This identification with Jesus is real, even though we were not physically alive at the time of His crucifixion, burial, resurrection, or ascension into heaven. Furthermore, “In Him we have…forgiveness of our trespasses” (Eph 1:7), “have been sanctified in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor 1:2), have “eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23), and are told there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). This kind of identification in and with another is true in other instances. For example, it was said of Rebekah, “Two nations are in your womb” (Gen 25:23), even before Israel was called into being as a nation. Similarly, the writer of Hebrews speaks of Levi who “paid tithes” (Heb 7:9), and this while “he was still in the loins of his father” Abraham (Heb 7:10). This means that Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek, even before he existed, as he was in the loins of his father, Abraham.[21] Furthermore, being “in Christ” reflects a believer's new position before God. It signifies that, through faith in Christ, believers are accepted and justified before God. Their sins are forgiven (Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7), and they are seen through the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9). The phrase also emphasizes that believers participate in the benefits of Christ's redemptive work. This includes reconciliation with God (Rom 5:10), adoption as children (Gal 4:5; Eph 1:5), the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16), and the status of being a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). Believers are seen as co-heirs with Christ, sharing in the inheritance of eternal life (Eph 1:3-14; Rom 8:17). This positional truth is foundational to the concept of salvation by grace through faith. While being “in Christ” has personal implications, it also has a corporate dimension. It speaks to the collective identity of the Church as the body of Christ, with believers being interconnected and sharing a common life “in Christ.” Robert B. Thieme Jr., states: "Through the baptism of the Spirit at salvation, every believer of this age is removed from his position in Adam and secured in his position “in Christ” (1 Cor 15:22; Eph 2:5–6; cf. Gal 3:27). The believer, no longer spiritually dead, is made a “new creature” with a totally unprecedented relationship with God (2 Cor 5:17a). The “old things” that once kept him alienated from God have passed away; phenomenal “new things” have come by virtue of his position in Christ (2 Cor 5:17b). The believer shares Christ's eternal life (1 John 5:11–12), His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21), His election (Eph 1:3–4), His destiny (Eph 1:5), His sonship (John 1:12; Gal 3:26; 1 John 3:1–2), His heirship (Rom 8:16–17), His sanctification (1 Cor 1:2, 30), His kingdom (2 Pet 1:11), His priesthood (Heb 10:10–14), and His royalty (2 Tim 2:11–12). This new position can never be forfeited."[22] In summary, the prepositional phrase “in Christ” encapsulates profound theological truths about the believer's union with Christ, identification with His redemptive work, a new positional standing before God, and the communal identity of the Church as the body of Christ. It serves as a key concept in understanding the richness of Christian salvation and the transformative impact of faith in Jesus Christ. Dr. Steven R. Cook [1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 305. [2] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2004), 220–221. [3] Ibid., 221. [4] Other passages that emphasize God's sovereign choice: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44), and “no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father” (John 6:65). Paul wrote, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (Eph 1:4-5). And to Christians living in Thessalonica, Paul wrote, “We should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth” (2 Th 2:13). [5] Romans 9:1-18 is often cited when discussing election to salvation; however, when one looks at the context of Roman 9, it does not pertain to salvation, but to God's selection of the progenitors of the nation of Israel. In a similar way, God sovereignly selected Nebuchadnezzar to be the king over Babylon (Dan 2:37-38; 5:18), and Cyrus as king over Persia (Ezra 1:2). In fact, God's sovereignty is supreme when it comes to selecting all human rulers, for “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan 2:21), and “the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Dan 4:17). At times, He even raises up young foolish kings to discipline His people, as He told Isaiah the prophet, “I will make mere lads their princes, and capricious children will rule over them” (Isa 3:4). [6] Robert B. Thieme, Jr. “Election”, Thieme's Bible Doctrine Dictionary, (Houston, TX., R. B. Thieme, Jr., Bible Ministries, 2022), 81. [7] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 873. [8] Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 193. [9] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation, 221. [10] Paul P. Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1989), 329. [11] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 11. [12] Robert B. Thieme, Jr. “Predestination”, Thieme's Bible Doctrine Dictionary, 203. [13] Ibid., 203-204 [14] Moisés Silva, ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 138. [15] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation, 221. [16] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 866. [17] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation, 222. [18] Ibid., 222. [19] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Four: Church, Last Things, 50–51. [20] L. B. Smedes, “Grace,” ed. Geoffrey W Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979–1988), 551. [21] These two analogies with Rebekah and Levi help convey the idea of a connection or representation that transcends mere physical existence. In the case of Rebekah, the passage refers to the statement, “Two nations are in your womb” (Gen 25:23), highlighting that this declaration occurred before Israel was called into being as a nation. This serves as an example of a connection that existed before the actual historical formation of the nation. Likewise, the reference to Levi paying tithes while still in the loins of his father, Abraham (Heb 7:9-10), is another analogy used to illustrate a connection that goes beyond the immediate physical existence of the individual. It suggests a representation or identification that precedes the individual's own existence. [22] Robert B. Thieme, Jr. “Position in Christ”, Thieme's Bible Doctrine Dictionary, 200.
Send us a Text Message.Let's study one the most powerful texts disproving the theology of Torahism. Colossians 2:16–17 says, “Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” That seems pretty straightforward, right? Paul tells believers not to let anyone judge them based on what they eat or drink, or which religious festivals or days that they observe. And ironically, that's exactly what many of our Hebrew Roots friends do. They judge Christians based on these very things. Our Torah-keeping friends like will object, “Come on Solberg, you're taking those verses out of context and you know it.” Well, that's exactly what we study in this episode. Is there good reason to think that the plain meaning of these verses isn't what Paul actually meant? Let's see! We're even going to hear and test the perspective of Torah-keeping teacher David Wilber.Watch Part 2 herehttps://youtu.be/MIUp_bfQ_nYDefending the Biblical Roots of ChristianityOur websiteOur YouTube ChannelProf. Solberg's BlogSupport our Ministry (Thank you!)CHAPTERS00:00 Intro04:27 The context of Colossians14:26 Colossians 2:16–1728:45 Wrap it up, Professor.
A Bigger Life Prayer and Bible Devotionals with Pastor Dave Cover
This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax, refocus, and re-narrate your life. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Ephesians 6:11, 14-17 says: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. …Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (NIV). One way to “put on the full armor of God” is through prayer. Here's an example of how to “take your stand against the devil's schemes” in your life and family through prayer. Today we will meditatively pray to put on “the breastplate of righteousness.” Father in Heaven, your word tells me to submit to you and resist the devil, and he will flee from me (James 4:7), and so I want to do that now in this prayer. I submit my whole self to you, my whole life to you, (my family to you), all my cares to you, and my entire future to you. And I take my stand right now against all the devil's schemes in my life (and family). I put on your “breastplate of righteousness” — Jesus's righteousness given to me as a breastplate to guard my heart against all the devil's deceptive shame and false bondage to sin. I know that the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has already cleansed me of all my shame (Rm 5:9). I put off right now my old self, which is being corrupted by deceitful desires, and I put on my new, true self in Christ, created to be like Jesus in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:22-24). I hunger and thirst for righteousness, only by which I will be truly satisfied (Mt 5:6). I affirm that I have been washed, I have been sanctified (made holy), I have been justified (made and declared to be righteous) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of my God (1 Cor 6:11). All the ways that I am not enough have been filled with the fullness of Christ (Col 2:10). The Holy Spirit of God is in my body right now as your holy temple (1 Cor 6:19). And I affirm that this is who I truly am in Jesus Christ. Amen. Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life with Pastor Dave Cover
This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax, refocus, and re-narrate your life. I'm Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God's presence through biblically guided imagination. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Ephesians 6:11, 14-17 says: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. …Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (NIV). One way to “put on the full armor of God” is through prayer. Here's an example of how to “take your stand against the devil's schemes” in your life and family through prayer. Today we will meditatively pray to put on “the breastplate of righteousness.” Father in Heaven, your word tells me to submit to you and resist the devil, and he will flee from me (James 4:7), and so I want to do that now in this prayer. I submit my whole self to you, my whole life to you, (my family to you), all my cares to you, and my entire future to you. And I take my stand right now against all the devil's schemes in my life (and family). I put on your “breastplate of righteousness” — Jesus's righteousness given to me as a breastplate to guard my heart against all the devil's deceptive shame and false bondage to sin. I know that the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has already cleansed me of all my shame (Rm 5:9). I put off right now my old self, which is being corrupted by deceitful desires, and I put on my new, true self in Christ, created to be like Jesus in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:22-24). I hunger and thirst for righteousness, only by which I will be truly satisfied (Mt 5:6). I affirm that I have been washed, I have been sanctified (made holy), I have been justified (made and declared to be righteous) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of my God (1 Cor 6:11). All the ways that I am not enough have been filled with the fullness of Christ (Col 2:10). The Holy Spirit of God is in my body right now as your holy temple (1 Cor 6:19). And I affirm that this is who I truly am in Jesus Christ. Amen. Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
The New Testament writers open up the secret of the feasts and show is that they lay down a prophetic timeline of the person and work of Christ. Paul clearly states that the feasts were a shadow of things to come and the reality is found in Christ (Col 2:18-19). May our hearts stand in […]
When we seek things above, we are able to put off the old self and put on the new self
The Bible reveals that God imputes His righteousness to the believer at the moment of salvation. The word imputation itself is an accounting term used both in the Old Testament and the New Testament (Gen 15:6; Psa 32:2; Rom 4:3-8; Gal 3:6). Biblically, there are three major imputations that relate to our standing before God. First is the imputation of Adam's original sin to every member of the human race. Paul wrote, “through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom 5:12), for “through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men” (Rom 5:18a), for “by a man came death” (1 Co 15:21a), and “in Adam all die” (1 Cor 15:22a). This means every biological descendant of Adam is charged/credited with the sin he committed in the Garden of Eden which plunged the human race into spiritual and physical death. Jesus is the only exception, for though He is truly human (Matt 1:1; Luke 3:23-38), He was born without original sin, without a sin nature, and committed no personal sin during His time on earth (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22; 1 John 3:5). Adam is the head of the human race and his fall became our fall. This is the basis for death and for being estranged from God. Robert B. Thieme states: "[Adam's Original Sin refers to] the initial act of willful, cognitive disobedience to God committed by the first man, Adam, when he violated God's mandate to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:17; 3:6). The initial human sin resulted in Adam's immediate spiritual death, the formation of the sin nature, and loss of his relationship with God (Gen 3:7; Rom 6:23). Since Adam is the physical and representative head of the human race, his corrupt sin nature is genetically passed on through procreation to all his descendants (Rom 5:12). At each person's physical birth, God imputes Adam's original sin to the sin nature, resulting in the condemnation of spiritual death (Rom 5:19; 1 Cor 15:21-22). The only exception is the humanity of Jesus Christ, who was conceived by means of the Holy Spirit, born without the sin nature, and thus did not receive the imputation of Adam's original sin."[1] Second is the imputation of all sin to Jesus on the cross (Isa 53:4-6, 10; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 2:9; 1 Pet 2:21-24; 1 John 2:2). God the Father judged Jesus in our place (Mark 10:45; 1 Cor 15:3-4; 1 Pet 3:18), cancelling our sin debt by the death of Christ (Col 2:13-14; 2 Cor 5:18-19). This was a voluntary imputation on the part of Christ who freely went to the cross and took our sins upon Himself (John 1:29; 10:11, 15, 17-18). Thieme explains: "On the cross, the justice of God the Father imputed all the sins of mankind to His beloved Son, Jesus Christ (1 Pet 2:24). This was a judicial imputation because sin has no affinity with the impeccable humanity of Christ, no home in Him. To complete the judicial action, the Father's justice immediately judged every one of those sins in Christ. Our personal sins are never imputed to us for judgment. Rather, the perfect humanity of Christ was “pierced through for our transgressions,” taking upon Himself the penalty that rightfully belonged to all men (Isa 53:5). This substitutionary work satisfied God's righteousness and justice and made possible our so-great salvation (2 Cor 5:21; 1 John 2:2)."[2] Third is the imputation of God's righteousness to those who believe in Jesus for salvation (Rom 4:3-5; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:8-9). The righteousness of God imputed to the believer at the moment of faith in Christ results in the believer being justified before God (Rom 3:22, 24, 28; 4:1-5). Moses wrote of Abraham, saying, “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned [חָשַׁב chashab] it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6). David writes, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute [חָשַׁב chashab] iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit” (Psa 32:1-2). Moses and David both use the Hebrew chashab (חָשַׁב) which, according to HALOT, means “to impute, reckon to.”[3] Moses uses the verb in a positive sense of that which God imputes to Abraham, namely righteousness, and David uses the verb negatively, of that which God does not credit to a person, namely iniquity. Allen P. Ross comments on the meaning of chashab (חָשַׁב) in Psalm 32:2 and Genesis 15:6: "Not only does forgiveness mean that God takes away the sins, but it also means that God does not “impute” iniquity to the penitent: “Blessed is the one to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity.” The verb (חָשַׁב) means “impute, reckon, credit”; it is the language of records, or accounting—in fact, in modern usage the word is related to “computer.” Here the psalm is using an implied comparison, as if there were record books in heaven that would record the sins. If the forgiven sins are not imputed, it means that there is no record of them—they are gone and forgotten. Because God does not mark iniquities (Psa 130:4), there is great joy. The same verb is used in Genesis 15:6 as well, which says that Abram “believed in the LORD, and he reckoned it (וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ) to him as righteousness.” The apostle Paul brings that verse and Psalm 32:2 together in Romans 4 to explain the meaning of justification by faith: when people believe in the Lord, God reckons or credits them with righteousness (Paul will say, the righteousness of Jesus Christ), and does not reckon their sin to them."[4] The apostle Paul cites Abraham's faith in God as the basis upon which he was declared righteous before Him, saying, “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited [logizomai] to him as righteousness'” (Rom 4:3).[5] Paul uses the Greek verb logizomai (λογίζομαι) which, according to BDAG, means “to determine by mathematical process, reckon, calculate, frequently in a transferred sense.”[6] Abraham believed God's Word, and God reckoned, or transferred His righteousness to him. After pointing to Abraham as the example of justification by faith, Paul then extrapolates that we are justified in the same way, saying, “Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited [logizomai] as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited [logizomai] as righteousness” (Rom 4:4-5; cf. Gal 3:6). Paul then references David, saying, “David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits [logizomai] righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. ‘Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account [logizomai]'” (Rom 4:6-8). Paul twice used the Greek verb ellogeō (ἐλλογέω) to communicate the idea of an exchange between persons (Rom 5:13; Phm 1:18). According to BDAG, the verb ellogeō (ἐλλογέω) means “to charge with a financial obligation, charge to the account of someone.”[7] Paul told his friend, Philemon, concerning his runaway slave Onesimus, “if he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge [ellogeō] that to my account” (Phlm 1:18). Paul had not wronged Philemon, nor did he owe him anything; however, Paul was willing to pay for any wrong or debt Onesimus may have incurred. J. Dwight Pentecost notes: "Paul is giving us an illustration of that which God has done for us in Christ Jesus. As the Apostle assumed the debt of Onesimus and invited Philemon—who had been wronged—to charge that debt to him, so the Lord Jesus Christ took the debt that we owed to the injured One—to God—and He charged Himself with our debt and set His righteousness down to our account."[8] In a similar way, Jesus paid for our sin so that we don't have to, and in exchange, we receive God's righteousness. This idea of an exchange between persons means that one person is credited with something not antecedently his/her own. Our sin is our sin, and Christ's righteousness is His righteousness. When Jesus took our sin upon himself at the cross, He voluntarily accepted something that belonged to another, namely us. Jesus took our sin upon Himself. On the other hand, when we receive God's righteousness as a gift, we are accepting something that belonged to another, namely God. By faith, we accept that which belongs to God, namely, His righteousness. God's righteousness becomes our righteousness. Paul references the exchange that occurred at the cross when Jesus died for our sin, saying, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor 5:21), and he personally spoke of the righteousness “which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Phil 3:9).[9] Once we receive God's righteousness, we are instantaneously justified in God's sight. Some might raise the question: how can a holy God justify unworthy sinners? How can He give something to someone who deserves the opposite? How is this just? The answer is found in Jesus and what He accomplished for us at the cross. At the cross, God judged our sin as His righteousness requires, and saves the sinner as His love desires. At the cross Jesus voluntarily died a penal substitutionary death. He willingly died in our place and bore the punishment that was rightfully ours. Our guilt became His guilt. Our shame became His shame. The result of the cross is that God is forever satisfied with the death of Christ. There's no additional sacrifice or payment needed. Jesus paid it all. When we believe in Jesus, we are forgiven all our sins (Acts 10:43; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14; 2:13; Heb 10:10-14), and then God imputes His righteousness to us. The apostle Paul calls it “the gift of righteousness” (Rom 5:17; cf. 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9). God's righteousness is not earned; rather, it is freely gifted to us who believe in Jesus as our Savior. It is sometimes difficult to accept this biblical teaching, because our behavior does not always reflect our righteous standing before God. However, God's Word defines reality, and we are justified in His sight because His righteousness has been gifted to our account. The righteousness of God is credited to us who have trusted in Jesus as our Savior. Dr. Steven R. Cook [1] Robert B. Thieme, Jr. “Adam's Original Sin”, Thieme's Bible Doctrine Dictionary, 1-2. [2] Ibid., 137. [3] Ludwig Koehler, Walter Baumgartner, M. E. J. Richardson, et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 360. [4] Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms, Vol. 1, (Grand Rapids, Mich., Kregel Publications, 2011), 710-711. [5] The translators of the Septuagint use logizomai (λογίζομαι) as a reliable synonym for chashab (חָשַׁב) both in Genesis 15:6 and Psalm 32:2. Paul then uses logizomai (λογίζομαι) when making his argument that justification is by faith alone in God (Rom 4:3-5; Gal 3:6). [6] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 597. [7] Ibid., 319. [8] J. Dwight Pentecost, Things Which Become Sound Doctrine, 40. [9] Though the word “impute” is not used in some passages, the idea is implied. Isaiah writes of the Suffering Servant Who “will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities” (Isa 53:11), and of God as the One Who “has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness” (Isa 61:10). And Paul writes of “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe” (Rom 3:22), and of being “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24; cf. 5:17; 9:30; 10:3-4; 1 Cor 1:30; Gal 2:16; 3:11, 24).
That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of the full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ (Col 2:2). Stay blessed, family.
Just prior to crucifixion, a person was scourged with a whip which had thongs that were braided with sharp objects such as nails. As an act of public humiliation, criminals carried their own cross to the place of execution, and once there, were stripped naked before being fastened to the cross, either with rope or nails. Being tied to a cross with ropes was less painful in the beginning, but would leave the victim to hang for a longer period of time, even days, which would make the experience more painful in the end. Some who were tied to the cross are recorded to have lasted for nine days. Nailing a person to a cross was more painful from the beginning and would have led to a quicker death. The body would hang between three to four feet from the ground. Sometimes a soporific was given to the victim to help numb the senses. In Jesus case, it was “wine mixed with myrrh” (Mark 15:23), which our Lord rejected because it would have clouded His thinking (Matt 27:34). In some situations the Romans would break the victim's legs which would hasten death, but according to Scripture, Jesus was already dead by the time the soldiers considered doing this (John 19:32-34). Unger notes, “In most cases the body was allowed to rot on the cross by the action of the sun and rain or to be devoured by birds and beasts.”[1] We know that Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, came to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body, that he might bury it, and Pilate granted his request (Matt 27:57-60). It's most likely that Jesus was crucified in April, AD 33.[2] The cross of Christ became central to the message of the gospel. The apostle Paul was sent by the Lord Jesus “to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void” (1 Cor 1:17). Paul was not concerned with human sophistry, winning arguments, or impressing his audience by means of rhetorical prowess, but merely with presenting the simple message of the cross of Christ, which brings eternal salvation to those who trust in Jesus as their Savior. Paul continued his line of reasoning, saying, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God...[and] we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:18; 23-24). Paul summarized his message when he said, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). The image of a crucified Savior seems entirely foolish to a world that creates its saviors out of strong heroes; strong in the human sense of one who can save himself and others. Jesus is certainly strong; after all, He's God! And He does save forever those who come to Him in faith. However, the humility of the cross, with all its offense and shame, leaves no place for human wisdom or pride; for one must admit it was his sin that placed Messiah on the cross to be judged and die. To come to Jesus as a crucified Messiah requires humility, for one must honestly look at oneself from the divine perspective and admit he is a lost sinner in need of a Savior. A Savior who was willing to lay down His life and bear the punishment of the guilty. This requires truth, to see oneself from the divine perspective as utterly sinful and lost. And it requires humility, to admit one it powerless and cannot save himself from a damnable future to which he is certainly headed. It is the work of Messiah that saves. Nothing more is required. Jesus paid it all. W. E. Vine notes, ‘“The Cross of Christ' does far more than express the fact of the infinite love of God to man in the death of His Son; it exposes the enmity of the human heart against God, reveals the true nature of sin as in the sight of God, and makes known the impossibility of bridging, by any human effort, the chasm that separates unregenerate man from God.”[3]Wendell Johnston adds: "The cross stands at the center of Paul's theology (1 Cor 1:23). He saw this humiliating and cruel instrument in a new light—as the extraordinary opportunity to boast in his Savior (Gal 6:14). The shameful cross stood for everything the world despised and thus His allegiance to Christ separated him from the world. Jesus' death was like a magnet drawing the outcasts of the world to Christ (John 12:32). It makes human wisdom foolish (1 Cor 1:27) and weak people strong (1 Cor 1:25), and it breaks the spirit of the proud and lifts up the meek and humble (1 Cor 1:28). Because of His death Jesus breaks the shackles of those in bondage who believe in Him. The Cross brings peace to those in fear (Heb 2:14–15), and it unites Jews and Gentiles into one body (Eph 2:16). The Cross brought complete fulfillment to the system of the Mosaic Law and did away with all the regulations standing against humanity (Col 2:14–18). Because of the Cross, God gives eternal life to those who believe (Rom 5:18). The Cross, which to the world seemed proof of defeat, became the means of triumph (Col 2:15)."[4] The cross represents the love of the Father, as “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). And it represents the love of Jesus for us, as Paul wrote of “the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal 2:20b). Paul saw himself as crucified with Jesus, as he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20a). The words “crucified with” translates the Greek verb sustauroō (συσταυρόω), which means one is crucified with another. This is used in a literal sense of persons crucified in physical proximity to each other, such as “The robbers who had been crucified with Him”, that is, Jesus (Matt 27:44; cf., Mark 15:32; John 19:32). But Paul uses the word in Galatians 2:20 in a spiritual sense, in which he is identified with Christ on the cross. This same spiritual identification truth is for all who have trusted in Christ as our Savior, for to be “crucified with Christ” means that we are identified with our Lord in His death, burial, and resurrection. God sees us there are the cross, with Christ, dying with Him. Paul states, “our old self was crucified with Him” (Rom 6:6), and “we have died with Christ” (Rom 6:8). Furthermore, we partook of His burial, resurrection, and ascension, for “we have been buried with Him” (Rom 6:4), and “raised up with Christ” (Col 3:1; cf., Eph 2:6a), and even now are seen to be seated “with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:6b). Concerning Galatians 2:20, William MacDonald states: "The believer is identified with Christ in His death. Not only was He crucified on Calvary, I was crucified there as well—in Him. This means the end of me as a sinner in God's sight. It means the end of me as a person seeking to merit or earn salvation by my own efforts. It means the end of me as a child of Adam, as a man under the condemnation of the law, as my old, unregenerate self. The old, evil “I” has been crucified; it has no more claims on my daily life."[5] Who Crucified Jesus? The question is sometimes raised as to who crucified Jesus? According to Chafer, “Closely related to the contrast between the divine and human sides of Christ's death, is the question: Who put Christ to death? As already indicated, the Scriptures assign both a human and a divine responsibility for Christ's death.”[6] According to the testimony of Scripture, Jesus' death on the cross was the result of: 1) God the Father who sent Him, 2) Jesus who willingly went to the cross, 3), Satan who worked through others to help crucify Him, 4) unbelieving Jews, and 5) unbelieving Gentiles. The Bible verses that address the various persons involved in the crucifixion of Jesus are intermixed. That is, a passage might address God the Father and Jesus, or Jews and Gentiles, or Satan and Jews, etc. It is from these Scripture passages that the following categories as recognized. God the Father Sent Christ to Die Who crucified Jesus? The ultimate answer is God the Father. The Father was motivated by His love for us to save us; therefore, His plan of salvation involved sending His Son into the world to die in our place. The record of Scripture is, “But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief” (Isa 53:10a), and “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16a), and “this Man [Jesus], was delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23a), and Peter, praying to the Father, said, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur” (Acts 4:27-28), and “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all” (Rom 8:32). Chafer notes, “Human hands might inflict physical suffering and death as any victim would die, but only the hand of God could make Christ a sin offering, or could lay on Him the iniquity of others (2 Cor 5:21; Isa 53:6).”[7] Jesus Willingly Went to the Cross Though the Father sent Jesus into the world to be an atoning sacrifice for sin, He did not force Him onto the cross. Jesus consented to come into the world and go to the cross and die for us. He voluntarily laid down His life. The writer of Hebrews states, “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, ‘Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, but a body You have prepared for Me'” (Heb 10:5). Jesus, in hypostatic union, speaking from His humanity, said, “Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of Me) to do Your will, O God” (Heb 10:7). Constable notes, “Jesus was not some dumb animal that offered its life without knowing what it was doing. He consciously, voluntarily, and deliberately offered His life in obedience to God's will.”[8] Jesus' voluntary death on the cross is found in several passages. Jesus said, “I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:15), and “no one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative” (John 10:18). Paul wrote, “Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Eph 5:2), and “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph 5:25), and “the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Gal 2:20), and “who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed” (Tit 2:14). The writer to the Hebrews tells us that Christ “offered up Himself” (Heb 7:27; cf., Heb 9:14). Satan Was Instrumental in Jesus' Crucifixion The very first prophesy related to the cross is found in Genesis, when God told Satan, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel” (Gen 3:15). Concerning Genesis 3:15, Chafer notes, “it is implied that Satan did what he could in the exercise of his power—directly, or indirectly, through human agents—against the Savior.”[9] Satan's seed refers to all those who reject God and Christ and are part of Satan's kingdom of darkness.[10] Jesus said to unbelieving Jews, “You are of your father the devil” (John 8:44), and all unbelievers are “the sons of the evil one” (Matt 13:38). These were used by Satan to help in the crucifixion of Christ. On the night before Jesus' crucifixion, John records, “During supper, the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him” (John 13:2). During the meal, Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me” (John 13:21), and “After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly'” (John 13:27). Here we observe a coalescence of Satanic and human activity to betray Jesus to those who would crucify Him. In this regard, Satan was the motivating force behind Judas, his willing instrument, to bring about the death of Jesus.[11] In the Garden of Gethsemane, the chief priests, officers of the temple, and Jewish elders came to arrest Jesus (Luke 22:52a), and He said to them, “While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours” (Luke 22:53). Those who came physically to “lay hands” on Jesus were the Jewish authorities who conspired to kill Him. God, in His sovereignty, permitted this to happen, because it served His greater purposes to bring about salvation through the cross. But even though it was their hour to act, these men were not acting alone, as Luke's reference to “the power of darkness” demonstrates that Satan was behind them, driving them on as his agents of lies and destruction. Later, Luke would use the term darkness as a symbol of the sphere of Satan's authority (Acts 26:18), as would Paul (Col 1:13). Unbelieving Jews Crucified Jesus Though it was the Romans who actually placed Jesus on the cross and drove the nails, it was, according to Scripture, unbelieving Jews who conspired and lied about Jesus to have Him crucified (Matt 26:3-4; John 11:53). At the time of Jesus' trial before Pilate, the Jews who were present all shouted, “Crucify Him” (Matt 27:22). God permitted Jesus' crucifixion, both by the Jews and Romans, because it served His greater purpose. Luke recorded Peter, who said, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:22-23). Clearly this address was to the “Men of Israel,” who rejected Jesus and “nailed [Him] to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23; cf. Acts 4:10; 5:30; 10:39). In Acts 4:27, Luke recorded that there were “gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus…the peoples of Israel” (Acts 4:27), to crucify Him. Paul wrote about “the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets” (1 Th 2:14b-15a). Unbelieving Gentiles Crucified Jesus Though many unbelieving Jews were directly responsible for collaborating in the crucifixion of Jesus, it was Gentiles who actually did the work of placing Him on the cross. That's what Jesus foretold His disciples, saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up” (Matt 20:18-19). It was said of the Roman soldiers, “After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him” (Matt 27:31). Luke records in Acts, “truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel” (Acts 4:27). As Christians, we must not see Christ dying at a distant time or place. We should see our own hands driving the nails that put Him there and then lifting the cross. The crucifixion was not only for us, but by us. It was our sin that necessitated His death and judgment. We must see Jesus bearing all our sin and paying the penalty of the Father's wrath that rightfully belongs to us. In May 2006, I wrote the following poem as I thought about the role I played in placing Jesus on the cross. Christ to the Cross (by Dr. Steven R. Cook) I and the Father led Christ to the cross, Together we placed Him there; I pushed Him forward, no care for the cost, His Father's wrath to bear. Christ in the middle not wanting to die, Knelt in the garden and prayed; Great tears of blood the Savior did cry, Yet His Father He humbly obeyed. So He carried His cross down a dusty trail, No words on His lips were found; No cry was uttered as I drove the nails, His arms to the cross were bound. I lifted my Savior with arms spread wide, He hung between heaven and earth; I raised my spear and pierced His side, What flowed was of infinite worth. Like a Lamb to the altar Christ did go, A sacrifice without blemish or spot; A knife was raised, and life did flow, In a basin the blood was caught. Past the incense table and the dark black veil, To that holy of holy places; The blood of Christ was made to avail, And all my sins it erases. Now this Lamb on a cross was a demonstration Of the Father's love for me; For the Savior's death brought satisfaction, Redeemed, and set me free. Now I come to the Savior by faith alone, Not trusting in works at all; Jesus my substitute for sin did atone, Salvation in answer to His call. Dr. Steven R. Cook [1] Merrill Frederick Unger et al., “Cross”, The New Unger's Bible Dictionary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988), 264. [2] See Harold Hoehner's book, Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ, pages 95-114. [3] W. E. Vine and C. F. Hogg, Vine's Topical Commentary: Christ (Nashville, TN; Dallas; Mexico City; Rio de Janeiro: Thomas Nelson, 2010), 108-109. [4] Wendell G. Johnston, “Cross,” ed. Charles R. Swindoll and Roy B. Zuck, The Theological Wordbook, Swindoll Leadership Library (Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, Inc., 2000), 77–78. [5] William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1880. [6] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1993), 49. [7] Ibid., 51. [8] Tom Constable, Tom Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Heb 10:5. [9] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, vol. 3, 49. [10] The seed of Satan ultimately relates to the coming Antichrist, who will, during the time of the Tribulation, seek to destroy Israel and prevent the coming of Jesus to rule over the earth. See Arnold Fruchtenbaum's comments on Genesis 3:15 in his book, The Book of Genesis, Ariel's Bible Commentary. [11] On a separate occasion, after Jesus was born, Satan wanted to kill the baby Jesus. The apostle John—operating from divine viewpoint—records that Satan, “stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth, he might devour her child” (Rev 12:4). But Satan's attack was not direct; rather, King Herod was his tool to accomplish the nefarious deed. Matthew records the account in his Gospel (Matt 2:1-23). Herod was the human agent who wanted to kill Jesus, but Satan was the motivating force behind the attack.
Francis Schaeffers book, How Should We Then Live, was published in 1975. Francis Schaeffer was a theologian, philosopher, and a highly respected evangelical thinker in his day. In his book, Schaeffer shows how the decline of a society from the fall of Rome up through the twentieth century begins when that society shifts from Gods design for humans, and the rest of creation. Towards the end of his book, Schaeffer lists five attributes of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire that is true of any culture in decline; according to Schaeffer these are five signs of a society that is about to break down: A mounting love for affluence. A widening gap between the very rich and very poor with little to no middle class. An obsession with sex. Freakishness in the arts. An increased desire to live off the state. Out of our love for affluence, we as a nation are now 48.9 trillion dollars in debt with the average household debt owing to $14,241 in credit card debt, $58,112 in student loan debt, $31,142 in automobile loans, and $202,454 in mortgage debt. The middle class in America is shrinking, for it used to be that 61% of Americans made up the middle class, but that percentage has shrunk to 50% and looks as though it will continue to shrink. When it comes to an obsession with sex, very little needs to be said with the ever-increasing list of types of sexualities a person can identify with, the oversexualization of our youth, and gender reassignment. Now, in the arts, anything deviant can be passed off as art to the point where you can have Sam Smith dress up as Satan with his dancers performing promiscuous acts as part of an intentional satanic chorographic ritual for a song titled, Unholy. Sam Smiths performance was not the only deviant performance either. So, what does all of this have to do with Malachi 2:1-9? Without a right and proper fear of God, the heart becomes an idol factor that does not lead to life, but death. This is the human condition that has been our problem since Adam and Eve bit into the forbidden fruit. The root cause for Adam and Eves rebellion was the same for the Priests Malachi addresses in 2:1-9, and it is the same for us today: The root cause for mankinds rebellion is the absence of a right and proper fear of God. The Fear of the Lord Remember how Malachi 1:6 begins: A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. The priests did not honor or fear God, and the evidence for their lack of honor and fear for God was seen in how they worshiped Him. To fully grasp just how serious the lack of fear and honor the priests had for God was, we need to understand the type of fear and honor the priests lacked. The kind of fear for God that is expected from His people is not a fear that is contrary or at odds with genuine love. A biblical fear of God is not at odds with a love for God. We do not love God in the same way you love a sunset, nor is it the same kind of love that you have for your dog. To fear God is to love and enjoy God for all that He is. It is a love that truly appreciates and honors God as infinitely perfect and overwhelmingly beautiful in his holiness, righteousness, graciousness, justice, mercy, love, and majesty. In the words of Michael Reeves: In a sense, then, the trembling fear of God is a way of speaking about the intensity of the saints love for and enjoyment of all that God is.[1] Reeves points out in his book, Rejoice Tremble, that the fear of God, is not at all what we, with our cultures allergic reaction to the very concept of fear, might expect. Instead, we can say with Spurgeon that this is the sort of fear which has in it the very essence of love, and without which there would be no joy even in the presence of God.[2] Of the fear of God, Charles Spurgeon said, It is not because we are afraid of him, but because we delight in him, that we fear before him.[3] So that you can see what I just said from the Bible, consider the following scripture passages on the fear of the Lord: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Prov. 9:10) And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul (Deut. 10:12) Then you have this promise from the prophet Jeremiah concerning a New Covenant when God would address the problem with mans heart: And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. (Jer. 32:38-40) What is it that would encourage the Priests to offer sacrifices before the Lord that he said he would never delight in? How on earth could they ever consider service to Yahweh as a burden? Why would they not listen to Gods word or give honor to His name? It is because they did not fear Him. What it Means to Delight in the Lord The presence of a right fear of God and a genuine love for God is to delight in God. This is what the priests of Malachis day did not do, and it is the absence of such delight in the true God for why cultures, nations, kingdoms, and empires crumble. It is a system failure in that the One, we live and move and exist (Acts. 17:28), is not delighted in because He is ignored. In ignoring Him, we live in a society that is drinking from the broken cisterns of affluence, sex, and self-assigned identity, be it sexual or national. Because our world is fallen, it is understandable that those who do not yet know God, do not delight in Him. But it is a great evil to know who God is and chose something or someone else to take His place. Of the people that should have known the joy of what it means to delight in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it was the priests. The purpose of the priests was that they served to mediate between the people and God just as Aaron did as he walked alongside Moses. In contrast to Malachis contemporaries, God said of Levi: My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name (v. 5). Who was Levi? Levi is the ancestor of Levites from whom all the priests came. You could not serve as a priest unless you belonged to the tribe of Levi. From Levi is a history of godly men who feared God more than they feared people and were known for speaking on behalf of God to the people. Concerning those who served God out of fear and love, God said, True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity (v. 6). The priests were known for guarding knowledge and the people at one point in time knew that they could seek the priests for guidance because it was clear that the priest was a messenger of God almighty (v. 7). Why? Because the legacy of Levi was that he delighted in the Lord! The relationship Levi had with Yahweh was one where he rightly feared and loved God while he stood in awe of His name. He stood in awe of the name of God! What does it mean to stand in awe of the name of almighty God? It is a type of fear that includes reverence, pleasure, joy, and a filial fear. Filial fear is the kind of fear experienced by a son for his father as they enjoy a healthy relationship with one another without the son confusing who it is that is in authority. In many ways, I had that kind of relationship with my father; I understood that although we were very close and that I could trust him, I also understood that I could not talk back or disrespect him. The line between father and son was always clear. God is all-powerful. God is all-knowing. God is all-present. God is just, He is wise, He is love, He is so much more, and He is holy. He is the One from whom heaven and earth recoil at His presence (Rev. 20:11), and before whom the prophet Isaiah heard the angels proclaim: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! and in response to the majesty of the Almighty, Isaiah responded: Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts (Isa. 6:3-5). Isaiahs response is what it looks like to stand in awe of God. To stand in awe of God is to understand who you are in light of who He is: Tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, The Lord reigns! Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (1 Chron. 16:30-34) This is what the priests in Malachis day lacked, but of all the people in Jerusalem, the priests should have known better.What was true of Levis legacy was the antithesis of priests addressed here, for they were living in disobedience of the Lord. Instead of guiding the people of Israel, they were causing them to sin against the Lord. Instead of embracing the promises of God, they openly and defiantly violated the covenant of Levi. Instead of deciding cases with godly wisdom and impartiality, they showed favoritism and were unjust. Gods response to the priests disregard for His name is staggering: If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it (Malachi 2:23). The curse that God warned would come upon the priests are the curses God warned would come upon His people if they turned from Him in disobedience (see Deut. 28). The dung of the sacrifice was to be burned outside the camp of Gods people. With the threat of God to spread dung on the faces of the priests, was to say that their behavior was so repulsive to God, that they would remain ceremonially unclean and indefinitely unqualified to serve as priests. To spread dung on their faces was to cover the priests in their own shame for all to see, so God concludes: But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction (Malachi 2:89). What God wanted was the hearts of His priests, he did not need their worship. This is why His response to their lackadaisical and half-hearted worship in Malachi 1:10, Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand (Malachi 1:10). What the priests lacked was the kind of awe we read about in Isaiah 66:1-2, Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. Conclusion So, what does any of this have to do with you Christian? We have a better Priest than Levi! Levi mediated the Old Covenant, but Jesus is not just any PriestHe is the High Priest of a better covenant: But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Heb. 9:1114) If you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the One whom God, made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21; NASB), you are a Christian. If you are a Christian, then what is written in 1 Peter 2:9-10 is true of you: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are Gods people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:910). Jesus is our High Priest, but He is so much more! He is the Almighty and the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:12-13). He is the Author of Life (Acts 3:15). Jesus is the Bread from Heaven (John 6:32), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and the Bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4), He is the Christ (Col. 3:15), and He is the Deliverer (Rom. 11:26). He is the Good Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm (John 10:11). He is the rightful Heir of All Things (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus is the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14), the Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69), and the Great I Am (John 8:58-59). He is the Light of the World (John 8:12), the Gate for the Sheep (John 10:7), the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), the True Vine (John 15:1), the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)! Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), He is the Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8), and He is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:1), He is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, He is the Savior (Luke 2:11), and He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16). If Jesus is who He says He is, and you say that He is the sum of all that He is to you, then how are you living in light of His Lordship over your life? In this very moment, can you hear the Savior ask the following question directed at your heart? Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not what I tell you (Luke 6:46)? You, who are a priest before Jesus, are you listening to His words? Are you taking His life to heart? Do you stand before the Father and the Son with awe? Is your life motivated by a right fear and genuine love for the One who ransomed your soul and made you a son or a daughter? As His priests, we should be known as men and women whose lips, guard knowledge? Are you in a place in your relationship with Jesus that people are able to seek instruction from your mouth? Of those who know you, can it be said that you are a messenger of the Lord of hosts? In conclusion I leave you with two appeals from the Bible, the one is from Jesus and the other is about Jesus: From Jesus: Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. (Matthew 7:2123) From the Psalmist: Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2:1112) Amen. Discussion Questions: Read Malachi 2:1-9 and Deuteronomy 28 as a group. In what ways is Deuteronomy 28 similar to Malachi 2:1-9? What does it mean to delight in the Lord? Pastor Keith said in his sermon on Sunday: To fear God is to love and enjoy God for all that He is. It is a love that truly appreciates and honors God as infinitely perfect and overwhelmingly beautiful in his holiness, righteousness, graciousness, justice, mercy, love, and majesty. How is this kind of fear different than the kind fear one might experience when facing their abuser? Based on what you know so far about the priests Malachi 2:1-9 addresses, do you think the above fear was missing in their worship? God said of Levi, that he feared me. He stood in awe of my name (v. 5). What does it mean to stand in awe of Gods name (hint: Read 1 Chron. 16:30-34)? In what ways can our worship reveal how highly or lowly we esteem Gods name? According to 1 Peter 2:9-10, the Christian is a priest as representative of Jesus Christ; in what ways does Malachi 2:1-9 challenge you in light of what you read in 1 Peter 2:9-10? How does Jesus as our High Priest (Heb. 9:11-14) encourage you as you strive to follow Him? Pastor Keith listed the following names and titles of Jesus (read them to the group): Jesus is our High Priest, but He is so much more! He is the Almighty and the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:12-13). He is the Author of Life (Acts 3:15). Jesus is the Bread from Heaven (John 6:32), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and the Bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4), He is the Christ (Col. 3:15), and He is the Deliverer (Rom. 11:26). He is the Good Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm (John 10:11). He is the rightful Heir of All Things (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus is the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14), the Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69), and the Great I Am (John 8:58-59). He is the Light of the World (John 8:12), the Gate for the Sheep (John 10:7), the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), the True Vine (John 15:1), the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)! Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), He is the Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8), and He is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:1), He is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, He is the Savior (Luke 2:11), and He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16). In light of the above, read Luke 6:46-49. In what ways do you find Jesus words in Luke 6 challenging, frightening, or encouraging? In what ways do you believe God is challenging you so far in this Malachi series? Conclude with a time of prayer with your LIFE Group. [1] Michael Reeves, Rejoice Tremble (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2021); p. 52. [2] Ibid, p. 50. [3] Ibid.
Francis Schaeffers book, How Should We Then Live, was published in 1975. Francis Schaeffer was a theologian, philosopher, and a highly respected evangelical thinker in his day. In his book, Schaeffer shows how the decline of a society from the fall of Rome up through the twentieth century begins when that society shifts from Gods design for humans, and the rest of creation. Towards the end of his book, Schaeffer lists five attributes of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire that is true of any culture in decline; according to Schaeffer these are five signs of a society that is about to break down: A mounting love for affluence. A widening gap between the very rich and very poor with little to no middle class. An obsession with sex. Freakishness in the arts. An increased desire to live off the state. Out of our love for affluence, we as a nation are now 48.9 trillion dollars in debt with the average household debt owing to $14,241 in credit card debt, $58,112 in student loan debt, $31,142 in automobile loans, and $202,454 in mortgage debt. The middle class in America is shrinking, for it used to be that 61% of Americans made up the middle class, but that percentage has shrunk to 50% and looks as though it will continue to shrink. When it comes to an obsession with sex, very little needs to be said with the ever-increasing list of types of sexualities a person can identify with, the oversexualization of our youth, and gender reassignment. Now, in the arts, anything deviant can be passed off as art to the point where you can have Sam Smith dress up as Satan with his dancers performing promiscuous acts as part of an intentional satanic chorographic ritual for a song titled, Unholy. Sam Smiths performance was not the only deviant performance either. So, what does all of this have to do with Malachi 2:1-9? Without a right and proper fear of God, the heart becomes an idol factor that does not lead to life, but death. This is the human condition that has been our problem since Adam and Eve bit into the forbidden fruit. The root cause for Adam and Eves rebellion was the same for the Priests Malachi addresses in 2:1-9, and it is the same for us today: The root cause for mankinds rebellion is the absence of a right and proper fear of God. The Fear of the Lord Remember how Malachi 1:6 begins: A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. The priests did not honor or fear God, and the evidence for their lack of honor and fear for God was seen in how they worshiped Him. To fully grasp just how serious the lack of fear and honor the priests had for God was, we need to understand the type of fear and honor the priests lacked. The kind of fear for God that is expected from His people is not a fear that is contrary or at odds with genuine love. A biblical fear of God is not at odds with a love for God. We do not love God in the same way you love a sunset, nor is it the same kind of love that you have for your dog. To fear God is to love and enjoy God for all that He is. It is a love that truly appreciates and honors God as infinitely perfect and overwhelmingly beautiful in his holiness, righteousness, graciousness, justice, mercy, love, and majesty. In the words of Michael Reeves: In a sense, then, the trembling fear of God is a way of speaking about the intensity of the saints love for and enjoyment of all that God is.[1] Reeves points out in his book, Rejoice Tremble, that the fear of God, is not at all what we, with our cultures allergic reaction to the very concept of fear, might expect. Instead, we can say with Spurgeon that this is the sort of fear which has in it the very essence of love, and without which there would be no joy even in the presence of God.[2] Of the fear of God, Charles Spurgeon said, It is not because we are afraid of him, but because we delight in him, that we fear before him.[3] So that you can see what I just said from the Bible, consider the following scripture passages on the fear of the Lord: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Prov. 9:10) And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul (Deut. 10:12) Then you have this promise from the prophet Jeremiah concerning a New Covenant when God would address the problem with mans heart: And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. (Jer. 32:38-40) What is it that would encourage the Priests to offer sacrifices before the Lord that he said he would never delight in? How on earth could they ever consider service to Yahweh as a burden? Why would they not listen to Gods word or give honor to His name? It is because they did not fear Him. What it Means to Delight in the Lord The presence of a right fear of God and a genuine love for God is to delight in God. This is what the priests of Malachis day did not do, and it is the absence of such delight in the true God for why cultures, nations, kingdoms, and empires crumble. It is a system failure in that the One, we live and move and exist (Acts. 17:28), is not delighted in because He is ignored. In ignoring Him, we live in a society that is drinking from the broken cisterns of affluence, sex, and self-assigned identity, be it sexual or national. Because our world is fallen, it is understandable that those who do not yet know God, do not delight in Him. But it is a great evil to know who God is and chose something or someone else to take His place. Of the people that should have known the joy of what it means to delight in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it was the priests. The purpose of the priests was that they served to mediate between the people and God just as Aaron did as he walked alongside Moses. In contrast to Malachis contemporaries, God said of Levi: My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name (v. 5). Who was Levi? Levi is the ancestor of Levites from whom all the priests came. You could not serve as a priest unless you belonged to the tribe of Levi. From Levi is a history of godly men who feared God more than they feared people and were known for speaking on behalf of God to the people. Concerning those who served God out of fear and love, God said, True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity (v. 6). The priests were known for guarding knowledge and the people at one point in time knew that they could seek the priests for guidance because it was clear that the priest was a messenger of God almighty (v. 7). Why? Because the legacy of Levi was that he delighted in the Lord! The relationship Levi had with Yahweh was one where he rightly feared and loved God while he stood in awe of His name. He stood in awe of the name of God! What does it mean to stand in awe of the name of almighty God? It is a type of fear that includes reverence, pleasure, joy, and a filial fear. Filial fear is the kind of fear experienced by a son for his father as they enjoy a healthy relationship with one another without the son confusing who it is that is in authority. In many ways, I had that kind of relationship with my father; I understood that although we were very close and that I could trust him, I also understood that I could not talk back or disrespect him. The line between father and son was always clear. God is all-powerful. God is all-knowing. God is all-present. God is just, He is wise, He is love, He is so much more, and He is holy. He is the One from whom heaven and earth recoil at His presence (Rev. 20:11), and before whom the prophet Isaiah heard the angels proclaim: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! and in response to the majesty of the Almighty, Isaiah responded: Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts (Isa. 6:3-5). Isaiahs response is what it looks like to stand in awe of God. To stand in awe of God is to understand who you are in light of who He is: Tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, The Lord reigns! Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (1 Chron. 16:30-34) This is what the priests in Malachis day lacked, but of all the people in Jerusalem, the priests should have known better.What was true of Levis legacy was the antithesis of priests addressed here, for they were living in disobedience of the Lord. Instead of guiding the people of Israel, they were causing them to sin against the Lord. Instead of embracing the promises of God, they openly and defiantly violated the covenant of Levi. Instead of deciding cases with godly wisdom and impartiality, they showed favoritism and were unjust. Gods response to the priests disregard for His name is staggering: If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it (Malachi 2:23). The curse that God warned would come upon the priests are the curses God warned would come upon His people if they turned from Him in disobedience (see Deut. 28). The dung of the sacrifice was to be burned outside the camp of Gods people. With the threat of God to spread dung on the faces of the priests, was to say that their behavior was so repulsive to God, that they would remain ceremonially unclean and indefinitely unqualified to serve as priests. To spread dung on their faces was to cover the priests in their own shame for all to see, so God concludes: But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction (Malachi 2:89). What God wanted was the hearts of His priests, he did not need their worship. This is why His response to their lackadaisical and half-hearted worship in Malachi 1:10, Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand (Malachi 1:10). What the priests lacked was the kind of awe we read about in Isaiah 66:1-2, Thus says the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. Conclusion So, what does any of this have to do with you Christian? We have a better Priest than Levi! Levi mediated the Old Covenant, but Jesus is not just any PriestHe is the High Priest of a better covenant: But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Heb. 9:1114) If you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the One whom God, made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21; NASB), you are a Christian. If you are a Christian, then what is written in 1 Peter 2:9-10 is true of you: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are Gods people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:910). Jesus is our High Priest, but He is so much more! He is the Almighty and the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:12-13). He is the Author of Life (Acts 3:15). Jesus is the Bread from Heaven (John 6:32), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and the Bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4), He is the Christ (Col. 3:15), and He is the Deliverer (Rom. 11:26). He is the Good Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm (John 10:11). He is the rightful Heir of All Things (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus is the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14), the Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69), and the Great I Am (John 8:58-59). He is the Light of the World (John 8:12), the Gate for the Sheep (John 10:7), the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), the True Vine (John 15:1), the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)! Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), He is the Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8), and He is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:1), He is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, He is the Savior (Luke 2:11), and He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16). If Jesus is who He says He is, and you say that He is the sum of all that He is to you, then how are you living in light of His Lordship over your life? In this very moment, can you hear the Savior ask the following question directed at your heart? Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not what I tell you (Luke 6:46)? You, who are a priest before Jesus, are you listening to His words? Are you taking His life to heart? Do you stand before the Father and the Son with awe? Is your life motivated by a right fear and genuine love for the One who ransomed your soul and made you a son or a daughter? As His priests, we should be known as men and women whose lips, guard knowledge? Are you in a place in your relationship with Jesus that people are able to seek instruction from your mouth? Of those who know you, can it be said that you are a messenger of the Lord of hosts? In conclusion I leave you with two appeals from the Bible, the one is from Jesus and the other is about Jesus: From Jesus: Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. (Matthew 7:2123) From the Psalmist: Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2:1112) Amen. Discussion Questions: Read Malachi 2:1-9 and Deuteronomy 28 as a group. In what ways is Deuteronomy 28 similar to Malachi 2:1-9? What does it mean to delight in the Lord? Pastor Keith said in his sermon on Sunday: To fear God is to love and enjoy God for all that He is. It is a love that truly appreciates and honors God as infinitely perfect and overwhelmingly beautiful in his holiness, righteousness, graciousness, justice, mercy, love, and majesty. How is this kind of fear different than the kind fear one might experience when facing their abuser? Based on what you know so far about the priests Malachi 2:1-9 addresses, do you think the above fear was missing in their worship? God said of Levi, that he feared me. He stood in awe of my name (v. 5). What does it mean to stand in awe of Gods name (hint: Read 1 Chron. 16:30-34)? In what ways can our worship reveal how highly or lowly we esteem Gods name? According to 1 Peter 2:9-10, the Christian is a priest as representative of Jesus Christ; in what ways does Malachi 2:1-9 challenge you in light of what you read in 1 Peter 2:9-10? How does Jesus as our High Priest (Heb. 9:11-14) encourage you as you strive to follow Him? Pastor Keith listed the following names and titles of Jesus (read them to the group): Jesus is our High Priest, but He is so much more! He is the Almighty and the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:12-13). He is the Author of Life (Acts 3:15). Jesus is the Bread from Heaven (John 6:32), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and the Bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4), He is the Christ (Col. 3:15), and He is the Deliverer (Rom. 11:26). He is the Good Shepherd of the 23rd Psalm (John 10:11). He is the rightful Heir of All Things (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus is the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14), the Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69), and the Great I Am (John 8:58-59). He is the Light of the World (John 8:12), the Gate for the Sheep (John 10:7), the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), the True Vine (John 15:1), the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)! Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), He is the Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8), and He is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:1), He is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, He is the Savior (Luke 2:11), and He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16). In light of the above, read Luke 6:46-49. In what ways do you find Jesus words in Luke 6 challenging, frightening, or encouraging? In what ways do you believe God is challenging you so far in this Malachi series? Conclude with a time of prayer with your LIFE Group. [1] Michael Reeves, Rejoice Tremble (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2021); p. 52. [2] Ibid, p. 50. [3] Ibid.
2023.07.30 Colossians So Far:Union with Christ | Col. 1:28 | Drew Wilkins by EP Church Annapolis
In most sports, a rule book is necessary to control and shape the game. Team members, from the coach to the player on the sideline, are expected not only to be familiar with the book but also to abide by these rules. When a player violates rules, a penalty hurts the entire team. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul exhorted them (and us) to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (v. 15). The imperative “let” reminds us that this is not something for us to do, but something to allow God to do. The “peace of Christ” is another name for the gospel (Rom. 5:1). Just as an umpire or referee controls the game by enforcing the rule book, everything we think, feel, say, and do should be governed by the gospel, both individually and collectively. Why? Because “as members of one body [we] were called to peace.” Second, the apostle exhorted us to “let the message of Christ dwell among you richly” (v. 16). The “message of Christ” is ultimately the Word of God. To “dwell” is to live or make a home with. How can we let the Word make a home within us? By teaching and admonishing “one another...through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.” Third, Paul exhorted us to “do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (v. 17). This means that in everything we do we should seek God’s glory (see also 1 Cor. 10:31). The fourth and final exhortation of the passage is found in every verse: “Be thankful” (v. 15). “With gratitude in your hearts” (v. 16). “Giving thanks to God the Father” (v. 17). If we live like this, we’ll truly show that we’ve been made alive in Christ (Col. 3:1–14). >> If you are on God’s team, you need to familiarize yourself with His “rule book,” our guide, the Bible. How can you be an effective servant of the Lord if you don’t know what the Bible says?
2023.07.16 New Life In Christ | Col 3:1-17 | John Wood by EP Church Annapolis
Speaker: Minoru Chen
Camden Bucey and Ryan Noha discuss the work of Reformed Forum and the generous supporters that have partnered in our mission to present every person mature in Christ (Col. 1:28). This month, we have prayerfully set a stretch goal to add 25 new monthly donors toward a combined $1,000 of additional monthly support for our mission. With your help, we're already on the precipice of achieving this goal. Listen as Camden and Ryan explain how you can help and as they explain our organizational history, business plan, financial health, and needs. Reformed Forum relies on the generous support of our community to endeavor after our mission. Your donations help us to keep our content available around the world for all who are interested in learning more about Reformed theology. Donate now at https://www.reformedforum.org/donate
“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." Christians are called to be faithful stewards of God's resources. When we do that, we leave a LEGACY for generations. Rob talks with Tom Conway about what that means and how you do it.Tom Conway is a CPA by training, a Certified Kingdom Advisor, and founder of Legacy By Design. Tom and Rob cover these topics and questions on this episode of Faith&Finance.Rob - I think we all leave a legacy to our children and grandchildren, whether we know it or not, but there are actually three kinds of legacies. What are those and can you flesh out the details?Tom -The one you receivedThe one you will leaveThe one you are leaving every dayRob - You help families plan their legacy and this isn't a “one size fits all” process, is it?Tom -Every family is uniqueTheir situation is uniqueThe family members are uniqueRob - How exactly do you help families prepare a legacy?Tom -It starts with a conversation. involving 5 areas of their legacy:Personal LegacyFamily LegacyFinancial LegacyBusiness Legacy if you are a Business OwnerKingdom or Charitable LegacyRob - Perhaps people aren't thinking of their legacy quite this way or with the intentionality you've brought to the process, right?Tom - The most important legacy you leave does not involve money.Rob - What goals should guide us as we think about the legacy we want to leave?Tom -Two Biblical Goals for families:1 - Hear ‘Well Done' at end of life – Matthew 25:212 - Present every man complete in Christ – Col. 1:28-29 defines this: “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”Rob - How have you been successful once a family realizes the importance of the faith legacy they're leaving?Rob - What about when a family realizes their kids are not "there" spiritually?Rob - How do you counsel parents who just feel like it's their responsibly to leave money to their kids?Rob - Should you struggle with treating each child uniquely?Tom -Statistically, 70 to 90% of wealth transfer plans failsIn 60% of the cases, its due to lack of communication and Trust in the Family25% is due to Unprepared HeirsCommunication is a mustI tell people, “There will be a family meeting. It's just a matter of whether you will be there or not!”Rob - What's the benefit of all this?Next, Rob answers these questions at 800-525-7000 or via email at askrob@FaithFi.com:If you're 32, have a 401(k) for which your employers matches up to 10% but you're currently contributing 8%, what is the best way to maximize plan?You're a senior and you'd like to open some sort of account that will earn as much interest as possible, where should you look?Ally, Marcus and Capital One 360Be sure to check out the rest of FaithFi.com to access our books and our many free helpful resources. You can also find us on Facebook Faith and Finance (Live) and join the conversation. Thanks for your prayerful and financial support that helps keep Faith and Finance (Live) on the air. And if you'd like to help, just click the Give button.
This week we are listening to an exhortation by Brother James Taylor titled, “The Supremacy and Sufficiency of Christ” that was given at the end of 2021. We hope this strengthens your Faith and brightens your day! Thank you for listening, God bless, and talk to you next week. Send talk suggestions or comments to: GoodChristadelphianTalks@gmail.com For Show Notes, visit our website: GoodChristadelphianTalks.com Social Media: Facebook | Instagram
The bottom line is that, however we explain violent portraits of God in the OT, and even if we can't explain them, we must never allow anything we find in the OT to compromise or in any way qualify the revelation of God we have in Christ. Jesus isn't part of what God is like. The fullness of God's deity was in Christ (Col. 2:9). And Jesus reveals a God who chooses to die on behalf of enemies rather than to use force against them. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thekingdom4everyone/support
Since 2008, we have been taking a beat around New Year's Day to bring you some of the top moments from the preceding year. We have several great clips lined up for you today. This was another encouraging year for us at Reformed Forum. We published four new courses. We also hosted our first two in-person courses (on Zephaniah and 2 Peter) and increased our online student base to 4,210 people (+11% over last year) in 84 countries (+13%). But perhaps the highlight of the year was the publication of Lane G. Tipton's book, The Trinitarian Theology of Cornelius Van Til. We believe this work is a significant advance in Reformed apologetic scholarship and will be read for decades to come. Every Person Mature Our mission is to support the church in her charge of presenting every person mature in Christ (Col. 1:28). In order to continue producing resources that benefit local churches at home and around the world in accord with this mission, we have launched the Every Person Mature campaign. Our goal is to raise $150,000 by the end of 2022 so that we may continue to provide free theological resources for your congregation and others like it around the world. The good news is that we are nearly halfway there! A generous donor has committed to match all donations toward this cause up to $75,000. By donating to the Every Person Mature campaign, you will fund essential resources for believers who are hungry for confessionally Reformed resources. Donate Now Top Episodes Episode 745 — Van Til, Thomas Aquinas, and the Natural Knowledge of God with Lane Tipton Episode 764 — A God-Centered Approach to History with Vern Poythress Episode 761 — Van Til Group #8 — The Christian Philosophy of Knowledge with Carlton Wynne and Lane Tipton Episode 736 — John Owen, Jeremiah 31, and the Old Covenant with Carlton Wynne and Will Wood Episode 780 — 1689 Federalism and the Old Covenant with Jeremy Boothby, Carlton Wynne, and Lane Tipton Episode 762 — The Extra Calvinistic from Zwingli to Early Orthodoxy with K. J. Drake Episode 746 — Natural Theology and the Effects of Sin with Lane Tipton, Rob McKenzie, and Ryan Noha Episode 748 — Van Til Group #7 — Creation, Sin and Its Curse with Carlton Wynne and Lane Tipton Episode 772 — A Tale of Two Trees with Scott Wright Episode 752 — The Two Ages in Scripture with Adam York Chapters 00:00:06 Introduction 00:05:32 Lane Tipton — Van Til, Thomas Aquinas, and the Natural Knowledge of God 00:11:35 Vern Poythress — A God-Centered Approach to History 00:20:01 Van Til Group #8 — The Christian Philosophy of Knowledge 00:26:14 Carlton Wynne — John Owen, Jeremiah 31, and the Old Covenant 00:34:20 Carlton Wynne, Jeremy Boothby, and Lane Tipton — 1689 Federalism and the Old Covenant 00:45:38 K. J. Drake — The Extra Calvinistic from Zwingli to Early Orthodoxy 00:51:16 Lane Tipton — Natural Theology and the Effects of Sin 00:56:23 Van Til Group #7 — Creation, Sin and Its Curse 01:09:09 Scott Wright — A Tale of Two Trees 01:14:15 Adam York — The Two Ages in Scripture 01:20:59 Conclusion
Give now to double your impact! Gifts up to $75,000 will be matched through the end of the year. Christian education is one of the core activities of the local church. In addition to preaching, healthy local churches develop mature members of Christ's body through Sunday school courses, Bible studies, and discipleship groups. But given their many other ministerial duties, pastors and ruling elders often lack the adequate time and energy to develop and teach new lessons each week. Local churches often rely on supplemental resources, such as Bible study books and video courses. But many have run out of available options suitable for congregations seeking rich, confessionally Reformed teaching. There is an even greater need in non-English-speaking contexts. The confessionally Reformed resources necessary to aid in their Spiritual growth simply do not exist. In the rare cases that they do exist, accessing them is often cost-prohibitive. Reformed Forum produces resources that benefit local churches at home and around the world. And we seek to come alongside local churches by providing these resources in English, Spanish, and Chinese for free. Our mission is to support the church in her charge of presenting every person mature in Christ (Col. 1:28). We continue to advance this mission as more than 4,000 students throughout 84 countries have already accessed our growing online curriculum. The Goal In order to reach the next wave of Reformed Christians, we have launched the Every Person Mature campaign. Our goal is to raise $150,000 by the end of 2022 so that we may continue to provide free theological resources for your congregation and others like it around the world. The good news is that we are nearly halfway there! A generous donor has committed to match all donations toward this cause up to $75,000. By donating to the Every Person Mature campaign, you will fund essential resources for believers who are hungry for confessionally Reformed resources. Give before the end of the year, and our generous matching donor will match your gift to double your impact. Thank you for partnering with us. Donations to Reformed Forum are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. To make a donation, please visit reformedforum.org/donate. You may also mail a check payable to Reformed Forum, 1585 N. Milwaukee Ave, Ste 113, Libertyville, IL 60048.
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