12/19/12 Ephesians 4
We are to be built up to the full "measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ" - Like a container filled to the top - or a puzzle with every piece in place. How? By the gifts that God gives out of His grace to the church.
It begins with each of us being strengthened by the Holy Spirit, rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, and filled with the fullness of God. Then we are called to "walk in a manner worthy" of this new Life. And we can only walk by the same Spirit, by Grace, through Christ Jesus.
Paul shows us what a worthy walk looks like, it is:
humble
gentle
patient
forbearing with one another in love
diligently preserving the unity of the Spirit in peace
speaking truth in love
laying aside the old self
being renewed in the spirit of your mind
living as the new creation you are in righteousness and holiness of the truth
(Again he repeats speaking in truth) must have been a particular issue in Ephesus?
Not sinning in our anger
not giving the devil a foothold
not stealing
working to provide for ourselves and to share
letting no unwholesome talk come from our lips
speaking words to edify and give grace
not grieving the Holy Spirit
putting away all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and malice
Being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving.
In other words, walking in love as Christ did.
This is the goal. We cannot do it on our own. In fact, Christ gives the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers as gifts to the church for the building up of the saints, the body of Christ... us!
As each of is individually fitted and held together, working properly, growing up into "all aspects into Him," Then the church is built up and grows up, in love.
Help me Holy Spirit to walk the worthy walk. Strengthen me with your mighty power in my inner self.
Help me Lord Jesus, dwell in my heart and fill be with your incomprehensible love.
Help me Father, fill me with Your fullness, do exceeding abundantly in me all that You desire . May You receive all Glory due Your Name.
Amen
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
12/18/12 Ephesians 3
The mystery of Christ. Paul uses this phrase over and over to explain this new revelation that salvation is for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews. The mystery, the secret plan that God the Father had purposed, planned, and accomplished through Jesus Christ.
Romans 11:25 "For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery.... " The Jews and Gentiles alike are saved by faith in Christ Jesus.
Romans 16:25 " Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith.."
I Cor. 2:7 " but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory, the wisdom which none of this age understood..."
Eph. 1: 9 " He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him"
Eph. 3:3,4 " that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery..." ; " And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed..." v6 "to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel"
v9 " and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things".
Col. 1:26 -27" that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles , which is Christ in you the hope of glory."
Col. 4: 3 "...so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned"
Paul, a Jew, was given the privilege by Grace to "preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ", to reveal something hidden in God the Creator, to make known "the manifold wisdom of God" To announce "to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places" that God had planned from eternity to bring salvation through His Son, Christ Jesus our Lord, to all people.
Paul closes chapter 3 with a beautiful prayer.
To the Father - of ALL families in heaven and earth, "that He would grant you , according to the riches of His glory" : inner strength/ power through His Spirit; ability to comprehend the love of Christ that is beyond our ability to comprehend, through His dwelling in our hearts; to be filled with the fulness of God.
To be filled with the Spirit for strength. To be filled with Christ for love. To be filled with all the fulness of God - made complete.
The mystery of Christ. Paul uses this phrase over and over to explain this new revelation that salvation is for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews. The mystery, the secret plan that God the Father had purposed, planned, and accomplished through Jesus Christ.
Romans 11:25 "For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery.... " The Jews and Gentiles alike are saved by faith in Christ Jesus.
Romans 16:25 " Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith.."
I Cor. 2:7 " but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory, the wisdom which none of this age understood..."
Eph. 1: 9 " He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him"
Eph. 3:3,4 " that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery..." ; " And by referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed..." v6 "to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel"
v9 " and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things".
Col. 1:26 -27" that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles , which is Christ in you the hope of glory."
Col. 4: 3 "...so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned"
Paul, a Jew, was given the privilege by Grace to "preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ", to reveal something hidden in God the Creator, to make known "the manifold wisdom of God" To announce "to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places" that God had planned from eternity to bring salvation through His Son, Christ Jesus our Lord, to all people.
Paul closes chapter 3 with a beautiful prayer.
To the Father - of ALL families in heaven and earth, "that He would grant you , according to the riches of His glory" : inner strength/ power through His Spirit; ability to comprehend the love of Christ that is beyond our ability to comprehend, through His dwelling in our hearts; to be filled with the fulness of God.
To be filled with the Spirit for strength. To be filled with Christ for love. To be filled with all the fulness of God - made complete.
Monday, December 17, 2012
12/17/12
Ephesians 2 - "And you were dead.... " The state we all are in before we find Life in Christ. DEAD!
In sins and trespasses, walking dead. Following the course of the world...the never ending, hopeless, cycle of days upon the earth, under the bondage of the "prince of the power of the air". Chained to our fleshly lusts, indulging the desires of the mind and flesh, children of wrath. Dead! Paul includes himself in this description. We are all "born this way".
BUT GOD.... Love, love, love these two words!!!!
God, rich in mercy!
God, loving us with a great love!
God, sent us a rescuer! A LIFE giver! A Peace maker!
While we were dead, helpless and hopeless, He made us alive together with Christ. All of GRACE.
He raised us from the dead with Christ.
He seated us with Christ in Heaven.
He plans on forever showing us the "riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" v7
We are His workmanship. His creation in Christ Jesus, with a new purpose.. good works.
Christ Jesus brought us near to God by His blood.
He broke down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles.
He abolished the Law, the enmity, the hostile opposition, putting it to death.
He reconciled all who believe - One man, one building, one temple, one dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.
" For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;"
By grace - Greek charis - graciousness, favour, gift, liberality, pleasure, thanks-worthy, joy - we are saved, rescued, redeemed, made alive, made safe. God shows us His favor, a free, undeserved GIFT.
He "elects" us to salvation out of His own good pleasure. All of Grace, all a gift He chooses to give. We receive this gift by faith. Persuaded of the Truth. Conviction and reliance upon Christ for salvation. Constancy in profession of this Truth. Jesus Christ loved me and gave Himself up for me.
I live by faith in Him. Thank God, the God of all Grace, for His wonderful Gift.. Jesus!
Amen.
Ephesians 2 - "And you were dead.... " The state we all are in before we find Life in Christ. DEAD!
In sins and trespasses, walking dead. Following the course of the world...the never ending, hopeless, cycle of days upon the earth, under the bondage of the "prince of the power of the air". Chained to our fleshly lusts, indulging the desires of the mind and flesh, children of wrath. Dead! Paul includes himself in this description. We are all "born this way".
BUT GOD.... Love, love, love these two words!!!!
God, rich in mercy!
God, loving us with a great love!
God, sent us a rescuer! A LIFE giver! A Peace maker!
While we were dead, helpless and hopeless, He made us alive together with Christ. All of GRACE.
He raised us from the dead with Christ.
He seated us with Christ in Heaven.
He plans on forever showing us the "riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" v7
We are His workmanship. His creation in Christ Jesus, with a new purpose.. good works.
Christ Jesus brought us near to God by His blood.
He broke down the barriers between Jews and Gentiles.
He abolished the Law, the enmity, the hostile opposition, putting it to death.
He reconciled all who believe - One man, one building, one temple, one dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.
" For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;"
By grace - Greek charis - graciousness, favour, gift, liberality, pleasure, thanks-worthy, joy - we are saved, rescued, redeemed, made alive, made safe. God shows us His favor, a free, undeserved GIFT.
He "elects" us to salvation out of His own good pleasure. All of Grace, all a gift He chooses to give. We receive this gift by faith. Persuaded of the Truth. Conviction and reliance upon Christ for salvation. Constancy in profession of this Truth. Jesus Christ loved me and gave Himself up for me.
I live by faith in Him. Thank God, the God of all Grace, for His wonderful Gift.. Jesus!
Amen.
Friday, December 14, 2012
12/14/12 Ephesians 1
Christ Jesus fills all in all... Everything is summed up in Him.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ!" Out of the kind purposes of God's own heart, out of His love for us - we received every spiritual blessing through Christ Jesus:
We are chosen in Christ, before the world was even created, to be holy and blameless before God.
We were predestined to become sons of God, through Christ, in love. ( Praise the glory of His Grace!)
We were redeemed through His blood, forgiven for our trespasses according to the riches of His Grace, lavished on us.
We are given wisdom and insight into the "mystery of His will" - planned and purposed in Christ.
We have obtained an inheritance, a hope, a promise, to be God's own possession.
In Him we, who listened to the message of the gospel and believed, are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
We have received all these blessings, yet Paul prays for the church in Ephesus (and for us) to receive even more from the "God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory":
May He give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened to know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance.
May we know the surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the strength of His might, which was brought about in Christ's resurrection and glorification. For Christ is seated at the right hand of God, far above all rule, authority, dominion, and name in this age and forever more.
All things are subject to Jesus.. He is head over all things in the church, His body.
In knowing Christ Jesus we, the church, become " the fulness of Him who fills all in all"
We are chosen, we are adopted, we are redeemed, we are forgiven, we are "in" on the plans of God, we have a promised amazing future with Him forever! We are sealed with His Spirit. God grant us wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, to know the hope that has been promised, to know His power to become the church that is filled with the fulness of Christ!
Amen!
Christ Jesus fills all in all... Everything is summed up in Him.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ!" Out of the kind purposes of God's own heart, out of His love for us - we received every spiritual blessing through Christ Jesus:
We are chosen in Christ, before the world was even created, to be holy and blameless before God.
We were predestined to become sons of God, through Christ, in love. ( Praise the glory of His Grace!)
We were redeemed through His blood, forgiven for our trespasses according to the riches of His Grace, lavished on us.
We are given wisdom and insight into the "mystery of His will" - planned and purposed in Christ.
We have obtained an inheritance, a hope, a promise, to be God's own possession.
In Him we, who listened to the message of the gospel and believed, are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
We have received all these blessings, yet Paul prays for the church in Ephesus (and for us) to receive even more from the "God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory":
May He give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened to know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance.
May we know the surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the strength of His might, which was brought about in Christ's resurrection and glorification. For Christ is seated at the right hand of God, far above all rule, authority, dominion, and name in this age and forever more.
All things are subject to Jesus.. He is head over all things in the church, His body.
In knowing Christ Jesus we, the church, become " the fulness of Him who fills all in all"
We are chosen, we are adopted, we are redeemed, we are forgiven, we are "in" on the plans of God, we have a promised amazing future with Him forever! We are sealed with His Spirit. God grant us wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, to know the hope that has been promised, to know His power to become the church that is filled with the fulness of Christ!
Amen!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
12/13/12
Lamentations
A princess who has become a slave, weeping bitterly every night.
Princes who have become homeless beggars, starving and weak.
Mothers who cannot feed their children and who in desperation boil their babies for food.
Beautiful buildings now burned out, broken down, and desolate.
The pictures we have seen of Holocaust victims, skeletal flesh, barely alive, this is what those left in Jerusalem looked like.
Jeremiah writes his lament, his song of mourning for his beloved country. He has done all he could. But he has not been able to turn the people to repentance, nor stop the wrath of God on the sinful.
"I am a man who has seen affliction" Jeremiah writes. He is a witness first hand of what happens when people turn from God. God will not allow the guilty to go unpunished. ( Ex. 34:7)
Listen to this description of Jerusalem and picture it in your mind's eye. " Jerusalem sinned greatly, therefore she has become an unclean thing. All who honored her despise her because they have seen her nakedness; Even she herself groans and turns away. Her uncleanness was in her skirts; She did not consider her future; therefore she has fallen astonishingly. She has no comforter. " Lam. 1:8-9
Yet He is a God of lovingkindness and compassion to those who seek Him. "Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord" Lam. 3:40. Repent, acknowledge sin and turn from it. Cry to the Lord for mercy. He will restore.
We must take seriously the "wages of sin" - God has made it abundantly clear! Death will come. Not a blissful nothingness. But a painful, desperate, hopeless, eternal separation from God - from all that is Good, from the only One who can offer comfort, from the ONLY source of Light and Life. Our only Hope is Jesus. He drank the cup of God's wrath for us. He suffered the punishment that we deserve. He is the giver of Life. Jeremiah, in the midst of horror, remembers the goodness and love of God. It is his only Hope. And here we find the words that bring joy and comfort to us "Great is Thy faithfulness" .
Jeremiah did not live to see his beloved country restored or the temple rebuilt. But, he received the promise of a faithful God, a new Jerusalem, eternal dwelling place of the King who "dost rule forever" Lam . 5:19. I look forward to the Day when faith will become sight and we will be forever with the saints of light. I want to meet Jeremiah.
Lamentations
A princess who has become a slave, weeping bitterly every night.
Princes who have become homeless beggars, starving and weak.
Mothers who cannot feed their children and who in desperation boil their babies for food.
Beautiful buildings now burned out, broken down, and desolate.
The pictures we have seen of Holocaust victims, skeletal flesh, barely alive, this is what those left in Jerusalem looked like.
Jeremiah writes his lament, his song of mourning for his beloved country. He has done all he could. But he has not been able to turn the people to repentance, nor stop the wrath of God on the sinful.
"I am a man who has seen affliction" Jeremiah writes. He is a witness first hand of what happens when people turn from God. God will not allow the guilty to go unpunished. ( Ex. 34:7)
Listen to this description of Jerusalem and picture it in your mind's eye. " Jerusalem sinned greatly, therefore she has become an unclean thing. All who honored her despise her because they have seen her nakedness; Even she herself groans and turns away. Her uncleanness was in her skirts; She did not consider her future; therefore she has fallen astonishingly. She has no comforter. " Lam. 1:8-9
Yet He is a God of lovingkindness and compassion to those who seek Him. "Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord" Lam. 3:40. Repent, acknowledge sin and turn from it. Cry to the Lord for mercy. He will restore.
We must take seriously the "wages of sin" - God has made it abundantly clear! Death will come. Not a blissful nothingness. But a painful, desperate, hopeless, eternal separation from God - from all that is Good, from the only One who can offer comfort, from the ONLY source of Light and Life. Our only Hope is Jesus. He drank the cup of God's wrath for us. He suffered the punishment that we deserve. He is the giver of Life. Jeremiah, in the midst of horror, remembers the goodness and love of God. It is his only Hope. And here we find the words that bring joy and comfort to us "Great is Thy faithfulness" .
Jeremiah did not live to see his beloved country restored or the temple rebuilt. But, he received the promise of a faithful God, a new Jerusalem, eternal dwelling place of the King who "dost rule forever" Lam . 5:19. I look forward to the Day when faith will become sight and we will be forever with the saints of light. I want to meet Jeremiah.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
12/12/12 Galatians 5-6
" For neither is circumcision anything, not uncircumcision, but a new creation." Gal. 6;15 Paul teaches. Being a Jew or a Gentile no longer matters. This is the reason Paul is persecuted by the Jews. There has always been a difference... it has been pounded into the head and heart of every Jew... you are God's people and the Gentiles are not! But that isn't really true, never has been, for God created ALL men. The Jews were supposed to be set apart to reveal the Holy One. But they failed miserably.
Now Paul is preaching a "new creation" - a new creature, (ktisis-Greek) a formation, a building, newly fabricated - the Christian. The sons of God, clothed with Christ - not Jew, not Gentile, not slave, not freeman, not male, not female - none of those distinctions matter anymore. "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise"(3 :29) and " For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love." Gal. 5:6.
We are called to freedom and called to serve one another , in love! By walking in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit, sowing to the Spirit and reaping the fruit of the Spirit we fulfill the Law. All of it!
Paul ends with some very practical examples of this life of faith in love:
We will gently restore those who fall into sin. Gal 6:1
We will bear one another's burdens. 6:2
We will examine our own works and not the work of others. 6:4
We will share good things with those who share the Word with us. 6:6
We will do good and not grow weary. 6:9 ( or more pointedly, do good even though we do grow weary)
We will take the opportunity to do good whenever we can. 6:10
We will follow Paul's example of never boasting in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. 6:14.
Oh Spirit of God, fall fresh on me! Lead me, walk with me, bear fruit in me... that I might live as the Child of God, the new Creation that You have born me to be. The cross of Jesus is my only hope of salvation, of completion, of Life. Thank You Jesus.
" For neither is circumcision anything, not uncircumcision, but a new creation." Gal. 6;15 Paul teaches. Being a Jew or a Gentile no longer matters. This is the reason Paul is persecuted by the Jews. There has always been a difference... it has been pounded into the head and heart of every Jew... you are God's people and the Gentiles are not! But that isn't really true, never has been, for God created ALL men. The Jews were supposed to be set apart to reveal the Holy One. But they failed miserably.
Now Paul is preaching a "new creation" - a new creature, (ktisis-Greek) a formation, a building, newly fabricated - the Christian. The sons of God, clothed with Christ - not Jew, not Gentile, not slave, not freeman, not male, not female - none of those distinctions matter anymore. "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise"(3 :29) and " For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love." Gal. 5:6.
We are called to freedom and called to serve one another , in love! By walking in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit, sowing to the Spirit and reaping the fruit of the Spirit we fulfill the Law. All of it!
Paul ends with some very practical examples of this life of faith in love:
We will gently restore those who fall into sin. Gal 6:1
We will bear one another's burdens. 6:2
We will examine our own works and not the work of others. 6:4
We will share good things with those who share the Word with us. 6:6
We will do good and not grow weary. 6:9 ( or more pointedly, do good even though we do grow weary)
We will take the opportunity to do good whenever we can. 6:10
We will follow Paul's example of never boasting in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. 6:14.
Oh Spirit of God, fall fresh on me! Lead me, walk with me, bear fruit in me... that I might live as the Child of God, the new Creation that You have born me to be. The cross of Jesus is my only hope of salvation, of completion, of Life. Thank You Jesus.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
12/11/12 Galatians
Through faith in Christ Jesus we are redeemed. We are made sons of God and heirs of the promise.
Through faith in Christ Jesus we are justified.
" Before faith came" ( Gal. 3:23) there was the Law, that "shut up" the Jews, and sin that "shut up" all men. We were subject to, enclosed with, imprisoned by.. sin. The Jews were given the Law as a protective measure, to shield them from the evil of the world around them. It was a governess, a disciplinarian , to keep the people from moral evil, until Christ would come.
All are sinners, missing the mark, unable to be righteous, the Scriptures make that clear. The Jews were given the Law, but it could not make them righteous, it just showed them that they were not able to become righteous on their own. It was meant to lead them to Christ!
The gentiles didn't have the Law, but now we have Christ Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us... for all of us. There is freedom in Christ. Freedom from the law, freedom from sin.
In Gal. 5 Paul addresses the freedom from the law first, to seek to be justified by law is to "fall from grace"; it is a "yoke of slavery"; it severs us from Christ. It could not save and it could not give life. It is made obsolete by Christ. It has fulfilled its purpose.
In Christ, we find freedom from sin, from the flesh. The whole Law "is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall Love your neighbor as yourself". Because of faith in Christ Jesus we have been given the Spirit. We have been given LIFE. In this new life, we are not under the rule of the Law, nor of the flesh. But we are told to walk by the Spirit ( Gal. 5:16); Be led by the Spirit ( v18); To live by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit ( V25) and to sow to the Spirit ( Gal. 6:8)
I know this is very basic, scriptural teaching. I understand it at that level, but I am looking at this with a desire to know Christ more. To appreciate and value and KNOW all that He has done for me and all He desires for me.
What does it mean to "walk by the Spirit"? To "peripateo - walk, live, deport oneself, follow.. as a companion, to be occupied with... the Spirit? To live by the Spirit? To be alive, to have a life time (zao) by the Spirit? To be led ( Greek - ago) - bring, drive, go, carry, be open, lead away.. by the Spirit. To sow to the Spirit - to scatter seed, ?
It is in our living, in our thinking, in our movements, in our work, ... we yield to His Spirit's control and not the flesh's control. These two are in opposition, it is a battle within ourselves. They have opposite results. If the flesh wins the result is seen in our life - immorality, impurity, sensuality, etc and corruption is the harvest that is reaped. If the Spirit wins, the results seen in our lives are quite different - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.. and the harvest that is reaped is eternal life.
"Now those who belong to Christ Jesus HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal. 5:24) We live by the Spirit. We are to walk by Him too. And like Paul we learn to say and agree that we too have been crucified with Christ, and yet we live.. and it not ourselves that live but Christ in us, for we live by faith in the Son of God who loves us and gave Himself for us. It is through His cross that the world is crucified to me and I to the world.
Lord God, I praise You and thank You for such a marvelous salvation. Fill me with Your Spirit!
Amen
Through faith in Christ Jesus we are redeemed. We are made sons of God and heirs of the promise.
Through faith in Christ Jesus we are justified.
" Before faith came" ( Gal. 3:23) there was the Law, that "shut up" the Jews, and sin that "shut up" all men. We were subject to, enclosed with, imprisoned by.. sin. The Jews were given the Law as a protective measure, to shield them from the evil of the world around them. It was a governess, a disciplinarian , to keep the people from moral evil, until Christ would come.
All are sinners, missing the mark, unable to be righteous, the Scriptures make that clear. The Jews were given the Law, but it could not make them righteous, it just showed them that they were not able to become righteous on their own. It was meant to lead them to Christ!
The gentiles didn't have the Law, but now we have Christ Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us... for all of us. There is freedom in Christ. Freedom from the law, freedom from sin.
In Gal. 5 Paul addresses the freedom from the law first, to seek to be justified by law is to "fall from grace"; it is a "yoke of slavery"; it severs us from Christ. It could not save and it could not give life. It is made obsolete by Christ. It has fulfilled its purpose.
In Christ, we find freedom from sin, from the flesh. The whole Law "is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall Love your neighbor as yourself". Because of faith in Christ Jesus we have been given the Spirit. We have been given LIFE. In this new life, we are not under the rule of the Law, nor of the flesh. But we are told to walk by the Spirit ( Gal. 5:16); Be led by the Spirit ( v18); To live by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit ( V25) and to sow to the Spirit ( Gal. 6:8)
I know this is very basic, scriptural teaching. I understand it at that level, but I am looking at this with a desire to know Christ more. To appreciate and value and KNOW all that He has done for me and all He desires for me.
What does it mean to "walk by the Spirit"? To "peripateo - walk, live, deport oneself, follow.. as a companion, to be occupied with... the Spirit? To live by the Spirit? To be alive, to have a life time (zao) by the Spirit? To be led ( Greek - ago) - bring, drive, go, carry, be open, lead away.. by the Spirit. To sow to the Spirit - to scatter seed, ?
It is in our living, in our thinking, in our movements, in our work, ... we yield to His Spirit's control and not the flesh's control. These two are in opposition, it is a battle within ourselves. They have opposite results. If the flesh wins the result is seen in our life - immorality, impurity, sensuality, etc and corruption is the harvest that is reaped. If the Spirit wins, the results seen in our lives are quite different - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.. and the harvest that is reaped is eternal life.
"Now those who belong to Christ Jesus HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal. 5:24) We live by the Spirit. We are to walk by Him too. And like Paul we learn to say and agree that we too have been crucified with Christ, and yet we live.. and it not ourselves that live but Christ in us, for we live by faith in the Son of God who loves us and gave Himself for us. It is through His cross that the world is crucified to me and I to the world.
Lord God, I praise You and thank You for such a marvelous salvation. Fill me with Your Spirit!
Amen
Monday, December 10, 2012
12/10/12
Galatians 2-3
Paul sets forth a clear argument why the Law is not the way of life for a Christian, Jewish or Gentile. Paul gave himself as an example. He was a devoted Jew, extremely zealous, advanced in learning, a persecutor of the church. Until he met Jesus. ( Gal. 1:13-15) He was "called" through grace and believed and received the revelation given to him - the truth of the gospel. The only gospel that can glorify God and save men. Paul states that he did not receive the gospel through men, but through Christ. He did not need the ok of the apostles, but did meet with them 17 years after he was saved, to be sure that they were not running in vain. Paul also talks about reprimanding Peter for hypocrisy in his actions when he feared the "party of the circumcision" in Antioch.
Starting in Ch 2:15 Paul explains why the gentile believers should not listen to those who are trying to make them become jewish...be circumcised and follow the Law.
1. The Jews are not justified by the works of the Law, even as the Gentiles cannot be.
Both groups can only be justified by faith in Christ.
2. Paul states that he "died to the Law" in order to live to God. He goes on to explain that the Law cannot: give life ( v20) give the Spirit ( 3:2), perfect the flesh ( 3:3), work miracles ( 3:5) justify any man ( v11) , cannot invalidate the covenant ratified by God, spoken to Abraham, of the promise to bless all nations through his Seed - Christ Jesus ( v17); nor can it make us sons of God or offspring of Abraham. In fact the only thing the Law can do is bring a curse - because only those who can keep the Law perfectly can live by the Law; and no one is able to do that.
3. Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the Law by hanging on the cross. " if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly" The Law cannot do what Christ alone did.
4. By faith in the Son of God " who loved me and delivered Himself up for me" is LIFE, Paul testifies (2:20) Hearing by faith DOES what the Law cannot do : gives life, gives the Spirit, brings perfection (maturing), works miracles, justifies, makes righteous, fulfills the promise given to Abraham that all nations will be blessed, makes us sons of God and offspring of Abraham, heirs to the promise.
Because of what Christ Jesus did - delivering Himself up to die on the cross - the "blessing of Abraham" comes to the Gentiles "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith"
Again and again I am drawn back to Gal. 2:20b ".. and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me" I must admit that the first part of that verse is often quoted "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.." is something I can't quite grasp. But I can hold on to the second part. Jesus LOVES me! He gave Himself up for me! I put my faith in that Truth - convinced and convicted that this is True and believe - entrust my life into His. Thank You Jesus!
Galatians 2-3
Paul sets forth a clear argument why the Law is not the way of life for a Christian, Jewish or Gentile. Paul gave himself as an example. He was a devoted Jew, extremely zealous, advanced in learning, a persecutor of the church. Until he met Jesus. ( Gal. 1:13-15) He was "called" through grace and believed and received the revelation given to him - the truth of the gospel. The only gospel that can glorify God and save men. Paul states that he did not receive the gospel through men, but through Christ. He did not need the ok of the apostles, but did meet with them 17 years after he was saved, to be sure that they were not running in vain. Paul also talks about reprimanding Peter for hypocrisy in his actions when he feared the "party of the circumcision" in Antioch.
Starting in Ch 2:15 Paul explains why the gentile believers should not listen to those who are trying to make them become jewish...be circumcised and follow the Law.
1. The Jews are not justified by the works of the Law, even as the Gentiles cannot be.
Both groups can only be justified by faith in Christ.
2. Paul states that he "died to the Law" in order to live to God. He goes on to explain that the Law cannot: give life ( v20) give the Spirit ( 3:2), perfect the flesh ( 3:3), work miracles ( 3:5) justify any man ( v11) , cannot invalidate the covenant ratified by God, spoken to Abraham, of the promise to bless all nations through his Seed - Christ Jesus ( v17); nor can it make us sons of God or offspring of Abraham. In fact the only thing the Law can do is bring a curse - because only those who can keep the Law perfectly can live by the Law; and no one is able to do that.
3. Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the Law by hanging on the cross. " if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly" The Law cannot do what Christ alone did.
4. By faith in the Son of God " who loved me and delivered Himself up for me" is LIFE, Paul testifies (2:20) Hearing by faith DOES what the Law cannot do : gives life, gives the Spirit, brings perfection (maturing), works miracles, justifies, makes righteous, fulfills the promise given to Abraham that all nations will be blessed, makes us sons of God and offspring of Abraham, heirs to the promise.
Because of what Christ Jesus did - delivering Himself up to die on the cross - the "blessing of Abraham" comes to the Gentiles "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith"
Again and again I am drawn back to Gal. 2:20b ".. and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me" I must admit that the first part of that verse is often quoted "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.." is something I can't quite grasp. But I can hold on to the second part. Jesus LOVES me! He gave Himself up for me! I put my faith in that Truth - convinced and convicted that this is True and believe - entrust my life into His. Thank You Jesus!
Friday, December 7, 2012
12/7/12
Galatians 1
Paul addresses a church who is being lured away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul greets them, immediately presenting the Truth - v 3-4 " Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ , who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age ( world) according to the will of our God and Father"
The IVP New Testament Commentary gives a wonderful analogy - think of a war movie, a hero comes and rescues the prisoners of war. God, the Father, planned our rescue, Christ Jesus came and delivered us from the " present age.. controlled by destructive, malignant forces" The cross of Christ "inaugurated God's new created order in human history" Grace was shown that peace might be found!
This is the true gospel that is our foundation for life in Christ. He loved us and gave Himself for us.
Dwelling on that thought. Meditating on that truth this Christmas season. Father, let me grasp and know Your love like never before.
Amen
Galatians 1
Paul addresses a church who is being lured away from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul greets them, immediately presenting the Truth - v 3-4 " Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ , who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age ( world) according to the will of our God and Father"
The IVP New Testament Commentary gives a wonderful analogy - think of a war movie, a hero comes and rescues the prisoners of war. God, the Father, planned our rescue, Christ Jesus came and delivered us from the " present age.. controlled by destructive, malignant forces" The cross of Christ "inaugurated God's new created order in human history" Grace was shown that peace might be found!
This is the true gospel that is our foundation for life in Christ. He loved us and gave Himself for us.
Dwelling on that thought. Meditating on that truth this Christmas season. Father, let me grasp and know Your love like never before.
Amen
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
12/5/12 Galations - Jesus ONLY
Just read through the whole letter that Paul wrote to the Galatian church. Paul had started this church, but some had come in and convinced the believers there that they needed to become Jewish - to be circumcised in order to be Christians. Paul delivers a powerful message about faith and the Law.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ supercedes the Law given to Moses. Paul compares the difference to the sons of Abraham; one, born of the slave girl Hagar, by the human flesh, and one born of the free woman Sarah, by supernatural means according to the promise given to Abraham. Those who trust in the works of Law, circumcision, feasts, sacrifices, etc. are like slaves. But those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, by faith, are justified by that faith, born of the Spirit, a New Creation - a miraculous birth, are free, sons of God, clothed in Christ, heirs according to the promise.
Paul's emphasis is that what began as a work of the Spirit of God can only be completed by the Spirit of God, not by trying to keep the Law. Walk by the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, sow to the Spirit and reap eternal life from the Spirit.
Our personal salvation, when we believed that Jesus Chris " gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present age, according to the will of our God and Father" ( Gal. 1:4) was as much a miraculous birth as that of Isaac, born to Sarah who was 90 years old and Abraham who was 100. Isaac wasn't born our of natural circumstances, he was given by God according to His promise to a believing Abraham. We receive a new Life, born of the Spirit of God, when we believe in Jesus Christ. " I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me" ( Gal. 2:20)
Gal. 2:16 " ... but through faith ( Gr. pistis - persuasion, credence, conviction of truth) in Christ Jesus, even we have believed ( Gr. pisteuo - credit, entrust, commit to, put trust in) Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ...."
Once again I bow my head and wonder at the grace of our God Who offers us such a great salvation, not through the impossible work of keeping laws, but through believing the Word that we have heard, considering it True, and trusting in Christ Jesus, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me too!
What a wonderful Saviour!
Just read through the whole letter that Paul wrote to the Galatian church. Paul had started this church, but some had come in and convinced the believers there that they needed to become Jewish - to be circumcised in order to be Christians. Paul delivers a powerful message about faith and the Law.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ supercedes the Law given to Moses. Paul compares the difference to the sons of Abraham; one, born of the slave girl Hagar, by the human flesh, and one born of the free woman Sarah, by supernatural means according to the promise given to Abraham. Those who trust in the works of Law, circumcision, feasts, sacrifices, etc. are like slaves. But those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, by faith, are justified by that faith, born of the Spirit, a New Creation - a miraculous birth, are free, sons of God, clothed in Christ, heirs according to the promise.
Paul's emphasis is that what began as a work of the Spirit of God can only be completed by the Spirit of God, not by trying to keep the Law. Walk by the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, sow to the Spirit and reap eternal life from the Spirit.
Our personal salvation, when we believed that Jesus Chris " gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present age, according to the will of our God and Father" ( Gal. 1:4) was as much a miraculous birth as that of Isaac, born to Sarah who was 90 years old and Abraham who was 100. Isaac wasn't born our of natural circumstances, he was given by God according to His promise to a believing Abraham. We receive a new Life, born of the Spirit of God, when we believe in Jesus Christ. " I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me" ( Gal. 2:20)
Gal. 2:16 " ... but through faith ( Gr. pistis - persuasion, credence, conviction of truth) in Christ Jesus, even we have believed ( Gr. pisteuo - credit, entrust, commit to, put trust in) Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ...."
Once again I bow my head and wonder at the grace of our God Who offers us such a great salvation, not through the impossible work of keeping laws, but through believing the Word that we have heard, considering it True, and trusting in Christ Jesus, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me too!
What a wonderful Saviour!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
12/4/12
Jeremiah 50-52
Jeremiah continues to speak the Words of prophecy given him by the Lord. Ch. 50-51 are the words against Babylon. Babylon under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar was the world power at that time. She was fierce and wealthy and powerful. But God calls her " a golden cup in the hand of the Lord, intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine, therefore the nations are going mad"
God's plan and purposes for Babylon were completed. But she was not innocent for the evil that she was doing. The sins of arrogance, pride, idolatry, wickedness... will be punished. Babylon the destroyer, was destroyed. "As she has done to others, so do to her" ( 50:15) This is the Lord's vengeance.
All that Jeremiah had prophesied happened. He wrote it all down and witnessed it with his own eyes.
What a difficult and horrible thing to live through. Yet, Jeremiah also had a wonderful, deep understanding of God. Over and over he reminds himself and us that God , who made the earth, established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heavens, that He is the Lord of hosts and that what He has said.. He will do. And there would come a day when Israel would return to Zion. They would again seek the Lord. They were not forsaken. "The Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His Name." (50:34)
The Redeemer gaal - the next of kin, the kinsman who buys back the relative, purchases, ransoms, and redeems. Our Redeemer Lives! He has not changed and none is like Him!
In our nation there is much arrogance, pride, idolatry .. and we will not go unpunished. Even if we are witnesses to the destruction of life as we know it... even if it goes that far... God , the Lord of hosts, Our Redeemer is Strong. Praise His holy Name!
Jeremiah 50-52
Jeremiah continues to speak the Words of prophecy given him by the Lord. Ch. 50-51 are the words against Babylon. Babylon under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar was the world power at that time. She was fierce and wealthy and powerful. But God calls her " a golden cup in the hand of the Lord, intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine, therefore the nations are going mad"
God's plan and purposes for Babylon were completed. But she was not innocent for the evil that she was doing. The sins of arrogance, pride, idolatry, wickedness... will be punished. Babylon the destroyer, was destroyed. "As she has done to others, so do to her" ( 50:15) This is the Lord's vengeance.
All that Jeremiah had prophesied happened. He wrote it all down and witnessed it with his own eyes.
What a difficult and horrible thing to live through. Yet, Jeremiah also had a wonderful, deep understanding of God. Over and over he reminds himself and us that God , who made the earth, established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heavens, that He is the Lord of hosts and that what He has said.. He will do. And there would come a day when Israel would return to Zion. They would again seek the Lord. They were not forsaken. "The Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His Name." (50:34)
The Redeemer gaal - the next of kin, the kinsman who buys back the relative, purchases, ransoms, and redeems. Our Redeemer Lives! He has not changed and none is like Him!
In our nation there is much arrogance, pride, idolatry .. and we will not go unpunished. Even if we are witnesses to the destruction of life as we know it... even if it goes that far... God , the Lord of hosts, Our Redeemer is Strong. Praise His holy Name!
Monday, December 3, 2012
12/3/12 Jeremiah 49
Prophecies are recorded here against Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedor, Hazor, and Elam.
Ammon will be driven out because of his boasting and trust in treasures. But there will be restoration in the future.
Edom will be stripped and uncovered due to his lack of wisdom, but orphans and widows are spared.
Damascus will become helpless, deserted, and silenced.
Kedar and Hazor will be scattered.
Elam will be outcasts and consumed, but restoration will come after God sets His throne in Elam.
How does this all play out? What is the significance? God has plans and purposes for every nation. v. 20 He brings punishment on all who refuse to bow before Him. v19 "For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?"
It is the arrogant and unwise who are deceived and who are brought down by Almighty God.
It was so and it is still so. Elam is where modern day Iran now arrogantly raises its voice against the people of God. God will complete His purposes and plans for Iran. He will bring down the prideful and arrogant. He will restore those He chooses. He will rescue those He desires to rescue.
In the world today there are many nations who think they can reign without bowing to the Lord. He will not allow that to remain. He will punish the unjust and arrogant. He has always done that and He has not changed. America is treading on dangerous territory. We must humble ourselves before the Lord. We are being deceived by the arrogance of our hearts just as Edom was during Jeremiah's days. Our sin is not merely abortion or homosexual marriages, evolution or social injustice... our sin is that we have forgotten Who God really is. We, as a nation, are arrogant and will be brought down.
Romans 1: 28-31 "And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God and longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy,murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful..."
And what is the message for me today? God is to be honored and acknowledged as God! Creator and Ruler of Heaven and Earth. Each and every one will stand before Him and he will render judgement. We either acknowledge Him and seek to live as His servant, believing and trusting in His Son as Savior, and find eternal life.... or we do not obey the truth, are unrighteous and will face His wrath. I am so thankful to know the gospel , the power of God for salvation to any who believe.
" Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" Rom. 2:4 Praise to our Lord and King, the Shepherd of those who follow Him.
Prophecies are recorded here against Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedor, Hazor, and Elam.
Ammon will be driven out because of his boasting and trust in treasures. But there will be restoration in the future.
Edom will be stripped and uncovered due to his lack of wisdom, but orphans and widows are spared.
Damascus will become helpless, deserted, and silenced.
Kedar and Hazor will be scattered.
Elam will be outcasts and consumed, but restoration will come after God sets His throne in Elam.
How does this all play out? What is the significance? God has plans and purposes for every nation. v. 20 He brings punishment on all who refuse to bow before Him. v19 "For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?"
It is the arrogant and unwise who are deceived and who are brought down by Almighty God.
It was so and it is still so. Elam is where modern day Iran now arrogantly raises its voice against the people of God. God will complete His purposes and plans for Iran. He will bring down the prideful and arrogant. He will restore those He chooses. He will rescue those He desires to rescue.
In the world today there are many nations who think they can reign without bowing to the Lord. He will not allow that to remain. He will punish the unjust and arrogant. He has always done that and He has not changed. America is treading on dangerous territory. We must humble ourselves before the Lord. We are being deceived by the arrogance of our hearts just as Edom was during Jeremiah's days. Our sin is not merely abortion or homosexual marriages, evolution or social injustice... our sin is that we have forgotten Who God really is. We, as a nation, are arrogant and will be brought down.
Romans 1: 28-31 "And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God and longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy,murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful..."
And what is the message for me today? God is to be honored and acknowledged as God! Creator and Ruler of Heaven and Earth. Each and every one will stand before Him and he will render judgement. We either acknowledge Him and seek to live as His servant, believing and trusting in His Son as Savior, and find eternal life.... or we do not obey the truth, are unrighteous and will face His wrath. I am so thankful to know the gospel , the power of God for salvation to any who believe.
" Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" Rom. 2:4 Praise to our Lord and King, the Shepherd of those who follow Him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)