It's Harvest Time!

False Teachings of the Charismatic Movement - Introduction

2012-01-31T12:40:00.000-08:00

Who are the Charismatics?

In beginning this brief study regarding the follies of Charismatic teachings, it is necessary to define clearly the group of whom I speak. When I use the term, “Charismatic” in relation to this group, it is of utmost importance to understand that I am not making reference to Pentecostals in general. Though Charismatics claim to be Pentecostal, not all Pentecostals claim to be Charismatic. As a matter of fact, I have been associated for years with the Holiness people, who would greatly object to being labeled as Charismatics. There is a great deal of difference, and this study will focus on those differences.

The Charismatics are not easily found. The term, “Charismatic” is not found on many church signs. I am doubtful that I have ever seen it on any sign. Charismatic ideology often slips its way into Pentecostal circles. I have met Assembly of God preachers who teach Charismatic fallacies. I have seen those in the Church of God of Cleveland, Tennessee migrate toward Charismatic thinking. Now, while I am sure there are strong, Bible-believing Christians and preachers in groups such as these, as well as in others, there are churches here and there that have adapted to Charismatic theology.

So, the Charismatic movement is not a denomination in itself. The Charismatic movement is composed of ministers and believers who have adapted Charismatic teaching as their own, whether they belong to the Assembly of God, Church of God, or even an independent Pentecostal or Holiness church. There are non-denominational preachers, who, after hearing them speak, are clearly Charismatic. There are Assembly of God preachers who make it clear through some of their goofy ideas that they are indeed Charismatic. Therefore, most Charismatic teachers and preachers will not admit to being Charismatic. Some may even defy it. They may say, “I’m not Charismatic; I’m Church of God.” But if you teach Charismatic dogma, you are Charismatic, no matter which coat you wear.

So, what exactly is the dogma that reveals one to be Charismatic? Let me say again for the sake of clarity that all Pentecostals are not Charismatic. I have heard some speak against Charismatics, but they place all Pentecostals in the Charismatic boat. This is ignorance. Not all Pentecostals are Charismatics. But there are Charismatics within, most likely, all Pentecostal groups. So, what are the characteristics of the Charismatics? These characteristics include, but are not limited to:

1) Teaching people how to speak in tongues;

2) Teaching that one’s physical prosperity is evidence of spirituality;

3) Acceptance of unbiblical “manifestations of the Spirit”, including barking like a dog, laughing “in the Spirit,” and other unbiblical forms of so-called “worship;”

4) Belief in a disproportional “power of words,” that is, because a believer states what he desires, he receives it;

5) Non-acceptance of illness, harm, or misfortune;

6) An unbiblical view of “binding the devil;”

7) Using the name of Jesus as a good luck charm, or a means of claiming whatever they wish to receive;

8) The belief that all sickness and misfortune in a believer’s life originate from the devil and are therefore contrary to the will of God;

9) The belief that faith in God always delivers from sickness, disease, ill, and misfortune; and

10) The belief in “impartation,” that is, that one minister can “impart” whatever he wishes to another minister or another believer, whether it be wisdom, a gift of the Spirit, or anything else he wishes to bestow.

Many of the above teachings sound good upon first hearing it. It sounds as though the Charismatics are a wealthy, healthy, and prosperous people. However, if you know Charismatics personally, you find out that their people get cancer, just as ours do, whether they accept it or not. I have heard Charismatics “name and claim” that their children would be saved, and then…their children died lost. Charismatics have claimed healing in spite of “lying symptoms,” and then died. Often, Charismatic preachers teach and preach that believers should give (to their ministry, of course). It is not surprising then, that the wealthiest among the Charismatics are the preachers. It is not faith that has made them wealthy; it is rather their insistence on people giving to THEIR ministry that has done so.

Regardless of how good these doctrines may seem; regardless of how much these doctrines may be associated with faith; make no mistake about it – these doctrines are wrong. They are contrary to the scriptures, and they simply do not work. It is tragic that so many good, well-meaning believers who love the Lord get caught up in false doctrines such as these. It is also tragic that Bible-believing pastors do not bust the hide off this garbage so that their members do not get deceived by it. Attention pastors – you need to expose this trash for what it is! When your members listen to radio preachers, this junk is the chief teaching. When your members watch “religious” television, this is the manure they are most likely watching!

In the upcoming posts, I will take some of these Charismatic characteristics, and expose them! I will show the scriptures that are most often used to promote this mess, and how those scriptures are used out of context. It is my desire to reach those who have fallen into this mire with compassion, while despising the mire itself. If you have fallen into the Charismatic trap, I pray that you will see the nonsense of this teaching, and come out of it!

THEEs and THOUs of the King James Bible

2012-01-20T12:31:00.000-08:00

It is a common misconception that if a Bible version only removes words such as “thee”, “thou”, and other such words (“ye”, “thee”, “thy”, “thine”) from the King James Bible, that no real change has been made. However, if you possess a Bible version that changes only words such as “thee”, “thou”, “thy”, and “thine”, you have a Bible that is less accurate than the King James Bible.

A Look at John 4

The fourth chapter of the book of John is a popular passage to many Christians. In this chapter, Jesus the Jew meets a Samaritan woman at a well in Samaria. Much of this chapter is the conversation between them. In verses 16-18, Jesus is speaking to the Samaritan woman. Notice verses 16-18:

John 4:16-18 – “Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, THOU hast well said, I have no husband: For THOU hast had five husbands; and he whom THOU now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst THOU truly.”

You will notice that, in these verses, the word, “thou” is used. “Thou” simply means “you.”

A few verses later, it is still Jesus who is speaking to the Samaritan woman. Notice verse 22:

John 4:22 – “YE worship YE know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.”

In this verse, the word, “ye” is used. “Ye,” like “thou,” also means “you.” So, “thou” means “you;” and “ye” means “you.” So, why did the translators use the word, “thou” in verses 16-18, where Jesus is speaking to the Samaritan woman; and then use the word, “ye” in verse 22, where Jesus is still speaking to the Samaritan woman? Is it because they merely used whichever word sounded neat? Absolutely not. There is a reason that “thou” is used in verses 16-18, and “ye” is used in verse 22. The reason is simple: “Thou” is singular while “ye” is plural. In modern English, there is no differentiation between a singular “you” and a plural “you.” One can only tell by the context whether the word, “you” is singular or plural. In King James English, however, they had separate words for “you (singular)” and “you (plural),” making King James English more accurate than the modern use of the word, “you.”

In verses 16-18, when the singular word “thou” is used, Jesus is referring simply to the woman and her alone.

In verse 22, Jesus still is speaking to the woman and to her alone. However, when He says, “YE worship YE know not what,” He is referring to a group to which this woman belonged. The plural form of “you” is used because Jesus is saying, “YOU SAMARITANS worship what YOU SAMARITANS do not know. WE JEWS know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.”

So, when a Bible version takes out “thou” from verses 16-18; and takes out “ye” from verse 22; and replaces them both with “you,” their version is less accurate than the King James Bible because you wouldn’t be able to tell which “you” is singular and which is plural.

The Rule

There are several words in the King James Bible that mean “you,” “your,” and “yours.” I will call these “‘you’ words.” The general rule is stated as follows: When a “‘you’ word” begins with a “t,” such as “thou,” “thy,” “thine,” and “thee,” it is singular. When a “‘you’ word” begins with a “y,” such as “you,” “your,” and “yours,” it is plural.

Conclusion

It is clear that each of the “‘you’ words” have different functions. To replace each of these with the word “you” is to do an injustice to your Bible, making it less accurate than the King James Bible.

Proverbs 30:5 – “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

The Bible and The Cults

2012-01-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

Seeing in my previous post the value of the word of God, it is my intent, at this time, to expose the attitude of the cults regarding the Bible. Before examining this, it is necessary to observe a few basic traits of cults in general.

First and primarily, the chief characteristic of a cult is brought out by its definition. Microsoft Encarta’s dictionary defines “cult” this way – “a system of religious or spiritual beliefs, especially an informal and transient belief system regarded by others as misguided or unorthodox.” So, the first characteristic of a cult, as shown by its very definition, is that it deviates from that which is fundamentally and Biblically true. There are fundamental truths brought about in the word of God. Such truths include the virgin birth of Christ; the deity of Christ; the literal and bodily second coming of Jesus Christ to this world; the existence of a literal heaven and a literal, burning hell; the Trinity, and others. To deviate from these is to characterize yourself with religious groups we call cults.

Secondly, a common trait of the cults is extreme exclusivism. Now understand that Christianity itself is an exclusivist religion. By this, I mean that true Christians teach that Jesus Christ is the only way to God’s heaven. Yes, true, born-again Christians are the ONLY ONES going to heaven. However, cults do not teach that you must go to heaven through Christ; they teach rather that you can only get to heaven through THEM! This is a major difference between true Christianity and the cults. Jehovah’s Witnesses will tell you that you must accept Christ, but their teaching goes further than that. Christ, they say, established ONE church (their church, coincidentally), and you must join THEIR CHURCH to be accepted by God. I was acquainted with a group years ago called “Gospel of the Kingdom,” or “Sowderites,” a movement started by William Sowders of Louisville, Kentucky. Among their far-out ideas was the suggestion that you are only a part of the body of Christ if you are in their group.

While I preach strongly that one must be a born-again Christian to be saved, I do not preach that one must be a part of my group to be saved. You do not need to join my denomination to be saved. You do not need to run with my crowd to be saved. There are true Christians who are not part of my group, and they are as saved as anyone. The cults, however, do not see it this way. You must be a part of their group to be saved.

Look at what Jesus Christ said regarding followers of Christ who are not in your group:

Luke 9:49, 50 – “And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

So, it is clear. Every cult that teaches that you must be a part of their group to be saved is as wrong as they can be! Yet, this is a major peculiarity of the cults.

Thirdly, a widespread custom of the cults is the fact that most all cults have a founder (other than Jesus Christ). Of course, Christianity has a founder. Yet, the cults seem to all have a man or a woman who founded their group. Charles Taze Russell founded the Kingdom Hall (Jehovah’s Witnesses); Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons); William Sowders founded the so-called “Gospel of the Kingdom;” Ellen White was among the founders of the Seventh-day Adventists; Mary Baker Eddy is remembered for her role in founding the Church of Christ, Scientist. While there is no wrong in a group having a founder, you will notice when studying the cults how that the founders are idolized. Their words are often equal with the words of Jesus Christ.

The Worst Attributes of the Cults

Having briefly looked at three traits of the cults, I wish to expound upon two more; perhaps two of their worst characteristics.

A fourth feature of groups we call cults is the fact that their view of salvation is perverted. You will not find a cult that teaches that what Jesus Christ did upon the cross is sufficient for salvation. Roman Catholics, for example, teach that God gives us grace to perform sacraments to be saved. Even after fulfilling a lifetime of sacraments, the devout Catholic cannot know for sure that he has done enough to be saved. The Seventh-day Adventists make worship on Saturday a requirement for salvation. The so-called “Church of Christ” has a list (they tell me) of five things one must do to be saved, among which is baptism in water. Apostolic Pentecostals teach that one must be baptized in the name of Jesus only, and that one must speak in tongues in order to be saved. The message of the cults in regard to salvation is simple – what Christ did on the cross was insufficient. The cross, they say, is part of the plan, but it is not enough to save us. They all add laws and commandments one must keep in order to be saved. But look what the Bible says:

Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Such strong words are the words above, but there is as much truth in them as there is strength. The Bible is clear – what Christ did on the cross is sufficient. Placing faith IN HIS BLOOD gives propitiation:

Romans 3:24-26 – “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Yes, it is the doctrine of the Bible that faith in Christ’s blood gives salvation. It is trusting Christ’s work, not commending our own, that saves from sin. The cults, however, teach that Christ did not do enough to save us. He did much of what needs to be done, they teach, but we must do the rest. How blasphemous!

A fifth element of the dogma of the cults is stated as follows – Not only is the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross insufficient, but the Bible is insufficient. Every one of the cults, without exception, teach that the Bible is not sufficient to be the sole rule of faith and practice. Every cult adopts one or more false statement regarding the Bible. At least the cults are honest – if the Bible is absolutely correct, complete, and accurate, then their ideas MUST be wrong. So, instead of changing their beliefs, they attack the Bible.

The attack on the Bible by the cults is manifested in a couple of ways. First, some cults teach that the Bible is inaccurate. Listen carefully. If a Jehovah’s Witness stands at your door and tells you that the Bible is erroneous, what does that tell you about the teachings of this group? They are admitting that their teachings do not line up with the Bible! This is the sole reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses have scrapped the King James Bible, and have written their own “New World Translation.” The Mormons teach this regarding the Bible – “The King James Bible is the word of God, SO LONG AS IT IS TRANSLATED CORRECTLY.” And guess what? When the Mormons’ teaching disagrees with the Bible, guess where they say the error lies – with the Bible! Anyone can say that the Bible is correct until it disagrees with them! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if someone must write their own Bible because the King James Bible disagrees with their teaching, their teaching must not be Biblical! If someone claims that the Bible is accurate until it disagrees with them, an honest person can see what is happening! The cults, instead of admitting that they are wrong, have the audacity to say that the Bible is wrong!

There is a second method in which the cults attack the word of God. As we have seen, some say the Bible is inaccurate. Others, however, state that the Bible is insufficient. The Bible is right, some cults say, but it is not enough. The Mormons are number one on our list. The Bible may contribute something to their church, but it is not the sole authority. The Book of Mormon was added, because the Bible is not the complete word of God. I spoke earlier regarding the Sowderites, or the “Gospel of the Kingdom.” One attribute of this group is that they speak often regarding revelation. A good deal of you seeing the scriptures as they do depends upon God REVEALING it to you! The Bible is good, but there must be extra-biblical revelation, according to the cults.

Dear reader, you may not attend a “kingdom hall.” You may not be a member of the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” You may not be a part of a “Gospel of the Kingdom” church. You may not be an Adventist. But if your pastor teaches that the Bible is erroneous, or that the Bible is not enough, or that there must be extra-biblical revelation, BEWARE! There is a reason why the Bible does not line up with your pastor’s teaching! If your pastor gets up and says, “This passage was not translated correctly,” WATCH OUT! He’s teaching that the Bible is wrong and he is right! If your pastor teaches this, there is great danger here! Your church may not be a cult, but your pastor most definitely possesses one of the cults’ characteristics.

The Bible is absolutely complete and accurate. It needs nothing more to substantiate it. Anyone who adds to it, takes from it, rewrites it, or contradicts it is absolutely wrong in every instance!

The Value of the Word of God

2012-01-04T11:51:00.000-08:00

In this world, it is neither scarce nor surprising to hear the attacks against the word of God. Those who are deemed intelligent mock its principles, deny its miracles, and scorn its prophecies. Yet, in spite of all the attacks, its principles are true, its miracles occurred as recorded, and every prophecy regarding the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ came to pass precisely as written. Though I desire for every reader to believe the Holy Scriptures, the scriptures do not need your belief in them to strengthen them. They are completely accurate, without anyone’s approval of them. The world mocks; yet the scripture stands.

Then, I come into the church. It is sad to say, but in many churches, the word of God takes a back seat. I have been to churches (some recently) where you will find someone who is always having a dream that “God gave him.” There are churches in which you’ll discover someone who is constantly seeing visions. God is always speaking to them in an audible voice. “God told me this,” they say. “God told me that,” they affirm.

Only an observation it may be, but here is what I have surveyed regarding many of those who are always seeing visions, dreaming dreams, and hearing voices: They are so spiritual that “God” is always speaking to them; yet, they do not know that salvation is by grace. They constantly see visions; but they cannot see that a person has the Holy Ghost living within them the instant they believe on Jesus Christ. They are always dreaming dreams, but quite frankly, they don’t know soup beans from apple butter regarding the word of God! Again, it should be noted that these observations are in reference to “many of those” who are always seeing visions, dreaming dreams and hearing voices.

Now, am I against a man having a dream that is from the Lord? No; for then I would be against the Joseph of the Old Testament, as well as the Joseph of the New. Am I against someone having a vision? In no wise. But if you are one of these people who often refer to “the last dream I had,” or “the last vision I had,” then I am talking to you.

Here is yet another observation regarding those who are always having dreams and seeing visions: they talk a lot. You may ask, “What do you mean?” In the Bible, when someone had real visions from the Lord, they didn’t talk about their visions. Whether the reader has seen a real vision from the Lord or not, I do not know. But I know for a fact that Paul the apostle had visions and revelations from the Lord, and look what he says about them:

II Corinthians 12:1 – “It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.”

Paul, in his discourse to the Corinthians, states here that he will at this time talk about visions and revelations of the Lord. Then, he proceeds to speak concerning those visions and revelations:

II Corinthians 12:4 – “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

Paul goes on to tell about a man, perhaps himself, who was caught up into paradise. Then, Paul tells us something pertaining to what he saw – “…it is not lawful for a man to utter.” Paul said, “I’m not allowed to tell you what I saw.” No one reading this post will ever know what Paul saw in paradise – he didn’t blab it!

Yet, so many who claim to have visions today are very quick to reveal what they saw and heard. This makes me wonder about these vision-seeing individuals.

I do not know whether the reader has seen visions or heard voices from heaven or not, but I know for a fact that Mary, the mother of Jesus, heard the voice of an angel, because the Bible states it to be so. Yet, when the angel spoke to her, the Bible says in Luke 2:19 that “Mary pondered these things in her heart.” She neither told nor bragged about everything she heard from the angel. Yet, when someone has visions and dreams today, they quickly let the world know what they saw and heard! It makes me wonder!

A Message for Vision-Seeing Individuals and Dreamers

As for those who claim to have seen visions or had dreams from the Lord, I am not writing this post to convince you otherwise. But, each individual who constantly sees visions and has dreams from the Lord needs to read what I am writing.

Your visions and dreams are not very spiritual. There is no indication whatsoever that Pilate’s wife was a follower of Christ, yet she informs her husband in Matthew 27:19, “I have suffered many things in a dream because of [Christ].” The wise men who came to see the Christ child were warned of God in a dream in Matthew 2:12; yet there is nothing said as to whether or not they believed that Christ was anything more than “the king of the Jews.” The fact is this: you do not have to be spiritual at all to have visions or dreams. Actually, it is possible for a devil to be disguised as an angel of light, and approach someone in a vision.

II Corinthians 11:13, 14 – “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”

Paul even warned us, that if an angel from HEAVEN came to us, and told us something different than what the Bible teaches, we are to let that angel be accursed; or let that angel go to hell!

Galatians 1:8, 9 – “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

So, I do not care much about your dreams and visions. Every dream you’ve dreamed and every vision you’ve seen takes a back seat to the word of God! I have made the following statement in this blog before, but I make it again. If an angel came to me and said, “Bob, I came from heaven to give you two choices. You can either have dreams and visions every day, or you can learn something every day from the Bible, the word of God. It’s your choice.” My choice would be easy to make. I would rather learn more and more of God’s word than have dreams and visions. I would rather be skillful with the Bible and know to use it to convince people to be saved than to boast of dreams and visions!

Allow me to examine one more passage. Peter tells in II Peter of his experience on the mount of transfiguration. Peter was on the mountain with Christ when the Lord’s face shone brightly. He saw Moses and Elijah on that mountain! What a glorious experience this must have been:

II Peter 1:17, 18 – “For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.”

In these verses, Peter tells of his great experience upon the mountain of transfiguration. Now, in the next verse, Peter says that you and I have something more sure than even the vision he had!

II Peter 1:19-21 – “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

“We have a more sure word of prophecy!” A more sure word? What could be surer than a vision? He tells us what is more sure than a vision – the prophecy of the scripture! God’s written word – the Bible – is far surer than any dream or vision.

Departure and Destination

2012-01-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

A Brief Message for the New Year

Hebrews 11:8 – “…he went out, not knowing whither he went.”

Departure

“…he went out…” This is Abraham’s departure. In our text, we are admonished of the faith of Abraham. His faith is described as one who HAD nothing but a divine command, but as one who NEEDED nothing but a divine command.

You and I, like Abraham, have made a similar departure. We have all, without exception, departed from the previous days of 2011. We have been commanded by the chimes of time to do so. Regardless of the wonderful events that marked the previous year, we could not stay there. We had to depart. I know of mothers who gave birth to children in 2011. As blissful as the event may have been, “we went out.” Others have had a very hard year in 2011. Some of them may have wished that they could have departed from 2011 sooner. But it was not possible.

Destination

“…not knowing wither he went.” The phrase, “wither he went” speaks to us regarding Abraham’s destination. Abraham departed, but to what country was he to arrive? The answer is simple – Abraham did not know. Man does not favor ignorance. We like to know. I spoke to a Bible college graduate about a year ago, and he was shook up. He was concerned because he was not sure what his calling was. He knew he was called to the ministry, but unsure of where that calling would lead. He prayed and fasted, trying to get the Lord to tell him the details of his calling.

Abraham, however, did not have such knowledge. “He went out, not knowing wither he went.” He departed from his country of Ur, not knowing what God had in store. You may scoff at this and refer to it as Abraham’s ignorance; the Bible, however, refers to it as Abraham’s faith.

Think of Joseph. God showed Joseph that his brothers and father would one day bow before him. That’s all God showed him. Joseph had no way of knowing that God’s plan for him included a pit. Joseph never would have guessed that the path to his family’s obeisance to him would contain a prison. Joseph’s road to authority was paved with false accusations; yet God never showed Joseph any of this.

Think of David. He was anointed king. Yet, he did not take the throne the day Samuel poured the oil upon his head. From the time of his anointing to the time he took the throne, he would run from Saul; his life would be jeopardized; he would be separated from his friend Jonathan. Yet, God showed David none of this. David knew he would one day be king (though he doubted it at times), but he was not aware of what the path to kingship consisted.

And we go into 2012 just as blindly. We know our supreme destination. Our ultimate goal is to be in the will of God. Our greatest desire is to walk in the path of our Saviour. But none of us know what 2012 holds for us. None of us know how many long, sleepless nights we may have in the coming months. None of us know how much worse the economy may grow in the coming year. None of us know which of our family will have seen their last Christmas in 2011. “We go out, not knowing wither we go.” But as long as we trust our Lord, this is not ignorance; it is faith.

Crucified with Christ - Part 2

2011-12-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

Up to this point, it is been brought out, hopefully clearly, that those who are saved are not striving to be crucified with Christ; WE ARE crucified with Christ. Sadly, I hear so often individuals testifying that they wish to have their flesh crucified every day! How tragic that many are attempting to accomplish daily what Christ accomplished once for all! In the previous post, I examined a few scriptures that are commonly used by those who wish to have their flesh crucified daily. In every scripture that they use, the Bible plainly states that the believer’s crucifixion of the “old man” is not something done daily; it is rather something done when Christ died! Our crucifixion of our “old man” is WITH CHRIST. This means that we died when Christ died. At this time, I would like to examine one more passage used by these people.

Take up your Cross Daily

Luke 9:23 – “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

If the reader is one who advocates this “crucified daily” doctrine, I can hear him now. “See there,” he says, pointing to the above verse. “Let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Yes, I believe that believers should take up their cross daily and follow Christ. But notice – this scripture does not command me to be crucified daily; it rather commands me to take up my cross daily. What is meant by the phrase, “Take up his cross daily”? Jesus defines this phrase for us in the previous verse. Let us look at the verse preceding our verse of study:

Luke 9:22 – “Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.”

In this verse, Christ tells us plainly what His cross is. Christ’s cross is defined clearly. He would be slain, and He would rise again on the third day. Then, He admonishes His disciples to likewise take up a cross for themselves. Somehow, however, when many speak of the cross of the believer, they want to be “crucified every day,” and they wish to stop there! Christ’s cross did not end with His death upon the cross. Look at Luke 9:22 again – “Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and BE RAISED THE THIRD DAY.” Christ was not just crucified; He was also buried! Christ was not just buried; He was raised from the dead! He was not just raised from the dead; He LIVED upon the earth for forty days! He did not just live upon the earth for forty days; He ascended to the Father and He lives forevermore!

After Jesus tells His disciples that He would bear a cross, be slain, and be raised again, He then commands them to take up their cross daily. What is the meaning of “Take up thy cross daily”?

Every day, I need to realize that when Christ died, my old man died, as clearly shown in the following verses:

Galatians 2:20 – “I AM CRUCIFIED with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 5:24 – “And they that are Christ’s HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

Galatians 6:14 – “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world IS CRUCIFIED unto me, and I unto the world.”

Colossians 3:3 – “For ye ARE DEAD, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

Romans 8:10 – “And if Christ be in you, the body IS DEAD because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

“Taking up my cross” does not just mean realizing that I died with Christ, when Christ died, but it also is composed of realizing that when Christ was buried, I was buried with Him:

Romans 6:4 – “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death…”

Colossians 2:12 – “Buried with him in baptism…”

The meaning of the phrase, “Taking up my cross” is not limited to merely understanding that I died when Christ died; or that I was buried when Christ was buried; but it also includes the understanding that when Christ rose from the dead, I rose with Him!

Romans 6:4 – “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Colossians 2:12 – “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

Colossians 3:1 – “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

The meaning of the phrase, “Taking up my cross” does not even stop with my “new man” being resurrected when Christ rose. Christ ascended into heaven, and is set down at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 12:2); and every believer ascended with Christ when Christ ascended, and we are, as far as God Almighty is concerned, set with Christ in heavenly places:

Ephesians 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

Ephesians 2:4-6 – “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

This phrase, “Taking up thy cross” does not even stop with believers ascending with Christ into heavenly places. Now that Christ has ascended, He lives forevermore, never to die again! We, who are saved by the grace of God, have been given eternal, or everlasting life NOW! Just as Christ ascended to live forevermore, believers have ascended with him into heavenly places to live forevermore.

John 14:19 – “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.”

Romans 5:10 – “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

This phrase, “Taking up thy cross” does not end with the believer being crucified every day. Rather, it is fulfilled when we daily identify with Christ – realizing that we died when Christ died; that we were buried when Christ was buried; that we rose when Christ rose; that we ascended when Christ ascended; and because Christ lives forevermore, we live forevermore! Yes, I want to live as though my “old man” is dead, and should certainly do so. However, I do not want to stop there! I want my “new man” to live! I have heard people say (sincerely yet erroneously) that “Christ died so I could live.” That’s not entirely right. In reality, Christ died so that my “old man” could die. He rose again so that I could live! Jesus said, “Because I live, ye shall live also!” Listen to me very carefully. The “new man” living in newness of life is every bit as much part of “taking up your cross” as the “old man” being crucified. Don’t stop with the crucifixion of the “old man!” And don’t try to crucify the “old man” every day; the Bible couldn’t be plainer – your “old man” died when Christ died!

I hear people say (again, sincerely yet erroneously), “I want to live the crucified life.” NOT ME! I don’t wish to live a “crucified life.” When Christ died, my “old man” died a crucified death. Now, I wish to live a resurrected life! I want my “new man” to LIVE! It is God’s will for us to LIVE! Paul states in Philippians 1:21, “For me to LIVE is Christ and to die is gain!” Jesus stated in John 10:10, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Christ rose so we could live! And His resurrection is part of the way of the cross.

A Look at Romans 6

The best definition of the phrase, “Take up thy cross” is found in the sixth chapter of Romans. In this chapter, Paul gives three steps to victory over sin. To have victory, there is first, something we must KNOW; second, there is something we must RECKON; and third, there is something we must YIELD. First, there is something we must know:

Romans 6:6 – “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

“Knowing this,” Paul says, “that our old man IS CRUCIFIED with Him!” The first step to gaining victory in our lives is knowing that the crucifixion of our “old man” was WITH CHRIST – it took place when Christ died.

I am not trying to be critical, but I am trying to be honest. Out of all the individuals who are trying to crucify their flesh every day, I have never met one of them who have victory. I have never met one of them who are confident in Christ’s work. They are, for the most part, living in torment. They constantly live in fear that maybe they are not “crucified enough.” The only way I can’t be ‘crucified enough’ is if Christ wasn’t crucified enough, because my “old man” was crucified with Him! Those who KNOW THIS live in deeper depth of victory than those who do not KNOW THIS!

Second, there is something we must reckon:

Romans 6:11 – “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,” Paul says. Noah Webster defines “reckon” this way: “To count; to number; that is, to tell the particulars.” I know that I died when Christ died, but simply knowing it won’t give me victory. I must reckon my life to be that way. I must live outwardly what I know inwardly. This is reckoning! And notice what it is exactly we are to reckon – “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, BUT ALIVE UNTO GOD!” The crowd who tries to crucify their flesh daily is not big on being “alive unto God!” Don’t just count, or reckon, your “old man” dead, but count your “new man” alive unto God!

Third, there is something we must yield:

Romans 6:13 – “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

The third and most important step to victory is YIELDING. Allow me to look briefly at two verses at which I have already examined:

Colossians 3:5 – “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

In this verse, as I previously pointed out, the “members” we are to destroy are SINS. Fornication, uncleanness, and so forth.

Romans 8:13 – “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

In this verse, similar to the previous verse, we see that it is, not the body to be mortified, but rather the DEEDS of the body.

I humbly ask the reader to follow me just for a brief moment. The reader may ask, “If our ‘old man’ died when Christ died, then why are we still tempted to sin?” The answer is very simple. Though my “old man” is dead, sin is yet alive! Sin does not die! For this reason, we must mortify our members which are upon the earth, which are the sins he goes on to mention. Because sin does not die, we mortify the deeds of the body.

Every time you are tempted to sin, you have two choices. You can either reckon yourself dead to sin, and alive to God, yielding yourself as instruments of righteousness; or else you can yield yourself to the sin, as instruments of unrighteousness. When you KNOW that your “old man” died when Christ died; and you RECKON yourself dead to sin and alive to God; and you yield yourself to God, mortifying the deeds of the body; then you will live! You will then live the abundant, resurrected life!

This is the meaning of Christ’s words, “…take up thy cross, and follow me!”

Conclusion

The scriptures are clear – the crucifixion of my “old man” is WITH CHRIST. This means that I died when Christ died. Because my crucifixion is with Christ, there is only one possible way I can be crucified every day, and that is if Christ is crucified every day. Now, I ask the reader, especially if the reader is of the opinion that we must crucify our flesh every day, “Will Christ be crucified every day?” “Is Christ supposed to be crucified every day?” If you are a Catholic, then you would answer “yes” to these questions. The Bible, however, answers “NO” to these questions. The Bible plainly declares that Christ will only die once for sins:

Romans 6:9, 10 – “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, HE DIED UNTO SIN ONCE: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.”

Hebrews 10:10 – “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

The Bible further declares that it is a blasphemous thought to suggest that Christ will die more than once:

Hebrews 6:4-6 – “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened…If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

Clearly, Jesus Christ will never die for sin but once. The Bible, just as plainly, teaches that the crucifixion of our “old man” is with Christ. The only way that I would be willing to be “crucified” every day is if Christ will be crucified every day. I am only willing to be crucified WITH CHRIST, and Christ most certainly will NOT be crucified ever again. Neither will I. My “old man” died when Christ died.

Crucified with Christ - Part 1

2011-12-28T13:04:00.000-08:00

For those who read this post, it is necessary to understand two facts: first, it is not my goal TO OFFEND the reader; and second, it is not my goal NOT TO OFFEND the reader. Exclusively and without exception, it is my objective to declare the truths of God’s word. Knowing this, I ask the reader to read the post in its entirety, especially before contacting me regarding its contents.

Today I deal with a common misconception found in many churches. Provided that you have been an attendee of a conservative church for any length of time, you have undoubtedly heard this line before: “We need to crucify our flesh.” Or, perhaps you have heard it this way: “Every day, we need to keep our old man buried.” I have heard this one: “I want to live a crucified life.” Phrases such as these are commonplace in many churches; yet these are NOT biblical phrases. While they sound pious, these expressions often originate from those who of the mindset that the Christian life is hard; that if we make it heaven, we’ll arrive but barely. Those who preach this teaching usually define this phrase, “crucifying our flesh,” to mean “making ourselves miserable; denying ourselves of any pleasure; self-deprivation.” However, when the Bible speaks of believers being “crucified,” or “dead to sin,” the scriptures are dealing with our “old man,” or the individual we used to be prior to obtaining salvation.

Recently, I sent a text message to a friend of mine. Though I do not remember its exact wording, it went something like this: “I will not be crucifying my flesh today.” I went on to explain my reasoning. This friend texted me back, stating why he WOULD BE crucifying his flesh that day. Assuming that the reader will be patient with me, I wish to give reasons from the word of God why I will not be crucifying my flesh today. If you are of the mindset that we need to crucify our flesh every day, I hope you will at least give me your attention. While you may not agree with me, I only ask that you will hear me out. To begin, I wish to examine a few passages of scripture often used by this crowd who desires to crucify their flesh daily.

Passages in Galatians

Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 5:24 – “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

Galatians 6:14 – “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

I encourage the reader to read the above verses two or three times each. Read them slowly. Read them honestly. Read them without regards to any opinion of your own. If this is done, the reader will be forced to admit that there is a mood of finality to the believer’s crucifixion. Yes, I believe that every believer should be crucified. I believe that my “old man” should be crucified. When I say, “old man,” I am referring to the individual I was before I was converted. The above verses, however, do not teach that I SHOULD BE crucified; the above verses teach that I AM crucified! Look at them again:

Galatians 2:20 – “I AM CRUCIFIED with Christ.”

Galatians 5:24 – “And they that are Christ’s HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh with its affections and lusts.”

Galatians 6:14 – “…the world IS CRUCIFIED unto me, and I unto the world.”

Yes, I believe that those who are saved should be dead to the world, and dead to sin. But I believe more than that – those who are saved ARE CRUCIFIED with Christ. If you are saved, you are dead to sin and the world. Listen to me very carefully. I am not TRYING to be crucified with Christ – I AM CRUCIFIED with Christ! I am not striving to be dead to sin; I AM dead to sin! There is a sense of finality to these verses. Paul did not say, “I am TRYING to be crucified with Christ”; Paul said, “I AM CRUCIFIED with Christ.” Paul did not say, “They that are Christ’s should STRIVE to crucify the flesh”; he plainly says, “They that are Christ’s HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh.” Paul does not declare, “The world SHOULD BE crucified unto me”; he says rather, “The world IS CRUCIFIED unto me.” Can’t you see the finality of our crucifixion with Christ? The Christian life is not a daily attempt to crucify the individual you used to be; the Christian life is rather living out a realization that the individual you used to be IS DEAD! I am not trying to do away with the man I used to be; the “old man” is already done away with! He is gone! He has been crucified!

When Was my “Old Man” Crucified?

“If your ‘old man’ has already been crucified,” you may ask, “then WHEN were you crucified?” Let us examine our text again for the answer:

Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified WITH CHRIST.”

The answer is plain as day. Paul plainly states, “I am crucified WITH CHRIST.” My “old man” died when Christ died. When Christ was crucified, I was crucified. The man I used to be was executed on a cross on Calvary’s hill over 2,000 years ago. Once the reader understands this, the fog lifts! What a great joy it was when I finally understood that what I was trying to do daily – i.e. crucify my flesh – was already completely finished 2,000 years ago! When reading the remainder of this post, keep in mind that the Bible plainly teaches that believers have already been crucified, and that crucifixion is WITH CHRIST. Don’t forget it – we died when Christ died.

Mortify Your Members!

Colossians 3:5 – “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Here is yet another verse used by those who wish to crucify their flesh every day. Understanding that the word, “mortify” means “to kill,” we have here a command to kill our members which are upon the earth.

Look carefully at this verse. “Mortify your members,” it declares. Then, the verse defines the members we are to destroy. It is not our flesh that we are to destroy; it is a collection of various SINS that we are to destroy. Whatever causes us to be tempted while living in this flesh – destroy it! If it is a temptation to you, get away from it. Listen to me very carefully. If you wish to use Colossians 3:5 to preach that we need to crucify our flesh daily, that’s your business. But if you’re going to do so, you need to back up two verses and do something with Colossians 3:3.

Colossians 3:3 – “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

Before Paul tells us to mortify our members, he just as plainly tells us this – “YE ARE DEAD!” He does not say, “Ye are STRIVING to be dead”; he says, “Ye ARE DEAD!” I do not need to destroy my “old man” today; my “old man” was destroyed upon an old, rugged cross.

Mortifying the Deeds of the Body

Romans 8:13 – “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

Here is another verse used to show that we need to crucify our flesh daily. This verse, however does not teach us to mortify the body, or the flesh; it rather teaches us to mortify the DEEDS of the body. As we just saw in Colossians, we will be tempted to sin. These SINS need to be destroyed! It is not our flesh, or our “old man” that needs to be destroyed, for our “old man” has already been destroyed! In the chapter we are currently discussing, Romans 8, look at what Paul states just three verses prior to our verse of study:

Romans 8:10 – “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

Did you catch that? Three verses before Paul teaches us to mortify the deeds of the body, he states, “If Christ be in you, the body IS DEAD!” When did our “old man” die? When Christ died! Paul teaches this again very plainly! If you are going to use Romans 8:13 to prove that we need to crucify our flesh, then be honest with the word of God and use Romans 8:10 with it – “If Christ be in you, the body IS DEAD!”

I Die Daily

I Corinthians 15:31 – “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”

Another verse popularly used to promote the daily death of the believer is before us. I hear it said often, “Paul said, ‘I die daily.’” Yes, he did. But Paul is not speaking here of dying out to self, or dying out to sin. This entire chapter, I Corinthians 15, is dealing with the doctrine of the resurrection. Paul is teaching the Corinthians the chief importance of believing that we will one day be resurrected. When Paul says, “I die daily,” he is teaching us that he counts himself as dead every day! He places himself in jeopardy continually for the purpose of propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why does he do so? Because he knows that death is not final! There is a coming resurrection, and Paul will be resurrected. His statement, “I die daily,” refers to his willingness to place his life in jeopardy on a daily basis. You say, “Where did you get that?” I say, “I got it out of the Bible.” If you’ll look at the verse again, reading the surrounding verses with it, you will find that Paul is telling the Corinthians that he jeopardizes his life continually, and he wouldn’t do it if the dead rise not:

I Corinthians 15:30-32 – “And WHY STAND WE IN JEOPARDY every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, IF THE DEAD RISE NOT? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.”

So, to say that Paul’s statement, “I die daily,” is referring to “dying out to sin,” or “dying out to self,” is to take the scripture grossly out of context.

TO BE CONTINUED…

God’s Ways – Higher than Ours!

2011-12-26T09:04:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 55:9 – “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

In the above verses, the first explicitly states that the ways of God Almighty far surpass the ways of mankind; and the second teaches us to lean not unto our own understanding. This truth is clearly illustrated in a story told by B.H. Carroll:

“An old man, a very pious, true Christian, was deeply concerned because his two boys were infidels, and all through his life he had tried to illustrate the truth and power of the Christian religion before those boys, and it seemed to have no effect on them. They would not heed his precepts, nor follow his example. Finally, he got the idea in his head that he ought to pray God to make his death powerful in leading these boys to Christ, so when the time came for him to die, to his surprise, instead of everything being bright and he as happy as an angel and singing like a lark, he was in the most awful distress of mind. It was all dark to him. Promises, which, when he was well, seemed as bright as stars, were now darkness, and instead of being able to show his children the triumphant glory of a dying saint, he was showing his children that he was groping as he came to pass away, and so he died. The boys observed it very carefully. They had expected the old man to die a very happy death. They thought he was entitled to it. But when they saw a man that lived as righteously as he had, who when he came to pass away, had to go through deep water, one said to the other, ‘Tom, if our father had such a time as that, what kind of a time do you reckon we are going to have?’ And it influenced their conversion.”*

Here, we have an old man, whose OWN UNDERSTANDING led him to believe that his happy, peaceful death would influence his heathen sons in the best manner. God, however, whose ways are higher than ours, worked out the conversion of those sons a different way. This may surprise you, but God Almighty does not need your help in explaining to Him how something ought to be done! Whatever it is you face today, God’s got unlimited ways to fix it – ways of which you have neither thought nor dreamed. So, when you go to prayer, bring your cares to Jesus and let Him fix it His way. His ways are higher than ours!

There's a Song in the Air!

2011-12-25T07:09:00.000-08:00

There’s a song in the air! There’s a star in the sky!
There’s a mother’s deep prayer and a baby’s low cry!
And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a king!*

One of greatest scenes in all of history is the one of the most silent scenes in all of history. A babe lay in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Perhaps ignorance caused the world to be silent. The angels knew who the child was, and they rejoiced. The world, however, knew not the child, and remained silent.

Though He were a stranger to the world at His birth, it has since been revealed to the world the reason Jesus Christ, the babe in the manger, came to this world. I rejoice when I think of how He came from glory into this wicked world. But, why the fuss? Why do the angels rejoice at His coming into this world? Why do we sing with jubilant voices to celebrate the time when God came to us in the flesh? The rejoicing is done and the fuss is made about the babe in the manger because of who the babe is, and what He has come to do. I wish to focus, in this post, on what the babe in the manger has come to do.

He Came to Seek and to Save that which is Lost
Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

Amazing to me is how so many churches emphasize everything under the sun, except the salvation of the lost. This is supreme purpose for which Christ came. Christ did not come to baptize; He came to seek and to save. According to John 4:2, Jesus Himself did not baptize. Yet, so many churches believe and teach that baptism is what saves the soul from sin. If Jesus did not baptize, why do so many emphasize baptism as they do? Even Paul, according to I Corinthians 1, baptized very few. He declares, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel!” There are churches today that emphasize not merely baptism, but they emphasize what the preacher says before he puts you under the water! How sad. Christ did not come to initiate communion, to baptize, or to wash feet. Christ came to perform an extensive search for the wayward soul, and bring that soul into the fold!

Christ did not come to start a soup-kitchen, though feeding the hungry is something that Christians should do. Christ did not come to make men comfortable in this life. Christ did not come to establish an organization, association, or denomination. If anyone tells you that you must be a part of their denomination to be saved, RUN! Christ did come, however, to save men and women from sin and its penalty, and place them into His church. So many churches today focus on everything except the salvation of the lost. Some churches emphasize building programs, gymnasiums, youth activities, but very little actual outreach to the lost. They attempt to defeat the very purpose of the babe in the manger.

Luke 5:32 – “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

John 3:17 – “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

John 12:47 – “If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”

I Timothy 1:15 – “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

He Came to Take Away Sins
It is often emphasized that Christ came to save men from hell. That is a correct statement, but it is not a complete statement. Christ did not come merely to save men from hell; Christ came to save men from sin. An angel told Joseph what to name the child, and why. Matthew 1:21 states, “…thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” It is not the will of God that His children be in bondage. His blood has power to deliver; the Holy Ghost has power to set free; the anointing has the ability to destroy every yoke of bondage. Be it the filth of cigarettes, the bondage of homosexuality, the scarlet sin of adultery, the forces of pornography, the curse of abortion, the muck and the mire of drugs and alcohol, Jesus did not come to save men and women, only to leave them in such ungodly conditions! The Son of God came to deliver and set men free!

John 1:29 – “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

I John 3:5 – “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

He Was Born to Die
We say often of great singers, “They were born to sing;” or of great preachers, “He was born to preach.” While some, because of their great talent, were born to do this, or born to do that, Jesus Christ was literally born to die. His mission in life was simply – to die. Of course, to fulfil the plan of God, Christ had to be buried and rise again, but His death had to occur first. In dying, He paid off the account of our offences; in rising again, He justified us, declaring us to be innocent! He was wrapped in swaddling clothes by Joseph at His birth that He might be wrapped in grave clothes by another Joseph at His death! Jesus came to die!

Matthew 20:28 – “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

He Came to Give Life
It is the devil that destroys life; it is Christ that restores life. Jesus said, “The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; but I am come that ye might have life, and that ye might have it more abundantly.” It is the devil that drags homosexual men down the death-awaiting path to HIV and AIDS; it is Christ who has all power to set them free from that lifestyle of death. It is the devil who drags young women down a path of guilt and immense depression, telling them that abortion is best; it is Christ, however, who can forgive such murderers and give them peace in their hearts. It is the devil who lures young men to pornography, leading them to a life of separation from their families; it is Christ, on the other hand, who can deliver from pornography, and restore families. It is the devil who convinces a man to spend his last five dollars on something to drink, letting his children go to bed hungry; Christ came to set the drunkard free! Christ came to give us life!

I John 3:8 – “…for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

I John 4:9 – “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

He Came to Be a Propitiation for Our Sins
Stated plainly, our sins make God angry. Many in our churches today have such a lax view of sin. But with God, sin is no laughing matter. Because of our sin, the Father required that the only way to pay for sin is death. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” “The wages of sin is death.” But in His love toward us, God sent His Son into the world to bear the wrath of God upon Himself. Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, never sinned in word, in thought, or in deed. He never apologized for anything, for it was never necessary.

Because of His sinlessness, and His substitutionary death (that is; He died for our sins, because He did not have to die for His own), the wrath of God is appeased in the work of Jesus Christ. At this point, if you go to hell now, you will go, not merely because of your sins, for they are paid in full. The individual who goes to hell now goes because He has rejected the work of Christ, the work with which the Father is satisfied. For this cause, Jesus said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” God was angry with mankind because of his sins. But the babe in the manger was sent from heaven to take those sins upon Himself, and die for them! This pleased the Father. His wrath was finally quieted. Because of this, those who trust Christ’s work completely are reconciled with the Father. There is no tension between the Father and me, because the cross of Christ silenced the wrath of God. Should you try to appease God’s wrath any other way than the cross of Christ; whether by good living, or by keeping commandments, or by going to church, or by giving in the offering, or anything else; God is still angry with you. The only work that cools his seething anger is the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross. The baby asleep on the hay is there with a mission – to calm the Father’s wrath and reconcile us back to God.

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”**

*Josiah G. Holland
**Charles Wesley

Something to Consider This Christmas

2011-12-24T19:20:00.000-08:00

Jesus Christ forsook all the splendors of heaven to be born in this wicked world. Had Christ been born in a palace to reign as a king, He would have taken a tremendous step down to do so! But He went further down than that!

II Corinthians 8:9 - “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

Merry Christmas to each and every reader!

Sankey Sang the Shepherd Song on Christmas Eve*

2011-12-23T12:05:00.000-08:00

It happened that on Christmas Eve of the year 1875, Ira D. Sankey, to whom God had given wonderful power to sing the Gospel as he worked with Dwight L. Moody, was traveling by steamboat up the Delaware River. It was a calm, starlit evening, and there were many passengers gathered on the deck. Mr. Sankey was asked to sing; and, as always, he was perfectly willing to do so. He stood there leaning against one of the great funnels of the boat, his eyes raised to the starry heavens in quiet prayer. It was his intention to sing a Christmas song, but somehow he was driven to sing “The Shepherd Song”:

Saviour, like a shepherd lead us:

Much we need Thy tend’rest care;

In Thy pleasant pastures feed us;

For our use Thy folds prepare.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

Thou hast bought us; Thine we are.

We are Thine, do Thou befriend us;

Be the Guardian of our way:

Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us;

Seek us when we go astray.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

Hear, oh, hear us when we pray.

Thou hast promised to receive us,

Poor and sinful though we be;

Thou hast mercy to relieve us,

Grace to cleanse and power to free.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

We will early turn to Thee.

Early let us seek Thy favor;

Early let us do Thy will,

Blessed Lord and only Saviour,

With Thy love our bosoms fill.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

Thou hast loved us, love us still.

There was a deep stillness. Words and melody, welling from the singer’s soul, floated out over the deck and the quiet river. Every heart was touched. After the song was ended, a man with a rough, weather-beaten face came up to Mr. Sankey and asked, “Did you ever serve in the Union Army?”

“Yes,” answered Mr. Sankey, “in the spring of 1860.”

“Can you remember if you were doing picket duty on a bright moonlight night in 1862?”

“Yes,” answered Mr. Sankey, very much surprised.

“So do I,” said the stranger; “but I was serving in the Confederate Army. When I saw you standing at your post, I thought to myself, ‘That fellow will never get away from here alive.’ I raised my musket and took aim. I was standing in the shadow, completely concealed, while the full light of the moon was falling on you. At that instant, just as a moment ago, you raised your eyes to Heaven and began to sing. Music, especially song, has always had a wonderful power over me, and I took my finger off the trigger. ‘Let him sing his song to the end,’ I said to myself. ‘I can shoot him afterwards. He’s my victim at all events, and my bullet cannot miss him.’ But the song you sang then was the song you sang just now. I heard the words perfectly,

We are Thine, do Thou befriend us;

Be the Guardian of our way.

“Those words stirred up memories in my heart. I began to think of my childhood and my God-fearing mother. She had many, many times sung that song to me. But she died all too soon; otherwise, much in my life would no doubt have been different. When you had finished your song, it was impossible for me to take aim at you again. I thought, ‘The Lord who is able to save that man from certain death must surely be great and mighty.’ – and my arm of its own accord dropped limply at my side. Since that time I have wandered far; but when I saw you just now, standing there praying, as on that other occasion, I recognized you. Then my heart was wounded by your song. Now I wish you would help me find a cure for my sin-sick soul.”

Deeply moved, Mr. Sankey threw his arms about the man who in the days of the war had been his enemy. And this Christmas Eve, the two went together to the manger in Bethlehem and to the Christ of the cross. There the stranger found Him who is the only Saviour, the One of whom the angel and the prophet sang many centuries ago:

“And the angel of the Lord…said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:9-11

O Give Thanks unto the Lord!

2011-11-22T09:58:00.000-08:00

Psalm 107:1 – “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Only an arrogant individual will purposely neglect to give the Lord thanks. Every breath you breathe comes from God Almighty. Yet there are those who will use the Lord’s air that fills their lungs to curse His holy name. How low! How proud! How coldhearted! How arrogant! How disgusting! I do not know of a sin more gross than neglecting to give the Lord thanks for His many blessings. Every person reading this has something to thank God for; and most of us have very much to thank Him for.

In Romans 1, Paul speaks of the heathen who commit sins that even beasts of the field know better than to commit. When reading this chapter, one may wonder, “How does anyone sink so low?” Paul tells us clearly how a civilized people sink lower than the beasts of the field:

Romans 1:21 – “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, NEITHER WERE THANKFUL; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Paul clearly makes a connection between the grossest sins committable and neglecting to be thankful. If you are truly thankful toward God, you acknowledge that God Almighty is high above you and your philosophies and ideas. Being thankful toward God requires submission to the mercies of God. You realize that God is good in spite of you, not because of you.

I want to use Psalm 107 as my text, and give the reader four things for which I am thankful.

I am Thankful for What God HAS DONE

Psalm 107:2 – “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.”

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!” What a privilege it is to be redeemed from the hand of the enemy! I am thankful, first, for what God has done. He redeemed me! He paid for me with His own blood!

I have often said that my salvation is as real to me as any possession I have. I have given my testimony on this blog, so I’ll not expound much here. But I will mention that nothing is more real to me than my salvation.

At six years of age, I went to a Vacation Bible School at a church located behind my house. One of the men went from classroom to classroom trying to get children to say the “sinner’s prayer.” I said that prayer. However, I did not realize what I was doing. I was told I was saved, but at that time, I had no genuine salvation experience. The pastor of that church, who meant well, baptized me a few months later (January 22, 1989). When a person was baptized in that church, they became a member of the church. So, at six years of age, I repeated a prayer, got baptized in water, and joined a Baptist church. But I was lost as I could be! I was without Christ.

A few years later, I went to a different Baptist church. I sat on the front row every service. I distinctly remember going home after the services, sitting in my room, and something deep inside me telling me I needed to be saved! That “something” was the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of God was dealing with me, showing me that I needed to trust Jesus Christ to save me completely. I would sit in my bedroom, and think about how I needed to be saved. Then, I would turn it off, saying to myself, “You’ve already said the prayer. You’re all right.” Then, I’d forget about it…until the next service. This went on for a few weeks. Finally, on March 13, 1994, on a Sunday morning, after the pastor preached a message on the subject of salvation, I went to the front. I told the pastor I needed to be saved. We knelt down, and there I placed all my faith in Jesus Christ and was saved by the grace of God! I am thankful for what God HAS DONE!

God has done more for me than just bestowing upon me spiritual blessings. I am thankful for what God has done for me materially. I am thankful for my health. I know people younger than I am who have diabetes. I know people younger than I am who have had heart surgeries. I am thankful for my health! I am thankful to God that when I open my eyes, I can see. Not everyone can say that. I thank God that I can hear, for that is not the case with everyone! I thank God every time a bill is due, I have the money to pay it! Let us not take anything for granted, but “in everything give thanks!”

I am Thankful for What God Could’ve Done, but DIDN’T DO

Psalm 107:10-13 – “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.”

The psalmist, in the above verses, tell us about a people who sat in darkness, being bound in affliction and iron. Why are they bound? BECAUSE THEY REBELLED AGAINST THE WORDS OF GOD! They were in bondage because of what THEY did! They “made their bed rough;” now they have to “lie in it,” as the old-timers say. But notice this – even though they were afflicted because of their own doings, notice what happened. When they cried unto the Lord, what did the Lord do? Did He say, “I’m sorry, you’re in bondage because of your own sins”? No! When they cried unto the Lord, He saved them out of their distresses! The Lord could have left these people in their bondage and affliction, and He would have been just in doing so! But He didn’t!

Likewise, the Lord could have left me in my sins. BUT HE DIDN’T! He could have let me go my own way and end up in hell! Surely, that’s what I deserve! But He did not do what He rightfully could have done!

I am Thankful for What God CANNOT DO

Psalm 107:20 – “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

“He sent His word!” When I read this phrase, I am reminded that there is something that God Almighty cannot do!

Titus 1:1, 2 – “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that CANNOT LIE, promised before the world began.”

Friend, God CANNOT lie. And I thank Him for this truth! I do not have to worry about what God said not coming to pass. If God said it, it absolutely will happen just like God said it would. God says that He formed man with His own hands out of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). The atheistic professor says that humans evolved from some non-existent ape-like “missing link.” Who is the liar in this case? The atheistic professor is the liar, for God Almighty CANNOT LIE! God said that marriage is between a MAN and HIS WIFE (Genesis 2:24). When a liberal says that marriage can also be between a man and his husband; or between a woman and her wife; tell me who the liar is. It is not God, for God CANNOT LIE! God said that He knows the baby in the womb personally (Jeremiah 1:5). When an abortion doctor says that removing a baby from the womb is no different than removing a gallbladder, who do you suppose the liar is? It is not God, for He CANNOT LIE!

I am thankful for what God cannot do! I am thankful that, in a world of change, there is something that is consistent! What God says will never change!

I am Thankful for What God WILL DO

Psalm 107:29 – “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”

“He maketh the storm a calm.” As sure as you are reading this post, you will face storms in this life. You have already faced storms, and there will be more. You will have physical ailments. You will be betrayed by friends. You will have financial troubles. Your marriage will be tried and tested. Relationships with others will be strained. I’m not trying to be dismal; I’m trying to be honest. Storms will come. They always have, and they always will. Hard times will come your way. Get ready for it.

But know this: “He maketh the storm a calm.” Even though there are storms that have not yet come my way, I know that God will bring me through them, as He always has. He will calm the storm! He may let the storm rage for a while before He calms it, but HE WILL calm the storm. “He maketh the storm a calm.” I am thankful for what God WILL DO!

The New Birth - Part 9

2011-11-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

What Does it Mean to Believe?

John 3:14, 15 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Arriving now at the most popular passage in the Bible, John 3:16, let us examine the words closely and carefully. We are clearly told by Christ Himself, “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Here, it is plain that believing in Jesus Christ brings salvation. But what does it mean to believe? Allow me to look at, first, what believing IS NOT; and second, what believing IS.

“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Believing in God’s Existence

When dealing with the lost, I have had people repeatedly tell me, “Oh, I believe in God.” Believing in God’s existence is not what the scripture means by believing IN Jesus Christ, or believing ON Jesus Christ. Notice:

James 2:19 – “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

As far as the existence of God is concerned, the devils believe, but they are lost both now and forever:

Jude 6 – “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”

The devils believe in God’s existence; yet they are reserved for the judgment of God. Simply believing that God exists does not produce salvation.

“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Believing that Jesus Died on the Cross

Still yet, there are those who adamantly declare that they are ready for heaven because they accept the historical fact of Christ’s death upon the cross. Again, the Bible is clear that the devil believes that Jesus died! Every devil in hell saw the crucifixion of Christ take place, and was spoiled by it; yet every devil is lost!

Colossians 2:13-15 – “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers [devils], he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

When Christ died upon the cross, He made a show of principalities and powers, triumphing over them. The devil himself was there when Jesus died upon the cross. He witnessed the fulfillment of every scripture prophesying Christ’s humiliation. The devil was spoiled at the cross! “Spoiled” is a war term. When the scriptures declare that the devil was spoiled, this means that the devil lost a war at the cross of Jesus Christ, and Christ openly showed that Satan was a defeated foe! Of course Satan believes that Jesus died upon the cross, for that is the very place where Satan lost the war. Yet, Satan is as unconverted as he can be. You can believe in the historical fact of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and still be lost.

“Believing in Jesus Christ” is NOT Obeying God’s Law

Now we come to the other extreme in people’s interpretation of “believing in Christ.” While some think that believing in Jesus Christ is equivalent to believing in His existence, or believing in the historical fact of His death upon the cross, there are others, however, who go to the other extreme. They say things like, “Believing is obeying;” and “Faith is action.” They attest that one must obey God’s laws to be saved. That, they say, is the true meaning of the Biblical word, “believe.” They will read you a verse that speaks of believing on Christ to be saved; then they turn to James 2, where James says, “Faith without works is dead.” Therefore, they conclude that believing on Christ is synonymous with obeying the law of God. The Bible, however, plainly shows that we are justified by believing (or, by faith), and that this faith is completely apart from the law.

Romans 3:20-22 – “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.”

Romans 3:28 – “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Galatians 2:19 – “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.”

Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Galatians 3:11 – “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:21 – “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

Clearly, the Bible teaches that when we believe, or place our faith, in Jesus Christ, this act is completely apart from the law. Therefore, “believing in Jesus Christ” is not the same as “obeying the law of God.” You can obey God’s moral laws, and burn in a devil’s hell.

So, What is “Believing in Jesus Christ”?

Having seen a few things that believing in Christ IS NOT, I will now discuss what such belief IS. In this post, I have used the terms, “believing” and “faith” interchangeably. When the Bible speaks of “believing in Christ,” it is speaking of us placing our faith in Christ. There are verses that show this plainly.

Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by THE FAITH of Jesus Christ, even WE HAVE BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Romans 3:22 – “Even the righteousness of God which is by FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST unto all and upon ALL THEM THAT BELIEVE: for there is no difference.”

Without a doubt, the scriptures use the terms, “believing in, or on, Jesus Christ” interchangeably with “faith.”

And that is what the scriptures mean by believing IN, or ON, Jesus Christ. When you believe in Christ, you are not merely believing about Christ; you are not merely affirming historical facts regarding Christ; but you are placing your faith in Christ. Placing your faith in someone means that you are TRUSTING them.

Picture this. I am standing in front of a chair. You ask me to have a seat. I continue to stare at the chair. You ask me again to have a seat. I respond by saying, “Oh, I believe that if I were to sit down, the chair would hold me up.” But I keep standing. When I finally make the decision to sit down, then and only then am I trusting the chair to hold me up. Many today look at Christ’s work upon the cross, and they say, “Oh, I believe Jesus died on the cross.” But they are as lost as they can be. On March 13, 1994, I believed on Jesus Christ completely and exclusively for salvation. I completely trusted Him and Him alone to save me. I am trusting Jesus Christ in such a way that the only way I could possibly be lost is if the blood that He shed upon the cross to save me was not enough. I was baptized in water on April 24, 1994. But I am not trusting my baptism in water to save me. If you are trusting the fact that you have been baptized to save you, then you are not believing in Jesus Christ for salvation, and you are therefore lost and on your way to hell. If you are trusting in church membership, sacraments, law-keeping, commandment-keeping, how much you pray, how much you fast, or anything other than Christ’s work upon the cross to save you, then you are lost at this very moment. Believe in Jesus Christ today; trust Him completely to save you. The moment that you let go and cease to trust anything else, and completely place yourself at the mercy of Jesus Christ, He will save you that very moment. Trust Him now!

The New Birth - Part 8

2011-11-16T11:32:00.000-08:00

What Masters Miss

John 3:10 – “Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”

Matthew 11:25 – “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”

Continuing our brief study of the third chapter of John, we find that Nicodemus is struggling to believe Christ’s words admonishing him to be born again. Though he is hungry for truth, Nicodemus is struggling to grasp what Christ is declaring to him. Here is a master of Israel; a teacher of the law; a well-studied Pharisee; and yet he struggles at the simple command, “Ye must be born again!”

Allow me to begin by saying that there is no reason for the well educated to be left out of God’s plan. If you are an intelligent person, then the gospel of Jesus Christ is for you. No intellectual would be disappointed by giving his life to Christ. There are depths in God’s word that are so deep that the wisest of Bible commentators cannot seize them all. And at the same time, a second grader can understand enough about the word of God to be saved from his sin. I am sure that I study far less than many of my peers. But I do study. I find few things as thrilling as digging in the word of God to see what it says regarding Biblical truth. Yet, the more I study, the more I am amazed at the depth of the word of God. I have read passages over and over, and find jewels every time I read them. That is the way the word of God is! I’ve thumbed through the Koran and the Book of Mormon a few times, and I have yet to find anything deep in either one. The Bible is far superior to any other so-called “holy book!”

Nicodemus was not only a religious man, but he was also an intelligent man. Our Lord referred to him as “a master of Israel.” Masters, in most cases, like to reveal what they know; Nicodemus, a master of Israel, is revealing what he does not know. He is a master, yet he struggles at the thought of being born again. I am amazed how those who you think would grasp the truths of God’s word are the ones who often miss it. On the other hand, those who you think would incapable of grasping the truth are the ones who take it readily. The book of John records a few of these instances. Let us look at a few of them.

The Woman at the Well

In this familiar story found in the fourth chapter of John, Jesus finds himself resting upon a well of Samaria. Behold, here comes a woman to the well in the middle of the day. Jesus begins talking to this woman. To make a lengthy story shorter, Christ offers this woman LIVING WATER. Immediately, she takes the water from the well of God’s grace. She was not a Jew. Her knowledge of the writings of Moses was minimal. Her knowledge of Christ and His teachings was insignificant, to say the least. Yet, when Christ offered her the living waters of salvation, she immediately received it with joy.

John 4:28-30 – “The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.”

This woman did not need a commentary on what Christ said; she simply received the words of our Lord.

Immediately after the woman at the well received the living waters of salvation, the disciples came to the well because they had gone into the city to buy food. The disciples offer Jesus some of the food they had bought. Refusing their offer, the Lord informs them, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” Jesus had just spoken to a heathen woman about the wells of salvation, and she grasped it immediately. Now, Jesus is speaking to his religious disciples; he is talking to men who have heard him teach; he is speaking to men who saw the water turn into wine. Surely, they know what Jesus is talking about when He says, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” Surely, they know that He is not talking about steak and baked potatoes. However, when Christ declares that He has meat to eat that they don’t know about, they miss it!

John 4:31-33 – “In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?”

What the heathen woman grasped so easily, the religious disciples missed just as easily! Jesus had to explain to them what He meant.

John 4:34 – “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”

The Multitude on the Shore

In the sixth chapter of John, we find our Lord speaking to a multitude of people on the seashore. Immediately, without explanation, they receive the words of our Lord, declaring to Him, “Evermore give us this bread!”

John 6:33, 34 – “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.”

Wasn’t that simple? Christ said, “I have bread;” and the multitude, who had never heard anything like that before, said, “Evermore give us this bread!” Wouldn’t it be good if everyone received it this easily?

In the same chapter, however, Christ speaks to His disciples about bread from heaven. If a heathen multitude on the shore can understand, one would be convinced that Christ’s own disciples would get it. But do they understand?

John 6:58-60 – “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?”

The response of the religious disciples was, “This is an hard saying!” A hard saying? It wasn’t hard for the heathen multitude who had never heard it! I have the hardest time getting the message of salvation across to religious lost people. Then, I turn around and give the same message to a hardened sinner who has seldom, if ever, darkened the door of any church whatsoever. It is often them that receive the message of salvation the easiest.

Nicodemus was a master of Israel, but could not grasp, at this point, the message of being born again. Just because they are religious is no indication that they are receiving the truths of God’s word.

The New Birth - Part 7

2011-11-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

Disbelief vs. Unbelief

John 3:9 – “Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?”

Never in the workings of man or the miracles of God has there been a phenomenon as miraculous as the new birth! Upon hearing, first, of its necessity; and second, of its inability to be explained, Nicodemus answers with this logical question: “How can these things be?” At this point, Nicodemus is struggling with doubt. He is having trouble believing. It appears that Nicodemus desires to believe, but is having some difficulty. The problem with Nicodemus is disbelief, not unbelief. Disbelief, or doubt, is a struggling attempt to believe while falling short of believing; unbelief, on the other hand, is an outright refusal to believe. It is unbelief that damns the soul. Often, the Holy Ghost will deal with the doubting, disbelieving soul. It is the soul tainted with unbelief that insults a holy God. I love what Henry Drummond states concerning doubt and unbelief in his sermon Dealing with Doubt –

“Christ never failed to distinguish between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is ‘CAN’T BELIEVE;’ unbelief is ‘WON’T BELIEVE.’ Doubt is honesty; unbelief is obstinacy. Doubt is looking for light; unbelief is content with darkness.”*

Nicodemus is questioning Christ by asking, “How can these things be?” Is Nicodemus in a state of disbelief; or is Nicodemus in a repulsive condition of unbelief?

In our Bible, we have a story where two Bible characters questioned an angel by asking the same question Nicodemus asked – “How can these things be?” One Bible character was answered respectfully; the other was punished for questioning the angel, who proclaimed the word of God. The story to which I allude is found in the first chapter of Luke. The angel Gabriel appears first to Zacharias in the temple. Gabriel tells Zacharias that he and his wife Elisabeth would bear a son in their old age. Let us look at the response of Zacharias:

Luke 1:18 – “And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.”

Plainly, Zacharias responded to Gabriel by questioning him. Now, let us look at the next verse to see what happens next.

Luke 1:19, 20 – “And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.”

Zacharias was punished for questioning Gabriel with the words, “Whereby shall I know this?” He was to be dumb until the child was born.

In the same chapter, we are told that Gabriel, the same angel that visited Zacharias, visited Mary. Gabriel tells Mary that she would conceive and bring forth a son. There was only one problem – Mary was a virgin. Let us look at Mary’s response:

Luke 1:34 – “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

Mary questions Gabriel, just as Zacharias questioned Gabriel. Mary, however, was not punished for questioning the angel, as Zacharias was. In the next verse, we find that Gabriel simply answers Mary’s question respectfully. There is no sign of rebuke in Gabriel’s response to Mary’s questioning.

Luke 1:35 – “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

The question now looming is this: “Why was Zacharias punished for questioning Gabriel, while Mary was not punished for questioning the same angel?” The answer is this: The all-seeing eye of Almighty God can see further than just the question; He can see the spirit behind the question. He knows if your question to Him is one of disbelief or one of unbelief. He knows whether you CAN’T BELIEVE, or WON’T BELIEVE. Mary was asking a sincere question, while Zacharias thought the angel’s proclamation laughable. Mary was trying to believe; Zacharias wouldn’t believe.

When Nicodemus asked Christ how these things could be, it was a sincere question, as Nicodemus was earnestly seeking Christ. We have already seen that Nicodemus was so hungry for God that he approached Christ at night. He could not wait until dawn; he had to be satisfied NOW! Anyone questioning the Lord from the depths of a hungry heart will find that Christ will continue to deal with them. And that is exactly what Christ did – He continued to deal with Nicodemus.

SO WE CONTINUE…

The New Birth - Part 6

2011-11-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

The New Birth is the Lord’s Doing!

John 3:8 – “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Psalm 118:23 – “This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”

The New Birth is Unexplainable

Having looked at the first seven verses of the third chapter of John, it now behooves us to examine the eighth. Here, the Lord uses an illustration of nature to describe how that the new birth is unexplainable. One may as well describe the wind as to explain the experience of a man being born again. The subject of the wind is meteorological, and most people in our society are well aware that the weather is not predicted accurately on a consistent basis, to say the least. So it is with the new birth! Man cannot predict WHEN it will occur; for it often occurs in the least expected of times. Man cannot foretell WHO will be born again; for many times it is the least likely of individuals who are saved by the grace of God. Man is incapable of determining WHERE a person may experience the blessed born-again experience; for lost souls have found saving grace at altars in churches, in automobiles, on jobsites, in living rooms, on street corners, in cornfields, and in many other unsuspected places. No one is competent enough to predetermine the SORTS of individuals who become born again – for this born-again bunch is composed of pauper as well as the wealthy; the bankrupt as well as the banker; the janitor as well as the judge; the defamed as well as the distinguished. The various backgrounds of born-again believers are derived from all walks of life – atheists have come to the common sense of salvation; third-generation drunkards have staggered their way to God, finding new life in Christ; coldhearted, abortionist murderers have repented of their murders and have found the grace of God to be sufficient for them; sportsmen, businessmen, convicts, drug dealers, and prostitutes have found their way to God. Muslims have had their eyes opened to the Jesus Christ, the King of the Jews; Buddhists have confessed Christ as the Saviour; there have even been professing Christians who saw that they had not been born again, who have trusted Christ to completely save them from their sins. Americans, Africans, Asians, Europeans, and individuals from every tribe, nation, and ethnic group under the heaven will join together in unison, declaring that they have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The new birth, in many aspects, is unexplainable.

The New Birth is Undeniable

While the miracle of the birth is unexplainable, it is yet undeniable. Like the wind, which no man can consistently and accurately predict, the new birth contains many aspects that cannot be explained. These aspects, however, in spite of our inability to explain them, cannot be denied. While there are many things about the wind we cannot describe, who will walk through New Orleans and defy the fact that the winds of Hurricane Katrina have passed through that city? Who among the readers of this post will go to Joplin and tell those residents that there have been no stormy winds within those city limits? While we cannot see the wind; while we cannot consistently and accurately predict the wind; we cannot deny that stormy winds have passed through our acreage.

So it is with the new birth! While we cannot explain many of its aspects, neither can we deny its powerful ability to change lives! I know people personally, who were drinking alcohol when they were born again, and never took another drink! I know people personally, whose marriages were on the brink of divorce, when they found the Prince of Peace, resulting in the reconstruction of their broken marriage. I know people personally, who were drug dealers, but when Christ found them, He instantly gave them a new life! While a person of reason cannot explain the new birth, he can neither deny it!

The New Birth is the Work of God

“The wind bloweth where it listeth!” There is one remarkable attribute of the wind – man has absolutely nothing to do with it! “So is every one that is born of the Spirit!” In all our technological advances, man is still helpless in controlling winds, waves, and weather. All we can do with regard to coming storms is prepare for them; we cannot stop them!

I am amazed at how much is INCLUDED in God’s great plan of salvation. He included justification, redemption, imputation of righteousness, peace with God, adoption, regeneration, forgiveness of sins, joy unspeakable, a friend in Jesus, a place in the body of Christ, and a promise of never being forsaken by Him! However, there are times when we get so preoccupied with declaring what is INCLUDED in salvation that we forget to mention what is EXCLUDED from the plan of salvation! Look at what the scripture declares:

Romans 3:24-27 – “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. WHERE IS BOASTING THEN? IT IS EXCLUDED. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”

Ephesians 2:8, 9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.”

“Where is boasting then? It is excluded!” When you are born again, it is completely His work, and it is the result of nothing you have done. I have heard people brag about their sinlessness, declaring that it is their sinlessness that has saved them. This is not the salvation of the Bible! I read a man’s post on Facebook, where he bragged about going twenty-seven years without committing a single sin. A woman commented on his post, stating that it has been seven years since she committed a sin! Others boast that they have been baptized in Jesus’ name, and they are trusting in their baptismal experience to save them! This is not the salvation of the Bible! Others boast in their good works and sacraments! This is not the salvation of the Bible! In the salvation of the Bible, Jesus Christ is solely the Saviour. Our works do not help Him save us! Our method of baptism does not help Him save us! I am saved by God’s grace, and there is not one square of inch of room for me to boast of anything, other than what Jesus did on the cross to save me! The Lord made sure that when He saved us, He left boasting out of it completely! We have nothing to boast of; we simply trust what Christ did, believing solely upon Him. This is not our work, or our doing; it is the Lord’s doing!

John 6:29 – “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is THE WORK OF GOD, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 2:13 – “For IT IS GOD WHICH WORKETH in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

If you believe that you are saved because anything of which you can boast, then dear reader, you need to be born again!

ANOTHER POST PENDING...

The New Birth - Part 5

2011-10-31T11:27:00.000-07:00

The Miraculous Nature of the New Birth

John 3:4-7 – “Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Birth is a miracle. In my travels, young couples have many times allowed me to hold their infant. Every time I hold someone’s baby, I think of the miracle of life. When holding a precious baby, I cannot understand how any human being can so heartless as to be pro-abortion. To carry out a premeditated plan to stop the beating of a human heart is murder in our courts, unless the victim is a defenseless, helpless child in the womb. If you believe in a woman’s right to have her baby murdered, you are considered an “intellectual.” Those who believe in such stupid nonsense call themselves progressive; and they are! They are progressing into a sick, disgusting, repulsive, sickening, ghastly, nauseating monster! Each time I hold a baby, I cannot escape from confronting the truth of the miracle of birth. It is a miracle how that, from a single cell, a complex little body with functioning organs can be formed inside the womb. It is miraculous to think how a baby, very early in its development in the womb, can feel pain, move, and even sense the mood of his or her mother. While physicians can understand how a baby is formed, there is much regarding the baby in the womb and his or her birth that is unknown even to the physician. Birth in itself is miraculous.

The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is miraculous. It is appalling that the intellectuals will deny the virgin birth of our Lord. They say that it is not scientifically possible for a human being to have a human mother, but not a human father. Then, they’ll turn around and teach that the first human had apes for parents! It only goes to show that liberalism is hypocrisy on every level. Yes, I believe in the miraculous event of the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In addition to birth in general and the virgin birth of our Lord, the Bible records miraculous births. John the Baptist was a miracle baby. He was born of Zacharias and Elizabeth, both of whom were very elderly. Isaac was a miracle baby, being born of elderly parents as well. I believe in the miracle births recorded within the pages of God’s holy Word.

The phenomenon of a man being born again is also miraculous! Nicodemus heard the cure for lost mankind from the lips of the Saviour – “Ye must be born again!” Upon hearing this, he immediately began to rationalize the cure. “How can a man be born when he is old,” he asked. “Can he go into his mother’s womb and be born a second time?” Now, understand this, dear reader, that if Jesus had been speaking of a physical second birth, that occurrence would certainly be miraculous. But, Christ is not speaking of being born physically the second time. We are already born of the flesh, and that’s what got us into trouble! Jesus is speaking of our spirit, which is dead in trespasses and sins, being born again! That is why He tells Nicodemus, “That which born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” It would undoubtedly be miraculous if we crawled into our mother’s womb and were born physically a second time; but Jesus Christ is speaking of something much more miraculous than that.

When a lost man is born again, the miracles that take place in that man’s life are astounding! Let us look briefly at a couple of these miracles.

The Miracle of a New Creation

II Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

This is a miracle I have witnessed many times. I have seen men and women who were bound by drugs and/or alcohol get immediate deliverance! I can name families that were on the brink of destruction; I have witnessed marriages on the edge of the cliff of divorce; but in one moment’s time, someone in the family came to Christ, and Christ took the pieces and put them back together! I have seen it! You came too late to tell me it doesn’t work; I have seen it! There’s no debate over whether or not it works. You either believe the evidence, or you do not! It is an amazing miracle how God can take the lowest of the low, and give them new life!

The Miracle of Justification

Romans 5:1 – “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Justification, as I have stated many times, is a legal term, meaning, “to declare one to be righteous.” It is a declaration that one is not guilty. But, it is infinitely more than that! When a man is justified by God, God Almighty sees that man as having never sinned, and as always having the righteousness of Jesus Christ! No wonder the songwriter said it this way:

Born of the Spirit with life from above

Into God’s family divine,

Justified fully through Calvary’s love,

O what a standing is mine!*

It is a miracle that one, whose life is full of sin, can be justified in the sight of a holy, righteous, just God. It is only made possible that Christ’s righteousness can be placed upon me because my sins were placed upon Him, and He died to pay the penalty thereof. What a miracle!

*John Willard Peterson

TO BE CONTINUED…

The New Birth - Part 4

2011-10-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

Ye Must Be Born Again!

As we have seen in the third chapter of John, Nicodemus was religious; his religion did not satisfy him; he even admitted the right things; but he was still in his sins. Now we come to an important question. What was Nicodemus missing? Jesus answers this question concisely. After Nicodemus admitted the right things concerning our Lord, Christ did not even acknowledge his admissions. Let us look again at verse three:

John 3:2 – “The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”

Immediately after Nicodemus made the correct admissions concerning Christ’s advent from heaven, Christ did not so much as make a single remark regarding his comments. Immediately, Christ cuts to the chase and gets to the root of the problem.

John 3:3 – “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Being born again is the answer. It is the missing ingredient in Nicodemus’ religious recipe. You may be religious; you may be even be a religious leader. You may conduct services, perform sacraments, do good deeds, and all the rest of it. But if you have not been born again, you are lost and hell-bound!

God’s Examination of Man

Men and women today boast of their religious accomplishments. If you were to ask the next ten people how to go to heaven, I am sure you would get ten different answers. Some think that because they haven’t done anything too bad, they are sure to have a home in heaven. Some think that because they are good to their neighbors and try to help people, that they are sure to go to heaven. Some think that since there are hypocrites in church, they will be assured a place in heaven.

But when God examines lost, unregenerate mankind, he does not see a basically good picture. When man is laid out on God’s examining table, God looks closely at the specimen. He lifts up the hands and says, “His hands shed innocent blood.” He looks at the feet and says, “His feet are swift in running to mischief.” He pulls back the eyelids and says, “There is no fear of God before his eyes.” He looks under the lips and says, “The poison of asps is under his lips.” He beholds the mouth says, “His mouth is full of bitterness and cursing.” He views the tongue and says, “With his tongues he has used deceit.” Observing even further, He looks at the throat and says, “His throat is an open sepulchre.” Then, God listens to the heart of mankind and finds that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked! This is what God sees in unsaved mankind. It is laughable that some ministers teach that man is basically neutral. That’s not what God said! Mankind is in sin! Conceived in sin and shaped in iniquity! That’s what God said in Psalm 51:5. Notice:

Psalm 58:3 – “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”

Isaiah 48:8 – “…for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.”

Ephesians 2:3 – “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

Plainly, God said that when you were born of the flesh, you were born wrong. The only hope is for you to be born again.

In understanding the new birth, it is necessary for me to ask the reader a question. The question is as follows: “When were you made a sinner?” Some teach that they were made a sinner the first time they committed a sin. This is not what the Bible teaches. Another question necessary to be asked is this: “When were you made righteous?” Some would answer that they became righteous when they started doing righteous things. This is contrary to the word of God. The Bible truth is that the sinner was made a sinner when Adam sinned, and the saved were made righteous when Christ obeyed the Father in laying down His life.

Romans 5:19 – “For as by one man’s [Adam] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous.”

You are born again, not by your own deeds of righteousness; not by sacraments; not by church membership; but solely by trusting Christ’s obedience to the Father. Trusting what Jesus did on the cross is the only way whereby you can be saved. Ask Him to save you today, completely believing Him to do so, and He will immediately save you!

Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

MORE COMING UP…

The New Birth - Part 3

2011-10-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

The points of our focus heretofore have been as follows: first, that Nicodemus was religious – not only a religious man, but a religious leader; and second, that his religion left him empty, barren, and hungry, resulting in his midnight journey to Christ.

Continuing our examination of the third chapter of John’s gospel, it is now necessary to inspect the latter portion of the second verse:

John 3:2 – “The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”

Religious Nicodemus was the victim of a religious mirage. Like all false religions, Judaism in Christ’s day left Nicodemus empty and hungry. Notice the first words to Jesus from the lips of Nicodemus – “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” Here, we witness a single sentence, yet it is a mouthful. Allow me to dissect each of the phrases in Nicodemus’ opening statement in his conversation with Christ.

“Rabbi…” – By calling him by this title, Nicodemus is acknowledging that Jesus Christ is a Jewish teacher of the law with the necessary credentials.

“…we know…” – It is noteworthy that, while speaking to Christ, Nicodemus uses the plural pronoun “we.” He comes to Jesus alone; yet says, “WE know.” Nicodemus is speaking not only for himself; but for the entire sect of the Pharisees.

“…that thou art a teacher…” – Again, Nicodemus acknowledges Christ to be a teacher of the law.

“…come from God…” – Here, Nicodemus acknowledges that Christ came, not merely from Bethlehem, but from God! No Pharisee would admit that Christ came from God unless the Spirit of God were dealing with him. Nicodemus is not far from the kingdom of God!

“…for no man…” – Nicodemus, in this phrase, separates Christ from every other man! Christ has no counterpart! I often hear the media report our President’s meetings with other chief executives. They will say, “President Obama met with his British counterpart.” What they are saying is this – Although the British chief executive is called a Prime Minister, and the American chief executive is called a President, they have the same powers. What the President is to America, the Prime Minister is to Great Britain. But when we speak of Jesus Christ, know this – He has no counterpart! No one is like Him! Every religious leader; every Greek god; every Roman goddess; every Buddhist monk; even Buddha, Mohammad, and every atheist who worships himself – they all, without exception, take a back seat to Jesus Christ! Mohammad will bow his knee to Jesus Christ! Buddha will confess with own lips that Jesus Christ is Lord of all! No one compares to Christ. No one is equal with Jesus Christ. There is no counterpart to Jesus Christ! The reader may ask, “Are you saying that Jesus Christ is superior to every religion on the face of the earth?” No, that is not what I am saying. I am saying that Jesus Christ is FAR SUPERIOR to every other religion, god, goddess, prophet, imam, teacher, or any other religious figure. Man’s religions are so insignificant when compared to Christ that the word “superior” does not do justice in describing Christ’s relationship to them!

Psalm 97:9 – “For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.”

Ephesians 1:20, 21 – “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”

John 3:31 – “He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.”

Philippians 2:9-11 – “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Now, for our next phrase.

“…can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” – Nicodemus noticed the miracles Christ was doing and acknowledged that God had to be with Jesus Christ.

So, let us get some things straight. First, Nicodemus was religious, yet he was as lost as he could be. Second, his religion left him empty. Third, we now see that Nicodemus is even admitting the right things, but he is still lost! Nicodemus acknowledges that Christ is a rabbi. Admitting that Christ is a great teacher will not save you. Nicodemus then admits that Jesus came from God! In spite of this acknowledgement, Nicodemus is still lost. Nicodemus even admits that Christ’s great miracles reveal the fact that God the Father is with Jesus Christ.

In compelling lost souls to trust Jesus Christ to save them, many times these precious people will admit all the right things. I’ve had them nod their head and agree with what I was saying. When speaking to them regarding salvation, I’ve had them to respond by saying, “I know.” But knowing that I’m telling you right won’t save you! You can admit all the right things and still be lost – just as Nicodemus did! Nicodemus did not need religion – he had religion and was lost. Nicodemus did not need to merely admit the right things – he did so and was yet in his sins. What did he need?

STILL NOT DONE…

The New Birth - Part 2

2011-10-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Our text for this concise study is found in the third chapter of John’s gospel. Having examined the first verse, we have seen that Nicodemus was a religious leader.

John 3:1 – “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.”

The verse following reveals yet more information concerning this man Nicodemus.

John 3:2 – “The same came to Jesus by night…”

For this post, it is necessary to consider why Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. This point is important enough for John to record it. No phrase in scripture is insignificant. Every word of God is pure. Every word recorded in holy writ is present with purpose, and the fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night is important enough for John to record the fact. The one thing John does not tell is WHY Nicodemus came to Jesus by night.

Scholars have much to say as to the reason for Nicodemus’ midnight journey. Some say that Nicodemus came at night because he feared that he would have been persecuted by his fellow religious Jews had he come to Christ openly. Others have suggested that Nicodemus, being a religious leader, was very busy during the day, and therefore approached the Son of God at the dark side of the sunset. While either of these propositions may divulge actuality, they are only speculations, for the scriptures do not tell us. I suppose that if the commentators can offer their speculations, then it would be in order for me to offer mine. I believe that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night because he had a hunger for God – a hunger so intense that it could not wait until morning. No man who hungers for God like that needs to go without Him. Jesus plainly stated, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

So, there are two things concerning Nicodemus that every reader should understand. First, that he was religious; and second, his religion did not satisfy him. There are many today who are in the same shape. There are those who play with beads, pray to Mary, get their children sprinkled, confess to a priest, journey to Mecca, attend church every Sunday, read a Bible, and are left as empty as they can be.

A pastor told me recently that he asked his son to find out how many religions there are in the world. Figuring that there are probably hundreds, maybe a couple thousand, this pastor was shocked to find out that there are tens of thousands of religions in this world! No wonder people are confused! No wonder people who have an innate desire for religion stay away! They do not even know where to start! This ought to make every true born-again believer rejoice that he has found the only true way! I am thankful to God for allowing the Holy Ghost to convict me of my sin, showing me undoubtedly that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, and that every religion contrary to Jesus Christ is as false as it can be!

Tens of thousands of religions! Imagine that! Many of them are full of ritual, ceremony, and creed. Yet, when the demands of religions are fulfilled, the adherents are left desolate, empty, dry, hungry, thirsty, barren, unsatisfied, and lost. How sad! While most religions admit that mankind is lost, few religions offer any assurance to their adherents. Most religions say that if you do this, do that, do the other, do, do, and do…hopefully you will be saved. No wonder the world’s religious community is left empty! Even in Christendom, you will find those who deviate from the true gospel. They preach that salvation is attained by doing this, doing that, and doing the other. Some preach that Christ will save you solely by His grace, but to “stay saved,” one must keep laws, keep commandments, pray every day, go to church, and so forth. I have heard some preachers who have a long list to perform in order to “stay saved” that they can’t keep the list themselves!

I have said it before in this blog, and I’ll say it again. At the end of the day, there are only two religions: man’s religion, and God’s religion. Man’s religion says, “Do;” God’s religion says, “Done.” Man’s religion says, “Finish the work;” God’s religion says, “The work is finished!” Jesus Christ came into the world to fulfil the law of God, which no man has ever been capable of keeping.

Matthew 5:17 – “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

John 7:19 – “Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?”

Because He fulfilled the law of God Almighty perfectly, completely, and entirely, Jesus Christ was the only valid candidate to take my sins and yours upon Himself. And He did just that. He who was innocent as He could be went to the old rugged cross, and died upon it, paying off my sin and yours. He completely paid the debt that you and I could never pay! In man’s religion, man tries to save himself by keeping creeds, sacraments, and commandments. In God’s religion, Jesus Christ is the Saviour, and He saves man completely apart from any works on man’s part. This is God’s religion. This is the “pure religion” that separates from the world and every false religion connected with it!

James 1:27 – “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

All other religions will leave you empty and hungry. Nicodemus was religious, but not satisfied. His religion left him so hungry that he had to get to Jesus that night – it couldn’t wait until morning! I pray that your religion, if it is not centered on Jesus Christ, will make you so empty and hungry that you can no longer delay; you must come to Christ today!

MORE TO COME…

The New Birth - Part 1

2011-10-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

One of the grandest doctrines in the Bible is that of the new birth. Few church members know anything concerning it; few ministers declare it; few seminarians understand it. Yet, it is paramount in its importance, for except a man is born again, he shall not see the kingdom of God, let alone enter into it.

Our text for this brief study is found in the popular passage of the third chapter of the gospel of John. This passage is the plainest text in the Bible regarding the new birth. While it is true that many so-called preachers today emphasize “steps to becoming a better man;” “steps to raising a better family;” “how to be more successful;” and other such themes, the cry of the Saviour is yet the same – “Ye must be born again.” The supreme requirement needed to enter the kingdom of God has not been altered – “Ye must be born again!” It is not A METHOD to salvation; it is THE ONLY METHOD to salvation. It is not an option; it is an obligation. It is not one of the roads to heaven; it is the absolute only path that leads from here to heaven. You’ll be born again or you’ll not lay eyes on the heavenly city.

Religious, but Lost!

John 3:1 – “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.”

John opens this chapter by introducing us to a man by the name of Nicodemus. Two phrases identify this man for us. First, Nicodemus is “a man of the Pharisees.” The Pharisees were a religious group of the day. Second, Nicodemus is “a ruler of the Jews.” Clearly, Nicodemus is a religious man. He is not only a religious individual; he is a religious leader. Here is a man who says his prayers; yet he is lost! Here is a man who leads religious services; but he is lacking that which is most important. Nicodemus, at the opening of John 3, keeps religious laws and ceremonies; yet, if he dies at this point, he will wake up in hell.

In the first chapter of John’s gospel, I find an interesting phrase in verse eighteen:

John 1:18 – “No man hath seen God at any time.”

What a statement! This is an indictment against all religion; for all religion claims to have the correct glimpse of God Almighty! Every religion says, “We understand God to be this way or that way.” However, John writes emphatically, “No man hath seen God at any time.” No man has God figured out. Religious creeds have failed to figure out God. Church traditions are inadequate in revealing God to mankind. Religion is not what you need! I suppose there will be more religious people in the flames of hell than anyone else. Someone says, “I think all religions lead to the same place.” This person is partly correct – all religions lead to the same hell. Make no mistake about it – religion of any sort is insufficient in showing God Almighty to mankind.

After John tells us in John 1:18 that no man has seen God at any time, he goes on to reveal something most interesting. John goes on to tell us about a man named Philip who found Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the King of the Jews. Philip then tells Nathaniel. When Nathaniel comes to Jesus, Jesus tells Nathaniel that he is an individual in whom is no guile! Nathaniel is surprised that Jesus would make such a statement, since Jesus did not know Nathaniel. Look at Nathaniel’s response:

John 1:48 – “Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”

The eighteenth verse of this chapter informs us that no man has seen God at any time; but the forty-eighth verse of this chapter shows us that Jesus saw Nathaniel. Religion is man’s efforts in attempting to see God; but Jesus came to inform us that we can’t see God, but He sees us! We never have God figured out; but He has us figured out!

The goal of religion is to find God; but the message of the gospel is that Christ came to find lost sinners!

Matthew 18:11 – “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” – NOTE: The vast majority of Bible versions have completely omitted this verse, including the NIV, TNIV, RSV, NRSV, and the NASV. The claim that newer versions just “make the Bible easier to understand” is a bold-faced lie.

In all the attempts of the many religions to find and understand God, mankind is as lost today as ever. Religion is not what is needed. Nicodemus was religious, but he was lost.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Israel, the Palestinians, the United Nations, and the Bible

2011-09-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

September 2011 has been quite a month for Israel and the Palestinians. As the reader may be aware, Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian National Authority, made his bid for Palestinian statehood before the United Nations. Also, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with a tremendous speech to the U.N. Having said this, I would like to discuss these recent middle-eastern happenings in light of the Bible, the word of God.

God Chose Israel

Israel, in Old Testament times, was God’s chosen people. Because of their rejection of their Messiah, God cut Israel off that He might deal with the Gentiles. From Israel’s rejection of Christ came the church of Jesus Christ.

Romans 11:11 – “I say then, Have they [Israel] stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”

Some Bible scholars use verses such as the above verse to teach that since salvation has come to the Gentiles from the fall of Israel, then God is completely finished with Israel. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth! All one must do is read the beginning of the verse! “Have they stumbled that they should fall? GOD FORBID!” The very next verse shows us that, though Israel has fallen, their stumbling is not a permanent fall!

Romans 11:12 – “Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?”

Israel most certainly will experience their fullness! They will experience a kingdom to the fullest extent. They will experience a King reigning to the full from Jerusalem! God is not finished with Israel!

God chose Israel; and although Israel has broken the covenant, God will choose them again in the latter times!

Zechariah 3:2 – “And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”

Yes, God chose Israel as a brand plucked out of the fire! Some say that God’s choosing of Israel is only in the past. But, what says the scripture? The same prophet who recorded what the Lord told Satan in the above verse also wrote that the election of Israel is also relevant to the future.

Zechariah 1:17 – “Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and SHALL YET CHOOSE JERUSLAEM.”

No, God is not finished with Israel! He chose Israel, and Israel is His covenant people, and will be such even in the end of time. Paul brings out this truth in Romans 11:25, 26.

Romans 11:25 – “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.”

Let us notice three things about the unveiled mystery of this verse. First, BLINDNESS IS HAPPENED TO ISRAEL. I know of no one who denies that. Only one who is spiritually blind can read Isaiah 53 and not see Jesus Christ, the suffering Messiah. The fact that the Jews are still waiting for their Messiah to come the first time is sufficient proof of spiritual blindness. Israel is blinded. Secondly, Paul tells us that blindness IN PART is happened to Israel. “In part” means that the entire nation is not blinded. There is a remnant of Jews who believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. We call these Jews “Messianic Jews.” Thirdly, Paul tells us that blindness in part is happened to Israel, UNTIL…” The word, “until” means that Israel’s blindness is only temporary. Israel’s eyes will be opened! Some scholars insist that Israel’s eyes will indeed be opened, but it will be too late and the nation will perish forever. But let us read the next verse.

Romans 11:26 – “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.”

“All Israel shall be saved.” No statement in scripture is plainer! I have actually read authors who state that this verse means that the whole church will be saved. My question to them is this: “If the blindness of “Israel” in verse 25 is referring to the nation of Israel, then why, in the very next verse, does ‘Israel’ mean the church?” The one who interprets “Israel” to be the New Testament church in verse 26, but not in verse 25, is not consistent in their interpretation. They are not studying the scripture with intent to find truth; but they are rather interpreting scripture with an agenda!

The Bible is clear on the subject of God’s election of Israel! God chose Israel; and God is not finished with the nation of Israel!

God Preserved Israel

As certain as God’s election, or choosing, of Israel, the reader can be assured that God has preserved Israel. There was once an atheist who later became a staunch believer in Jesus Christ. When asked what changed his mind concerning spiritual things, the reply came in one word: “Israel.” It has been rightly said that no nation has been persecuted to the extent that Israel has. Yet, Israel is the strongest of the middle-eastern nations by far. This is not by accident. God Almighty has preserved Israel! In the Bible, there were a people known as the Philistines. That group of people today is nonexistent. That nationality became extinct! Israel has suffered far more than the Philistines, and yet you cannot destroy them!

In the United Nations assembly last week, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave his speech. Now, if you’re a liberal, I am sure you were tickled to hear him speak and probably want to have dinner with the man. There has been news this past week of an Iranian pastor set to be executed in Iran. His charge? Apostasy. There are reports as I write this post that the charges have been changed to rape. It doesn’t take a scholar to figure out that Iran is intolerant to any who serves the God of the Bible. No rape has been committed. The Muslims in Iranian leadership are like the liberals who love their “tolerance” so much – they are liars. Meanwhile, in America, public school teachers teach children of a “peaceable” and “tolerant” religion called Islam.

Iran has long been known for its hostility toward the United States and Israel. In September 2003, Iran unveiled for the first time to the public the Shahab-3 missiles, capable of reaching Israel. The missiles were daubed with slogans including: “We will crush America under our feet” and “Israel must be wiped off the map.”*

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

In August 2005, Ahmadinejad became president in a landslide “election.” Ahmadinejad has echoed the desires of Iran to wipe Israel off the map. Mark it down – it is an absolute impossibility to wipe Israel off the map! You may as well remove all the sand from the desert and drain the oceans dry as to annihilate Israel. To destroy Israel, Ahmadinejad must destroy God! God Almighty (the God of the Bible) has His hand upon the nation of Israel. He has preserved Israel, and will continue to do so. The atheist reading this may not like it, but his refusal to like it doesn’t change it! Ahmadinejad along with his god, the devil, may hate what I am writing. But their hatred won’t change the truth! Israel is a preserved people!

The Restoration of Israel

A third Biblical fact regarding Israel is that they will be fully restored. This point is a vast subject of its own, and the scriptures declaring it are too numerous to articulate individually. Some such scriptures include, but are not limited to: Jeremiah 30:7-10; Jeremiah 50:20; Micah 7:18-20; and Romans 11:25-32.

The nation of Israel will be restored in several ways, although I will focus on just one. First, Israel will have their King restored to them. Yes, the very King they crucified 2,000 years ago! Only a King who rose from the dead to live forevermore can perform such a miracle! The very King they killed will rule in Jerusalem. Secondly, Israel will have a kingdom restored to them. In Acts 1:6, the disciples asked Jesus, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” In Christ’s answer in Acts 1:7, 8, He does not deny that a literal kingdom is coming. He simply stated that it is not in their power to know WHEN that literal kingdom will come. Thirdly, the nation of Israel will have salvation in their Messiah restored to them! Fourthly, the people of the nation of Israel will be restored to the land that God promised Abraham – ALL OF IT! The scriptures that teach this are too many to mention here. This is the point upon which I wish to expound.

Last week, President Abbas made his bid for Palestinian statehood. Of course, this request for statehood is a request for Palestinian acquisition of portions of Israel’s land. Mark this down: Israel should not give up one ant hill of one of their landfills to the Palestinians! Jerusalem, every square inch of it, belongs to Israel! God said so! And when Jesus comes, they will have every square inch of what they have now, plus what they should have!

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, in the conclusion of his speech, read from Isaiah the 9th chapter. How ironic - he read a passage dealing with the Messiah. And that is when there will be peace in the middle-east - when the Jewish Messiah comes to reign in Jerusalem!

The subject of nation of Israel is a vast one, and one which I love to study. But I must save some of it for another post!

*Vollmer, Chuck. Iranian President Ahmadinejad, Islamic Eschatology, and Near-Term Implications. January 26, 2006.

A Tale of Two Church Members

2011-09-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

Diotrephes and Demetrius

Many who have never opened a Bible know about Noah. There are citizens who have never darkened the door of any church; yet they can tell you who Jonah was. Children in Sunday School can tell you who Lazarus was, and how Jesus raised him from the dead. Yet, tucked away in the small epistle of III John are two Bible characters that are little known to even the most faithful churchgoers. I hope the reader will read what the scriptures declare concerning these two men.

Diotrephes – The Undermining, Authority-Usurping “Church Boss”

III John 9, 10 – “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.”

John’s third epistle is addressed to man named Gaius, a man about which we know but little. In verse 9, John tells Gaius, “I wrote unto the church.” More than likely, John is informing Gaius that he wrote to the church of which Gaius attended. John expounded to Gaius how that the letter he had written to the church had fallen into the hands of a deadly serpent – the hands of an undermining “church boss.” John tells Gaius that Diotrephes “loveth to have the preeminence.” This is a mark of a genuine, authentic hypocrite. A sincere Christian is content to work hard behind the scenes so that Christ may be preeminent! But Diotrephes, on the other hand, loved attention. He loved to be out in front. He loved to run things. He got glory out of the fact that the pastor had to come to him for permission to have a bus ministry, permission to have a revival, or permission to increase spending for the promotion of outreach.

Listen to me very carefully. If you are on a board of trustees, a deacon board, or some other church board, listen to me right here. If your pastor has to ask YOU for permission to have a revival, have a bus ministry, or anything else, you are wicked. I have spoken to deacon boards who were trying to find a pastor for their church. It was evident to me why they couldn’t find anyone. They wanted the pastor to preach, and they wanted to run the church. Let me tell you something, Diotrephes – if you think it is your job to run the church, why don’t you just pastor the church? Why get a pastor to be your puppet?

First, Diotrephes loved to have preeminence. He loved to have authority. Furthermore, the scriptures tell us that Diotrephes was “prating against us with malicious words.” “Prate,” according to Noah Webster, means “to utter foolishly.” Basically, when John tells Gaius that Diotrephes was “prating against us,” he is saying that Diotrephes was running his mouth often, and never knew what he was talking about. Church bosses are not content with any man of God. Church bosses are quick to run down men of God. They have no fear of God. A real Christian, on the other hand, realizes the Biblical admonition to “touch not Mine anointed,” and “do my prophets no harm.” The true Christian understands that, even when a preacher is wrong, it is just as wrong to criticize. Notice that Diotrephes was big on “prating;” true Christians are big on “praying.” Diotrephes specialized in running his mouth to others; the true Christian specializes in running his mouth to God.

John further shows us that Diotrephes had no discernment. No hypocrite has discernment. Church bosses have no discernment. If church bosses had any discernment, they would see that their desire to run the church and the pastor is of the devil. John tells us concerning Diotrephes – “neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would.” Diotrephes did not receive the brethren, but cast them out of the church. This plainly shows that Diotrephes did not know the difference between a real brother in Christ and a wolf in sheep’s clothing. So it is with church bosses. They don’t know a real man of God when they see one. When they do have a real man of God, it’s the church bosses that vote him out! Don’t be a Diotrephes!

Demetrius – The Man Whose Actions Were Right and His Beliefs Were True

III John 12 – “Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.”

Here John mentions a second member of Gaius’ church. Demetrius was a man who is commended on two fronts by the apostle John. First, John states to Gaius that “Demetrius hath good report of all men.” This is a testimony of Demetrius’ way of living – he lived right! The testimony of the life that Demetrius lived was reported BY ALL MEN! Saints and sinners alike testified that Demetrius lived right! No man’s religion is worth a wadded-up Snickers wrapper if it doesn’t affect the way he lives! I only care what you believe after I see how you live! Demetrius had gotten hold of a religion that caused him to live right, and all men saw it!

Not only did Demetrius adhere to a practical Christianity by living right, but he also possessed doctrinal Christianity by believing right! In the above verse, John states “Demetrius hath good report of all men, and OF THE TRUTH ITSELF!” “All men” testified of how Demetrius lived; “the truth itself” testified of what Demetrius believed! While it is important to live right, it is also important to believe right. Demetrius did both! His Christianity looked good in practice, but it also looked good on paper! It matters what you believe. It matters what you believe about Christ. In II John, John said, “If any man come unto you, and bring not this doctrine [the doctrine, or teaching, about Christ], receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.” It matters what you believe about heaven and hell. It matters what you believe about retribution for sin. It matters what you believe about the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It matters what you believe sanctification and holiness. It matters what you believe about the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Yes, “universal atonement” is important, and “limited atonement” is not in the Bible. If you do not believe in justification by faith, you are in serious error. If you teach that we are kept by works, then you, like the Galatians, are fallen from grace. It is a big deal if you have a problem with the deity of Christ. Before He was born in the flesh, Christ was equal with the Father. After Christ was born in the flesh, His name was called Emmanuel, meaning “God with us.” And the Father declared to the Son, “Thy throne, O GOD, is for ever!” While in the flesh, Jesus Christ was absolutely sinless! He never sinned in thought, in word, or in deed. All these things are important.

Practical Christianity [how you live] is important; but doctrinal Christianity [how you believe] is just as important. You may ask, “What difference does it make what I believe about Christ’s sacrificial death, or some of the other doctrines you mentioned?” These doctrines matter for one major reason – each doctrine of the Bible is a test to each one of us, and that test is stated thus: “Do you believe what God said?” You tell me what you believe about hell and I’ll tell you whether or not you believe God. Don’t ever conclude that the doctrines of the Bible are unimportant – it ALWAYS matters what God said, and Demetrius believed the truth!

The Three Appearings of Christ

2011-09-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 9:24-28 – “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, NOW TO APPEAR in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world HATH HE APPEARED to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him SHALL HE APPEAR the second time without sin unto salvation.”

The Importance of Spiritual Vision

All spiritual senses are important. In the pages of scripture, we are told, “He that hath an ear, let him hear.” Hearing is important. Furthermore, we are instructed concerning those who are “past feeling.” Feeling should never be the most significant of the senses, but its importance cannot be denied. Even the sense of taste is necessary, for if every Christ-rejecting sinner would only “taste and see” that the Lord is good, there would be few unbelievers in this wicked world.

In this post, it is the sense of sight that has my attention. Through faith, we can see what others cannot see. Because of what God said, we can see a picture in contrast to the one that the doctor paints! The prophet of God sees the event before it happens! The man of God who is wise in the scripture can see what ought to be done in the most difficult of situations! The prayer warrior can see what is coming before it arrives, and he can therefore be a watchman, sending forth a warning! Oh, that we might see!

Peter knew the importance of seeing “afar off.” In his second epistle, Peter admonishes the believer to add various traits to his experience. “Add to your faith virtue,” he says. “And to virtue knowledge.” He continues the list. Why have these traits in our lives?

II Peter 1:8, 9 – “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF! That’s why we need these things! We need to be able to see afar off! We need to see tragic events before they get to us! Peter learned this from experience. You will remember that the night of our Lord’s arrest, it was told Peter by our Lord Himself, “Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.” Jesus told Peter that before the break of day, he would deny the Lord three times.

Peter, along with James and John, go with Christ into the Garden of Gethsemane. The command of our Lord is one appealing to the vision – “WATCH!” It was the Lord’s desire that Peter, James, and John pray with Him in death’s dark hour. But finding his disciples in that dismal hour, He found them asleep. Peter slept when he should have been watching in prayer. After the conclusion of the prayer meeting, Christ dismissed Peter, James, and John to go out into the night. It was in that dark night that Peter denied the Lord three times. He did it without even trying! He never saw it coming! He wept bitterly! In those bitter tears was the bitter cry, “If only I had watched!” I am convinced that, had he been WATCHING in the garden, he would have seen the enemy coming, and would not have bitterly WEPT that night.

Spiritual Vision in Light of our Text

Having seen the importance of our vision, let us now look at our text at the beginning of this post. In Hebrews 9:24-28, three times we have Christ “appearing.” The word, “appear” means “to make visible.” In our text, it is clear that Christ HAS APPEARED (past tense); Christ DOES APPEAR (present tense); and Christ SHALL APPEAR (future tense). The single reason Christ “has appeared,” “does appear,” and “shall appear” is simple – He wants each of us to see Him! Oh, that we might see Him today! Many will be the hindrances, but may our prayer be “Lord, open our eyes that we might see!”

Christ “Hath Appeared”

Hebrews 9:26 – “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world HATH HE APPEARED to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

It is clear here that Christ hath appeared for the purpose of putting away sin. John makes it equally clear.

I John 3:5 – “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

It is Christ’s past appearing that puts away our sins! Christ calls to every sinner to SEE HIM; Christ beckons us to look to Him to be saved from our sins! Look at the grand and glorious verse regarding seeing Him for salvation:

John 6:40 – “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which SEETH THE SON, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Jesus gives this truth to Nicodemus in a very real way. Christ makes an analogy, referring to an Old Testament story.

John 3:14, 15 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

In the story to which Christ is referring, many Israelites had been bitten by serpents. Moses asked the Lord to give the Israelites help. The Lord made provision. He commanded Moses to make a brazen serpent and put it high upon a pole. Everyone who simply LOOKED at the brazen serpent was healed. The infected individual did not have to understand how the healing worked; he just had to look on the brazen serpent for healing! Just look! That is all! Their faith in the brazen serpent provided the healing apart from everything else.

Jesus, using this illustration, tells Nicodemus that Christ would be lifted up in the same way. This lifting up of Christ refers to His death upon the cross. Upon the cross, Jesus Christ was lifted up from the earth! There, He appeared to take away our sins! He was made visible to the entire world! All one has to do is look at the cross for salvation. Trust Jesus to save you, and you are saved!

As simple as Bible salvation is, many complicate it, attempting to block our vision. Many churches are leading people to hell by compelling them to look at something other than the work of Jesus Christ on the cross for salvation. Some churches will lift up baptism, and command you to look unto baptism and be saved. Some are trusting, not merely baptism, but baptism in Jesus’ name to be saved. Others compel you to “live right” to be saved. Others preach that law-keeping and commandment-keeping are the saviors. But the gospel of Jesus Christ is still the same – “Every one which SEETH THE SON, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life!” He appeared at Calvary to take away our sins! See Him! Trust only His work on the cross, and you’ll be saved!

He “Does Appear”

Hebrews 9:24 – “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, NOW TO APPEAR in the presence of God for us.”

Christ not only APPEARED at Calvary’s cross to put away sin, but He also presently APPEARS in the presence of God for us.

Jesus Christ, forty days after His resurrection, ascended to the Father. There, He sits on the right hand of the Father. Christ is not sitting on the right hand of the Father twiddling His thumbs. He is there, praying for every believer, making intercession for us.

Hebrews 7:25 – “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

The devil tries everything in his power to cause believers to forget this blessed truth. When trials come, the devil lies to us, telling us that Jesus doesn’t see where we are, and that He does not care. However, if you could open your eyes, you would see right now that Christ is praying for you in your times of despair! Don’t lose courage; Jesus is praying for you.

There was a godly preacher who was preaching the gospel. In his preaching, he made the crowd angry – so angry that they began to throw stones at him. The man’s name was Stephen. As the stones were hurled his direction, he looked up! As he looked up, he caught a glimpse. Someone APPEARED! Who appeared to Stephen?

Acts 7:56 – “And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”

Dear friend, if you can look beyond your circumstance, I am sure that you will see Jesus Christ at the Father’s right hand, praying for you!

Christ “Shall Appear”

Hebrews 9:28 – “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him SHALL HE APPEAR the second time without sin unto salvation.”

I do not know of a more blessed doctrine than that of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Just as sure as He did appear at Calvary to take away sins; and just as sure as He presently appears in the heavens to pray for His own; He is sure to appear unto them that LOOK FOR HIM!

This great doctrine regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is not without its opposition. Atheists declare, “I do not believe Christ is coming.” However, stupid beliefs as such won’t change it! Ready or not; like it or not; believe it or not; accept it or not – Jesus Christ is coming again! Even in churches, doctrines of devils have gained prominence. The verse we are currently discussing, Hebrews 9:28, admonishes us to LOOK FOR HIM! Yet, there are many doctrines that try to get to look for the Great Tribulation. There are yet a number of other doctrines that try to turn our eyes toward the Antichrist. I know of preachers who have had sleepless nights because they felt that the Lord showed them who the Antichrist was. What a tragedy. If these same preachers would get a vision of THE CHRIST, and get as shook up about that as they do the Antichrist, what a revival they would see in their own lives. It is a trick of the devil to get us to look and expect the Antichrist instead of the Christ. What subtlety of the devil to get us more concerned about the coming of events instead of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. While some are preaching, “Look for the Antichrist’s appearing,” or “Look for the appearing of the Great Tribulation,” may solid, gospel preachers rise up and point to the coming Saviour, who is soon to appear to them who look for Him!

9/11 - Many Remember!

2011-09-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

On this tenth anniversary of the dreadful events of 9/11, I wish to, first of all, say to the families of every victim – you are not forgotten. On that awful day, firefighters ran INTO the very buildings that others were running OUT OF. Many in our nation remember those heroes. And, to the families of those firefighters who gave their lives to save others – you are not forgotten. To all whose lives were personally touched on 9/11/2001, you are not forgotten. Furthermore, to every man and woman heroically serving our great nation in various capacities around the globe – neither you nor your families are forgotten. I wish to say to each one serving our nation today – thank you for your sacrifice you so freely give!

Most importantly, our nation owes a great tribute to the One who has kept His hand upon our nation – the Creator, Almighty God, the Father of Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible. He gave His best – His only begotten Son – to seek and to save that which is lost. Jesus Christ gave all to rescue us from the enemy of our souls. The best way to prove that we, as a nation, have not forgotten 9/11, is to turn again to the God of the Bible, trusting Jesus Christ to set us free from our sins for which He died.

Our fathers’ God to Thee,

Author of liberty,

To Thee we sing;

Long may our land be bright

With freedom’s holy light;

Protect us by Thy might,

Great God our King.*

*Samuel Francis Smith

The Millennium - Part 2D

2011-09-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

Why a Millennium? – Continued

One reason for a literal millennium upon this earth, as we have seen, is for the restoration of everything that was lost in the Garden of Eden. Now, allow me to point out some more reasons for such a golden age.

The Persecuted Will Reign in the This Present World, Where They Were Victimized

Persecution, the act of a man suffering because of his faith, began in Genesis. It will end in the Millennium, and those who were persecuted will reign.

Genesis 4:8 – “And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”

The Bible makes a comparison of Cain’s murder of his brother Abel to the world hating and persecuting us, the church.

I John 3:11-13 – “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.”

The connection is made – just as Cain slew his brother Abel, so the world will hate us and persecute us – because their own works are evil and ours righteous.

But it is the ones who have been persecuted and have suffered for the gospel’s sake – they will possess the most dominion in the Millennium.

Revelation 20:4 – “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

The Sins of Noah’s Day Will Be Traded for Righteousness

In Genesis 6, we are given a vivid description of the sin of Noah’s day. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the sin of Noah’s day is the AMOUNT of sin that was present at that time.

Genesis 6:11, 13 – “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence…And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”

Twice in the description of the world in Noah’s day, we are told that the earth was FILLED WITH violence.

In the Millennium, however, this will be completely reversed.

Isaiah 11:1-12 – “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor [Here, Christ comes to judge], and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth [Here is the regathering of Israel at the second coming, immediately after the tribulation].”

You will notice, in the above passage, I underlined some phrases that show the events that take place when Christ comes to set up His kingdom after the tribulation. Verse 9, the part of the passage in bold print, gives us some great insight into the Millennium. In Noah’s day, the earth was “filled with” violence. But in the Millennium, the earth is “full of” the knowledge of the Lord. Just think! The world in the Millennium will be more saturated with the knowledge of the Lord than it is saturated with sin at this present time! What a thought! There is another verse of scripture that brings out this truth.

Habakkuk 2:14 – “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

Man Will Be Humbled, and the Lord Alone Will Be Exalted

In Genesis 11, man builds a city and a tower. Man builds the tower as a means to exalt himself, making a name for himself.

Genesis 11:4 – “And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.”

God stopped this plan. He confounded their languages so that they could not exalt themselves in this way. However, man has tried ever since to rule the world, exalting himself. But in the Millennium, the Lord alone will be exalted.

Isaiah 2:1-5, 11, 17 – “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days [the last days of THIS EARTH], that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations [Here’s the judgment of nations again], and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD…The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day…And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.”

Twice in this passage regarding the Millennium, it is said that “the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.” Christ will be exalted as the King of kings and Lord of lords!

God’s Covenant with Abraham Will Be Literally Fulfilled

God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. In addition to this, God promised that wherever Abraham placed his foot, his descendants would receive that land, and they would possess it for ever.

Genesis 13:14, 15 – “And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.”

God made a promise to Abraham concerning the land that he gave them. It was to be their land FOR EVER. Israel only lived in their land that God gave them a few hundred years. Even now, they do not possess all the land that God promised. BUT THEY WILL. God did not promise Israel a patch of land on the new earth; God promised them their land ON THIS EARTH. We have already seen that Jesus Christ will gather Israel at the end of the tribulation and place them in their own land. The Bible bears this out further.

Isaiah 14:1 – “For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.”

Why have a Millennium on this present earth? Because it is on this present earth where God promised Israel that they would have their land. They WILL possess that land, and they will live among their neighbors in peace, on THIS earth.

God’s Covenant with David Will Be Literally Fulfilled

God promised David that Christ would sit upon his throne. When Isaiah gave prophecy concerning Christ’s birth, this promise was reinforced.

Isaiah 9:6, 7 – “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

This promise was reiterated to Mary when Gabriel foretold to her the birth of Christ.

Luke 1:31-33 – “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

Some may say that Christ will have David’s throne in the new earth, and not upon this one. There can be no truth to that, for David’s throne was not upon the new earth; David’s throne was upon THIS earth, in Jerusalem. Others may try to spiritualize the passage, saying that Christ will sit on David’s “spiritual throne.” David did not have a spiritual throne; David had a literal throne. Christ has not yet possessed that throne. At His first coming, Christ came to be a humble servant – to die for the sins of mankind. He did not come to reign the first time. He had no throne the first time He came. But He is coming again to defeat the powers that exist at that time, and He will then have a throne upon THIS EARTH.

These are a few reasons why I believe that the Millennium must be literal. So, I conclude this brief study. There are scriptures I did not use; there are other points that could be made. I repeat the statement I made at the beginning. This is designed to be a brief study. I hope the reader has found this study helpful.

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Zechariah 14:1-9 – “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.”

Matthew 24:44 – “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.”

The Millennium - Part 2C

2011-08-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

Why a Millennium? – Continued

Purposes for a Literal Millennium

Now, I will look at some passages in the Old Testament that reveal much more about the Millennium than we have in the New Testament. These Old Testament passages will speak of “the day of the Lord,” Christ “coming to judge,” Christ “smiting the nations,” and other like phrases that make it clear that the second coming of Christ is being referenced. Then, these Old Testament passages will speak of a kingdom and describe it. In these descriptions, you will see reasons for a literal Millennium upon this present earth.

A Literal Millennium Restores That Which Was Lost in the Fall of Man

In Genesis 1, God created a world that He called “very good.” Yet, because Adam sinned two chapters later, we lost some things. However, God made THIS EARTH to be pleasant, fruitful, and under man’s dominion. But since man sinned, we lost much of this. But man WILL rule THIS EARTH just as God intended. Let us look at some things that we lost in the fall of man that God will restore in the Millennium.

MAN’S DOMINION OF THIS EARTH WILL BE RESTORED

The first thing man lost in the fall was his dominion over ALL the earth. Let us look at God’s intent for man to rule this world.

Genesis 1:26 – “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

God gave man dominion over the earth – all of it. Yes, man has dominion now, but we have dominion in no way like God intended. Look at the above verse. God gave man dominion over “the fish of the sea,” “the fowl of the air,” and over “the cattle, and every creeping thing.” You could say it this way – God gave Adam dominion over “everything in the water,” “everything in the air,” and “everything on the ground.” This is the kind of dominion that God intended for mankind to have. Man, because of Adam’s sin, does not have this kind of dominion. But there will come a day when the saints of God will possess the dominion that was lost in the fall. I am not talking about dominion in the new earth of Revelation 21; I am talking about dominion over THIS EARTH, just like God intended. Notice:

Daniel 7:18 – “But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”

Notice the wording here – “the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom.” He is talking specifically about the fourth kingdom that Daniel saw. The fourth kingdom will be the last kingdom given to man upon THIS EARTH. The saints will take that fourth, EARTHLY kingdom for themselves, and reign upon this earth for a thousand years, and then in the new earth FOR EVER. Notice again:

Daniel 7:21, 22 – “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.”

Daniel 7:27 – “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Why have a literal Millennium? Because our dominion of THIS EARTH was lost in the fall. We cannot lead a lion by the neck. But one day we will have dominion over THIS EARTH in a literal Millennium.

FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD WILL BE RESTORED AS IT WAS IN EDEN

When God placed man in the Garden of Eden, He had fellowship personally with Adam and Eve. This fellowship was lost when Adam and Eve sinned. Notice the Bible’s description of this fellowship:

Genesis 3:8 – “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”

You may say, “Yes, I know that man’s fellowship with God has been disrupted, but didn’t Jesus die to reconcile us to God? Christians can have fellowship with God NOW, without a Millennium, can’t we?” My answer to you is, “Yes, Jesus bridged the gap, reconciling us back to God.” However, even after being reconciled to God, there are still things in the world to hinder us in our relationship with God. But in the Millennium, no devil will hinder our fellowship with God; no world-system will hinder our fellowship with God; and no flesh will hinder the Christian’s fellowship with God, as we will have glorified bodies. We will have uninterrupted fellowship with God IN THIS WORLD, as it was meant to be.

Micah 4:1-7 – “But in the last days [that is, the last days of THIS EARTH, not the new earth] it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths [“He will teach;” “We will walk” – this is restored fellowship]: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations [Judgment of nations] afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.”

THE CURSE OF ENMITY BETWEEN SATAN AND THE WOMAN WILL BE LIFTED

Let us look at the curse that God put on the serpent in the Garden of Eden:

Genesis 3:14, 15 – “And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Satan has always fought the seed of the woman. In the Old Testament, it was the nation of Israel that Satan fought, because Christ would spring from there. In the gospel writings, it was Jesus he fought. In the book of Acts and throughout church history, it was the church that he fought, because the church was born of Christ’s Spirit. But in the literal Millennium on this earth, there will be no enmity between Satan and the seed of the woman.

Revelation 20:1, 2 – “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.”

THE CURSE UPON THE WOMAN WILL BE LIFTED

As a result of sin, the woman was cursed.

Genesis 3:16 – “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”

It is not “childbearing” that is the curse, but “pain in childbearing.” It is “bringing forth children in sorrow,” He calls it. The sorrow in childbearing will be lifted in the Millennium.

Isaiah 66:7, 8 – “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”

Now, I do understand that this passage deals with Israel becoming a nation in one day. It deals with the regathering of Israel at the coming of the Lord. But look at the analogy – “Before she travailed, she brought forth.” Isaiah is comparing Israel’s sudden birth as a nation to a woman bringing forth a child before any travail whatsoever. I believe this comparison is made because in the Millennium, the woman will do just that – bring forth children without travail.

THE CURSE UPON THE MAN WILL BE LIFTED

Man, because of sin, is also cursed. That curse will be lifted in the Millennium.

Genesis 3:17-19 – “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

“Cursed is the ground for thy sake.” That is the first curse with which man must deal. The ground is cursed. Work is toilsome. The ground will not bring forth as it did before. But the ground will yield, upon THIS EARTH, what it would have had Adam not sinned.

Isaiah 35 – “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly [that is, the desert and solitary place, will blossom. The curse will be removed from the ground], and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance [this is the Lord coming to judge, showing us that these promises will take place at that time, when the kingdom is set up], even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped [The curse, to some extent, upon every natural body will be lifted]. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

STILL NOT FINISHED…

The Millennium - Part 2B

2011-08-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

Why a Millennium? – Continued

What Will Happen at the Second Coming of Christ?

The reader may wonder why I am spending all this time dealing with all these events when I am supposed to be expounding on the Millennium. I am spending this time on these events because I do not want the reader to confuse the second coming of Christ with any other event. It is when Christ returns with the saints that He will set up His literal, millennial kingdom. I do not want you to confuse this second coming with any other event.

The second coming of Christ leads directly to the Millennium. John gives us the picture of Christ coming with the saints in Revelation 19. Immediately following His second coming, Christ sets up His kingdom in Revelation 20.

Because the second coming is the event after which Christ sets up His kingdom, I want us to look at some of the things that happen at the second coming. In the Old Testament, the “day of the Lord” often is shown at its climax when the Lord comes again. Later, we will look at some Old Testament passages that show Christ reigning. In those passages, you will notice phrases that deal with the second coming of Christ. So, let us look at the coming of the Lord and see some things that will happen at that time.

A Look at Revelation 19 – The Day of the Lord

In Revelation 19, Christ returns with the saints to the earth. We will look at the whole passage. I have emphasized some of the phrases, putting them in bold print. I will expound on these phrases, as they show specific things that will happen when Christ comes to the earth to set up His kingdom.

Revelation 19:11-21 – “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”

You will notice the first phrase in bold type is the phrase “he doth judge.” When Christ comes to the earth to set up His kingdom, He is coming to judge. II Thessalonians chapter 2 tells us that Christ, when He comes after the tribulation, will destroy the Wicked one (antichrist) with the brightness of His coming. The first thing Christ will do when He comes after the tribulation is destroy the antichrist and his armies. He will first destroy those nations who fight with the antichrist. Remember this phrase, as you will be reminded of it when we look at Old Testament scriptures regarding the Millennium. He doth judge!

The second phrase of emphasis is “and the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses.” These armies are the saints of God which will come to the earth with Christ. Remember this phrase as well. We will look at some Old Testament passages that remind us that Christ will come WITH HIS SAINTS.

The third phrase to examine in this passage is the phrase “smite the nations.” This is a specific judgment that occurs at the second coming of Christ. I will expound on it more than I do the other phrases, because it is key to understanding the Millennium. When we look at Old Testament passages regarding the Millennium, remember this phrase, as you will be reminded of it.

The Judgment of Nations

Looking at some things that will happen at the second coming of Christ to this earth, one of those things is the judgment of nations. Christ will come, as we have seen, to “smite the nations.” What does this mean? It is important to understand what this means. Christ expounds upon this “judgment of nations.” The passage where Christ gives us His exposition of the judgment of nations is found in Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:31-34 – “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Now, some have taught through the years that this judgment is a general judgment of individuals at the end of the world. This is not true. You may say, “Well, I’ve always thought that!” My answer is, “You’ve always thought wrong.” Here, Christ is not judging individuals, but nations.

Notice verse 31, the first verse in the passage – “When the Son of man shall come in His glory...” This judgment takes place at the second coming of Christ, when He comes to set up His kingdom.

Notice verse 32 – “Before Him shall be gathered ALL NATIONS, and He shall separate THEM…” When Christ says, “He shall separate THEM,” who are the “them”? Clearly it is ALL NATIONS! Jesus plainly states, “Before Him shall be gathered ALL NATIONS, and He shall separate THEM!”

Christ, when He comes, is going to separate the nations as a shepherd divideth His sheep from the goats. He then tells the “sheep” nations, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” The sheep nations will then enter the Millennium. Later in the exposition, Christ tells the “goat” nations, “Be ye cursed into everlasting fire.” The “goat” nations are destroyed then and there and are cast into hell.

So, here’s how I see it. Christ will come after the tribulation with the armies of heaven, the saints of God. He will first destroy the powers of the antichrist and the kings that fight with him, and all their armies. Then, the nations that remain will be gathered together to be judged. These nations are composed of people who are living at the time of the second coming. Some people will not be destroyed at the second coming, but they will survive to endure the judgment of nations. The “goat” nations will go into hell, fulfilling Psalm 9:17 – “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all THE NATIONS that forget God.” The “sheep” nations will then enter the Millennium – the kingdom prepared for them. They will enter the Millennium as they are, in natural, physical bodies. Saints will have already been raptured and we will have already been given our glorified bodies at this time. But the nations that enter the kingdom are composed of people in natural bodies, and they will enter the kingdom with those bodies. They will bear children during the millennium, and those children will have a chance to be saved. If Isaiah 65 deals with the Millennium as some suggest, notice what Isaiah says in Isaiah 65:20 – “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” If a man dies at 100 years old – he will be considered a child!

Now, you may ask, “What determines if a nation is a ‘sheep’ nation or a ‘goat’ nation?” That is a good question, and the Bible gives an answer. Right after Jesus tells the “sheep” nations “Inherit the kingdom prepared for you,” He tells them WHY they will enter the kingdom. He tells them what makes them a “sheep” nation. Notice:

Matthew 25:34-40 – “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

What makes the “sheep” nations eligible for the kingdom? They fed the Lord when He was hungry; they visited Him in His sickness; they clothed His nakedness. The “sheep” nations then will ask, “Lord, when did we see you naked and clothe you…” and so forth. Christ answers them, “When ye have done it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.” His “brethren” are those of the nation of Israel. The nations that help Israel during the tribulation will be the “sheep” nations that enter the kingdom. During the tribulation, Israel will be scattered. Notice:

Matthew 24:15-21 – “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

Did you notice those phrases? “Let them which be in Judaea FLEE…” “Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house.” “Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.” “But pray that your FLIGHT be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day!” The message to Israel will be “FLEE!” Israel will be on the run! And those nations that take them in, giving Israel aid and assistance will be the “sheep” nations that enter the Millennium. Another passage that gives a very clear picture of the judgment of nations is Joel 3. If the reader has any doubt that NATIONS will be judged when the Lord comes, I encourage you to read Joel 3 in its entirety.

So, at the time of the day of the Lord, when Christ comes with the saints to set up His kingdom, He will destroy the antichrist and his armies and all other nations that support him; he will judge the nations, determining which nations enter the Millennium. But there is one more thing He will do at the second coming.

The Regathering of Israel

I just showed you how that, during the tribulation, Israel will be scattered. When Christ comes after the tribulation, He will certainly gather those Jews who have been scattered. He will gather them to their own land. Take note:

Matthew 24:29-31 – “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Notice the two phrases I emphasized above – “the sign,” and “gather together.” This verse does not refer to the rapture of the church, but rather the gathering of the Jews who had been scattered. The “sign” and the “gathering together” are mentioned in Isaiah 11, and these phrases are associated with the regathering of Israel.

Isaiah 11:10-12 – “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”

One can see clearly in Isaiah the “sign” and the “gathering together.” What Jesus calls “the elect” in Matthew 24, Isaiah calls “the outcasts of Israel” and the “dispersed of Judah.” Truly, at the coming of Jesus Christ after the tribulation, the Lord Himself will assemble the outcasts of Israel, the dispersed of Judah, and ALL the Jews that have scattered and bring them to their own land.

At the second coming of Christ after the tribulation, it is clear that Christ will:

1) Come with His saints to the earth.

2) “Judge and make war” – He will destroy the antichrist’s powers and the kings and armies that fight with him.

3) “Smite the nations” – He will judge the nations, determining which ones will enter the Millennium and which ones will not.

4) Gather the outcasts of Israel and place them in their own land

All of these things will occur when Christ comes to the earth in Revelation 19. Immediately after these things are done, Revelation 20 teaches us that Christ will then set up His literal, millennial kingdom.

TO BE CONTINUED…

The Millennium - Part 2A

2011-08-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

Why a Millennium?

After clearly understanding that the Millennium is a literal, 1000-year period where Jesus Christ reigns literally upon this earth, the student of this subject is, in most cases, questioning the purpose of such a time. WHY? Why have a literal Millennium where we, the saints of God, reign with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years, and then have a little time when Satan is again released, and then have the judgment of the doomed and the damned, and then reign with Christ for ever? Why don’t we just reign with Christ for ever starting at the second coming of Christ?

In studying the following points, I hope the reader considers my efforts to answer this question a success. I feel like there are good reasons why the literal reign of Jesus Christ upon this present earth will come to pass.

It would do the reader good to understand, first and foremost, that when dealing with subjects such as the Millennium, we are dealing with items relating to the plan of God. We must always remember, especially when attempting to answer “why this…” and “why that…” that God’s ways are higher than our ways. I will never be able to answer fully why God does this or that. I do not understand everything about God; and, if I ever do, I would do good to seek a better concept of God. There are, however, answers in the Bible to some of our questions concerning the Millennium. A look at a few scriptures may enable us to understand the purposes of a literal Millennium upon this present earth.

Some Upcoming Events

Before looking at the Millennium exclusively, it is necessary to examine a few events that will happen to us all; some events occurring sooner than others.

DEATH

The first event that is certain to happen to all of us who are not alive at the coming of Christ is death. Let us look at what happens at the death of the Christian, then at the death of the sinner.

When a Christian dies, his body becomes lifeless; his soul goes to be with Jesus Christ immediately. There is no soul sleep. Notice:

II Corinthians 5:8 – “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

When an unsaved man dies, the moment he closes his eyes in this world, he opens them in hell. Listen to the account of Jesus Christ of a rich man who died and what happened to him immediately:

Luke 16:22, 23 – “…the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

It is clear that the moment he died, the rich man found himself within the regions of the doomed and the damned.

I understand that there are gospel tracts that seem to indicate that as soon as an unsaved person dies, they are immediately before God in judgment. The Bible does not teach this. The Bible does teach that judgment comes after death. Notice:

Hebrews 9:27 – “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment.”

It is Bible truth that judgment occurs after death, but the scripture does not say that judgment occurs immediately after death. Actually, Revelation 20 tells us that there will be a resurrection of the unsaved dead after the Millennium, and they will stand before God at that time. Hell, we are told, will deliver up the dead that is in it. Those who are in hell will come forth out of hell and be judged after the Millennium at the Great White Throne Judgment. The unsaved man does not go to a judgment immediately at the time of death. He immediately goes to a literal, burning hell.

THE RAPTURE

The rapture means nothing to the man who dies without Jesus Christ. At the time of the rapture, the man who died lost will be yet in hell. The rapture will not change that fact.

The word “rapture” is one of those words that does not appear in the King James Bible. Like the word “millennium,” though the actual word is not in the Bible, its meaning certainly is. By the word “rapture,” we mean “caught up.” Notice:

I Thessalonians 4:16, 17 – “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

There are two things that happen in this verse. First, the dead in Christ will rise to meet the Lord in the air. Secondly, we who are alive and remain will join them. The “dead in Christ” refer to Christians who will have already died when Jesus comes for the church. As for these Christians who have already died, the “dead in Christ,” what are they doing when Jesus comes for them? Are they sleeping in a grave? NO! Absolutely not! Their bodies are in graves, but their souls are with the Lord. As a matter of fact, when Christ comes for the church, the souls of these Christians will come with Him. Notice:

I Thessalonians 4:13 – “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

So, it is clear that when a Christian dies, he goes immediately to be with the Lord. Then, when Jesus comes for the church, his soul will come with Christ to be reunited with his body. His body will come forth from the grave, being changed into a glorious body, “like unto His glorious body!” Those who are saved and yet alive when Jesus comes for His church will immediately be changed, receiving at once a glorious body like Christ’s, and will meet Christ in the air.

We will receive a “glorified body,” as we call it, at the rapture. Once we receive this glorified body, it is impossible for us to be lost at that point. The Bible says concerning us who receive a glorified body – “…so shall we ever be with the Lord.” When I rise to meet Jesus in the air, I will receive a glorified body, and never again will I be separated from Christ.

THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST

This is another event that is meaningless to the one who has died as an unbeliever. I personally believe that the judgment of the believer will take place at the rapture. The Bible says in Romans 14:10 and II Corinthians 5:10, “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” I believe that the best picture of the judgment seat of Christ is found in I Corinthians chapter 3:

I Corinthians 3:10-15 – “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

There are a couple of things to note concerning this passage. First, nothing is said in the passage regarding sins. God is not judging sins in this passage. God the Father already judged my sins. The judgment of my sins took place nearly 2,000 years ago. Look at it:

Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Christ was judged at the cross of Calvary for my sins. I will not have to stand in judgment for my sins; Christ stood in Pilate’s judgment hall for my sins! When a believer stands at the judgment seat of Christ, he is not standing there to find out if he’s saved or not – the glorified body he received at the rapture tells him he’s saved! He is not standing there to show the Lord whether he’s saved or not, for “the Lord knoweth them that are His.”

So, it is clear that sins are not dealt with at this judgment. Four times in the above passage, we read the word “work.” The judgment seat of Christ is about our works. In the aforementioned passage, Paul gives us a picture of a building. The apostles and prophets laid the foundation for this building. Paul gives us the warning – “But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.” What we do for Christ will be examined at this judgment. At this judgment, our works for the kingdom of God will be added to the foundation. After everyone’s works have been added to the building, the fire will be set to it. Everything we did for show, for selfish motives, for self-benefit, out of hypocrisy, or anything else that brought glory to self will be burned to a crisp. Those works will be gone. They will go up in smoke, and no reward will be given for those works. But the works that truly promoted the work of God out of a pure heart will remain. When the smoke clears, here is what we will have –

Ephesians 5:27 – “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

This judgment of the believers’ works will take place, I believe, shortly after the rapture.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

After the tribulation, the scripture makes it clear that Christ will return to the earth. He will come with the saints who met him in the air at the event we call the rapture. It is at this time that the Millennium will begin. Christ, when he comes to the earth again, will come to set up His kingdom upon this earth. At this time, the beast (antichrist) and false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire. The devil will not be cast into the lake of fire at this time. I will elaborate more on the second coming of Christ shortly.

THE MILLENNIUM

This is the 1,000 year reign of Christ. It immediately begins when Christ returns to earth with His saints. During this time, the devil will be bound. He will no longer deceive the nations.

SATAN LOOSED

After the Millennium, Satan will be loosed out of his prison for a short time. He will then be able to deceive the nations again. Those of us who were in the rapture will NOT IN ANY CASE BE DECEIVED. As I stated earlier, the Bible says that when we meet Jesus in the air, “so shall we ever be with the Lord.” We will never be separated from Christ. So, when the devil is loosed for a short season after the Millennium, there is no way he will deceive us who were with Christ in the rapture. There is no way for us to be lost at that point.

SATAN DESTROYED

After the short time when Satan is loosed, those whom he deceives will fight one final battle with Satan as their leader. Fire from heaven will destroy them, and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and the false prophet are.

THE FINAL JUDGMENT

After the destruction of Satan, the unsaved dead will be resurrected. They will stand before God at the great white throne. The books will be opened. They will see that God is just in allowing them to go to hell. They will see that their name is not in the Lamb’s book of Life. Then, “death and hell” will be cast into the lake of fire.

THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH

After the final judgment, Satan and unbelievers are gone for good. At this time, God destroys the heaven and earth that are in existence now, and He creates a new heaven and a new earth. The New Jerusalem will come down from God out of heaven and will settle upon this earth. In the new heaven and new earth, we will reign with Christ for ever and ever.

STAY TUNED...

The Millennium - Part 1B

2011-08-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

A Literal Millennium – Continued

Views of the Millennium

Although the language of Revelation 20 is among the simplest words in the book of Revelation, some still confuse the subject of the Millennium, and henceforth give us several views to consider. I will mention a couple of these views briefly.

POSTMILLENNIALISM

“Post,” meaning “after,” and “millennial,” meaning “the millennium,” we understand postmillennialism to mean “after the Millennium.” Those who believe this teaching believe that Christ will return to earth AFTER the Millennium. While adherents to this teaching believe in a literal Millennium, they are faulty in placing it before Christ comes to earth again.

There are basically two schools of thought regarding postmillennialism. Some who hold to this view believe a literal Millennium of peace has already occurred. Some say that the Millennium began in the fourth century, around the time of Constantine, and lasted for 1,000 years. This is entirely impossible, considering that the Millennium is to be a time of complete peace (as I will show later) with no wars whatsoever. The eleventh century is stained with blood from the Crusades. The Millennium is not in the past; it is in the future.

Others who hold to the postmillennial view say that the Millennium will not be ushered in by the coming of Jesus Christ to this earth. They rather believe that the Millennium will come gradually by the efforts and technology of man. They believe that the world will get better and better until Christ comes to a perfect utopia. I will not comment on this view further; anyone will two working eyes in their head can examine the truth that the world is not getting better and better by anyone’s standard except the devil’s. Furthermore, Christ will not come to a world of peace; it is Christ’s presence, rather, that brings peace to this world!

AMILLENNIALISM

The Latin “a” means simply, “without.” The word “amillennial” therefore simply means “without a Millennium.” Those who hold to this view simply believe that there is no literal Millennium whatsoever. They teach that the aforementioned passage, Revelation 20:1-6, should be taken figuratively, not literally.

So, here’s how they “spiritualize” Revelation 20:1-6:

The Bible says in Revelation 20 that while Christ reigns for 1,000 years with those who take part in the first resurrection, the devil is bound at that time. Then, at the end of the 1,000 years, the devil is loosed for a season. He deceives the nations one last time. He is then destroyed and cast into the lake of fire.

First, they say that the time period of 1,000 years mentioned five times is not literal. They say that, instead of meaning 1,000 years, it just means “a long time.” They teach that the thousand-year period is just the church age. It is the time between Christ’s ascension and His return. Then, they say that during the church age, the devil is bound and Christ is reigning. The church age is now. So, they teach that right now, the devil is bound and Christ is reigning. Then, the short time that the devil is loosed is the tribulation period. Then, after Satan deceives the nations, there is a final battle, which they say is just the same battle as found in Revelation 19, where Christ destroys the beast and his armies.

There is so much wrong with that interpretation. First, why would the Bible say “1,000 years” if it is not? There is no sensible reason to deny that “1,000 years” in this passage would mean anything other than “1,000 years.” Secondly, the thousand-year period is NOT THE CHURCH AGE! In the thousand-year period mentioned in this passage, the devil is bound and Christ is reigning. The devil is NOT BOUND! I agree with the preacher who said, “If the devil is chained, he’s on an awful long chain!” Those who hold to this view say, “Christ is reigning right now IN OUR HEARTS.” Christ may indeed reign in the hearts of His people, but this passage is not talking about Christ ruling in the hearts of His people; this passage is talking about Christ ruling AMONG THE NATIONS! When the devil is bound, it is stated in Revelation 20 that he will not deceive the nations any longer! I know that Satan is not restricted from deceiving the nations because the nations are being deceived! Thirdly, the belief that the loosing of Satan after the thousand-years is the tribulation, and the battle after Satan is loosed is just a restatement of the battle in Revelation 19 doesn’t hold up. Notice:

Revelation 19:19, 20 – “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

Notice, in the battle in the above verses which takes place after the tribulation, the beast (or, Antichrist) and the false prophet were both cast into the lake of fire. The devil WAS NOT cast into the lake of fire. In Revelation 20, in the battle after Satan is loosed following the Millennium, THE DEVIL is thrown into the lake of fire. We are told that the beast and the false prophet are already there! Notice:

Revelation 20:7-10 – “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

At the end of the Millennium, when the devil is loosed for a little season, the devil is cast into the lake of fire. Amillennialists say that the “little season” is just the tribulation. But in Revelation 19, when Christ returns after the tribulation, the devil IS NOT cast into the lake of fire. The beast and the false prophet are. So the battle after the tribulation in Revelation 19 IS NOT THE SAME BATTLE as the battle at the end of the “little season” when the devil is loosed after the Millennium. Amillennialism does not hold up.

Albert Barnes, a commentator in the 19th century, comments on Revelation 20:4 where it reads, “…and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded…and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Barnes says that because John saw the “souls” and not the “bodies,” that John could not have been referring to a literal, bodily resurrection. It sounds like a good point.

But, I turned to Acts 27, that great chapter that tells us about Paul’s shipwreck. How many people were on that ship? The Bible says in Acts 27:37 that there were “two hundred threescore and sixteen (276) souls.” Can you imagine that? After these people came to shore, here come 276 souls, and not a single one of them had a body!

You know that’s not right. When the Bible says there were 276 souls, he was not saying that there were no “bodies” present. Sometimes, the word “souls” in scripture just means “people.”

I sent a text message to a preacher some time ago. It read, “Man does not have a soul.” In about five seconds my phone rang. “What do you mean, man doesn’t have a soul?” he asked. My reply was this: “Man doesn’t have a soul; man is a soul.” Genesis 2:7 states, “And God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” When John said, “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded,” he was not teaching that they have no body of any kind. After all, John tells us that these “souls” had been resurrected. We know that John was referring to their physical DEATH when he says that they were beheaded. If you are beheaded, your head is taken off your body, not your soul! When they were beheaded, their body died, not their soul! So, when they are resurrected in the first resurrection, it will be their bodies that are resurrected. So, amillennialism just does not work.

At one time, I considered amillennialism, but I never believed it. One thing that made me consider the teaching was the fact that there are several verses in the Bible that refer to the Lord reigning FOR EVER. This made me consider doing away with a literal Millennium.

Some of these scriptures are Exodus 15:18; Psalm 146:10; Daniel 7:14; Daniel 7:27; Micah 4:7; Luke 1:33; Revelation 11:15; and Revelation 22:5. If Christ is going to reign FOR EVER, I considered, then He is not going to reign for a literal 1,000 years. But after studying the scriptures, it is clear to me that although Christ is going to reign for ever in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth, His eternal reign will begin with a literal Millennium upon this present, literal earth. It is the Biblical viewpoint that Jesus Christ is coming literally to this earth, and a literal, 1,000-year reign follows His coming. We call this PREMILLENNIALISM.

If the Millennium is not a Futuristic, Literal Kingdom…

Understanding that the Bible rejects both the postmillennial and amillennial viewpoints, let me speak hypothetically. If it were true that the Millennium is either something past; or something figurative, then there are some questions that must be answered.

First, what did Jesus mean when He told His apostles in Matthew 19:28 – “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” What does this mean, if it doesn’t mean that the apostles will sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel?

Secondly, in Matthew 20:20-23, I am told that the mother of James and John, Zebedee’s children, came to Jesus with a request. She asked if her two preacher boys could sit, one at Christ’s right hand and the other at His left, in the kingdom. Christ does not straighten her out. He does not tell her that there is no kingdom. He simply states that those positions are not His to give. This would have been a perfect time to correct her faulty thinking, if there is no literal kingdom. But Christ does not correct her. Concerning mansions in the Father’s house, Christ told His disciples, “If it were not so, I would have told you.” Don’t you think He would have told the mother of James and John differently when she expected a literal kingdom to come? Sure He would have…but He did not. There is a literal kingdom coming.

Thirdly, consider Acts 1:6-8. The disciples are told to go to Jerusalem. Something clicks in their minds. They remember the Old Testament prophecies that state that the Lord’s house would be established in the mountains of Jerusalem, and that all nations would flow to it. When Christ tells them to go to Jerusalem, they automatically think, “He’s about to set up His kingdom.” They know from the scriptures that the Christ would come to set up such a kingdom. So they ask the Lord this question: “Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel.” This is another chance for the Lord to tell all of us that there is no literal kingdom. But again, He does not. He simply tells his disciples that the time of the coming kingdom is not their department. Their concern should be to get full of the Spirit of God and be witnesses – “The time of the kingdom is not in your power,” He tells them. “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses…”

There is a literal kingdom coming. But, until then, may we be full of the Holy Ghost and win the lost to Jesus Christ.

MORE TO COME…

The Millennium - Part 1A

2011-08-05T07:31:00.000-07:00

A Literal Millennium

Introduction

As I begin this study on the Millennium, it is important to understand, first and foremost, that this is a brief study, and is in no way designed to be an in-depth study of this subject. Clearly, I understand that this study is basic rather than exhaustive. There is no way in this brief study to answer every question concerning the Millennium, to examine every passage of scripture dealing with the Millennium, or to establish myself as an expert on this massive subject. In this study, it is my desire to present the basics of this vital Bible doctrine.

The Primary Passage – Revelation 20:1-6

The twentieth chapter of Revelation is perhaps the easiest understood chapter of the book of Revelation. In spite of the simplicity of its language, many Bible readers still choke at its clarity. Let us look at the passage which I will be examining throughout this study.

Revelation 20:1-6 – “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

It would be good for the reader to understand that the word, “millennium” is found neither in the above passage, nor anywhere else in the Bible. Some have chosen not to believe in a literal Millennium because the word, “millennium” is not found in the Bible. Though the word itself may not be in the Bible, its exact meaning is found in the Bible, and we see it clearly in the above passage.

The word “millennium” comes from two Latin words. The first, “mille,” means “thousand;” and the second, “annus,” means “years.” So, the Latin word “millennium” is the exact equivalent to our English phrase “thousand years.”

Five times in the above passage we find the phrase “thousand years.” First, in verses 2 and 3, we are told that an angel took the devil, bound him, and cast him into the bottomless pit to remain for a thousand years. In these two verses, the phrase “thousand years” is found twice. So, we who believe in a literal millennium believe that during the millennium, the devil will be bound for A THOUSAND YEARS! In verse 4, I am told that those who were martyred during the tribulation LIVED and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. In verse 5, I am told that the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. In verse 6, I am told that those who escape the second death will reign with Christ for a thousand years.

So, the Millennium is a Bible doctrine that is preached by Bible-believing preachers, proclaiming that those who escape the second death, especially those who suffer for the gospel, will live and reign with Jesus Christ upon this present, literal earth for 1,000 years of peace.

The Binding of Satan

In the aforementioned passage of scripture, Revelation 20:1-6, John informs me that, at the beginning of the Millennium, the devil himself is bound with a chain and confined to the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. Praise God for this truth! The devil, who caused so much trouble through the centuries for both Israel and the church, is bound! Satan, the god of this world who blinded the minds of them who refuse to believe Christ, is in confinement! Perhaps one of the greatest aspects of this passage is the fact that it only takes one angel to bind that old serpent. When Jesus Christ was arrested, the Romans sent a band of soldiers, each soldier possessing a torch and a sword. When Peter was arrested and placed in jail he was guarded a band of soldiers. But when God binds the devil, he does not send heaven’s armies! He does not send the artilleries of heaven’s forces! He does not empty heaven’s fort of its officials! Jesus Christ, the commander-in-chief of the heavenly realm, simply sends one officer – just one angel – and Satan’s freedom to deceive the nations is a thing of the past!

TO BE CONTINUED…

The Work of God

2011-07-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

I Thessalonians 1:3 – “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love…”

Today I wish to expound upon three aspects of the work of God. The theme of Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians is the work of God. Much is written in this epistle regarding Paul’s work among them; their work in the kingdom of God; and most importantly, God’s work in His people.

One of my favorite verses of scripture is as follows:

Psalm 118:23 – “This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”

This verse deals with Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone, being rejected by the Jews. Jesus quoted this verse in Matthew 21:42 and Mark 12:11. In each instance, He was showing the Jews how they would be rejected by God and how that God would turn to the Gentiles. Can you imagine how hard it was for the Jews to conceive of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to take the chief cornerstone away from them, and use it to build a Gentile church? How is something of this magnitude going to be done? “This is the Lord’s doing!” God is going to do it! Whether Israel approves of it or not, God is going to do it! Whether Israel supports it or not, Jesus told them, “God is going to do it!”

Let’s get something straight! There are some things that will happen just because God is going to do it! I know for a fact that man-made global warming will NOT destroy our planet! It is predestined that God Almighty is going to burn this mess to a pile of ashes! For all you “green” people out there who think you’re saving the planet by riding around in a bullet shell, I’ve got news for you! Your efforts to save the planet are all in vain! God is going to destroy this planet and no legislation will stop Him! God’s going to shut the liberals down and shut the atheists up, and there’s not one thing that any world leader will do about it! “This is the Lord’s doing,” and it cannot be stopped!

I would like to look now at three aspects of the work of God.

God’s Work FOR Us – Grace

First, I would like to look at what God did FOR us. When we speak of what God did for us, we are speaking of grace. Man is lost hopelessly – so hopelessly that no effort on His part can save Himself. I am still amazed how people who have been in church for years testify that they are going to heaven because they have been faithful. Friend, no amount of faithfulness on your part will take care of your sin, or of the penalty of death that results from it.

God sent His only begotten Son into the world. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, took my sins upon Himself as though they were His sins. He was whipped, beaten, mocked, spit upon, crucified, and separated from His Father for my sins. The only way I could have ever paid off my sin debt is to die forever in a lake of fire! But Jesus took my sins and yours upon Himself. He did this so we need never to die the second death. Calvary is God’s work FOR us. Christ did upon the cross what no man could do for himself. Christ satisfied the wrath and justice of God completely. Grace is God doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Calvary is the grace of God.

God’s Work IN Us – Faith

I am amazed at how many ministers in various denominations have no clue concerning Bible salvation. Some think that getting sprinkled as an infant contributes to the salvation of the soul. Some think that being saved from sin is the result of a person’s willful cessation of sin. While I believe strongly that God’s people are called to holy living, I believe just as strongly that salvation is not “cessation from sin.” You can cease from all your bad habits and start doing good and righteous things and be as lost as any man has ever been. Some think erroneously that salvation is the product of being baptized “in Jesus’ name.” Some think that salvation is composed of repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and being filled with the Holy Ghost evidenced by speaking in tongues. None of these things are correct.

I discussed the subject of salvation with a man recently. This man was of the opinion that we are saved by keeping the moral law of God. He describes salvation as “trusting Jesus” AND “ceasing from sin.” I asked the man this question: “If you were in the Philippian jail and the jailer came to you and asked, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ what would your response be?” I never got an answer. Because in the word of God, Paul and Silas WERE in the Philippian jail. And the jailer DID ask, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas gave a clear, concise response. Their response was not, “Get down on your knees for an hour and if you feel better, thou shalt be saved.” They did not say, “Quit your sinning, and thou shalt be saved.” Neither did they say, “Be baptized,” or “Be baptized in Jesus’ name and thou shalt be saved.” What Paul and Silas answered is echoed throughout the New Testament – “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

Believing, or having faith, is the work of God. Believing is not your own work of any kind. When you believe on Jesus Christ to be saved, you are not DOING anything; you are rather trusting fully what Christ HAS ALREADY DONE! Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is not merely believing that God exists; or believing that Christ died on the cross. Devils believe these things, and tremble at the thought of them! Yet no devil is saved. Believing is fully trusting Christ to save you based upon HIS WORK upon the cross. We have faith because God gives it to us. The man who has faith cannot boast of his faith; for he has no faith, unless God graciously bestows it to him. Notice:

Ephesians 2:8, 9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Notice how Paul words this – “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and THAT…” What is “that”? The context teaches us that the word, “that” refers to faith. We are saved “through FAITH, and THAT not of yourselves.” Paul is teaching plainly that the faith to be saved does not dwell within us. It is given to us by God! Paul goes on to say, “It is the gift of God!” Romans 12:3 teaches us that God has dealt to every man “the measure of faith!” Trusting Christ fully to save you is not your work; it is the work of God! You are simply trusting what Christ has already accomplished FOR us!

John 6:29 – “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

God’s Work THROUGH Us – Good Works

We previously looked at Ephesians 2:8 & 9, that salvation is by grace (God’s work for us – sending Christ to die upon the cross) through faith (God’s work in us – trusting Christ’s work upon the cross). Now, I wish to examine these verses once more, but this time let us look at them along with verse 10:

Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

After we are saved by grace, through faith, we are then created in Christ Jesus UNTO good works. The best evidence of genuine salvation is a change in one’s living!

Make no mistake about it – we are justified in the sight of God by faith, apart from works altogether.

Romans 3:21 – “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.”

Romans 3:28 – “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Galatians 3:11 – “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

Clearly, the Bible teaches that we are justified, or declared innocent, completely by faith, and completely apart from works. But, let us look at some verses in James 2:

James 2:14 – “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?”

James 2:17 – “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”

James 2:24 – “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”

Now, let us notice a couple of things. Galatians 3:11 states that NO MAN is justified by works of the law in the sight of God. James 2:24, just as clearly, states that by works a man IS JUSTIFIED, and not by faith only. There is a simple, clear, Biblical explanation for this.

The passages I gave you in Romans and Galatians deal with us being justified in THE SIGHT OF GOD (Galatians 3:11). James 2, however, deals with us being justified in the SIGHT OF MAN (James 2:15, 16, 18). When a man places his faith in Jesus Christ, he justified in the sight of God instantly, even before God sees the first good work. God does not need to see a good work before He knows we have faith, for He can see our heart! Our fellow man, on the other hand, cannot see our faith; he can only see our works! Therefore, to be justified in man’s sight, we must prove our faith by having good works! Make no mistake about it – the passages in Romans and Galatians deal with justification in the sight of God, and we are justified in His sight without any works whatsoever.

Galatians 3:11 – “But that no man is justified by the law IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

James 2, on the other hand, is not about us showing God our faith; it is rather about us showing MAN our faith:

James 2:15, 16 – “If A BROTHER OR SISTER be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?”

In these verses, James clearly states that claiming to have faith without works will in no way profit A BROTHER OR SISTER!

James 2:18 – “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: SHEW ME THY FAITH without thy works, and I will SHEW THEE my faith by my works.”

Again, it is clear here that the subject is not about showing God our faith; it is about being justified in the sight of man. “Shew me thy faith without thy works,” Paul says, “and I will show thee my faith by my works.” When James 2 is put in context, there is not a single contradiction with Romans and Galatians whatsoever.

We are completely justified in the sight of God by faith, apart from works of any kind. But it is the will of God for God to work THROUGH us! He wants us to submit to His work so that we might show the world our faith. Genuine faith in Christ makes a person a new creature (II Corinthians 5:17). Genuine faith in Christ will make a change in the life, mind, and heart of an individual. The best way to show your faith by your works is to let Jesus Christ do the living in your life. When this is done, Christ will work the work of God THROUGH you!

This is the key – “…nevertheless I live; yet NOT I, but CHRIST LIVETH IN ME!” When we let Him live, there will be an abundance of good works in our life – not to show God our faith; but rather to show man our faith, that they might see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven!

The Patience of Hope

2011-07-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

I Thessalonians 1:2, 3 – “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.”

In the above passage, Paul introduces his first epistle to the church of Thessalonica. Hereby it is clearly brought forth that the apostle remembered three things concerning the people of Thessalonica. First, he remembered their work of faith. Faith alone is dead, but living faith is working faith! The Thessalonians did not merely enjoy their faith; they employed their faith! They put their faith to work in such a way that it benefited the kingdom of God, and Paul the apostle did not forget it! Second, Paul remembered their labour of love. And third, Paul remembered their patience of hope. I wish to expound briefly concerning this patience of hope.

Commonly, it becomes clear to me that many Christians have a wrong idea of the meaning of this blessed word, “hope.” For too long we have allowed our culture to define the word for us, rather than allowing the Bible to define it. “Hope” is defined by many as an “unsure possibility.” We say, “I HOPE it will rain.” When this statement is made, what we mean is, “I do not know if it will rain or not, but I hope it will.” We say, “I HOPE the preacher doesn’t preach too long tonight.” These uses of the word, “hope” illustrates an UNSURE hope. The Bible sense of the word, “hope” is defined by Noah Webster this way: “Confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God’s gracious promises; a scriptural sense.”

In the book of Hebrews, the writer gives us possibly the best definition of hope in the Bible in Hebrews 6:19 – “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.”

In this passage, the writer clearly shows us a hope that is compared to an anchor of the soul. He describes a hope that is both SURE and STEADFAST! The world gives an UNSURE hope; but God Almighty gives His children a SURE and STEADFAST hope. The world crosses their fingers, looking for a possibility; the Christian looks to a God who cannot lie, expecting an event that we KNOW FOR SURE is approaching!

Anytime the Bible associates HOPE with a something that God promised, it is a sure hope. When we hope for the coming of the promises of God, we do not cross our fingers, not knowing whether or not they will come; we look down the dusty road, knowing that they are on the way! Understanding this clearly, I wish to look at a couple of passages that deal with the subject of hope. These passages are usually interpreted through the lens of an unsure hope. But I would like to examine these passages with Biblical hope in mind – a sure and steadfast hope!

Saved by Hope

Romans 8:24, 25 – “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

When reading this text, I have heard some say that we do not know for sure that we are saved, or that we will be saved in the end. Such an interpretation is contrary to scripture! I told someone recently that I am not TRYING to be saved; I AM saved! In I Corinthians 1:18, Paul said, speaking of the preaching of the cross, that it is the power of God to them which “ARE SAVED!” That’s the group I’m in! I am not STRIVING for salvation; I HAVE salvation! Ephesians 2:8 states plainly “By grace ARE ye saved!” The last time I checked, the word, “ARE” is present tense! I am not running a race to see if I will get eternal life; I HAVE eternal life! I John 5:13 plainly establishes this point when John says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye HAVE eternal life!” I am not working on obtaining everlasting life; I currently possess everlasting life! Jesus said in John 5:24, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, HATH everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but IS PASSED from death unto life.”

So, to say that the above passage is correctly interpreted as meaning that we do not possess salvation currently, and we are only hoping to obtain salvation, is the most ridiculous tale I have heard in long while.

But let us examine the above verses. “We are saved by hope,” the apostle says. Paul goes on to say, “For what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for.” To the honest reader, it sure seems that salvation is something we have not yet seen. We are hoping for it. Paul clearly states that if we had already attained it, we wouldn’t be hoping for it! All of this is correct! There is a futuristic aspect to salvation. It has been rightly said that I HAVE BEEN saved from the penalty of sin – this is justification. I am BEING SAVED from the power of sin – this is sanctification. I WILL BE SAVED from the presence of sin – this is glorification. And glorification is the subject of the above verses. Paul was making reference to the time when even our bodies will be saved! In the future, our bodies will be changed to be like His glorious body! This is glorification! When Paul said, “We are saved by hope,” he was not inferring that he didn’t know for sure whether he would be saved in the end or not. He was in no way doubting that he would receive a glorious body when the Lord returns. Look at what he says in same chapter:

Romans 8:29, 30 – “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

Paul states clearly here that those whom God foreknew, He predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son! In no way does this sound like Paul didn’t know for sure whether he would be saved in the end or not. Paul says this of the faithful God whom he served – “…whom He justified, them He also GLORIFIED [past tense].” Paul here says clearly that if you have been justified, your glorification is already done! No, Paul was not claiming to have already obtained a glorified body, but he counted it as having already been done, because God is the One who promised that Paul would be glorified. And, in Paul’s heart, if God Almighty promised it, it’s as good as done!

So, when Paul says, “We are saved by hope,” he was not saying that he did not know whether he would be saved in the end or not. He was stating clearly that he had a hope of salvation in the end!

The Hope of Eternal Life

Titus 1:1, 2 – “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.”

In these verses, Paul states that he had a hope of eternal life. Now, some interpret this passage to mean that Paul was in doubt whether he would receive eternal life in the end or not. How absurd. Again, it is clear that the hope that is associated with God Almighty is a SURE and STEADFAST hope! Paul certainly was not “crossing his fingers,” unsure as to his final state.

From this passage, we learn something else of the subject of hope. Hope of a coming event is always based upon a fact or condition. Allow me to illustrate. Suppose you are reading a newspaper and the meteorologist’s column informs you that there is a 90% chance of rain. You say to yourself, “I hope it rains! We sure need it!” On what is your hope built? It is built on what the meteorologist says. You know what kind of record they have! I never make or change plans based upon a weather forecast. They’re just not that dependable. This is the UNSURE HOPE we’ve been discussing.

But look at Paul’s hope of eternal life, and the fact upon which it was built. How could Paul hope to receive eternal life for even his decaying body? How could Paul be sure that his body would one day be changed into a glorious body, never again to die? That sounds far fetched, but Paul had a fact upon which he based such a conclusion. Here is the fact upon which his hope laid – GOD SAID IT, AND GOD CANNOT LIE! Paul’s hope was not based upon the 50/50 chance of a weatherman! It was based rather upon the never-failing promise of God Almighty!

In Paul’s “hope of eternal life,” he was not hoping, unsure of whether it would happen or not; he was rather expecting eternal life, because he KNEW he would receive it in its entirety, even in obtaining a new body!

Let us not get weary in waiting patiently for what God said would happen. Let us have a sure and steadfast hope, knowing that what God promised, He will perform!

The Love of God

2011-07-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 3:17-19 – “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

No subject has seized my attention, filling my mind with awe at its truth, as has the grand subject of the love of God. Authors have tried to pen it, but have never done the matter justice. Songwriters have tried to express this subject in time and measure, but have only left the subject much more complex than the song. Preachers have tried to declare it, but as Dr. B.R. Lakin said, “You may as well try to describe a sunset to a blind man” as to expound clearly upon the love of God!

One noteworthy truth concerning the scriptures’ mention of the love of God is that the phrases, “love of God,” and “love of Christ,” are absent from the sacred writings of the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 6:5, Israel was commanded thus – “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” While Israel was commanded to love God, there is little mention of God’s love in the Old Testament. Please note, I am not saying that God did not love His people Israel. Neither am I saying that the Old Testament does not tell us so. However, I am saying, that there is very little emphasis on the love of God in the Old Testament, especially when compared with the New. This should not be surprising. The law was never kept out of love; but out of debt (or, obligation; Romans 4:4). The law was never intended to give life, for if it could have done so, then Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21). The law only administered death. The law only condemned. Outside of condemnation and death, the law could do nothing (Romans 8:3). The scriptures tell us that Jesus Christ came in a body like ours to condemn sin in the flesh. When He did so, it was at this time that the love of God toward man appeared (Titus 3:4)! Before Christ came, the love of God could only be seen through the keen lens of types and shadows. But now, on this side of Calvary, even the most self-centered, nearsighted individual can see clearly the love of God demonstrated toward every lost sinner! No matter how farsighted a person may be, the love of God shown at Calvary, where He gave His only begotten Son, is not so far that it is out of sight!

Understanding that the love of God is little mentioned in the Old Testament, it becomes clear why those who emphasize the law of God and justice of God care little about the love of God. I have written much in this blog concerning the justice of God. I have shown oftentimes that man is condemned in His sins, and that this condemnation leads to Hell. God’s love and God’s justice must be equally balanced. I have shown numerous times that God can treat me as innocent ONLY BECAUSE His justice was satisfied when Christ, who knew no sin, took my sins upon Himself, and paid the penalty for them in full! I do not preach the love of God apart from the justice of God. I do not preach God’s love for the sinner apart from God’s hatred for the sin. However, there are some who preach ONLY the law of God, but they never preach that Jesus fulfilled the law entirely, INCLUDING the death penalty that was upon you and me.

I have been saved for more than seventeen years, and I am honestly amazed at the love of God more at this moment than I ever have been. One preacher was asked the question, “Why did Jesus choose Judas, if He knew Judas would betray Him?”

The preacher responded, “I’ve been struggling with a question harder than that one!”

“What question is that?”

“You’ve been wondering why Jesus chose Judas,” the preacher began. “But I’ve been wondering why Jesus chose me!”

I pray that, as Paul the Apostle stated in the first passage in this post, we may be able to gain some comprehension of Christ’s great love for us!