Jude 1:3-11, Who are the saints? (3)

We are considering some of the Catholic teaching on the “saints.”

·       #2156: At baptism Catholics receive a name, perhaps the name of one of the saints.  This person becomes the “patron saint” for that person. 

Our response, again, is to note how this detracts from Christ.  1) There is nothing in the Bible that encourages us to put our children or anyone in the care of someone other than the Lord.  This is not based in the Bible.  2) There is also nothing in the Bible that suggests that believers who have died and are in the Lord’s presence have any ability to influence or care for people on earth.  Heb. 12:1 speaks of being surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.  But these are witnesses which can have two possible meanings.  Either they are witnessing us running the race (that is not likely) or their testimony of successfully finishing the race encourages us.  The latter is certainly what this means, and these “witnesses” are the Old Testament saints (believers) who were spoken of in the previous chapter (Heb. 11, often called the “hall of faith”). 

·       #2030: The Church is the source of God’s word and of grace in the sacraments. 

This is the fundamental issue in this.  Our authority as believers for anything we do comes from the Word of God.  For Catholics God is continuing to speak His word through the Church.  But Jude said that the faith we hold was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).  At the time Jude wrote, he was standing firm on the word of God whose delivery of that word had been completed.  Heb. 1:1-3 gives the same idea, that God’s word has been completed with the coming of His Son and the confirmation of that word, by signs, wonders and miracles by the Apostles (2:1-4).  The Bible is complete.  There is no place in Scripture that calls for a continuing revelation or inspiration beyond the first century. 

Matthew 16:17-19 should be brought up here.  Jesus commended Peter, and for the sake of argument let’s conclude that Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom for the admission of people to the Church He was building.  There is no groundwork laid here for a continuing papacy or, again, for continuing revelation.  Peter used those keys in Acts, for Israel in Acts 2, the Samaritans in Acts 8, and the Gentiles in Acts 9.  With that, the door was unlocked for the entire world.  There is no need for these keys (i.e. this authority) to extend beyond the life of Peter.

And just briefly, the first Church Council (Acts 15) did not establish new structure or new doctrine for the Church.  It clarified doctrine, the doctrine of salvation and sanctification by grace.  The doctrine of “canonization for sainthood” that came into being in the 900s was an addition to Scripture, and on that basis alone should be rejected.  Even Peter, in 2 Peter 1:3-4, said that believers at that time had all things that pertain to life and godliness.  Christ alone is sufficient!  Be careful lest your minds be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3).

Phil. 3:1-11, Who are the saints? (2)

We want to quote now from Catholic sources to show they are not Biblical in their approach to “saints.”  They have taken tradition and tried to push it into Scripture.

·       In the RCC there is a process for “Canonization” (recognizing a “saint”).  The person is first noted to be a servant of God by the local bishop.  Then the Vatican notes they are “venerable” (lived a life of “heroic virtue”).  The person is blessed when it is verified that a miracle was performed through this person’s intercession.  A second verified miracle confirms their status as “saint.”  Thus, in heaven, they are fit to pray for people on earth. 

By my understanding, this had its origin in the 2^nd century church, in the death of Polycarp, who was venerated by those who knew him.  In other words, they collected bones after his death and preserved them and were encouraged by them.  However, after Constantine’s decree 313 this began to expand significantly.  But it was not until the 900’s that papal authority was exercised in the process of canonization.

Following, in this and the next post, are quotes from the Catholic Catechism (paragraph numbers are included).  Did Christ, the Head of the Church, institute this?

·       #2683: “they (the saints, in heaven) constantly care for those whom they have left on earth. … Their intercession is their most exalted service to God’s plan.” 

Jesus did not institute such a system that involves improving our prayers by giving requests to saints so they can also pray.  In John 14:12-14 what Jesus said was believers could go to the Father “in His name” and we would be given whatever we needed.  Further, Romans 8:26 tells us the Holy Spirit prays for or “intercedes” for us when we don’t know how to pray.  The Spirit is perfect for this because He perfectly knows the will of God.  A study of 2 Cor. 2:10-16 speaks of this profound ministry of the Spirit, who has been given to us that we might know the things freely given to us by God. 

·       #2684: “… followers (of a saint, i.e. pilgrims, those who seek out their burial places and their relics) have a share in this spirit” (i.e. the spirit of the saint they are pursuing).

It is one thing to remember the example of believers who have gone to be with the Lord.  But this is heresy, pursuing those who have gone before.  There is no thought in Scripture that we should do this.  Even seeking out and venerating the places where Jesus’ death and resurrection occurred are contrary to our calling.  Our pursuit of righteousness is a pursuit of Christ.  Looking unto Jesus (Heb. 12:1-2). Setting our affection on things above where Christ is and has our life hidden in Him (Col. 3:1-4).  The NT is filled with this focus on one Person: For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain … that I may know Him (Phil. 1:21; 3:10).  More on this in the next post.

Colossians 1:1-8, Who are the saints? (1)

The question from today’s passage is, “who are the saints?”  Are they a special class of Christian, different than the “faithful brethren?”  Or are both terms referring to all Christians?  The former view is that of Catholicism.  Which is true? (This is a subject brought upon us as we are in Ireland where the Catholic Church is dominant.  This question arose in the course of our Bible Study in Colossians.)

The Greek word for “saints” is hagios, which is the word “Holy” when speaking of the Holy Spirit.  The word is used 229x in the NT of which 92 refer to the Holy Spirit.  That leaves a lot of opportunity to demonstrate that “holiness” is a fitting adjective for all believers and not just a special class.  For example …

·       Heb. 12:14 states that no one will see the Lord without holiness.  In other words, the only ones to see the Lord are saints.  That indicates all believers are “saints.”

·       Eph. 1:2 has a similar beginning as Colossians, “to the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus.”  Speaking of all these recipients Paul goes on to say in 1:4, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame.  He is speaking of all believers, not just a special class.

·       Phil. 4:21 indicates “saints” are in Christ Jesus.  Paul regularly refers to all believers as being “in Christ.” 

·       Rom. 1:7 refers to saints in Rome, 1 Cor. 1:2 to saints in Corinth, as our passage refers to those in Colosse.  This is normal.  There are saints in every church.  That fits better with the thought that all believers are saints.

·       1 Cor. 1:2 tells us that “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus” are all “called to be saints” along with the many other saints in every place.  These saints are those who call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Rom. 10:13 tells us that all who call on the name of the Lord are saved people.

·       Staying in 1 Cor. 1:2, “sanctified” is the verb (saints is the adjective) and is defined thus: to render or acknowledge as holy; to separate from profane things and dedicate to God; to purity.  In 1 Thess. 5:23 Paul prays for all the believers, Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely ...  This is for all Christians, not just a select few.  Heb. 2:11 says, For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.  Christ became a man so as to set apart people for Himself whom He refers to as His brethren.  Again, this is for all believers. “Sanctification” is what makes a person a “saint.”  Examine 2 Tim. 2:18-21 to see this.

·       Eph. 2:19: Believers from Jewish and Gentile background (without exception, in other words all believers) are “fellow citizens” in the family of God.

·       Col. 1:4: The love of Christians is not just for a special few but for each other.  Jesus commanded us to love the brethren (Jn. 13:34-35).

There are no instructions given to us as to how we would make a distinction between “classes” of brothers.  We will pick up that thought in the next post.  What Catholicism does is not laid on us in Scripture.  It is added “tradition.”

Psalm 2:1-3; Acts 4:25-26, More Evidence of Verbal Inspiration

Psalm 2 presents the “Mystery of God.”  Before time began, in a conversation within the Godhead, the Father designated the Son to be the heir of all things, to receive all the nations as His inheritance.  In Acts 4:25-26 the believers quote Psalm 2:1-2 in their prayer for boldness.  They see the raging and plotting as having been fulfilled in the suffering of Christ at the hands of Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and the people of Israel (v27).  Here are the two passages.

Psalm 2:1-2: Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed.

Acts 2:25-26: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

In Acts the verbs are “aorist” tense.  Why did they rage and plot?  The kings took, the rulers were gathered together.  The Greek aorist tense is defined thus: … characterized by its emphasis on punctiliar action; that is, the concept of the verb is considered without regard for past, present, or future time. There is no direct or clear English equivalent for this tense, though it is generally rendered as a simple past tense in most translations.  The most common use refers to some event that had it’s beginning in the past and has been completed, which is the meaning here.

The context for the promise of the Father to the Son is in the raging and plotting of the nations and people.  This was the common situation of the nations throughout OT history but we see it as well in the latter days which are still unfulfilled.  The “tenses” fit perfectly with this “already fulfilled/yet to be fulfilled” idea.

Hebrew Perfect (rage, counsel)

Hebrew Imperfect (plot, set)

Generally designates a completed action or a situation that is viewed as a single event. Perfects are generally translated as simple pasts “He ran” or as past perfects “He has run”, but they may also be translated as presents or futures. The meaning … therefore has more to do with how an action took place than with when it took place.

Generally designates an action which is continuous, incomplete, or open-ended. Rather than depicting an action as a single event, the imperfect depicts it as a continuing process. It is therefore typically translated as a present “He is running” or a future “He will be running,” although it can sometimes be translated as a continuous past “He was running.” The meaning of the imperfect therefore has more to do with how an action took place than with when it took place.

Simple study.  But demonstrates God’s choice of Hebrew and Greek to reveal His truth to men.  Thank you Father!

Micah 2:6-11, How good is your bed (resting place)?

 Everyone needs rest.  Here is a special Hebrew word, menuha.  It involves a blessing of our salvation.  Let’s begin with passages that will help define the term.

·       Gen. 49:15: In Jacob’s blessing on Issachar he says, He saw that rest was good, and that the land was pleasant.

·       Jud. 20:43: In Israel’s “civil war” the 11 tribes easily trampled the Benjamites.  So rest is a hard job that is easily done.

·       Ruth 1:9: According to Naomi, settling down with a husband would be rest for Ruth.  Think about this in our society where marriage is often ridiculed.

·       2 Sam. 14:17: According to the woman of Tekoa sent by wicked Joab to get David to do his bidding, bringing back Absalom would be comforting for everyone, which of course did not exactly turn out to be comforting.

·       1 Chr. 22:9: Solomon would be a man of rest, likely referring to fact there were no wars in Solomon’s reign.  Solomon’s name is akin to “shalom” (peace).

·       Jer. 45:3: Baruch, in time of Babylonian seige, found no rest (peace of mind).

Now let’s consider this work in relation with the LORD.

·       Jer. 51:59: “quartermaster” is literally mehunah sar, the quiet prince.  This may mean he was not like the princes who had been contentious with Jeremiah. Or as Feinberg says (whom I would trust) he may have been the one to look after the comfort of the king.

·       Zech. 9:1: Damascus, the capitol city, is the resting place of Syria.

Now consider the LORD’s resting place.

·       1 Chr. 28:2: David intended to build a resting place for the Ark, a footstool for the LORD.  That place in Jerusalem is God’s resting place (Ps. 132:8,14).  The future resting place of Messiah will be glorious (Isa. 11:10).  All this is God’s grace because He is too great to make a temple His resting place (Isa. 66:1).

·       And what of Israel’s resting place?  In the wilderness journeys they continuously sought out a place to rest (Num. 10:33) because they had not yet come to the rest of the land, their inheritance from the LORD (Dt. 12:9).  But God promised the land to be Israel’s rest (1 Ki. 8:56).  Though some were denied that rest (Ps. 95:11) because they refused to trust God and enter the land, and others who trusted in Egypt instead of the LORD (Isa. 28:12) and trusted lying prophets (Micah 2:10) in the days of Babylon, yet Israel will someday be at rest in that land (Isa. 32:18).

·       Ah, which leaves us with two great reminders from the Psalms:

Ps. 23:2: He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 

Psalm 116:7: Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalm 119:33-48

 

Psa. 119:33-40 He:  Give your full attention for your entire life to God’s word.

People often speak of “living without regret”. Perhaps you have heard it said at a funeral that the deceased “died with no regrets”.  Wouldn’t you like to stand before your Lord at His judgment seat with “no regrets”?

Probably the best known death-bed statement in Scripture that speaks of “no regret” is Paul’s claim from prison shortly before losing his life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7).  But he would never have come to that place had he not lived as he did in Acts 20:24.  When warned about the dangers that awaited him in Jerusalem he said, “But none of these things move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus.”

This stanza is about endurance, whole-hearted endurance.  The Psalmist’s goal is to keep on the way of truth “to the end” (v33) and “with his whole heart” (v34).  Without question this will be a delightful path (v35) though full of affliction and trouble.

But “no regret” living is concerned not only with how we come to the Word; it is concerned with how we deal with distractions.  Thus, the Psalmist tackles two major distractions head on: covetousness (v36) and worthless things (v37).

Think about how much time is spent on “things,” all that involves the “lust of the eyes.”  Every new possession requires proper time both to use it and to maintain it.  One must ask of every item if it contributes to “no regret living.”  Jesus taught us to lay up treasure in heaven rather than on earth (Matt. 6:19-21).

As for worthless things, we must ask the same question.  Worth has to do with God and eternity (2 Cor. 4:17-18).  How often have I claimed frustration that I have no time to pray or to build meaningful relationships with those around me that I might show them Christ, and yet find time for activities that have no eternal value at all?

The proper use of time in the Word will allow God to establish it in us (v38), thus causing us to be rooted and grounded.  Perhaps today is a good day to pray vs. 36-37 that we might finish the race with joy.

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 119:41-48 Waw:  Plead God’s mercy; share His answers with others.

This stanza seems to be divided in half.  In vs. 41-44 the Psalmist makes his requests with his reasons; in vs. 45-48 in a series of “I wills,” he tells how God’s answer will affect his life.

First he prays that God’s mercies (Heb. chesed, lovingkindness) will come to him (v41).  Then he prays that God will not take away the word of truth from his mouth (v43).  The reasons for these requests are that he might have an answer for those who reproach him (v42) and that he might be continually obedient (v44).

We see that the affliction that the Psalmist is encountering involves the reproach of the wicked.  Reproach by those around us can be a powerful force to turn us away from obedience if we are not careful.  We may fear people and what they say (Prov. 29:25), or may be so concerned with our popularity that we keep silent when the name of Christ is at stake.

Remember Paul’s prayer request in Col. 4:3-4, that God would open a door for him to speak for Christ, and that he would speak clearly.  He then commanded believers to “let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6).

Peter also told us to be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks us of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15).  God has left us in this world to be salt and light, and part of that has to do with the right words at the right time.  Perhaps this is the Psalmist’s concern here.

God’s mercies and His word, at work in the believer, will bring about confidence both in the matter of speaking the Word and keeping the Word.

o v45: he will have liberty to speak God’s word to others.

o v46: he will not be ashamed even when speaking to the most eminent of people.

o v47: he will delight in God’s commands.

o v48: he will lift up (honor) and meditate on God’s word.

What a wonderful thought as you begin this day.  Pray for God’s mercy throughout the day, and that you will be filled to overflowing with His word for a needy world.

Timothy: Be Watchful in All Things!

We are not going to study at this time the term “exhort” in 2 Tim. 4:2.  It is important, but it is also huge.  It is the Greek parakaleō and parakalèsis, comfort, encouragement, literally “coming alongside someone to walk with them.”  Obviously, in the matter of pastoral ministry, this is a fantastic truth.  In my current location (we are overseas helping some missionary friends, and this is the day each week I sit at a coffee shop in the train station so I can study) I am not readily able to tackle the subject.  Perhaps I am not ready “out of season.”  Nevertheless, we will do this later. 

But I do want to consider Paul’s imperative in v5: But you be watchful in all things.  This term is not the “be on the alert” often used in the context of the latter days (e.g. Mt. 24:42).  It means to be sober, to be calm and collected in spirit.  We have it as a verb (6x) and adjective (3x).  It adds a constant attitude which will enable us to watch or be on the alert.  This attitude is not distracted by extreme business or distraction but rather is calm, watchful for what might arise.  Thus you will see it used in connection with the idea of watching.  The uses are important in the NT.  First, the verb.

·       1 Thess. 5:6,8: Let us not sleep but let us watch and be sober.  Let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

·       2 Tim. 4:5: Timothy was to be watchful in all things.

·       1 Peter 1:13: Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, rest your hope fully upon the grace to be brought at the revelation of Christ.

·       1 Peter 4:7: The end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious (another “sober” term that is more like “sober” as we think of it, not being drunk) and watchful in your prayers.

·       1 Peter 5:8: Be sober, be vigilant (a “watch” term meaning literally to be awake and not asleep) for the devil walks about as a roaring lion.

And now the adjective.

·       1 Tim. 3:2,11: A bishop must be blameless … temperate, soberminded (the “not like a drunk” term). Wives of deacons must be reverent (yet another term related to being serious; this is an issue), not slanderers, temperate.

·       Titus 2:2: Older men should be sober, reverent (same as the wives in the previous passage), temperate (the not-drunk-like term).  As we said, and we should see, the attitude reflected here is important for a Christian.  I hope I, and we, are well-instructed in this matter.