Psalm 25, Addendum as Applied to Youthful Lusts (1)

Recently, in the course of my regular Bible reading, I read Psalm 25.  As I am sure you know, if you have a program that takes you regularly through the Bible, you never get tired as you read the same scriptures.  Because of our particular life situation at the time or better, because of the Holy Spirit’s ministry at the time, we may see things we missed before or be encouraged to apply the passage in a new way.  We never tire of God’s word!

So, probably because of a recent conversation I had, and quite likely because of my own need to properly deal with the command to “flee youthful lusts,” I saw in Ps. 25 several encouragements related to the constant temptation.  And I mean constant.  You don’t have to be on some porn website.  Many Christians in the US frequent conservative news pages like Fox News or the Drudge Report.  I can tell you: they regularly have headlines highlighting some hot actress in a skimpy dress or some “news” story of rape or licentious activity of some sort.  It’s a business decision because, as we all know, web pages make their money off hits on their headlines or links to other pages.  But deeper than that, as always, it’s Satanic.  It’s his world at this time and his system is in operation.  We need to have renewed minds because these kinds of things come at us without warning.  Therefore, Ps. 25.  And my apologies as this will take two posts!

·       25:1-3: If I think that going after the “lure of Satan” will bring me some pleasure I need to understand that going after the “lure of Satan” will ALWAYS disappoint me.  That is the essence of being “ashamed.”  It will not work.

·       25:4-5: Why is this?  Because of who the LORD is!  He is the “God of my salvation.”  He has saved me from the guilt of sin.  He will save me from the chains of sin.  Therefore, my prayer must be “show me … teach me … lead me!”  Since those who wait on the LORD will never be ashamed, waiting on the LORD must be my lifestyle, not just my “seven minutes with God” each day.

·       25:6-7: We seldom think of David’s sins as a youth, when he was the shepherd boy who killed a bear and a lion and a giant and was always successful with God’s help.  We think of Uriah the Hittite and the sin of his later years with its terrible consequences (oh, how disappointed, how ashamed was David after that brief ‘pleasure’).  David knew there were issues from his youth that worked against him.  The answer to “youthful lusts” is not simply to get older.  We must be renewed and transformed so that they do not continue to plague us as adults.

·       25:8-11: These sins were real and great.  They needed to be pardoned, a term first used in Ex. 34:9 when Moses prayed that God would forgive those stiff-necked people.  With them, with David, and with me, there were and will be consequences.  And when God teaches, those who learn are those who are humble, teachable, accepting His word without hesitation or argument.

1 Peter 2:18-25, Exalting Christ in the Workplace (2)

Here is a Bible Study outline on the master/slave relationship in the NT (primarily), by which we mean the relationship of employees and employers.

1)    The employee’s relationship to his employer …

a)    Honor him, 1 Tim. 6:1.

b)    Obey him, Titus 2:9; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22.

c)    Subject yourself to him, 1 Pt. 2:18.

d)    Fear him, 1 Pt. 2:18; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22.

e)    Seek to please him, Titus 2:9.

f)     Don’t talk back to him, Titus 2:9.

g)    Don’t pilfer, steal from him, Titus 2:10.

h)    Work diligently even if he’s not around, Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:22.

i)      Treat him as if he were Christ, Eph. 6:5-7.

j)      Do this whether he’s a good or bad boss, 1 Pt. 2:18.

2)    Employees personal characteristics …

a)    Be dependable, trustworthy, Titus 2:10.

b)    Singleness of purpose, Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22.

c)    Work heartily, gladly, Col. 3:23.

3)    Results of this lifestyle for employees …

a)    Makes Christianity/Christ look good, Titus 2:10.

b)    Reward, Eph. 6:8; Col. 3:24.

4)    Results for departing from this lifestyle …

a)    No reward, judgment, Col. 3:25.

b)    God and the Word are slandered, 1 Tim. 6:1-2.

5)    Scriptural guidelines for employers …

a)    Pattern yourselves after your Master in heaven, Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1.

b)    You are equal with your employees as humans, Job 31:13-15.

c)    Be fair, equal in dealing with employees, Col. 4:1; Mal. 3:5; James 5:4.

d)    Pay employees promptly, Deut. 24:15; Lev. 19:13.

e)    Don’t be overbearing, Lev. 25:43; Eph. 6:9.

f)     Don’t threaten employees, Eph. 6:9.

g)    You will be judged according to this standard, James 5:1-6; Eph. 6:9.

Col. 3:22-4:1, Exalting Christ in the Workplace (1)

In our church fellowship we recently taught from Col. 3:18-41.  This passage contains Paul’s exhortations with respect to wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves and masters.  We tied all of this to Col. 3:17: And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.  In addition, we made a connection to Micah 4:5: For all people walk each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.  Our homes and the workplace provide prime opportunities for us to declare to the watching world: Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:11).

In my preparation I came across a couple of quotes.  We will let Chuck Swindoll (my apologies but I don’t remember the source) and Howard Butt (from his book, The Velvet Covered Brick) provide today’s post. 

From Swindoll, entitles “Monday Morning Pulpits.”

Two things bother me a lot when the subject of Christians and their work is mentioned.  First, how few are genuinely happy in their jobs.  Second, how frequently I hear about Christians who are poor workers on their jobs.  Some employers have even told me that they prefer to not hire Christians.  Wow … That’s quite an indictment!  As I probe for reasons, here’s what is said. These are actual statements I’ve heard: 

They tend to be presumptuous – they take advantage of a Christian boss… 

It’s the old problem of attitude.  I find them negative, critical, resistant to change … 

Incompetence.  It seems to me that the last several I’ve hired simply could not (or would not) do the job …

They are often preoccupied with other things – witnessing, church, whatever …

Frankly … I can’t trust them when I’m not around. The last one I hired was just plain dishonest …

Okay, so these may be the exceptions … so this represents a very small minority.  I’m still bothered.  For every “exception” there’s a host of offenses and a lot of hard feelings created.  A minority apple can still spoil a majority barrel … it if’s rotten.  Show me a lazy, irritating Christian on the job and I’ll show you an office or store or customer or shop that isn’t interested in his message.  Like it or not, the world watches us with the scrutiny of a sea gull peering at a shrimp in shallow water.  The believer at work is under constant surveillance.  That’s our number one occupational hazard.  And when we speak of our Savior and the life He offers, everything we say is filtered through that which has been observed by others. 

The very best platform upon which we may build a case for Christianity at work rests on six massive pillars: integrity, faithfulness, punctuality, quality workmanship, a pleasant attitude, and enthusiasm.  Hire such a person and it will only be a matter of time before business will improve … people will be impressed … and Christianity will begin to seem important.

 * * * * *

(Howard Butt is speaking of an employee.)  He has been asked repeatedly to perform a routine ordinary job in his line of duty.  These requests he has consistently ignored. … But one consequence is inevitable.  His refusal to follow instructions does not give him power in the organization – just the opposite – his power is diminished. … My wife has more power with me that anyone else on earth.  She influences everything from the way I cut my hair to the shoes I wear on my feet.  She influences my decisions, my time, my recreation, my habits, my work, my thinking, my actions.  Who gave this particular brown-haired woman such authority with me, such power?  God gave it to her through her submission.  She does what I want her to do.  I don’t understand perfectly how this works.  But the results are inescapably obvious to us all.  The more my wife submits to me the more influence with me she has – her power is in her submission.

Conventional wisdom has thought of power as flowing from the top down.  In all of our organizations we think about authority as the man who’s ‘got it in the bag’ on top: authority is the big bag on top.  Jesus came to give us a better way to think.  He came down.  He came down to show us something new, something we hadn’t thought of: authority from the bottom up.

Psalm 108, How to Use “Your Glory”

Recently in my Sunday reading of the Psalms I read Ps. 108 and Ps. 2-4 and came across these references to “my glory.”

·       108:1-3: This first stanza contains the Psalmists desire and commitment to praise his God.  O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.  This praise will be enhanced by musical instruments, it will be the first thing from David’s lips each day, and it will be proclaimed not only in Israel but to all the nations.  The praise will revolve around the two magnificent perfections of God: checed and emet, mercy/goodness/lovingkindness and truth/ faithfulness.  God’s people never get tired of praising God for this because the goodness is new every morning.

o   What is so special about praising God “even with my glory.”  This is not complicated.  David is promising to take the thing(s) that people think he is good at, they brag about him for something, and he will use that “something” to praise God.  Nevertheless, I thought I would check a couple of “easy” commentaries: Jamieson/Faucette/Browne and Mathew Henry.  They both referred this “my glory” to the tongue.  I didn’t quite understand that.  But then Henry went on to say that David’s glory was his skill in music, and that was why the next line referred to using instruments to accompany the praise.  That, of course, was something David was known for (1 Sam. 16:18).

·       3:3: But you, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.  In this Psalm, again “my glory” is something David is famous for.  But this time, and in everything in David’s life, it is the LORD that makes David famous.  If the title is correct on this Psalm, that David sang this song when he fled from Absalom, then this is David trusting God so that once they arrived at the place of safety, he was able to rest through the night.  He was reminding himself that God was the One who hade established the covenant with him, lifting his head above all other kings.  God did this, and David could trust God to keep His promise even in the dark days of Absalom’s rebellion.

·       4:2-3: How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame?  How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?  But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the LORD will hear when I call to Him.  In this passage we again see David in a difficult situation (unspecified).  He is putting his trust in God, not so much because of the covenant God made but because this is what the LORD does for the godly: The LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly will perish (Ps. 1:6).  Ultimately I would say that David’s “glory” is his place as King of Israel.  To turn his glory into shame would be to seek to frustrate God’s plan for David, shaming David and then as a result of that, shaming God.  It’s like Moses prayer of intercession for Israel: “LORD, if you destroy Israel now the Egyptians will shame you, that you could bring them out of Egypt but could not bring them in to the Promised Land” (paraphrased). 

Thus, however David spoke of “his glory,” whether his musical skill or his place as King of Israel, his glory is something that God has given to him.  If he is seeking to use that skill or position to do God’s will and for God’s glory, then David can count on God to see him through the trials of life.  God’s glory is at stake when David’s glory is under attack.

One more thing.  What about believers in Christ?  Certainly we should seek to use the skills God has given us for His glory, and we will always want to glorify God as we use them.  But we need to remember that our life in Christ revolves around His promise to give us His glory (John 17:22-23).  We are gaining an eternal weight of glory as we go through our light and momentary afflictions (2 Cor. 4:16-18).  What that means is that we are adding to the glory of Christ, so that our precious faith may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Pt. 1:6-7).  His glory is my glory, now and then!

James 5:13-18, Bold Praying

(We have concluded our studies in basic Bible doctrine.  For the next few days I want to post what I call "odds and ends."  The subjects are not all related but we trust will be uplifting/edifying.)

Some time back a young in our fellowship, Daniel King, preached on several occasions while we were spending time with family.  Our church has enjoyed his preaching in my absence, and I was able to hear him on one of those Sundays.  It was very encouraging and I want to share with you my notes from his message.

The beginning text was today’s reading from James, with the key thought coming from 5:16-17: The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly.  James is a had hitting book, a perfect example of Heb. 4:12 where the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Brief mention was made of the fact that God always answers our prayers, but always in accordance with His will.  Also, he mentioned briefly the need we have in our fellowships to share our needs with others; otherwise people will not b praying for us.  This must, as 5:16 indicates, include our trespasses.  As Scripture makes clear, if we make room for sin in our hearts the Lord will not hear our prayers (Ps. 66:16-20; 1 Pt. 3:8-12).

With this background, we were then led to consider bold praying, the kind of praying that characterized Elijah.  Our brother brought to our attention three illustrations, beginning with Elijah.

·       Bold praying of Elijah, 1 Kings 17:1-7; 18:41-46.  As James points out, Elijah prayed twice, once to bring an end to the rain and begin the drought; and once to bring back the rains.  It is great encouragement to note that, according to James, Elijah is a man just like us.  I say that because when you read the story, it is quite amazing.  As Daniel mentioned, the first prayer doesn’t look like a prayer.  Elijah just makes a proclamation that it won’t rain again until he says so.  He understood God’s will, and was God’s prophet.  The second prayer is one of great pleading with God, with his head bowed between his knees and seven times he pleads with the LORD.  The requests were certainly bold, and in between was the event on Mt. Carmel when Elijah called down fire from heaven.  This was an opportunity for the people to repent of their sin and acknowledge the true God.  In other words, the three plus years of drought was an important event to help turn the hearts of the people to the LORD.

·       Bold praying of Nehemiah, Neh. 1.  Nehemiah’s bold praying is based on the word of God.  Nehemiah heard a report of the sad situation of Jerusalem.  His first reaction was to pray.  His prayer is based on God’s promise that if, in captivity, Israel would repent and turn to Him, He would return to them and bring them back to the land (Neh. 1:8-9; Deut. 30:2-5).  When he finished praying Nehemiah just returned to his job, and God answered the bold prayer.  Not only did God enable Nehemiah to go back to rebuild the walls; He moved the king to provide the materials necessary for the work.

·       Bold praying of Joshua, Josh. 10:7-15.  This is the occasion when, in answer to prayer, the sun stood still for about a day so that Israel could complete the defeat of her enemies in obedience to the LORD.  Again, Joshua’s words aren’t the typical prayer.  It sounds more like he commanded the sun to stand still.  But we know it’s a prayer because of the remarkable statement in v14: And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel. 

As encouragement for us, at the conclusion of the teaching we were reminded of our own promises from God with respect to prayer.  First, He commands us to come into His presence to pray, promising grace and mercy to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16).  And second, God reminds us that He will do exceedingly and abundantly above what we ask or think (Eph. 3:20).  We need to pray bold prayers!

Psalm 119:25-32 Daleth: Bring your life-issues to God’s word.

In the fourth stanza we are reminded that God’s word is concerned with our “way” of life.  The goal of Scripture is not simply to give us knowledge but to change our lives, to correct us and to instruct us in righteousness that we might be mature (2 Tim. 3:16-17). 

Note that 5 verses begin with the same Hebrew word, translated “way” in v26-27,29-30 and “course” in v32.  Also note that the same word begins v25 and v31, translated “cling”.

The Psalmist begins by acknowledging his human weakness.  His soul (inner man) “clings to the dust” (v25) from which he came.  It “melts from heaviness” (v28).  He needs revival; he needs strength. 

The real battle for believers has to do with the soul, not the body (1 Peter 2:11).  In this battle the Psalmist has declared his “ways” to the Lord, as He desires us to do (Matt. 11:28; Phil. 4:6-7).  Note that God’s answer to him will come as he is taught God’s statutes (v26) and is made to understand the “way” (lifestyle) of His precepts (v27).

There are only 2 “ways” to follow. 

o Matt. 7:13-14 it is the “broad” way or the “narrow” way. 

o Psalm 1:6 it is the way of the righteous or the way of the ungodly.

o Jer 21:8 it is the way of life and the way of death.

o Psalm 119:29-30 it is the way of lying and the way of truth.

The believer is one who has already chosen the narrow way of truth.  And yet, his life is a constant struggle in the soul with the old way, the way of life he used to practice.  Thus, having chosen the way of truth, he pleads with the Lord to remove the old way of thinking and the former habits and choices.

As his soul clings to the dust, he now affirms he will cling to God’s word and will thus run the course of this life.

As we come to the word of God let us remember that its major effect in our lives is to “renew our minds” so that our way is changed (Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:17-24).  We are too weak to make this change ourselves; we must come to the Word, and then cling to the Word.

Bring your life issues with you when you come to spend time with the Lord.  Allow the Word to convict you, renew your mind, and change your ways.

1 Jn. 5:10-21, WDY’K: God Keeps His Children Forever (6)

d)    The persevering saint is assured of His salvation.  The Bible proclaims assurance for the total person.

i)      There is “intellectual” assurance.  We have already seen this in 1 John.  It is the point of 1 Jn. 5:10-13, a passage often recommended to new believers.  In my view John is giving the overall purpose of his first letter, being written so they could know that they know Christ.  He who believes in the Son has everlasting life (Jn. 3:36).  In our studies we have noted that Jesus had concerns in John 8 with those who believed in Him.  Were they disciples in truth?  In John 2:23-25 Jesus had hesitations concerning the “many” who believed on Him in the early days of His ministry.  But He does not say this because He wants to keep us in uncertainty.  So John’s epistles aim to bring a believer to know that he knows Christ.

ii)   There is “emotional” assurance.  I believe Rom. 8:15-16 has this in mind.  Again, God doesn’t want us to live in fear.  But how is this overcome?  It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit who bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.  If I grieve the Spirit who sealed us (Eph. 4:30) or quench the Spirit (1 Th. 5:19) I will not benefit from this ministry of the Spirit.  I may not feel I am saved.  That is not the final word; we are just saying that the work of the Spirit is to assure us that we are children of God.

iii)            There is “volitional” assurance.  In this aspect, by God’s grace, I open Christ; I act like and make choices like I am saved (1 John 2:3-5; 2:29; 3:14-19).  We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.  He who does not love his brother abides in death (3:15).

At this moment you may not be sure of your relationship with God.  You may be saved but not experiencing assurance.  You may need to ask God for faith for believe his promise (1 Jn. 5:10-13).  Sometimes new believers are so amazed at God’s grace in forgiving what they consider to be great sin.  They need the assurance of God’s love and their “sonship.”  But you also may not experience assurance because sin in your life keeps you from it.  Remember: the presence of sin in our lives does not mean we are not true believers.  Rather, if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 Jn. 2:1).  If that is your status you need to confess that sin and renew fellowship with God.  OR you may not experience assurance simply because you are not a Christian.  Have you put your faith in Christ alone for salvation?  Don’t be offended.  This is a legitimate, loving question to ask!

Lastly, be sure you understand that no one but you and the Lord can see your heart.  People who are concerned about your relationship with God are basing that concern on what they see.  As Jesus said of the prophets: by their fruit you will know them!

Psalm 121, WDY’K: God Keeps His Children Forever (5)

iii)      The believer must/will continue in good works.  Certainly this is God’s plan, as He has prepared for us beforehand a path of good works (Eph. 2:10).  This is highlighted in John’s epistles where the issue is “assurance.”  We know that we know Him if we keep His commandments (1 Jn. 2:3), but the one who does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him (2:4).  See also 1 Jn. 2:29; 3:14, 18-19 where assurance comes to those who love their brother in deed and truth.  Jesus’ teaching about prophets, that by their fruits you shall know them, is built on this idea (Mt. 7:15-20).  Depending on your interpretation, 2 Pt. 1:10 also fits.

iv)   Isn’t this salvation by works?  No, it is not.  The walk that we walk is a walk of faith.  It is walking in the Spirit.  Continuing in the faith in which we began our walk with Christ is no more “salvation by works” than the choice of faith I made the day I received Christ as my Lord and Savior.  Let us move on to note how this “continuing” is the work of God in my life.  There is no salvation apart from my faith (active voice in Greek, my responsibility); and yet it is not my work but the work of Christ. 

c)    This perseverance/continuing of the believer is nevertheless a work of God and His grace.  As Phil. 2:12-13 says, God is always at work in us to will and to do for His good pleasure even as we work out (our) own salvation with fear and trembling. 

i)      It is the work of the Father, Ps. 121.  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth … He who keeps you will not sleep.  The LORD is your keeper.  It involved His divine purpose (Eph. 1:4; 5:25-27; 1 Th. 5:23-24; Rom. 8:2-3), power (2 Tim. 1:12; Jude 24) and faithfulness (2 Th. 3:3; 1 Th. 5:23-24).  Truly God is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that day (2 Tim. 1:12).

ii)   It is a work of the Son, Rom. 8:34.  It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  It involves His death (1 Jn. 1:7; Eph. 1:7), resurrection (Jn. 11:25-26), session at God’s right hand (Heb. 10:11-12) and intercession for us (Lk. 22:32).  In 1 Jn. 1:7 the present tense indicates that Jesus “keeps on cleansing” us with His blood.

iii)            It is a work of the Spirit.  It involves His indwelling (John 14:16: it’s forever), His work as a “seal” of God’s approval (Eph. 1:13-14) and His work as the “earnest” (guarantee) of our inheritance (Eph. 1:14).  The first of these three means the other two never cease.

Jn. 8:30-37, WDY’K: God Keeps His Children Forever (4)

b)    This perseverance involves the believers’ continuing in his Christian experience (Heb. 3:6: whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end; 6:11: and we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end).

i)      Not all who appear to believe or who say they believe are true believers.  In John 2:23-25 Jesus understood this and regarded men accordingly.  And as He understood, later in His ministry many who had claimed to be disciples turned away (John 8:30-37).  It would seem that Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8:9-24 fits what we are talking about.  This is not new.  The Nation of Israel failed to understand this truth.  For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God (Rom. 2:28-29).  Jesus, in the parables of Matt. 13, said this would characterize this age.  The “visible” people of God would be comprised of wheat and tares, and the revealing of the hearts would not take place until the judgment (Mt. 13:24-30, 36-43).  This fits the apostate church that is predicted in the end times of this age (the “falling away” in 2 Th. 2:3).

ii)   The believer must/will continue in the word and doctrine of Christ.  It seems to me this is what is going on in Jn. 8:30-37.  The passage says many believed in Him.  Some would say that settles it: they are believers!  But then Jesus specifically addresses these people.  In v31 He challenges them to be “My disciples indeed” by abiding in His word.  “Indeed” sounds like they would be better disciples rather than worse disciples, but either way they would be disciples.  However, “indeed” is aleitheia, the word for “truth.”  Jesus is saying they would be true disciples, the opposite of which it seems would be false disciples.  In v35 the challenge is to be sons rather than slaves.  When Jesus offered them “freedom” (v32) they claimed to already be free because they were Abraham’s descendants.  But again, Jesus makes a distinction between true (“indeed,” v36) freedom and false freedom.  Those who are not free indeed are those of which He says, My word has no place in you (v37).  Having spent considerable time on this passage let me give you additional ones: 1 Jn. 4:2-3; 2 Jn. 1:7-11; 2 Pet. 3; Heb. 5:10-6:11; Col. 1:21-23.  In each case note the emphasis on continuing in the word.  We close this post with 1 John 4 where the issue is specifically the confession of Christ as having been fully man.  In other words, it concerns truth about the incarnation.  We have not completed this point so I hope you will return in the next post as we “continue on continuing.”

1 Pt. 1:18-25, WDY’K: God Keeps His Children Forever (3)

We continue to affirm that the believer will not fall from salvation but will continue in his relationship with God.

vii)      Rom. 3:24-26: When God justifies us (declares us righteous) He does not merely pardon us for sins done up to the time I receive Christ.  He pardons us for every sin ever committed, past, present or future.  We are declared righteous because the righteousness of Christ has been put to our account (2 Cor. 5:21).  The declaration is not contingent on my future righteousness; it is contingent on the past, proven righteousness of the Holy One, our Lord Jesus.  Remember Peter’s sermon in the home of Cornelius.

viii)   Rom. 5:2; 12:12; Eph. 2:12; Col. 1:5,27; 1 Th. 5:8; 1 Tim. 1:1; 4:10; Titus 1:2; 3:7; Heb. 6:18-19; 1 Pt. 1:3,21: All these speak of the believer’s hope.  If you are much of a Bible student at all you know there are many more of these types of passages, OT and NT alike.  What kind of hope to we have if it is conditional on my remaining saved?  I could never become saved on my own; I certainly will never remain saved on my own.  The hope we have in Christ is unconditional!

ix)            1 Pt. 1:18-25: We are born again with “imperishable seed.”  If the seed can’t perish / die, then there will always be new life.

x) Rom. 4:3-8; 2 Cor. 5:21: God no longer imputes (lays to our charge) our sin but rather puts to our account the righteousness of Christ.  Thus, salvation is not dependent on our goodness but on Christ’s.  And His righteousness will never fail; thus, neither will our relationship with God.

xi)     Rom. 8:1: There is no condemnation for those who are “in Christ.”  Only the condemned spend eternity in hell.  If I am in Christ I can’t go to hell.  Believers in Christ need to rejoice in this: “no condemnation!”  If it can all be lost, then it’s foolish to rejoice; it’s better to be guarded and hope for the best.  My understanding of the “religions” of the world is that many are like this.  You can do the best you can to follow all the rules and regs, but even if your fellow-worshipers think you’re a great person, you will still die wondering what Allah is going to have for you.

xii) Let me just summarize with these references that contain direct statements about our permanent relationship with God: John 10:2-29; Rom. 8:28-39; Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5. 

Rom. 8:28-39, WDY’K: God Keeps His Children Forever (2)

2)    What does the Bible say about being eternally secure?  It might seem strange that we even ask this question.  If I have been “born again” does it make sense that I could return to my “unregenerate” state?  I was born a human.  Can I ever cease to be a human?  Can I take a step back in the evolutionary calendar and be an ape after I was born of a human mother and father?  (No, I don’t believe evolution.  It is foolish.  It’s impossible.  The complexities of the human body could never evolve, not in a hundred million gazillion goofytillion eternities.)  Nevertheless, we ask the question because it seems that some passages in the Bible could be understood as possibly “yes” and possibly “no.”

a)    Every true believer will not fall from salvation but will persevere in His relationship with God.  I already know some of my friends will not like the word “persevere.”  I take it from several places in the NT that are translated “continue.”  Some of these will be pointed out as we work through this.

i)      John 17 (v11,15,21,23): Jesus prayed for this, that God would “keep” those He gave to Christ.  He prayed according to God’s will so His prayer will be answered by the Father.  In 17:23 the word “perfect” implies a journey.  That they may “come to maturity” or come to be what God intended for us to be (conformed to the image of Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God).

ii)   John 10:27-29: If I receive “eternal” life when I become one of Jesus’ sheep, then by definition I cannot lose it.  It I lost it, then it was only temporal life and not eternal life.

iii)            Eph. 1:4 (John 15:16; Gal. 4:9; Ac. 13:48; Rom. 9:6-29): If God is all-knowing (and He is or He is not God), and God chose me, then there can be no “losing” what He has chosen me to be and have.  I know this is the area of huge argument.  But it seems to me, however you believe in the election issue, you must say that God is involved in being born again.  And He’s all-knowing.  So He won’t make a mistake that has to be undone later.

iv) Rom. 8:28-39: The point here, of course, is that there is nothing in all the universe that can separate me from God’s love in Christ.  And remember: the cross is God’s love to us in Christ (Rom. 5:8).

v)    Rom. 8:16; 1 John 5:9-13; John 3:36: These passages talk about the “assurance of salvation.”  I can know that I am the son of God.  I do not know tomorrow or the next day or year.  How can I have any assurance today about future days?  It can only be true if there is an eternal security in my relationship with God.

vi) Rom. 8:33: It is God who justifies me.  Only He can undo it, not me.  Are there illustrations in Scripture of God making a mistake?  Has he ever justified the wrong person so He had to “unjustify” or “re-condemn” them?

Ac. 10:36-43, WDY’K: God Keeps His Children Forever (1)

(Pardon the abbreviation in the title.  You know what it means by now.)

Doctrinal Statement: We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit, thereby becoming children of God, and are eternally secure.

I hesitated on this final part of the doctrinal statement because we have spent considerable time on this subject recently (Sept. 22-Oct. 1).  But we have a different approach in this study as we include the doctrine of “regeneration.”

1)    What does the Bible say about being “born again?” (John 3:1-17; Titus 3:5; Acts 10:36-43).  To be born again one must receive Jesus Christ by faith (John 1:12-13).  We do not hold to the idea that the new birth precedes the expression of faith.  To those who believe God gives the power to become His sons.  Thus, the gospel includes certain facts about Christ and then issues in a call to faith.  Let’s use Peter’s presentation of the gospel to Cornelius in Acts 10 to see what facts were presented.

a)    Peter talked about Jesus’ life (v37-39a).  This is not the “gospel” itself, although it is wonderfully good news.  The life Jesus lived was required for the gospel.  He had to be proven worthy to be the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  The gospel depends on the sinless life of Christ.

b)    Peter talked about Jesus’ death (v39b).  He puts this in the context of, “we are witnesses.”  Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (Heb. 9:22).  Christ was set forth by God to satisfy God’s righteous demands (i.e. be the propitiation) “through faith in His blood” (Rom. 3:25).  This is the basis of the peace that Christ came to preach (Acts 10:36); “having made peace through the blood of the cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself” (Col. 1:20).

c)    Peter talked about Jesus’ resurrection (v40-42).  This is as essential to the gospel as is the cross (2 Tim. 2:8).  “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).  Read the great resurrection chapter, 1 Cor. 15, especially v1-8, 12-19,22.  The resurrection is also essential to Christ’s Lordship.  Look at John 20:16,28 and see how both Mary Magdalene and Thomas saw the resurrected Christ.  Paul’s message to the Athenians states that God “will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.  He has given assurance of this by raising Him from the dead” (Ac. 17:30-31).  The resurrection is the final and most convincing sign that Christ is truly the Son of God (Rom. 1:4).  See also Rom. 4:24-26; 10:9-13.

Then Peter talked about faith (v43).  And before he could ask who might want to receive Christ, the Spirit moved those who were listening to believe! 

Psalm 119:17-24 Gimel: Humble yourself before God’s word.

For us to benefit from the word of God we must approach the Word properly.  That is the subject of this stanza.

First we will need God’s bountiful supply if we are to live according to God’s word (v17).  Apart from God’s help, we cannot please God (Rom. 8:8).  We will hear the Word, but not do the Word (Jas 1:22-25).

We must ask God to open our eyes to His truth (v18).  The natural man cannot understand the things of God (2 Cor. 2:14-16).  Our natural eyes cannot see spiritual truth.

At the same time we must ask God to make His truth clear to us (v19).  Living in this world where God’s people are strangers means we are surrounded by ideas and philosophies that, if brought to the Word, will actually obscure the meaning.  Remember that Jesus used parables to hide his teaching from the world, but to reveal it to His disciples (Mt. 13:10-17).  Yet even then His disciples needed Christ to reveal the truth to them. 

We also need to have a deep longing for the Word in order to truly benefit from our time spent there (v20).  We cannot come to the Scriptures with the attitude we may have when we read the newspaper.  We must have an eagerness to study, to concentrate, to learn and for that we need God’s abundant supply.  It is true that often, as we begin to read the Bible that the longing will grow within us.  But that is God’s work, and we are dependent on Him for it.

The remaining verses tell us that we will benefit more from the word of God if we come expecting it to be beneficial.

o God’s word will give you confidence when dealing with the self-confident people around you who stray from the truth (v21).

o Obedience to God’s word will give you a right view of yourself when you are put down by others (v22).

o Even when great and powerful people speak against you and against God, meditation on His word will sustain you (v23).

o God’s word, as you delight in it, will provide accurate counsel in the issues of life (v24).

Let us come to Scripture with humility and with great expectation.  Seek God’s bountiful supply as you begin your times with God and trust Him to accurately and perfectly meet your need each day.

Zech 13:8-14:9, What do ya’ know: Jesus is Coming Again! (3)

3)    What do we know about the Second Coming?

a)    When will it happen?  Immediately after the tribulation (Mt. 24:29-31.)  Christ’s return is “imminent,” meaning it could happen at any time.  There are no dates set as to when the Rapture will take place.  Thus, as Jesus told His disciples, when they asked when He would establish His earthly kingdom (Ac. 1:6-7) Jesus said that it was not for them to know the time. 

b)    What purposes are accomplished by the Second Coming?  As we have noted from Dan. 9, Christ will bring in righteousness when He, the Most Holy, is anointed King.  This is the completion of what the Bible calls “the mystery of God.”  Psalm 2:6-9 tells us that even before the world began God promised to give His Son the nations as an inheritance.  Christ is now sitting at the right hand of the Father, awaiting the time when the Father says it is time for His return to rule over all (Psalm 110 and many other passages).

c)    What events surround the Second Coming?  (Zech. 13:8-14:9).

i)      13:8-9: Israel is refined by the tribulation.

ii)   14:1-3: There is a great battle, involving the nations that have gathered in Armageddon (the Valley of Jezreel in Israel; Rev. 16:12-16).

iii)            14:4-8: Christ will return.  He will come to the Mt. of Olives.

iv) 14:9: Then Christ will reign from Zion (cf. Ps. 2:6-9).

d)    What are some of the signs that will precede the Second Coming?

i)      Jesus, teaching His disciples on the Mt. of Olives (Matt. 24-25), referred to various things that would characterize life between His ascension and His return: false Christs, wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, persecution of believers, division among nations, false prophets, no love and the universal preaching of the gospel (24:4-14).

ii)   Elsewhere Jesus referred to the time of the end being like the days of Noah before the flood and the days of Lot before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed (Lk. 17:26-30).

iii)            In Rev. 6-19 there are three series of seven judgments each from God that culminate in the return of Christ.  These involving the breaking of seven seals to reveal the contents of a scroll, the sounding of seven angels, each blowing a trumpet that announces a judgment, and then seven angels, each pouring out bowls of God’s wrath on the earth. 

In Scripture there are numerous references to the “day of the LORD.”  This prophetic “day” is like a Jewish day, beginning with the darkness (time of judgment), the dawning (the Second Coming), and the daytime (the blessings of Jesus’ Messianic reign).  Be assured: Christ is coming again!  As always, the just shall live by faith.  Faith in Christ is the only preparation for that day (Heb. 10:37-38).

Jer. 30:4-11, What do ya’ know: Jesus is Coming Again! (2)

b)    The purpose of the tribulation. 

i)      Daniel’s prophecy (9:20-27) states six (some would say 3 pairs) of “goals” that God will accomplish by the time the 490 years are complet: the rule of sin in this world will end, there will be reconciliation for sin (the cross of Jesus) and righteousness will now reign on earth (Jesus’ Millennial reign will begin), Bible prophecies will be complete and Christ will be anointed King in Zion (Jerusalem). 

ii)   Jeremiah’s prophecy (30:4-11) gives us three “goals” that are accomplished during the “time of Jacob’s trouble”: Israel’s chastisement by God, in which He uses the nations, will be complete; the nations will then be judged by God; and Israel will be corrected and saved.

c)    The events of the tribulation.  Here are a few of the major events of this time.

i)      A world leader will arise (Dan. 7:24-25; Rev. 13:5) who will befriend Israel for 3½ years (Dan. 9:26-27) and then turn on Israel 3½ years (Rev. 11:2).

ii)   God will pour out His wrath on all men (Rev. 6-19).

iii)            The gospel will be preached to all people (Rev. 11:3).

iv) Israel will be purified (Jer. 30:4-11).

v)    Those who reject Christ will become more solid in their rejection (2 Thess. 2:8-12; Rev. 16:9,11,21).

2)    What do we know about the Rapture? (1 Thess. 4:13-18)

i)      This passage is the primary place but it is referred to in other New Testament passages (e.g. 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 3:10).  Some like to note that the actual word “rapture” does not appear in any English translations.  True enough.  But as we saw with the word “trinity” the concept is there.  “Rapture” comes from the English “caught up” in 1 Th. 4:17.  Call it the “catching away” if you don’t want to use a term that is not in the Bible.

ii)   The important thing to note is that there are significant differences between what is described in 1 Thess. 4 and the event described in Rev. 19 when Christ rides out of heaven on a white horse and comes to earth.  In the “rapture” Christ does not set foot on earth.  Believers, Christians, who are still alive will rise to meet Him in the air and “thus we shall always be with the Lord.”  This happens after believers, Christians, who have died, are raised from the dead.  Since the tribulation is the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jacob referring to Israel, Jacob’s descendants) there is no need for the Church to be on earth.  Instead they will be in heaven, standing before the “Judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:10) and enjoying the “wedding supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 19:9-10).