Read Col. 1:9-12, Paul Knew His Bible!

We have spoken in previous days of the great prayer of Col. 1.  Paul gives thanks for the faith, hope and love of the believers in Colossae, and then prays that they will grow in the life that pleases God, specifically in their love (good works that bear fruit and increase in the knowledge of God), faith (empowered by God’s strength) and hope (joyfully giving thanks in long-suffering). 

Recently, in my reading in the Psalms, I was blessed beyond measure (it is always so amazing to me how God’s word from Genesis to Revelation is in perfect harmony; so, yes, “beyond measure” describes the joy I get) to see that what Paul prayed for could easily have been the result of his study of the Scriptures.  In other words, it really wasn’t new.  Here is what I mean.

·       It started in Psalms 20-21, twin Psalms in which prayer is made for the King in 20 and the answers are recorded in 21.  Psalm 21 begins, The king shall have joy in Your strength, O LORD.  It ends with, Be exalted, O LORD, in Your own strength!  In OT times there was nothing more important for the king to know but that God was with him.  He was not on his own.  God would right his battles.  Paul says this to us in his prayer.  The prayer is that we might be filled with the full knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understand so that we will walk worthily in a way that pleases Him.  What pleases God is bound up in three phrases, the second of which is, in all might strengthened according to His glorious power.  We cannot please God in the strength of our flesh, by doing the best we can.  But God is glorified when, by faith, we are strong in His strength.  The Davidic king needed to live in the same way.

·       Next, I read Psalm 111 which is totally about the works of the LORD.  They are studied by all who have pleasure in them (111:2).  Paul says that the life that pleases God is characterized by good works that are fruitful and increasing in the knowledge of God.  A work is good, in God’s estimation, that bears fruit to holiness (Rom. 6:22) and to God (Rom. 7:4).  As we do this, our relationship with God deepens.  As Eph. 3:14-19 explains, we become more acquainted with the love of God in all its dimensions, so that we become filled with the fullness of God.  Read Psalm 111.  In describing the works of God it describes works that produce righteousness that endures forever (111:3).  As we study them, we learn the character of God, that He is gracious and full of compassion (111:4).  In other words, we are filled with the full knowledge of His will.  As we see God’s work we learn God’s character.  We learn His love in all its dimensions.

·       But if you continue to Psalm 112, you see something else.  Ps. 111 ends with, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.  Remember: Paul prays that we know God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  Ps. 112 begins, Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments. So again, as we are filled with the full knowledge of His will we become characterized by good works that please Him, works that are fruitful.  112:2-10 describe that man and his fruitful works.  And behold, in 112:4, that man is characterized as being gracious, and full of compassion, and righteousness.  These are exactly the same words used in 111:3-4 of God.  In other words, the man becomes God-like as he does the works of God.

I repeat.  Time spent in the word of God blesses me beyond measure.  But why not.  It is the same for you, is it not?

Psalm 14,16,28 Addendums

 

Psalm 14 Addendum

Undoubtedly, David knew Deuteronomy.  After all, the king was supposed to read it as part of his inaugural activities.  Do you think, therefore, that in Ps. 14:7 the “captivity” he is talking about is the “captivity” promised in Deut. 30:1-10?  It makes perfect sense to me!  Yes!!! “Captivity” is the Hebrew “sebut”, and it’s first use is in Deut. 30:3.  That is the passage (30:1-6) where the first promise of the New Covenant is given.  This adds further weight to the idea that Ps. 14 is more about David’s greater Son, the Messiah.

Psalm 16 Addendum

This Psalm gives the opportunity to see how the Psalms are to be applied.  It is Davidic, so David fits.  But Peter and Paul and undoubtedly Jesus when He instructed His Apostles saw this as being fulfilled in Messiah.  But then, because we are “in Christ,” it fits us (and David).  There is application at three levels.

Psalm 28 Addendum

We noted that what sets apart the “workers of iniquity” is that they do not regard the “works of the LORD.”  These WOI are leaders in the land, but they lead the people into wickedness.  We should note that the word “regard” is used in this type of context often.  It means to perceive or understand (Hebrew “bin”).  The WOI don’t just “do” bad things, they have no understanding of God’s works, what God is doing.  The first use of this word is in Gen. 41:33,39, where Joseph told Pharaoh that he should put in charge such a man, a man of perception if you will.  Then, in Deut. 1:13, Moses told the people to appoint judges to lead the tribes who were men of “perception.”  In other words, this is a necessary attribute for a “politician” or ruler.  If he doesn’t care about what God is doing, he cannot join with the LORD but will be left only to oppose what God is doing.  Do we really think that this is what Bible-believing Christians are thinking about when they engage in politics, when they check the boxes on election day? 

Ezek. 43, A Real Temple and Altar in the Millennium

Some think if almost blasphemy to teach that there could ever be a real temple (an earthly building where God is worshiped) and altar (a place where sacrifices are made) in the Millennial Reign of Christ.  After all, if there is such a thing as an earthly kingdom where Messiah rules (if you take the Bible literally you have no choice but to accept that truth), then Christ the Lord will be there, removing the need for a building.  And He has already finished the work of atonement on the cross, so again, to have and use an altar for sacrifices casts doubt on the sufficiency of Jesus’ most important work on earth.  So, people who think like this, Ezek. 40-48 is probably a symbolic reference to the New Jerusalem, even though there would be useless details provided for doing all of this, details that do not align with the heavenly City. 

First, just a reminder.  We are not just dependent on Ezekiel for talk about a real temple in Jerusalem when Jesus reigns.  Zechariah 14 and Isa. 2:1-4/Micah 4:1-3 require a temple and an altar. 

I believe both an earthly temple and earthly altar make perfect sense.  Hear me out.  What is the earthly Kingdom of Messiah, but the answer to the prayer in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  Heaven and earth relate to the “kingdom” as well as God’s “will.”  This is the whole point of Messiah’s rule.  After the constant failure of sinful men to make the earth the realization of the Kingdom of God, Christ will come and will do just that!  If this does not happen at some time then God’s promises are suspect.

Note that Ezekiel says the glory of God fills the earthly temple (Ez. 12:3-5) even as it does the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21-22).  Further, Ezekiel says that the LORD (YAHWEH) will come to the temple to worship.  Ezekiel tells us that the LORD (Messiah) is King, and that He rules through a “prince” (44:1-3).  Again, this makes sense.  Even David, the man after God’s heart, could not rule perfectly as the King who was in the place of God.  Remember Ezek. 28 where the “king of Tyre” is Satan (28:11ff), while the “prince of Tyre” is what we would call the “king” (28:2).  So in the earthly kingdom of Messiah, He is King, and He rules through a descendant of David who “gets it right.”  God is honored through this heavenly kingdom that has come to earth.

And what of the altar?  Again, it makes sense.  First, the big point is: the sacrifices at an earthly temple never brought atonement.  Hebrews makes that clear.  But atonement was granted when worshipers came to worship.  It was the faith of the worshiper that made atonement real to that person.  So in the Millennial Reign.  Sacrifices will look back at the work of Christ.  It will be an act that reveals faith in the One who has made the perfect sacrifice. 

Ezek. 33:30-33, A Prophet was Among Them

Most of the prophets were given “object lessons” by the LORD to use as tools for declaring “the word of the LORD.”  But I would say that Ezekiel was the leader.  Here is a listing of major object lessons used by Ezekiel.

·       Ezek. 1: “wheel within a wheel,” Ezekiel’s vision of God.

·       4:1-3: clay tablet, iron plate to display the destruction of Jerusalem.

·       4:4-8: laying on his side to reveal the length of judgment for both kingdoms.

·       4:9-17: mixed grain bread baked over human waste to describe life in captivity.

·       6:1-10: mountains of Israel to depict all Israel.

·       6:11-14: pound your fists, stamp your feet showing certainty of judgment.

·       Ezek. 8-11: departure of glory of God from temple showing God turning from His people.

·       12:1-16: a drama where Ezekiel goes through the fence, going into captivity.

·       12:17-20: eating with quaking, drinking with trembling, fearfulness in captivity.

·       Ch. 15: Israel as the “outcast vine.”

·       Ch. 16: history of Jerusalem as “harlotry and adultery.”

·       Ch. 17: two great eagles (Babylon and Egypt) and a vine (Judah).

·       Ch. 19: the lioness (mother of the sons of King Josiah) and her cubs (the various sons that reigned after Josiah.

·       21:1-7: the “sigh” of Ezekiel, sorrow over God’s judgment through Babylon.

·       21:8-32: a “sword” that speaks of God’s judgment.  Also Ezekiel strikes his thigh (v12), strikes his hands together (v14) and beats his fists (22:13), indications of the certainty of impending judgment.

·       22:17-22: the metallurgical furnace of God’s fury (extreme anger).

·       Ch. 23: two harlot sisters, Samaria and Jerusalem.

·       24:1-14: God’s fury is a boiling pot on a big fire, and Judah the scum on the pot.

·       24:15-27: Ezekiel’s wife dies and he does not grieve, as will be the case with the Israelites in Babylon when Jerusalem falls.

·       Ch. 31-32: Egypt like a cedar of Lebanon.

·       Ch. 34: the wicked “shepherds of Israel and the Good Shepherd.

·       37:1-14: a valley of dry bones and the resurrection of Israel.  Also in this passage, Hebrew “ruach” used of wind, breath and Spirit (as in Jn. 3:8).

·       37:15-28: two sticks joined, as Israel two “kingdoms” will be one.

Almost all of these are explained in the context.  This need not lead to confusion.  Further, we need to be careful not to make “symbols” out of what is not “symbolic.”  For example, Ezek. 40-48 does not view a future temple as merely symbolic of the New Jerusalem and the heavenly temple.  The details and lack of “explanation of the symbol” emphasize a place on earth that is real.

Luke 15:1-7, Cheap Grace “Refined”

For the first time ever, I am quoting AI.  I’m not necessarily proud of the fact.  Nevertheless … I recently watched the movie “Bonhoeffer” of which AI says …

Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer popularized the term "cheap grace" in his book The Cost of Discipleship. Bonhoeffer used the term to describe the belief that once someone is "saved", all sins are forgiven, past and future, and they can behave as they please. He contrasted cheap grace with costly grace, which he described as the call of Jesus Christ to follow him.

According to Wikipedia, the other “omniscient” (sarcasm) source of our day, there is a little addition we can make …

Unlike Bonhoeffer's later writings, The Cost of Discipleship has been widely read by both conservative and liberal Christians and is still read and quoted today. The term "cheap grace" was coined by The Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Sr., then-pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, NY.

I know this to be the case because that’s what Hollywood said in the movie.  Prior to this, I had not been aware of Bonhoeffer’s connection with Black Gospel Music.

With all of this, we come to the Gospel of Luke and Jesus’ teaching in the amazing 15^th chapter: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son.  In that chapter I believe we have a different definition of “cheap grace.”  It is the attitude of the Pharisees and scribes who considered themselves to be in need of “less grace” than the “sinners.”  They cheapen grace by diminishing their sinfulness.  This is different than what Bonhoeffer and Powell were talking about when we live sinful lives as believers in Christ and seem to have no problem with our sin after having made a profession of faith.  You can think about that, consider it, and so forth. 

But I am concerned about this Luke 15 “cheap grace.”  And Christ raised the issue often.  Jesus agreed with Jeremiah who said the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it (Jer. 17:9)?  Jesus said that uncleanness is what comes out of a person: evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, lewdness and so forth (Mk. 7:20-23).  He described the heart of a man as full-on evil.  The only grace that could fix this would be very expensive.

The Pharisee praying, Aren’t you glad God, I’m not like this sinner, cheapened grace.  The unforgiving servant, who had no clue of the great debt of which he had been forgiven, cheapened grace when he would not forgive his neighbor a truly small debt.  The woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her hair loved greatly because she was greatly forgiven; the Pharisee in whose house it happened cheapened God’s grace by his self-righteousness.  The prodigal said, “I am not worthy.”  His brother said, “why is there such a big hoopla about my worthless brother.”  Cheap grace!