Word Study: "SAW"

John 20:1-8

In v. 5, as the first disciple looked in the tomb and “saw the linen cloths lying there,” the word for “saw” is the Greek word blepei.

In v. 6, when Peter went into the tomb and “saw the linen cloths lying there,” the word translated “saw” is a different word, theorei.

In v. 8, when the first disciple went into the tomb also, “and he saw and believed,” yet a third word is translated “saw,” the word eiden.

The word in v. 5, translated “saw” is like when we look at a group of people and see only a crowd or when we look at a stand of trees and see only a forest rather than the individual parts that make up the scene, perhaps, we might say, a sort of general awareness of an entire setting.

The word in v. 6 translated “saw” has in it the idea of looking with wonder and beginning to have an idea or theory of something having happened.  Luke 24:12 says, “But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.”

The word in v. 8 translated “saw” is beyond general awareness, and theorizing about what has happened.  The word means seeing with perception, or full understanding.  It is no wonder “he saw and believed.”  He understood the significance of everything before him, and now believed that Jesus had done exactly what He said He would do.  He had conquered death, and risen from the dead, as part of God’s plan to give hope to every man.

How do YOU ‘see’ when YOU look into the perfect law of liberty? (James 1:22-27)

RDB

Until We Have Ears

Men seldom see things alike. It’s not that reality wears so many faces; it’s just that men choose to look at things differently. Some people in Jesus’ day were sure that He was the Son of God, but they were in the minority. Many very religious people thought He kept the wrong company — prostitutes, well-known extortioners, notorious people. And, after all, “a man is known by the company he keeps.” He said He spent His time with sinners because they needed Him (Luke 5:31).

But most people thought that was a likely story. Some thought they had never heard a man speak with the wisdom and clarity that Jesus did (John 7:45). Others laughed at the idea that a man of such little learning and background — a nobody — could be thought wise, except perhaps by the ignorant and irreligious (Mark 6:3; John 7:47-49). Jesus said that His teaching came from God and that those who wanted to do God’s will would be able to recognize that (John 7:15-17). Many, however, still complained that His teaching was vague (John 10:24) and often preposterous (John 6:42, 52).

Jesus did not come to a very good end. It is said that men die as they have lived—and Jesus’ death was scandalous. He was charged with high crimes by the rulers of His people and executed in the company of two notorious thieves. Many thought it absolutely ludicrous that such a weak, pathetic figure should claim to be the Son of God, the King of kings, and they said so (Matthew 27:39-44). The truth is that even His disciples who had believed in Him were deeply shaken by the cross (Matthew 26:56). Jesus said He had to die to save others from their sins (Matthew 26:28). Still, the most learned ]ews likely continued to repeat what the law clearly said, that a man hanged on a tree was accursed of God (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).

From every worldly-wise and fleshly point of view Jesus of Nazareth could not have been the Christ of God (1 Corinthians 1:23). That was how most folk felt about it. Which is not surprising since most folk have usually been worldly-wise and practical-minded. In 2 Corinthians 5:16, Paul says that he at one time saw Jesus just this way —”after the flesh” – a man who got just what was coming to Him. This is not really so remarkable. Isaiah had long before announced that God’s Servant would be “despised and rejected of men,” and they would “esteem him smitten of God” because of His own great wickedness (Isaiah 53:3-4). He had earlier described Him as “a stone of stumbling and . . . a rock of offense” (Isaiah 8:14). But Paul did not go on looking at Jesus in this hard-headed, practical-minded, worldly—wise, ”common sense” sort of way (2 Corinthians 5:16). He came to understand that not just the Gentiles but the Jews as well, all men, were hopelessly ensnared by sin (Romans 3:23). He saw why Jesus had to come into the world (1 Timothy 1:15) and why He had to die in our stead (Galatians 1:4). He became a new man in Christ with a new set of values and a new way of looking at things (2 Corinthians 5:17). He learned to walk by faith in God rather than by human wisdom (2 Corinthians 5:7).

The gospel does not deny that Jesus’ death was shameful. Apostolic preachers did not reject the Old Testament edict that a man hanged on a tree was accursed of God, They swallowed whole the disgrace and shame of the cross (Galatians 3:13b) and moved to the more critical question of “Why?” Why was the Christ of God brought to such degradation? Why was He made to suffer such contempt? And then they gave the answer that we all so dread to hear. It was not for His own sins but for ours that He was accursed (Galatians 3:13a). “God laid upon him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). “He who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf . . . that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We, too, may first look at the cross and imagine that we are seeing a scandalous man dying a scandalous death —but if we look long enough, and honestly enough, we will finally realize that the scandal is that of our own sinfulness and the glory is that of His great love. Whether that happens to us or not depends on the kind of spirit we bring to the cross. A proud man will find it incomprehensible and unacceptable. The humble man will find it altogether believable and desirable. As Jesus Himself said, no one can hear the message until he has ears to hear it (Luke 8:8). The choice between pride and humility is clearly ours.

Paul Earnhart

Senseless killings or natural fruit?

In Genesis 4:3-10 we read of the first recorded murder in scripture.

“In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?" And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.”

Further, we read in 1 John 3:12, “We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.”

We learn why this murder was committed from this passage. Do you see the answer? It is given in the last sentence. What ‘works’ of Cain were evil and what ‘works’ of Abel were righteous? Genesis 4 provides us with their works. Hebrews 11: 4 also provides us valuable information on this: “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”

Do you see the connection between Abel’s sacrifice and being commended as righteous?
On the other hand, we read in Jude 11 of “the way of Cain” in reference to false teachers. They are like Cain in that they “despise (reject) authority (v. 8); also, they “walk according to their own desires (Jude 16, 18).
God instructed both Abel and Cain as to how to sacrifice. Abel did as commanded, and thus, offered by faith; Cain rejected God’s commands and thus, offered according to his own desires. When his sacrifice was rejected as unacceptable, how did he react? We read, “…Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."
Cain did not rule over sin, but in anger took his frustration over being rejected, out on his brother.
Could not Cain have reacted differently? In James 1:14-15 we find, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

What happened with Cain? We know don’t we? The same pattern of behavior is followed by all who do not acknowledge their error when confronted with it. Thus, we understand why murder occurs in society.

There were many such atrocities and killings like as which Cain committed. Consider: Lamech in Gen. 4:23-24; Simeon and Levi in Gen. 34:25-31; Pharaoh in Exodus 1:16, 22; Moses in Exodus 2:12; Ehud in Judges 3:16-23; Jael in Judges 4:21; Abimelech in Judges 9:5, 18, 56. An Amalekite in 2 Sam. 1:16; Abner in 2 Sam. 2:18-24, etc.
All were committed out of a motive. The context will bear this out in each case. Motives can be pure or impure.

David murdered Uriah in 2 Sam. 11:14-17 to cover up a previous sin of fornication with Uriah’s wife.
We find that Barabbas in (Mark 15:7; Acts 3:14), was a murderer.
Herod’s actions in Acts 12:2, 19 of killing James and later his own guards, were motivated out of impure motives.

A common link to such behavior is guilt. But guilt of what? Genesis 4 contains the answer, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

It is guilt over “not doing well”; but in what regard? Do you see the answer? In what matter was Cain rejected prior to his murder of Abel?
The bible is clear on such things as envy, jealousy, etc. They are sins. But how does a person develop such? Can they be avoided? Can they be “ruled over” as God told Cain?

Jesus told us the source of such evils in Matthew 15:11. “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
In Matt. 15:17-20, He explained this statement: “Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man…”.

We need to give attention to what we allow to enter our minds. As the old saying goes, “Trash in; trash out”.

When murder is committed, should it be considered strange and senseless, or, in reality, is it not natural fruit of a defiled mind? Consider Satan. In John 8:44, speaking of Satan, Jesus said “He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Consider…did Satan kill anyone? Do you find record of his literally slaying anyone? Yet it is stated of him that he was a murderer. How was this true? The answer is given in this verse…do you see it? It follows the word ‘because’. Read carefully the next sentence as well. What else is Satan called? Do you see the connection between murder and lying? Do you see how it is true that Satan was a murderer? Who did he first murder? Genesis 3 tells us. How did Satan ‘murder’? Was his murder senseless, and/or unexplained, or was there a motive? Are there motives to what has historically been called a ‘senseless’ killing?

What of us and our motives? Can we have pure motives? Can we have evil motives? What was true of Satan is also true of you and I, when we do as Satan. What is your view (attitude) of lying? Do you “put it in the same category” as murder? Is murder viewed as worse than lying in your estimation?

Why do we tend to view such killings as random, senseless?

Notice from the Sermon on the Mount, what Jesus said of anger. "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.…” (Matt. 5:21-22).

Where does murder begin? Jesus said in Matt. 15:19, “Out of the heart proceed evil thought, murders.”

Furthermore, we find in 1 John 3:15 this teaching for the Christian, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

What kind of ‘murder’ is under consideration here?

For one to claim to be a disciple of Jesus and hate his brother without cause, is to be a murderer. While the taking of a life physically may not occur, a murder has been committed, has it not? What kind of murder?

In regard to murder and hatred, Jesus revealed to us that in God’s eyes, they are equally viewed. And Jesus came to declare to us the will of the Father. We need to view lying, hatred without cause and murder in the way that God does. Then and only then will we deal with it properly and “put it away from us” as we find stated in Col. 3:5-10.
In Gal. 5:19-21, we find that such is a work of the flesh, and those who practice such shall not inherit the kingdom of God. What kind of murderer does the apostle Paul have in mind?

1 Peter 4:15 says, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer.” What kind of murderer does Peter have in mind? Re-read 1 Peter 4:15.

Is literal murder a senseless act or is it a natural fruit of sin?

It ought not be thought a strange, senseless act when the Bible clearly teaches that ones actions will be in accordance with ones thoughts. What we allow into our minds will be acted out in our behavior.

We must address the source of the problem: polluting the heart (mind) with filth. Let us rather be “filled with the Spirit like as Paul taught in Eph. 5:18-19, “…be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart…”

Let us be led by the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-26) and we will bear fruit accordingly. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

The Spirit of God has revealed unto us the will of God; let us receive those things that we might know how to prevent murder. “…we have received…the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God…” (1 Cor. 2:12). Let us “think on” the things revealed to us by God's Spirit and we have the promise that God will be with us (Phil. 4:8-9). “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Let us not only understand how and why such killings occur, but more importantly, let us have faith in what God has spoken in these passages and obey Him.

RDB

The Blessing of God's Commandments - Part 4

Deut. 6:24-25: “And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.  And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.”

Where would man be without direction from God?  The Psalmist stated long ago, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psa. 119:105).  Christ came, not only to provide a sinless sacrifice for man’s sins, but also to teach us of His Father and to reveal the will of His Father to/for us.  Both the sacrifice and the teaching of Jesus were purposed before the foundation of the world.  We see this from such passages as 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.”  Most preaching emphasizes His death, but omits the importance and necessity of His ‘life’.  What does the phrase “his life” mean?  The answer is seen in such passages as:

John 6:63 - the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

John 6:68 - thou hast the words of eternal life.

John 12:49-50 – “the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting; whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”

Jesus chose the 12 apostles for this reason; He gave to them the things that His Father gave to Him; they were then to “go into all the world” and preach these things.  We see this from a portion of His prayer in John 17:3-8: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.  I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.  Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.  For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.”

Then in vv 14-21 we read: “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

THEN NOTICE…”As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through THEIR word; [*i.e. the apostles’ word] That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”

This statement in v. 18, “As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world”, reflects the grave responsibility that they were given, in regard to these “words of life”. 

What did these words consist of?  We know that they contained commandments.  Re-read John 12:49-50 (above).  Those commands pertained to the new birth (John 3:3-5) and also would involve instructions as to how to live faithfully AFTER being born again.  From Luke’s words in Acts 1:1-2 we know that Jesus gave commandments to the apostles in regard to what they were to preach.  “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen…”.

Notice some of the scripture locations that contain the commands/instructions as to how to be born again.  What were the “words of life” for the sinner? These commands are seen from the 4 gospel accounts:

Matt. 28:18-20 – “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Mk. 16:15-16 – “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Lk. 24:47-49 – “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  And ye are witnesses of these things.  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high…”

From these texts, we see the commands that pertain to these “words of life” thru which a sinner can be saved.  They provide for the sinner, teaching as to how he is to respond to God’s grace in sending His own Son to bear the sins of the world.  They (the apostles) were to preach ONLY what Jesus taught; as Jesus preached ONLY what His Father commanded Him to preach.  Today, all preaching is limited to what was preached in our bible by them.  

Again, notice John 12:49 - “…the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”

So the preaching of the apostles is just as authoritative as the preaching of Jesus!  Those who learn and submit to that which Jesus taught will receive the blessing that God purposed for them thru Jesus.  God’s desire was for all people to be saved:

2 Pet. 3:9 – “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

1 Tim. 2:4 – “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”  This was what He purposed for man.  However, the only ones who will be saved are the ones who obey Jesus’ commandments (Heb. 5:8-9 – ‘Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him’).  Without these commandments that Jesus taught, we simply could not be saved, thus, they are a blessing.

RDB

The Blessing of God's Commandments - Part 3

Deut. 6:24-25: “And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.  And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.”

The commands that God gave through Christ are a blessing.  'How' and 'why' is this true?  The ‘how’ is because of the nature of the message; it is a blessing because God’s commandments contain instructions for the sinner as to how to “call upon the name of the Lord” and thus, to be ‘born anew’.  It also contains instructions for the one ‘born anew’ as to how to live faithful to Christ, his Lord. 

We see this from such passages as Matt. 28:20, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” and; 
2 Tim. 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”  

Apart from these commandments, neither "calling upon", nor "faithful living" in Christ, can be done.  The gospel is therefore literally the ‘good news’ as it contains news as to how this salvation may be obtained and maintained.  The reason‘why’ this is true, is because of God’s love for man.  God’s love for man is the reason that He gave man commandments.  They were what He purposed in sending His only begotten Son.  Thus, Jesus taught and preached those commands while here on earth.  He spoke of His church that He would build, and the church is comprised of those who have been ‘born anew’ and who keep His commandments. 

This being true of the gospel, one would think that people would readily accept it.  Sadly, however the opposite is true.  Why is this?  Let us examine WHY such a message of ‘good news’ is not only ignored, but viewed and treated with contempt.

The gospel is treated as something to be avoided in polite conversation, something that offends and creates fights.  In many circles it is considered rude to bring up the subject of the gospel to one's acquaintances, family, or co-workers, and it is considered offensive to suggest that the gospel is the ONLY truth and that ALL must obey it. The good news is literally treated like bad news.  

What is it about the gospel that draws such a negative attitude?  Consider some unique characteristics of the ‘one’ gospel that separate and distinguish it from other or false gospels: 
Gal. 1:6-8- “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 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."

The true gospel message begins with the fact that all are sinners and stand condemned before God (Rom. 3:23).  The first thing the gospel reveals to us is that we are wrong.  We are wrong because we have not lived in the way that God purposed for us to live. As such, we are condemned by God as transgressors.  Most people do not like to hear that.  People would prefer to hear that they are good and that they are living right (even when they admit they are not perfect).  We do not like to be rebuked.  It hurts the conscience and the heart.  So rather than listen to the gospel's initial rebuke, many people turn away from it.

One of the craftiest plans Satan ever developed was to present people with a false gospel that strips away all the unpleasant parts.  That's the kind of gospel people will hear.  The apostle Paul warned Timothy, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”  (2 Tim. 4:1-4)

The world has become flooded with false gospels that have virtually eliminated the concept of sin from its doctrines.  To many people the gospel is like an invitation to join a club.  No guilt, no sacrifice, no hardship, no loss of respect.  Just join the church and have a good time.  In such groups the gospel is not about salvation from sin's consequences or the cleansing of the conscience of the load of guilt sin brings.  It is a gospel without condemnation.  

Any gospel that does not begin by telling us that we are sinners has two fatal faults.  First, it is not the gospel taught in the New Testament.  The gospel preached by the apostles began with rebuke and warning.  No "gospel" that downplays or ignores this feature has the right to call itself the gospel.  
Second, in what sense can we say that the gospel is good news if it does not portray the problem of our sin as enormous?  If our sin is no big deal (as the false gospels portray it), then what is so good about the gospel?  If God accepts me just as I am, if I have little or nothing to change, then the good news is just a fix of a minor problem.  

We must beware of any "gospel" that minimizes sin.  Only when we truly understand the nature of our sin, what it does to us and what it does to God, will we be able to appreciate fully what is so good about the gospel.  The gospel is presented as the answer, the solution, to the worst problem in the world.  The gospel's glory will never be seen for what it is if we depreciate sin.  

Not only must we beware of any gospel that minimizes sin, we must not succumb to the temptation to decrease the Biblical message about sin to make the gospel easier for others to accept.  We all know many people that we want to see saved.  In our love for them and our zeal to preach the gospel there is a temptation that we will try to relax the message so that it is not so harsh, so that it will be a "friendlier" gospel.  

But our love for the lost has no authority over God.  We may not relax God's standards because we think they are too tough.  God created us, and God is the only One who has the right to say what the way to fellowship with Him will be.  If we are not content to preach God's message just as He gave it, then woe to us, for we have become judges of God.  

God sets the conditions for salvation.  Preaching or obeying a watered-down gospel does not change or solve anything.  If people find the gospel offensive, ugly, and a turn-off, so be it.  Let us preach without apologies or embarrassment.  Let us say with Paul, "I am not ashamed of the gospel" (Rom 1:16).

to be continued...


RDB

The Blessing of God's Commandments - Part 2

Deut. 6:24-25: “And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.  And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.”

The church that Jesus built is unique in many ways; this ‘uniqueness’ helps to identify it and separate it from man-made churches.  The church that Jesus built is both unique and identifiable by its organization; its worship, and its doctrine.  The ‘doctrine’ of Christ’s church is called “truth”.  The church is said to be the pillar and ground of TRUTH (1 Tim. 3:15).  Truth characterizes the church and this has reference to its doctrine.  This is because truth is what produced the church and now the church sets forth and defends truth against false teaching.

As was mentioned in Part 1, there is the one true gospel and “other” gospels (Gal. 1:6-9).  Doctrine is what distinguishes Christ’s church from man-made churches.  The Lord’s church will set forth truth thru its doctrines.  Remember, salvation is dependent upon truth and truth is something that must be learned & obeyed by man in order for GOD to save him from his sins.  We see this from 1 Tim. 2:4 which says of God, ”Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth”; and in 1 Pet. 1:22 where Peter said that the soul is purified by obeying truth. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth...”

Salvation is not a result of blind trust; nor is it an unexplainable experience.  It can be understood for it involves being taught.  Man is ‘drawn’ to GOD by being taught of God.  This was one of the reasons that Jesus taught while He was on earth.  Jesus stated in John 6:44-45, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me DRAW him…”.  THEN JESUS EXPLAINS HOW THE FATHER DRAWS: “…every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”  Did you notice the order: hearing and learning precedes coming unto Him.

The church consists of those who have been saved and as such, have learned truth.  Salvation involves both God and man, for God purposed salvation for man.  Salvation in Christ was foreshadowed in the way that God dealt with those who lived prior to Christ.  Take for example Noah.  Let us note the similarities in Noah’s salvation from the flood and our salvation from sin.  What do we know of Noah’s life before the flood?  We are told:

Noah was “righteous” before God in his generation (Gen. 7:1).  Previously in Gen. 6:9 were told of Noah that he was “…a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”  What made Noah ‘righteous’?  What made Noah just; perfect?  HOW did Noah walk with God?  We can learn the answers from what is said of Noah in Gen. 6:22; 7:5, 9, 16.  There we read: “…according to all that God commanded him (Noah), so did he (Noah).”  While we don’t have all the commands that God gave to Noah recorded for us in the Bible; we know that there were other commands.  How?  Because it is recorded that Noah walked w/God; that he was righteous, just, and perfect.  How was this so of Noah?  Do you know the answer?  It was because of the existence of commands! God gave him commands and he obeyed those commands.

NOTICE:

By doing as God commanded, Noah “walked with God”. 

By doing as God commanded, Noah was righteous.

By doing as God commanded, Noah was ‘just’ and ‘perfect’.

The reason for this is that ALL GOD’S COMMANDS ARE RIGHTEOUS, JUST AND PERFECT.

This is why Noah “found grace” in God’s eyes (Gen. 6:8) prior to the flood.  It is why God chose to save him from the flood.

Notice something else about Noah from Heb. 11:7: “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house…”.  Where and how did Noah get his faith?  The same way that you, and I, and everyone else that has faith, got theirs.  Remember Romans 10:17, “Faith cometh by hearing; hearing by the word of God”?  Without God’s word faith cannot exist!  Which came first, Noah’s faith or God’s commands?  Compare the wording in Heb. 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned of God…moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house…”  Consider…did Noah move with fear before God warned him of the flood?  Did Noah begin building an ark before God gave him the command?  How did Noah know to build an ark?  Whose idea was it; his or God’s?

We learn something VERY IMPORTANT about God’s eternal purpose from this story of Noah and the flood; we learn of HOW God intended to save us from our sins thru His SON. Again, notice concerning Noah’s salvation:

Was grace involved? Yes, from Gen. 6:8.  It could properly be said that Noah was saved by grace couldn’t it?  But does that mean that Noah was saved by grace ‘alone’?  Was anything else involved?  Yes, from Heb. 11:7, Noah’s faith was involved.  It says that Noah prepared an ark “by faith”.  Was Noah’s faith also necessary for him to be saved from the flood?  How?  Just believing that a flood was forthcoming?  Was anything else involved?  Notice also from this verse that Noah prepared the ark “to the saving of his house”.  Was the building of the ark related to Noah’s salvation?  Was it also necessary?  Did Noah build it by faith?  Was there any obedience connected to his faith?  If so, what obedience was there?  Do you see from all of these passages how that grace, faith, and obedience were all involved?  This is what God’s eternal purpose involves: GRACE; FAITH & OBEDIENCE.  His grace combined with man’s faith and obedience to His word.

Likewise today, God warns us of the consequences of sin; and gives commands as to how to escape the punishment of sin; whosoever will believe Him and obey what He commands, will escape what befalls those who don’t.

RDB

The Blessing of God's Commandments - Part 1

Deut. 6:24-25: “And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.  And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.”

The death of Jesus was pre-planned and foreknown before man was created.  Several passages affirm this. 1 Peter 1:18-20 says, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold…but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: WHO VERILY WAS FOREORDAINED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD…”

But that was not the only purpose for Jesus’ coming.  In John 1:17 we see another foreknown fact for which Jesus came: it was: to reveal ‘truth’.  He did this thru His teaching.  The relevance of both Jesus’ sacrifice and doctrine is seen from Rom. 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 is equally important in our salvation, because truth is something that must be learned & obeyed by man in order for GOD to save him from his sins.

We see this from 1 Tim. 2:4 which says of God, ”Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth”; and in 1 Pet. 1:22 where Peter said that the soul is purified by obeying truth. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth...”

Salvation is not a result of blind trust; nor is it an unexplainable experience.  It can be understood for it involves being taught.  Man is ‘drawn’ to GOD by being taught of God.  This was one of the reasons that Jesus taught while He was on earth.  Jesus stated in John 6:44-45, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me DRAW him…”.  THEN JESUS EXPLAINS HOW THE FATHER DRAWS: “…every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”  Did you notice the order: hearing and learning precedes coming unto Him.

Jesus didn’t just come and die; He also taught; He taught us of the Father.  Again, ‘truth’ came by Jesus (John 1:17); and it came thru His teachings.  The reason for this is that it is in man’s attitude and reaction to the things Jesus taught that a good/bad heart is revealed in that individual.  A good heart believes and obeys; an evil heart does not.  Jesus said repeatedly that if any man loves Him, that man would ‘keep His commandments’ (John 14:15, 21, 23).

This is why doctrine is so important in religion.  Doctrine can be wrong for there IS such a thing as ‘false’ teaching; (Gal. 1:6-9, Paul spoke of ‘another gospel’).  Satan deceives thru twisting God’s teaching, as we saw from how He deceived Eve.  Those who hated Jesus; who rejected and denied Him as being sent from God; did so because they disagreed with what He taught.  Even though He performed many miracles in their very presence, [He was not hated for the miracles; He was hated for what He taught], it was by the acceptance of His teachings that His followers were determined. Likewise, those who rejected His teaching and refused to obey what He taught could not be His disciple.  The division that exists about Jesus AND within the religious realm is in regard to Jesus’ teachings and His claims to have received His teachings from God.  He went on to state that even within a family there would be division over Him.  This division would be over His teachings (acceptance or rejection). 

In Matt. 10:34-37 He said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.   For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  What we learn from this is that even within a family there are good and evil hearts; the nature of the heart is revealed in how the individual reacts when exposed to what Jesus taught, for He taught that ALL must submit to His teachings and acknowledge His right to command them how to live their life.  He taught that discipleship involved obedience in v. 38 of this same chapter: “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”   The apostle John recorded Jesus’ words on the necessity of obedience to Jesus’ teachings in John 12:48, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” 

God’s eternal purpose for all humanity is their salvation; and their salvation is dependent upon the acceptance of the things Jesus taught.  Thus, God’s blessings & love are seen in that He gave us commands to obey.  It is thru these commands that we have instruction in both how to call upon the name of the Lord, and how to live faithful in Christ.    

RDB

Choices

You and I make choices every day that have eternal implications for our souls.  A primary choice is to love the truth of God’s word.  To do otherwise is to risk delusion and condemnation (2 Thess. 2:9-12).  Jesus said that the wide gate and broad way leads to destruction and many go in by it (Matthew 7:13).

Creeds and doctrines of men, which make one’s worship empty and of no benefit (Mark 7:7), have deceived millions who believe they belong to Christ.  To these people Jesus will say: “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matt. 7:23).

The choice to serve Jesus involves a yoke.  A yoke is an instrument of subjection and the one wearing a yoke is obliged to be obedient to another.  For this reason, true service to the Lord is not pleasing to the carnal mind.  It requires a surrender of self and selfish desires that few are willing to accept.  Paul told the Romans that when they acted on their faith in regard to Jesus being the Messiah, they were then set free from sin; but they were told that they were set free to bear a yoke of righteousness.  (Romans 6:17-18 - But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness).  

God condemned His people through the prophet Jeremiah because they had rebelliously “broken the yoke and burst the bonds” (Jer. 5:5).  Joshua challenged the Israelites “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Josh. 24:15).

The fact is that every person of accountability is choosing to serve either God or Satan.  We cannot serve two masters, but we all choose to serve one or the other.  Our lives tell the story plainly.  We are the servants of the one whom we choose to obey (Rom. 6:16).  How foolish it is to declare how much we love Jesus while our lives are in rebellion to Him. 

Millions who profess His name reject His authority to govern their lives regarding the sanctity of marriage, how they dress or talk or play, issues of sexual conduct and gender choice, and even the very lives of their unborn babies. Truly the yoke has been broken. 

Much of this is justified by appealing to “freedom of choice.”  How ironic!  Yes, it is a choice—yet often it simply means choosing to serve Satan.  “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). 

The “road less traveled” is the one about which Jesus said:  “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life and there are few that find it” (Matt. 7:14). 

What is your choice today? Jesus promises those who come to Him will have rest for their souls because His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  Will you accept the yoke of Jesus by choosing Him as your Master?  That is truly the choice that makes all the difference. 

David's Definition of "Trust"

"I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me." ~ Psalms 131:1-2

Seasoned Infants

The problem with the church is, there are too many who are mature with the wrong knowledge...

Romans 16:19 ~ For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

1 Cor. 14:20 ~ Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

Lessons from a Lost Cause

A Restoration Movement began in New England at the dawn of the nineteenth century. Led by Elias Smith and Dr. Abner Jones, a host of pious souls broke with denominationalism and determined to go back to the Bible.  Smith wrote "that we might be prepared to form ourselves into a church according to the New Testament, and to be called Christians without any sectarian names added" (The Life, Conversion, Preaching, Travels and Suffering of Elias Smith, 1816, p. 98).  Their movement came to be known as the Christian Connection.  Crowds of up to 3,000 flocked to hear the old gospel proclaimed.  Daniel Hix reported 662 additions to the cause in 1808. Flourishing congregations sprung up all over New England.  Their success, however, was short lived.  In his book, The Christian of New England, James Gardner identifies a number of serious mistakes in judgment, faith and practice that brought an early and shameful demise to their great movement. We list these without comment, asking the reader to look around him in our brotherhood. Think about the preachers, programs and paper; the sermons, attitudes and practices in vogue today and see if any of those deadly symptoms are evident among us.

1.      "The most serious problem facing the Christians by the 1830's was not a particular false doctrine, but rather the absence of doctrine at all" (p. 82).

2.      "The Christians grew increasingly reluctant to hold themselves or each other to the Biblical standard" (82).

3.      Their preaching soon, "gave way to vague appeals to every man to do that which was right in his own eyes" (p. 82).

4.      "Jones' preaching gradually lost its challenge to the world. He gave up the demanding intensity of a prophet for the emotionalism of a revivalist" (p. 56).

5.      They came "to accept a large number of converts as proof that God approves of a particular church..." (p. 56). They "regard(ed) bigger as necessarily better" (p. 82).

6.      "One of the worst effects of the mania for numerical growth was the prestige it gave some of the most unstable and unprincipled ministers among the Christians" (p. 83).

7.      "As their first generation of great leaders grew old and died, the Christians began to listen to a class of preachers who were more showmen than saints, more publicity agents than Biblical scholars" (p.83).

8.      "Closely associated with their passion for outward success was the fundamental problem of emotionalism" (p. 83). "Preachers found it easier to frighten or excite people into the church than to convince them" (p. 84).

9.      "The Christians...generally followed the denominational practice of preaching on short passages of Scripture, usually no more than a verse or two, without any detailed study of the Bible" (p. 102).

10.     "Where Jones and Smith had pled for no creed but the Bible, many among the second generation of Christian wants no creed at all, not even the word of God" (p. 101).

11.     "The Christians gradually changed their teaching concerning the organization of the local church" (p. 78).

12.     Beginning about 1825 the Christians began to refer unashamedly to themselves as a denomination among denominations, still pleading for unity among all the followers of Christ..." (p. 78).

13.     In December of 1831 Mark Fernold, a leading Christian preacher, wrote, "that while we had enlarged our borders, we had lost sight of some of the landmarks" (p. 85).

In 1831 William Miller, father of the modern Adventist denomination, began his work in New England.  "He found a particularly receptive audience in the Christian Connection Churches ..." (p. 114). "Perhaps as many as half of all the New England Christians came to believe in...Miller's prophecy of doom...." (p. 115). In 1844, "The Christian Connection lost approximately half its total membership in a single year" (p. 122). Although Miller's predictions of Christ's return failed, his adherents could not go back. They flowed into the newly formed Advent Christian Church. "Many small congregations were wiped out, and larger ones were severely crippled" (p. 122).  "Finally in 1929 the remnant that was left joined with the Congregational Church, now known as the United Church of Christ, thus officially ending the history of the Christian Connection" (p. 122).A wise man has said, "He that does not remember the lessons of history is doomed to repeat the mistakes of history." The mistakes that destroyed the New England Restoration will destroy us today. It is alarming that all of those fallacies are found in our midst today.  If they are allowed to flourish, they will produce a bitter harvest.  May all of God's people renew their commitment to restoring the church of the Bible by conforming in every detail to the New Testament of Jesus her Lord.

John Waddey— via Christianity Then and Now