"THE CONGREGATION OF THE PEOPLES"
By Wayne S. Walker
"So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; for their sakes, therefore, return on high" (Psalm 7:7). In our language the word "congregation" is used almost exclusively in a religious sense, although we sometimes use the verb form more generally, saying that people "congregate" for different purposes. The dictionary defines the word as "a gathering of people or things, assemblage," especially, "an assembly of people for religious worship" or "the members of a particular place of worship." It comes from a Latin word made up of the prefix com or con meaning "together" and gregare meaning "gather," which in turn comes from the Latin word grex/gregaris meaning "flock." (Gregarious people are those who like to gather with others). So, the basic meaning of the word is a gathering or assembly, although few people would refer to a garden club assembly as a congregation.
The English word "congregation" is found in the New Testament only in Acts 13:43 where Paul had preached at the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia and Luke says, "Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God." In the synagogue was a gathering or assembly of Jews and proselytes who heard Paul and some of whom believed him. We usually use the word "congregation" almost exclusively to identify a local church, but experts in the Greek language tell us that it could be an acceptable translation any time the word ecclesia, usually translated church, is used.
Thus, a local church is a congregation of God's people worshipping and working in a specific locality. However, the universal church might be thought of as "the congregation of the peoples" who belong to God wherever they happen to live. In this sense, God's congregation consists only of those who have repented and been baptized for remission of sins, thus being saved by God's grace through the blood of Christ and added by the Lord to the church (Acts 2:38-47). Beyond this, God's congregation is made up of those who are striving to live in a way that is right with Him. The Lord's seal by which He knows those who are His is, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Timothy 2:19). Are you identified with "the congregation of the peoples" who belong to God?
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
"HAVE MERCY ON ME, O LORD”
By Wayne S. Walker
"Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled" (Psalm 6:2). Our English word "mercy," which comes from a Latin root that means "payment" or "reward," is defined as, "1. a refraining from harming or punishing offenders, enemies, etc.; kindness in excess of what may be expected. 2. a disposition to forgive or be kind. 3. the power to forgive or be kind; clemency. 4. kind or compassionate treatment. 5. a fortunate thing; blessing." The God who created us and whom Christians serve is a merciful God. Yes, He hates sin and will punish it, but He is also "merciful and gracious....He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins...." (Psalm 103:8-10). If God dealt with us only according to our sins, that would be justice.
However, if we call upon Him and meet His conditions, He will be merciful. The reason why we need His mercy is that we are weak. As a result of our weakness, we sometimes yield to temptation in which lust gives birth to sin which brings forth death (James 1:14-15). Yet, God is merciful and offers forgiveness for our sins. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Also, knowing that we are week, He mercifully offers us help to overcome our temptations, if we put our trust in Him. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Thus, as a result of God's mercy offered to us, we can be healed even though our souls have been afflicted with the spiritual disease of sin. Yet, just as with the need for physical healing, we usually must go to a physician and follow his directions, so for Him to heal us spiritually, we must turn to Him and do His will. "For the hearts of this people have grown dull, their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them" (Matthew 13:15). Jesus wants to heal us, but we must hear His word, see His way, and understand His will in order to receive God's mercy.
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
"IN THE MORNING"
By Wayne S. Walker
"My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up" (Psalm 5:3). Some folks are "morning people," while others are not. I happen to like the morning. When I was a boy, we had to get up around 6:00 a. m. every day during the school term so that we could eat breakfast and get ready in order to catch the bus between 7:00 and 7:30 for school (we lived way out in the country). One would think that I would like to sleep in during the summer vacation, but not so. I loved to get up early in the morning either to sit by my window and watch the sun rise or to take a lawn chair outside and read under our pear tree. Other folks' body clocks seem to be set differently and they are more "night people."
Jesus was evidently a morning person. "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed" (Mark 1:35). At the same time, He seemed to function well in the night too. "Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12). One point that we can see from this is that whatever the time of day Jesus, the very Son of God Himself, saw the need to communicate with His heavenly Father in prayer. Therefore, how much more should that be true of Christians. "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Of course, this does not mean that we must spend 24 hours a day, seven days a week in nothing but prayer, but that we should be ready, willing, and able to pray at any time when there is a need.
Furthermore, whether you are a morning person or a night person, you do have to wake up, and unless you work a night shift, you probably wake up sometime in the morning, either early or late. For the child of God, there is nothing better to crown his waking moments than thoughts of God. "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You" (Psalm 139:17-18). One way to do this is to spend a few moments in prayer. As the songwriter asked, "Ere you left your room this morning, Did you think to pray?" No, you do not have to rise in the morning a long while before daylight to please God. But the morning, the evening, and all time belongs to Him. We should use it to glorify Him.
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
"HEAR ME WHEN I CALL"
By Wayne S. Walker
"Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer" (Psalm 4.1). How horrible it feels when someone whom we have known and loved and trusted turns a deaf ear to some plea that we might make! We recognize that a friend might not always be able to do what we ask, but he can still sympathize with our need. Yet, to treat such a plea with disdain as being unimportant or even stupid really hurts. The God whom we worship and serve is not like that. He may not always choose to respond in the precise way that we wish, but He is God of righteousness. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18.25).
In the absence of an actual revelation from the Lord that He has acted in a particular way with regard to a person's life, I feel very hesitant to affirm beyond doubt that "God did this for me" or "God did that for me." At the same time, I am a firm believer in the providence of God, because He promises His people that if they seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, all their needs will be supplied (Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19). Furthermore, we can know with assurance that He will do us good because every good and perfect gift comes down from above (James 1:18). Thus, every Christian can undoubtedly look back upon his life and see times when he is convinced that God has relieved him in his distress. As John Newton wrote, "'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home."
Therefore, based upon what is revealed about God in the scriptures and upon the experiences of their own lives, Christians can have the conviction that God will have mercy upon them and hear their prayers. Again, God may not necessarily answer our prayer with a yes. Paul prayed three times that his thorn in the flesh would be removed, and God said no (2 Corinthians 12.8-9). Yet God did hear and answer Paul's prayer in that He gave him the grace and strength to bear his trials. We certainly cannot expect God to remove every burden and every obstacle. But if we live for Him, we can look to Him to provide the help and guidance we need to overcome or endure them as we need. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4.13).
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
THE LORD IS OUR SHIELD
By Wayne S. Walker
"But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head" (Psalm 3:3). Before the introduction of gunpowder, most warfare was accomplished in close quarters with hand-held weapons such as swords and battle axes, with some longer range weapons like the bow and arrow and the spear. Thus, much of an ancient soldier's armor and equipment was intended to defend him in such fighting. He had a helmet to protect his head and a breastplate to protect his chest. Also, he usually carried a shield which would protect his whole body not only from swords and axes but also from arrows and spears.
Life is full of trials and tribulations. We may have problems with ill health. Unexpected bills may cause our outgo to be more than our income. Dear loved ones pass from this life, sometimes in tragic circumstances. Our children may not always listen to us or respect us as they should, and this can bring about heartache. A husband or wife may just walk out of the marriage, leaving the other partner in a tough situation. Friends and neighbors may reject all our attempts to share the gospel with them. And occasionally even some of our own brethren may misunderstand us and do things that are hurtful.
These are all arrows that the evil one shoots against us in an effort to destroy our faith and cause us to turn away from our goal. Do we, like the soldier of old, have a shield to guard us against such onslaughts? Yes, the Lord has promised to be our shield. If we put our trust in Him and follow His will, He will protect us from the enemy and lift up our heads. How can we access the power of this shield? "Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:16). When we live by faith in the One who is our glory, He will provide the strength that we need to keep on and accomplish our purpose.
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
"BE WISE, O KINGS"
By Wayne S. Walker
"Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (Psalm 2:10-11). Psalm 2 begins with a statement about the kings and rulers of earth who set themselves against the Lord. The early Christians thought of this passage of scripture when they began to face persecution at the hands of their rulers (see Acts 4:23-26). We are told to "pray for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence" (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Thus, we often ask in our prayers that the rulers of this world will have the wisdom to make decisions that will be right and bring about peace.
From whence does wisdom come? "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). God has said that if we lack wisdom, we can ask of Him and He will give it to us (James 1:5). The truth is that no one is truly wise who does not acknowledge his dependence on the Lord. Of course, not all the rulers of this earth believe in God. Yet, even among those who do not, the fact is that the closer they hold to the principles of righteousness which God has given to mankind, the wiser they are and the better off their people are. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34).
Of course, if we expect those in authority to act with wisdom, we as individuals need to act with wisdom as well. "Walk in wisdom toward those who are without, redeeming the time" (Colossians 4:5). Such wisdom demands that we show our respect to our rulers, even when we may disagree with them, by submitting to their lawful authority (1 Peter 2: 13-17). There may come a time when we must make a choice to "obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). However, the constantly rebellious rabble-rouser who is "not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries" (2 Peter 2:10) is not acting with wisdom and loses any influence for righteousness that he might have. Let us resolve to walk in wisdom that our example might encourage our leaders to exercise true wisdom from above as well.
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
"HE SHALL BE LIKE A TREE"
By Wayne S. Walker
"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper" (Psalm 1:3). I like trees. When I was in junior and senior high school (many long years ago!), at least twice, I believe in eighth and tenth grades, we studied about trees and had to make leaf collections. I have now forgotten much of what we studied, but when walking in the woods or even along the streets, I still enjoy looking at and identifying the trees that I can remember. Man has used trees for so much--food (fruits, nuts), clothing (thread made from certain tree fibers), and shelter (wood for houses, fires).
The Psalmist says that the righteous man is like a tree in two ways. First, he is "planted by the rivers of water." Trees are planted in the ground. However, have you ever noticed that some trees have very shallow root systems so that when a storm comes up it does not take much wind to blow them down, while other trees have very deep root systems which enable them to withstand the storms? God wants Christians to be "rooted and grounded in love" (Ephesians 3:17). We accomplish this through daily Bible study and prayer, regular worship with the saints, and generally drawing closer to God so that we shall not be "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14).
Second, he "brings forth fruit" in his season. I have always been a fresh fruit fanatic--apples, pears, peaches, plums, even figs, all of which grow on trees. Although using the picture of a vine rather than a tree, Jesus reminds us, "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:8). As Christians, we need to bear the fruits of good works, righteous living, and winning souls to Christ (Galatians 5:22-23). Simply put, a fruit tree that does not bear fruit is useless. A Christian who does not bear godly fruit is worse than useless. One other thing I want to mention about trees. As poet Joyce Kilmer noted, "Only God can make a tree."
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
GOD'S MERCY ON HIS PEOPLE
Hosea 2:14-20
by Wayne S. Walker
Even though the Old Testament is not God's law for us today, the New Testament reminds us that the Old Testament scriptures were written for our learning and contain admonitions for us. The historical information is very helpful in understanding the execution of God's scheme for our redemption, and the lives of various individuals furnish wonderful examples of good and evil. The writings provide good advice on wisdom and praise. And the prophets make predictions by which we can identify the Messiah and also reveal things by which we can see God's attitude towards His people and their sin.
The story of the prophet Hosea as recorded in the book bearing his name is extremely interesting. Not only did he preach against the sins of the northern kingdom of ten tribes, but his life also illustrated their faithlessness. His own wife, who bore him three children (many scholars believe that at least the last two were not his), then became unfaithful to him and left him to live a life of degradation. This illustrated the apostasy of the Israelites and their punishment. However, Hosea went out to search for her, and when he found her he took her back again. This illustrated God's love for Israel and his willingness to receive them back after they repented. Based on the prophet's experiences, Hosea 2:14-20 talk about God’s mercy on His people.
Effort
First, we see God's effort in v. 14a. “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness.” The word "allure" means to attract. When a young man is trying to win the affections of a young woman, he does everything that he can to attract her attention, perhaps even taking her off by themselves from time to time so they can talk and get to know one another. What has God done to attract us to His plan for our salvation? He sent His Son to live a perfect life as an example for us (1 Pet. 2.21-23). We often sing a song which says, "Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen in Me"
Even more importantly, God planned for His Son to die as an atonement for our sins. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5.8). Then He raised His Son from the dead to demonstrate that everything that He told us is true. “Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was…declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” ( Rom. 1.3-4). Through the centuries, these things have attracted literally millions of people to God’s way.
Communication
Second, we see God's communication in vs. 14b-15. He said that He would “speak comfort to her” and that “I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.” We all know that one of the basic needs for a strong relationship is good communication. Young people who are thinking about getting married need to talk a lot together. What has God done to communicate with us? The purpose of His sending His Son was not only to be our example, die for our sins, and be raised again, but also to reveal His will to us (Heb. 1.1-2).
The means by which Christ reveals God's word to us is through the written word, which is known by many terms, such as the gospel or the scriptures. It is in the gospel that the Lord makes known His plan for our salvation. Paul says that the gospel “is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Rom. 1.16-17). Furthermore, God's communication with us does not stop with just revealing the plan of salvation, but He continues to lead and guide us through the scriptures that we might be equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3.16-17).
Affection
Third, we see God's affection in vs. 16-17. “’And it shall be in that day,’ says the Lord, ‘that you will call Me “My Husband,” and no longer call Me “My Master,” for I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals, and they shall be remembered by their name no more.’” A young man and a young woman who get married usually show a lot of affection toward each other in various ways, including the use of terms of endearment, such as honey, dear, and sweetheart. Even though Israel had forsaken the Lord, He was willing to allow them once again to call Him Husband. God's affection for us is seen in allowing us to be married to Christ (Rom. 7.1-4).
Of course, while a married couple's calling one another husband and wife shows affection, being husband and wife is not just an honorary position; there are responsibilities—the wife is to submit to the husband and the husband is to love his wife (Eph. 5.22-27). Christ has already showed His affection and love by giving His life for us; we show our affection by submitting to Him. This affectionate relationship between Christ and His church on earth is symbolic of the eternal relationship that will exist between God and His people in heaven, as the New Jerusalem is pictured as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev. 21.1-2). The marriage that we make with the Lord now will find its ultimate expression in the new heaven and the new earth.
Commitment
Fourth, we see God's commitment in v. 18. “In that day, I will make a covenant with them, with the beasts of the field, with the birds of the air, and with the creeping things of the ground. Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth to make them lie down safely.” When two people get married, they make a commitment or covenant with each other in saying their vows. This is why unscriptural divorce is pictured in the Bible as something that the Lord hates. “…Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant” (Mal. 2.13-14).
God had already made a covenant with Israel. He revealed His will through Moses at Mt. Sinai following their Exodus from Egypt, and they agreed to it, saying, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do” (Exo. 19.1-8, 24.7). The terms of the covenant were if they would keep His laws, He would bless them. However, the Israelites did not keep this covenant. They forsook the Lord and were punished by being sent into captivity; yet, God planned to make a new covenant under the Messiah to provide blessings for all mankind (Jer. 31.31-34). This He did through Jesus Christ (Heb. 8.7-13). The promises of the New Covenant show God’s commitment to us today.
Righteousness
Fifth, we see God's righteousness in v. 19. “I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy.” Righteousness means always doing what is right. One thing that a husband and wife must always do to treat each other right is to keep themselves pure and never join themselves to another. God, as our spiritual Husband, is perfectly righteous. “They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness” (Ps. 145.17). We know that the Lord will always do what is right and never leave nor forsake us. The problem is that we, like the Israelites, are not always righteous in our relationship with God--we know this is true because “all have sinned” (Rom. 3.23).
However, because He still loves us, God makes it possible through the cleansing available in Christ for us to be made righteous or justified in His sight. “For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness’….Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered” (Rom. 4.3-7). This is possible through Christ, “who was raised because of our justification” (Rom. 4:22-25). None of us is perfectly righteous in and of ourselves, but we should always strive to do that which is right before God to the very best of our ability. “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (1 Jn. 3.7). The fact is that we can be married to God and remain married to Him only through righteousness.
Faithfulness
Sixth, we see God's faithfulness in v. 20. “I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord.” Husbands and wives must be faithful to one another. Faithfulness includes being righteous but it involves much more. It demands that each partner fulfil his or her responsibilities to the other. A husband may never become involved with another woman, but he can be unfaithful in other ways. Over and over God has proven His faithfulness as a Husband. For example, when God told Sarah that in spite of her old age and physical condition she would have a child, “she judged Him faithful who had promised” (Heb. 11.11).
Thus, we can be assured that God will be faithful to us. He is faithful not to allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able but to make a way of escape that we may be able to bear the temptation(n 1 Cor. 10.13). And even when we sin, if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us (1 Jn. 1.9). Given His “track record,” there can be no doubt about the faithfulness of God. The real question, then, is will we be faithful to Him? “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2.10).
Conclusion
No, the Old Testament is not God's law for us, but there is so much that we can learn about God, His nature, and His love for mankind from the Old Testament, including the prophets. Hosea reminded Israel, and he reminds us, that no matter how far we may stray away from God, the Lord still loves us and wants us to come back to Him so that He might save us from punishment for our sins. And if we truly repent and turn to Him, He will forgive and accept us. What a wonderful God who sent His only Son to seek and save the lost! What a privilege and a pleasure it should be for us to worship and serve Him!
---taken from Expository Files; February, 2010, Vol.17, No.2
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
"I AM THE LORD, I DO NOT CHANGE"
by Wayne S. Walker
And: You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail (Heb. 1:10-12).
The inspired writer affirms that one characteristic of the physical heavens and earth, in contrast to the eternal nature of God, is that they change. In truth, it has been said that the only thing in this life which really does not change is the fact that all things change.
A number of years ago, after living in the same home for nearly fifteen years and working with the same congregation during all that time, this writer and his family decided to make a change in which we shall move to a different location where I will be laboring with another church. Such a move involves several changes—selling a house and finding a new one, living and learning to navigate in a new city, locating new doctors and dentists and so forth. And sometimes these changes can be a little intimidating because there are so many unknowns involved. Will we be able to find housing that is both suitable and affordable? Will we like our new surroundings? Will the medical personnel whom we choose be as satisfactory as those to whom we have grown accustomed? Even so, the changes must come, and since we cannot stop them we must learn to cope with them. Anna Letetia Waring wrote:
“In heavenly love abiding,
Nochange my heart shall fear;
And safe is such confiding,
For nothing changes here.”
Change in our lives, whether by choice or necessity, whether wanted or unwelcomed, often has the tendency to make us stop and think about where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going. Therefore, it is good for us to consider the implications of such changes. Some changes are simply a part of life. After we are born into this world, we begin to grow, and growth necessitates change.
We progress from infancy to the toddler years, to childhood, to puberty, to adolescence, to young adulthood, to middle age, and finally to the time when “the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’” (Eccl. 12:1). We find jobs and sometimes have to change jobs. We buy homes and sometimes have to change homes, as Abraham did (Gen. 12:1-4). We have children, and they change as they grow. And during this time while changes take place in us and our lives, they also take place in others too. Those whom we have loved in the past grow old and pass on. Friends move away or we move away from them. The passing of time always brings change.
Some changes are by their very nature good. Peter said, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Repentance is a change of heart or mind, brought about by godly sorrow for past sin, that results in a change of life. And being converted means being changed from one who is lost in sin and condemned before God to one who is redeemed by the blood of Christ and thus justified in God’s sight. And once we have been converted, we must, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). As in the physical realm, so in the spiritual, growth demands change. These are changes that God wants us to make. And, of course, we look forward to that time when “the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:52).
Some changes, however, are of necessity bad. There are those who have “changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image make like corruptible man” and “the truth of God for the lie” (Rom. 1:23-25). Some individuals who were once faithful Christians have changed into those who have forsaken the Lord, often because they love this present world (2 Tim. 3:10). Some churches which once stood firmly for the truth have changed into apostate bodies for one reason or another (e.g., Rev. 3:1-3). These kinds of changes make us sad. Still, we realize that while we can and must preach and teach, warn and work, admonish and encourage, we simply cannot control what others do. They have to be responsible for the changes that they make. Yet through all these changes, whether good or bad, whether desirable or undesirable, there is someone who can help us weather them without wavering. “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Mal. 3:6).
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). Implicit trust in our heavenly Father and the hope that he gives to us through his Son Jesus Christ are forces that will enable us to have stability as we live in a world of change. Henry Frances Lyte was dying of tuberculosis and planning to change his residence from his long-time beloved home in Brixham, England, to the warmer climate of Italy for his health, when he finished the hymn with these familiar words:
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me!
If you will pardon a cinematic reference, in “Lion King” Rafiki told Simba, “Change is good.” That is often true. But it is also hard sometimes. Yet, as Rafiki again said, we can either run from it or learn from it. May we put our lives in God’s hands and choose to take the latter course.
[---Taken and slightly updated from Truth Magazine; Nov. 3, 2005; Vol. XLIX, NO. 21; pp. 17-18]
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
THE SECOND DEATH
(Revelation 21:8)
by Wayne S. Walker
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and *****mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8). There are four times in the book of Revelation that the phrase "the second death" occurs. They are: 2:11; 20:6; 20:14; and 21:8. This last verse gives a list, not complete, of some who will have their part in the second death. This term does not denote, as some affirm, eternal extinction. The definition of death is not annihilation but separation. The first death takes place at the physical separation of the body and soul (James 2:26). The second death will happen at the everlasting separation of God from wicked men in hell. Because of the eternal consequences as well as the practical relevance to today's society, an in-depth look at the various descriptions found in this passage is profitable and sorely needed.
Fearful
The first word, fearful, is translated from a term meaning "timid, cowardly." It does not refer to respectful reverence and awe of Ecclesiastes 12:13, nor to the wholesome dread of punishment in Matthew 10:28 and Hebrews 10:31. Jesus defined it in Matthew 8:26 when He asked, "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" This kind of fear is caused by a lack of faith. Jesus spoke of another fearful individual in Matthew 25:24-25. The one-talent man failed to do what he ought to have done because, as he put it, "I was afraid." He was subsequently rejected as a wicked, slothful, and unprofitable servant. There are many like him today. Talk to someone about obeying the gospel and he may reply, "I'm just afraid I can't live it." Bring up a good scriptural work in a business meeting and someone nearly always objects, "I'm afraid it won't do any good." These people are fearful. David wrote, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear none evil." Why? "For thou art with me" (Psalm 23).
Unbelieving
The word "unbelieving" is translated from a word that means "faithless." Everyone has faith in someone or something. "But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). We choose either to believe in God, or to believe in something else--men, naturalism, worldly wisdom, etc. Faith or belief in Jesus Christ as the divine Son of God is absolutely essential to being saved (John 8:24, Acts 16:30-31, Ephesians 2:8-9). How can we obtain such faith? "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). God has caused to be written in the scriptures everything we need to "believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (John 20:30-31). However, true, saving faith is more than just accepting the existence of God and recognizing the deity of His Son. It demands that we act in obedience to the Lord's commands. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6). [Note: this paragraph was somehow not included when the article was originally printed.]
Abominable
Next, there are those described as abominable. The root of this word meant "to stink or cause a stench." Thus it means "foul, defiled, polluted." It is used spiritually in Titus 1:15-16. "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." In this passage Paul identifies those who are so depraved and corrupt that their every thought was evil. They could take even the most harmless and innocent situations and, in their twisted minds, make them into something perverted. It sounds like mankind of Noah's day, of whom Moses wrote, "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). The reason people are abominable in their way of living is that they are abominable in their way of thinking (Proverbs 23:7). Is this not true of many in our society?
Murderers
Following the abominable are murderers. The basic meaning of this word is "one who commits a homicide." Unlawfully taking the life of another was condemned by the Ten Commandments which stated, "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13). This was interpreted by Jesus to mean, "Thou shalt do no murder" (Matthew 19:18). In both Romans 1 when Paul listed the sins of the Gentiles, and in Galatians 5 where he catalogued the works of the flesh, he mentioned murder. One look at the morning newspaper is enough to convince us that this is a serious problem in our land. But the Bible speaks also of a different kind of murderer. "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15). Abel's murder occurred because Cain first became wroth. Anyone who is angry with his brother unjustly, who harbors hatred, malice, and envy in his heart against anyone is as guilty as a murderer, for it is this anger which causes the murder and which Jesus forbade in Matthew 5:21-22.
Whoremongers
After murderers come *****mongers. The Greek word here is the source of our English word "pornography." Translated in the American Standard Version as "fornicators," it means "one who engages in unlawful sexual intercourse for gain or lust." Originally, it referred specifically to male prostitutes, but later came to be used of sexual immorality in general. As such, it includes a multitude of sins. Practically every impure practice would fall into this classification: pre-marital relations which we call fornication (1 Corinthians 7:2); extra-marital relations, called by the world as "having an affair" but referred to in the Bible as adultery (Hebrews 13:4); unscriptural divorce and remarriage (Matthew 19:9); homosexuality (Romans 1:26-27); prostitution (1 Corinthians 6:15); and a whole host of other activities labeled by Paul as "such like" in Galatians 5:21. Another form of immorality which people do not often consider as such is that suggested by the term "pornography." Jesus said in Matthew 5:28, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her," whether she be on the street, on the movie or television screen, or on the pages of a magazine, "hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Pornography, as well as all the other sins mentioned here, is sexual immorality.
Sorcerers
Another group listed is sorcerers. This word is the basis for our English word "pharmacy." It originally meant "one devoted to the magical arts who prepares or uses magical remedies, potions, spells, and enchantments." As many of these ancient wizards used drugs to produce their spells, the word also came to mean "one who uses or administers drugs." Thus two kinds of people fall into this classification. First there are those who engage in black magic, occultism, and their related fields. Witchcraft is one example, and there is an amazingly increasing number of so-called witches in our nation. Satanism is another example, as are astrology and fortune telling. Those folks who write the horoscopes in the newspapers are sorcerers, according to the Bible. The second form of sorcery involves taking drugs as an escape from life by inducing a sense of euphoria or ecstasy as the ancient magicians did, and as far too many people do today.
Idolaters
Idolaters come after sorcerers. This means simply, "one who engages in idolatry, a worshipper of false gods." This was a real problem with first-century Christians because Greek, Roman, and barbaric deities were numerous, and economic pressure was often strong to become involved in their worship. 1 John 5:21 warns, "Little children, keep yourself from idols." Modern mankind is too sophisticated to bow down before a graven image of metal, stone, or wood; yet he has his idols. Paul called the covetous man an idolater in Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5. Anything that comes between a man and God, that hinders his service to the Lord and keeps him from putting Christ first in his life, is an idol. And money seems to be one of the most prevalent (1 Timothy 6:9-10). Jesus said, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness..." (Luke 12:15). To gain all the money of the world and lose one's soul is to get the short end of the deal (Matthew 16:26). The words of Cecil F. Alexander should be heeded by all: "Jesus calls us from the worship Of the vain world's golden store; From each idol that would keep us, saying, 'Christian, love Me more.'"
Liars
Finally, all liars shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Not just a few liars, or some liars, or most liars, or even only liars outside the body of Christ, but all liars. A liar is "one who speaks falsely or deceitfully; one who tells a falsehood." Such was forbidden by the law of Moses. The Decalogue commanded, "Thou shalt not bear false witness" (Exodus 20:16). "A lying tongue...(and) a false witness that speaketh lies" are two things the Lord hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). Paul echoes the same idea in Colossians 3:9-10 as he discussed the change that should take place in the Christian's life as a result of his conversion. He wrote, "Lie not to one another;" why? because we "have put off the old man, and have put on the new man." In a parallel passage, Ephesians 4:25, he not only prohibited lying but also gave a positive instruction as the antidote. "Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another." If a man spends all his life telling the truth, he will have neither time, occasion, nor desire to speak falsely. And James went right to the heart of the matter when he said, "But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth" (James 3:14). When a person harbors envy and strife in his heart, he is more prone not to tell the truth. Remove the cause (jealousy, etc.) and you will remove the problem of lying.
Conclusion
So, we have an identification of some of those who will be tormented in the place of everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. It isn't a very pretty picture, is it? Certainly it does not represent the kind of people you and I would want to dwell with forever. Along with the other descriptions of hell--e.g., the place of outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth--it should make us want to avoid it at all costs. But what are you doing to prepare for heaven? "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16)--saved from his sins, from the guilt of his sins, and after a life of faithful service to God from the consequences of his sins, which is the second death (Romans 6:23). And "he that overcometh shall inherit all things" (Revelation 21:7). Only the faithful, zealous Christian will escape the vengeance of Christ, i.e., everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). It is an awesome thought. Truly, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31).
(---Taken from Faith and Facts, April, 1981; Vol. 9, No. 2; pp. 41-45)
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
THE INTERPRETATION OF REVELATION
(Revelation 1:1)
by Wayne S. Walker
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John" (Revelation 1:1). No, I am not trying to write a commentary on the book of Revelation. Others have done that, though good commentaries are not as numerous as they might be. My purpose in this article is to take a look at the general methods of interpreting the Apocalypse. Theologically speaking, there have been five major positions taken on the meaning of the context of this book.
1. Preterist
The first is that the message of Revelation is completely past. This is called the preterist view. Preterists believe that the book was written only for the people of John's day and was fulfilled in that time period. That is to say that the signs and symbols referred only to the events of the era in which it was written. The figurative coming of Christ in the destruction of Jerusalem (A. D. 70) is usually sometimes offered as the event in which the book finds its fulfillment. The logical conclusion to this view is that the book has no more than a literary interest and at the most a secondary lesson, if indeed it possesses any value at all, for us. It does not allow for a spiritual application to posterity. It also denies the commonly accepted date for the writing of Revelation which is around A. D. 96.
II. Continuous historical
A second view is that John wrote the book only for succeeding generations. This position is know as the continuous or historical interpretation. It presents the book as a forecast of the church, postulating an outline in symbolic form of the entire course of history of God's people on earth from Pentecost when the church began to the second coming. This, if true, would mean that a part of the book refers to the rise of the papacy and development of the Roman Catholic Church, one part to the Dark Ages, another to the Mohammedan invasion, others to the Reformation, the colonization of the New World, and the rise of technology, etc. A certain portion of the book supposedly concerns the very age in which we live. Some brethren have even found the Restoration in it. However, this position affords absolutely no meaning to the Christians to whom it was written, and any interpretation that ignores this point is useless.
In his Cincinnati [OH] debate with John B. Purcell, an official in the Roman Catholic Church, Alexander Campbell expounded this view of Revelation. he indicated his belief that some of the imagery of this book referred directly to the Roman church. This opinion is probably the most widely accepted of those other than Catholics. Many New Testament Christinas, following Campbell, believe this also. They may reason, and correctly so, that Revelation must contain some comfort to all suffering Christians, such as those persecuted by the Roman church, even as it did to those who were persecuted by the Roman Empire. Therefore, they conclude that the book must have some form of "continuous" application. In this, I think they misunderstand the historical viewpoint. It does not propagage that the message applies "in some sense" to later times, but that it relates specifically to a distinct calendar of events in earth's history. In view of what we know about the purpose of the book, it is simply not a workable theory.
III. Futurist
Another interpretation propounds that the Apocalypse deals only with the future. This view is known as the futurist position and is held by dispensationalists and millennialists. These expositors teach that the letter was not for John's day nor for the nearly two thousand years that have passed since then. Rather, to them it is a prophecy of the so-called "end time" or "last days" surrounding the second coming of Jesus. The explanation will vary with the exegete, but generally, the seven churches of Asia in chapters one through three are made to represent the seven "church ages" of time. Then chapters four through nineteen are placed just before the advent of Christ, if one is a postmillennialist, or just after the "invisible" descent, known as the "rapture" of the church and the "tribulation" for those left on the earth, if one is a premillennialist.
In 20:1-10 comes the literal millennial reign of Christ on earth, followed by the judgment in verses 11-15, and then the final state in chapters 21 and 22. Most millennialists view the final state as heaven, although materialists like the Watchtower and Armstrong's organizations look at it as a paradise on a renewed earth. But this whole explanation again overlooks the needs of the first century Christian, and completely disregards John's statement that these are "things which must shortly come to pass" (1:1). It is a figment of someone's imagination having no support from the rest of the Bible nor from the book itself.
IV. Allegorical
Fourthly, there is the position that Revelation is neither past, present, nor future, but allegorical in its nature. Such a position is referred to as the philosophical, spiritualistic, or idealist view. It states that the book has no reference to actual events or persons in any time, but is only the presentation of great principles or forces at work, in which the spiritual forces are victorious. These principles are illustrated in symbolic visions and are supposedly intended to guide and encourage the followers of Christ in all ages, so this view says. It calls for a "totally spiritual" outlook of Revelation, much as Christian Science regards the whole Bible, i.e., written in two languages--one the language of the written words; the other, the language of the eternal Spirit. But as understanding the book in this fashion would be totally subjective, this view,in fact, offers no real objective meaning for anybody.
V. Revelational
The final view of Revelation, the alternative to all these other positions, is what I choose to call the revelational viewpoint. Simply stated, the book was written for past, present, and future. Homer Hailey called this the historical background interpretation. He wrote that the book was "written for the people of that day, fulfilled in the events of the first two centuries (some extend it longer), but in this background is seen a message for all time." Actually, this is the proper understanding of all God's revelation. Divine revelation (in the aggregate sense, not just the particular book by that name) must be meaningful to Christians of every age. No one can deny that 1 Corinthians was written specifically to the church at Corinth to deal with actual problems in that congregation. But in God's wisdom, Paul's teaching concerning Corinthian troubles is applicable to the Lord's kingdom today also. The same ist rue of John's Apocalypse.
Conclusion
The words John wrote to the early Christians of New Testament days who were persecuted by the Roman Empire were also able to comfort those who were mistreated by the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages; they could offer hope to those abused for their faith by local chiefs in Africa during the nineteenth century; and they can be used to provide patience for believers today who are suffering under Communistic rule--even though none of these later situations are particularly described in the book. Reflecting upon the foregoing interpretations, I find myself concluding that the last position is the only one that projects a reasonable basis for understanding the book of Revelation in light of what we already know about God, His nature, the process of inspiration and revelation, and subsequent history. May we study John's message from Patmos with open minds and a view to gleaning whatever application is available for us today.
Bibliography
Hailey, Homer. "The Book of Revelation" classnotes, Florida College.
Miller, James P. The Saints Victorious, Miller Publications.
Warnock, Weldon. Revelation: Message from Patmos, Cogdill Foundation.
(---taken from Torch Magazine; November, 1976; Vol. X, No. 11; pp. 16-19)
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
JESUS, OUR EXAMPLE OF OBEDIENCE
(Hebrews 5:8)
by Wayne S. Walker
The Bible tells us that Jesus left us an example that we should follow in His steps. One area in which Jesus was an example for us was in His obedience. "Though he were a Son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). By breaking this verse down into its basic parts, we can gain a better understanding of Jesus as our example of obedience.
Though He was a Son
Jesus is the Son of God. While all humans are sons of God by creation and all Christians are sons of God by regeneration, Jesus is the Son of God in a unique sense. This concept is comprehended in the phrase, "the only begotten Son." Thayer says that the word translated "only begotten" means "single of its kind, only." Further, he points out that this phrase does not denote that Christ is the offspring of the Father but that He possesses the essential nature of God and is therefore divine. This is what we are saying when we confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Acts 8:36).
To say that one is a son implies a special position. Just ask any father if his son is special to him and see what kind of answer you receive! Jesus illustrated this idea in Matthew 17:5-6. "Of whom do the kings of the earth take tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers." Why? Because the king's sons occupy a special position and are therefore free. Christ is in an extra-special position.
Yet He learned obedience
Yet, even though Jesus occupies this special position by reason of His divine Sonship, He claimed no special privileges on that account, but learned obedience. The word translated "obedience" means compliance or submission. The verb form means to listen or hearken. The winds and the waves obeyed the voice of Jesus. Servants are to obey their mastes. Abraham obeyed the command to leave Ur for Canaan. In a similar way, Christ obeyed the Father's will to carry out the saving purpose of God. The Greek here has "the obedience" to underscore the idea of the well-known complete obedience in experiencing absolute submission to God's will, implying both the duty and the necessity of obedience.
One example of His obedience was His baptism. He was baptized to "fulfil all righteousness" (Matthew 3:13-15). Christ was not baptized for the remission of sins, as we are, because He had no sin. Rather, He did so because it was a command of God to be obeyed. Christ has commanded us to be baptized. Thus, we must also obey, for "being made perfect, He became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him" (Hebrews 5:9).
By the things which He suffered
How did Jesus learn obedience? It was "by the things which he suffered." Jesus suffered for you and me (1 Peter 3:18). As mere mortals we do not fully understand the depth of His suffering--the loss of heaven's glory in His condescension, being tempted in all points as we are, the loneliness of Gethsemane, and the shame of the cross, among other things. Yet, He willingly obeyed the Father's will to experience all this so that we might be free from sin with its horrible consequences and have the hope of eternal life. We should ever be thankful for His sacrifice.
As those who follow in the footsteps of Jesus, it should be no great surprise to us that we also must suffer (1 Peter 4:16). The same world which mocked and crucified the Savior will scarcely look with any greater favor upon His disciples. As we live upon this earth, we shall be called upon to endure persecution, ridicule, hatred, and deprivation for His sake. It has ever been so. Early Christians were thus persecuted, and they rejoiced to be counted worthy to suffer shame for His name (Acts 5:41-42). The time may come when we shall suffer as they did.
Yet, in the midst of our trials, we must still obey. Tribulation is no excuse to compromise our convictions to gain the approval of an ungodly world. We must learn that being different has its consequences and face up to them. Yet again, Jesus is our example even in this for He "when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously" (1 Peter 2:23). May we react to our sufferings in a similar manner.
Conclusion
Yes, Jesus is our example of obedience. Because He is the Son of God, by His life we can know what it means to be a son of God. He learned obedience, and, as He obeyed the Father's will for us, so must we obey His will to become His followers. Even when we must suffer in this life we must continue to obey Him. Jesus once said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." No one could demand our obedience with any more authority or deserve it than the One who Himself perfectly obeyed God's will and thus became our example of obedience. (---taken and slightly altered from Christianity Magazine; Nov., 1984; Vol 1, No. 11; p. 20).
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST IN THE PLAN OF SALVATION
(Hebrews 2:5-18)
by Wayne S. Walker
The writer of the book of Hebrews begins his argument that the New Testament system of Christ is superior to the Old Testament law of Moses by pointing out in chapter 1 that because Christ is the divine Son of God He iss so much better than the angels through whom the Old Testament law was given to Moses. However, in chapter 2, he goes on to point out that this One who was so much better than the angels was made lower than the angels. In verses 5 through 8, he quotes from Psalm 8 that man was made a little ower than the angels, then points out that Christ was also made a little lower than the angels. In other words, He became a man, a human being.
Why? "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone" (verse 9). The reason given here is "for the suffering of death." The inspired writer is setting up the basis for his later argument that the sacrifices of animals in the Old Testament were insufficient to forgive sin, so it would take the sacrifice of something greater. Basically saying that Jesus became a man to die for our sins. Thus this passage emphasizes the importance of the death of Christ in the plan of salvation.
First, in verse 9, it says that Jesus had to die for everybody, "that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Jesus Himself had pointed out that God would give His Son for the whole world, telling Nicodemus, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16). Why was this necessary? It was because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). What makes this fact even worse is that there are severe consequences to sin. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). Yet, even as Paul mentions the gift of God, the Bible teaches that God loves us enough to have had Jesus lay down His life for the sins of everyone. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us..." (1 Jn. 3:16). This is why it was necessary that He by the grace of God should taste death for everyone.
Second, in verse 10, the passage says that the aim of making the captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings (referring to His death) was for Him to bring many sons to glory. This may refer to the fact that all human beings are the offspring (sons or children) of God, physically speaking, because He is the Father of our spirits (Acts 17:28, Heb. 12:9). This would mean that God wants to make a way for all His offspring or all human beings to be saved from sin. It might also refer to the fact that those who are saved from sin are born again through the word of God and hence become the spiritual children of God (1 Pet. 1:23, 1 Jn. 3:1-3). However, either way we look at it, we must understand that the death of Jesus Christ was necessary in order for this to happen because it was He who "loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood" (Rev. 1:4-6). Just as one goal of the captain of a ship is to bring the passengers to safety, so Jesus as the captain of our salvation has as His aim to bring many sons to glory
Third, in verse 14, the passage says that through His death, Christ has destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil After Adam and Eve had sinned, it had been prophesied that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent (Gen. 3.16). This has universally been understood as a prophecy of the Messiah who would come to destroy the devil. Jesus Himself understood that His mission involved conquering Satan. In Matt. 12:22-29, He said that His power over the demons demonstrated that He had first bound "strong man." In Lk. 10:17-18, when the seventy returned having cast out demons, Jesus said that He saw Satan falling as lightning from heaven. This was not something that had taken place before the world began but was going on right then as Christ was involved in conquering Satan. Both Jn. 12:27-31 and 16:7-11 also make reference to the casting out or judgment of the prince or ruler of this world that was soon to come. This is exactly what Jesus did "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn. 3:8). The devil's power over mankind, which brings the fear of death, is through sin, but by His death Jesus makes possible the forgiveness of sin, thus destroying the power of death and releasing those who receive His forgiveness from the fear of death
Fourth, in verse 17, the passage says that His death has made reconciliation or propitiation for the sins of the peple. The verb translated "make reconciliation" in the King James Version or "make propitiation" in the New King James Version was used among the Greeks to mean to make the gods propitious or to appease them, since their good will was not conceived as their natural attitude but something to be earned. This use of the word is foreign to the Bible. In the Old Testament, the concept was related to the atonement that was made for the sins of the people with the animal sacrifices (cf. Lev. 16:8-22). Of course, these sacrifices pointed forward to the time when Christ would come to make complete atonement for the sins of the world. Thus, in the New Testament, the concept of "propitiation" always refers to the fact that God is propitiated through the provision that He made in the sacrifice of Christ to show mercy and make possible the remission of sins. "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood..." (Rom. 3.24-25). We must conclude, then, that the death of Jesus Christ was what makes it possible for the scriptures to call Him "the propitiation for our sins" (1 Jn. 2:1-2, 4:10). Because He made propitiation for our sins, we can have reconciliation with God
God created us to be in fellowship with Him, but all of us have sinned and broken that fellowship. Yet, God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--loved us enough that, even though we deserved eternal punishment for our sins, God sent His Son, who was so much better than the angels, to be made lower than the angels that He might die for our sins, bring us to glory, destroy the power of the devil, and make propitiation with the Father. However, while God's gift of salvation is free in that He does not require us to do anything to make atonement, it is not unconditional. He has revealed certain commands in His word that we must obey to show that we are willing to submit our wills to His in accepting His offer of remission of sins. This is why the Hebrew writer goes on to say about the death of Christ, "Though He was a son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Heb. 5:8-9). Have you obeyed Him?
[---taken from Expository Files, March, 2007, Vol. 14, No. 3.]
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
GOD'S GRACE OFFERS SALVATION TO EVERYONE
(Tit. 2.11)
by Wayne S. Walker
What is the most important issue to you? For a teenager, it might be, "How can I pass that chemistry text this week?" Or a little beyond that, it might be, "How can I be able to graduate, go to college, and get a good job? For those of us who are older, it might be, "How can I provide for my family, especially if I lose job or maybe have health problems?" For some it might be the moral condition of our society, the 2008 elections, or the war in Iraq. All of these issues are important in their context, but there is an even more fundamental and basic issue that we have to deal with, and that is our relationship with God.
That is why we have the Bible. Now, certainly, the Bible gives divine advice that will help with all of those other issues in some way or another, but most importantly, it tells us what we must do to be right with God. Bible teaches that we are made upright but, as we shall see, we go astray, so we need to be saved. Yet we cannot atone for our own sins. So, what can be done? "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men" (Titus 2:11). Here Paul tells us that God's grace offers salvation to everyone.
Grace
To begin, we need to understand the grace of God. When we use the word "grace" with reference to a human being, we often mean a person who is characterized by charm, politeness, good manners, proper etiquette, and being kind. When we speak of "grace" with reference to God, we usually define it as the unmerited favor of the Lord toward sinful mankind. The source of all such grace is God. "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory and by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, stablish, strengthen, and settle you (1 Pet. 5:10). The supreme manifestation of His grace is Jesus Christ. The Word, who was with the Father in the beginning and Himself was God, became flesh so that mankind could behold His glory, "full of grace and truth" in that "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (Jn. 1:1, 14-17). The means by which this grace is made known to us is the "gospel of the grace of God" or "the word of His grace" (Acts 20:24, 32). The necessity of God's grace is seen in that it's the very foundation or basis upon which we're saved (Eph. 2:8-9). The Bible plainly teaches that no good works of our own can atone for sin (Tit. 3:5). So in the sense of an atonement for our sins, we are totally dependent on God's grace.
Salvation
Next, we must recognize the fact that God's grace brings salvation. Why do we need to be saved? Again, the truth is that we need to be saved because of our sins. Even in the Old Testament, it was understood that sin separates one from God (Isa. 59:1-2). All responsible human beings have sinned, and the wages or consequences of sin is death (Rom. 3:23, 6.23). Since we cannot save ourselves by ourselves, what did God by His grace to make salvation possible? He sent Jesus to be our Savior ( Matt. 1:21, Lk. 2:11). "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Lk. 19:10). So, what did Jesus do to provide for our salvation? Paul, in his preaching and writing, emphasizes the death of Christ for our salvation (Rom. 5:8, 1 Cor. 15:1-3). "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15). Therefore, we can safely conclude that if God went to this length to save us from our sin, He must want us to be saved (1 Tim. 2:3-4). God is not some mean ogre, just waiting for us to transgress His law so that He can gleefully cast us into hell. We are His creation, the work of His hands made in His image, and He loves us enough to want us to be saved, so He did everything in His power and consistent with His will to make it possible.
All men
Finally, we are told that God's grace brings salvation to all men, or to all mankind. Even though under the Mosaic Covenant the Israelites were God's chosen people, it was prophesied in the Old Testament that when the Messiah would come, God's blessings would be offered to all mankind. When the mountain of the Lord's house would be established, all nations would flow to it (Isa. 2:2). At that time, whoever would call on the name of the Lord would be saved (Joel 2:32). Thus, salvation would be available not just to Israelites to but anyone. These prophesies were fulfilled as Jesus sent His followers into all nations to preach the gospel to every creature (Matt. 28:18-20, Mk. 16:15-16). This shows us that it is God's will for His message of salvation to be announced to the whole world. In spite of thousands of years of racial and ethnic prejudices, Christians in first century came to understand that no one was to be denied hearing and obeying God's plan. "...God shows no partiality, but in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him" (Acts 10:34-35). Therefore, today we still recognize that God's grace can bring salvation to anyone. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). Everyone is invited; nobody is excluded (Rev. 22:17). This is because God's grace that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, while God wants everyone to be saved, it is a sad truth that not all people are or will be saved. Jesus said that many would travel the road to destruction while few would find the way to eternal life (Matt. 7:13-14). Why is this so? The answer is that God has put conditions upon that salvation. "Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him" (Heb. 5:8-9). The simple fact is that there are just a lot of folks that do not want to obey God's will which puts them in the narrow way rather than the in broad way. God wants them to be saved--and they can be saved, but they have to turn from sin and keep God's commandments. "Blessed are theose who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14). Yes, we can be so thankful for that "marvelous, infinite, matchless grace" of which we so often sing.
[---Taken from Expository Files; June, 2008; Vol. 15, No. 6]
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
PAUL'S PRESCRIPTION FOR PEACE
(Philippians 4:4-7)
by Wayne S. Walker
We read in the newspaper about the wars going on all over the globe and we pray for peace in this world. We see on the television news about all the fighting that occurs between the political parties in Washington and we wish for peace in our society. When we experience squabbles and arguments among relatives, we would like for there to be peace in our families. And when there are fusses and feuds in a local congregation, we try to work for peace in the church.
All these things are good and necessary, but there is something that is more important, and that is having peace with God and consequently in our own hearts. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7). In these verses, we have Paul's prescription for peace.
Anxiety
First, there is a negative. "Be anxious for nothing." Medical experts tell us that stress produced by anxiety is one of the greatest mental health problems in our nation. People worry about losing their jobs, their investments, and their health. These are all legitimate concerns, but there is a difference between concern that produces the proper preparation and provision on the one hand, and anxiety or worry on the other. It often may be a fine line, but Christians need to stay on the side of not being anxious.
Jesus had a lot to say about anxiety. "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on....Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matt. 6:25-34). Certainly what Jesus says is not always easy to do, especially in times of crisis, but it is what He commands His disciples to do.The opposite of anxiety or worry is contentment. Paul learned how to be content (Phil. 4:11-13). He also encouraged others to be content (1 Tim. 6:6-8). But how can we learn to be content? We need to remember that God has promised, "...'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" (Heb. 13:5-6). Civilla Durfee Martin reminded us that we should "Be not dismayed, whate'er betide, God will take care of you."
Prayer
Second, there is a positive. "But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Notice the contrast in this verse. "Be anxious IN NOTHING, but IN EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication...." Paul is saying that God's antidote to worry is prayer. "Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer." While there are technical differences between prayer and supplication, the two are obviously related (1 Tim. 2:1).
But Paul adds the phrase, "With thanksgiving." It has been my experience that too many of our prayers (this seems true of our public prayers so I assume that it is likely true of our private prayers as well) begin with a cursory word of "thanks for all the blessings both physical and spiritual," and then launch in to "give us this; please do that; let us have something else." It is true that one purpose of prayer is to make our requests known, but we need to express more thanks. Remember the ten lepers (Lk. 17:11-19)? "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thess. 5:18). At the same time, we certainly can let our requests be made known to God. "Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved" (Psa. 55:22). And the reason why we cast all our cares on Him is "for He cares for you" (1 Pet. 5:7). Thus, we need to cleanse our minds from all anxiety and put our trust completely in the Lord to take provide for us.
Peace
Third, then, there is the result. "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." The peace that comes from being in a right relationship with God so that we can be anxious for nothing but cast all our cares on Him is not a peace of this world. Rather, it comes only from God through Christ. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you..." (Jn. 14:27). This peace surpasses understanding. Like the love of Christ, it "passes knowledge" (Eph. 3:19). This does not mean that we cannot understand it period, that it is something better felt than told. In fact, Paul says that we may "know the love of Christ which passes knowledge."
Likewise, this peace surpasses mere human understanding and knowledge, and can be known only by those who have the understanding and knowledge of Christ. And this peace will guard or keep our minds. God wants to keep His people safe in His peace. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" (Isa. 26:3). Yet, a condition is stated. For God to keep us in perfect peace, our minds must be stayed on Him. The peace of God will keep our hearts only as we keep ourselves in His perfect peace by striving to maintain a right relationship with Him based on His word. Edward H. Bickersteth wrote, "Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin? The blood of Jesus whispers peace within." Indeed, one of the reasons that Jesus came was to make peace (Eph. 2:13-18).
Conclusion
Are you looking for peace in your soul? When we follow Paul's prescription, "Be anxious in nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God," then, and only then, we can have the result--"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (---taken from Expository Files; July 2001; Vol. 8, No. 7)
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
"NOW CONCERNING THE COLLECTION"
(1 Corinthians 16:1-2)
by Wayne S. Walker
Through the years some have been heard to ridicule the idea of "five acts of worship." When we understand that the Biblical concept of "worship" involves "an act of homage or reverence to God" (see W. E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. IV, p. 235) then we can realize that certain acts are acceptable to God as worship because He has authorized them for that purpose--hence, "acts of worship." Most people have no problem agreeing that prayer, singing, the Lord's supper, and even Bible preaching fit into the general category of worship, but there are those profess not to see how taking up a collection can be considered an act of worship. However, the fact is that in giving as the New Testament instructs each Christian is performing "an act of homage or reverence to God," then we should have no trouble accepting this as an act of worship.
Some words by the apostle Paul should help us to understand more about this. "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come" (1 Corinthians 16:1-2, King James Version). This idea of a "collection" is not just a suggestion or some good advice, but an "order" that an inspired apostle of Jesus Christ gave both to the churches of Galatia and to the church at Corinth. Then Paul provides instruction so that we may have more precise information on the subject.
When is the collection to be taken?
"Upon the first day of the week." Why specify the first day of the week? We know that this is the day upon which early Christians met for worship, as they gathered together to break bread (Acts 20:7). Later writers identify it as "the Lord's day" (Revelation 1:10). Why God chose this day for this special purpose is not revealed, but it may have something to do with the fact that Jesus rose on the first day of the week (Mark 16:9). Some human churches take up a collection nearly every time the doors are open, but since God specified that the collection was to be "upon the first day of the week," it is the only day that is authorized for a collection by the church. The language also means that if possible Christians should give each first day of the week.
Who should participate in this collection?
"Let every one of you." To whom was this statement directed? "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints" (1 Corinthians 1:2). Those directed to engage in this collection are identified as "the church" and "saints." The church consists of those who have been saved (Acts 2:47). Saints are those who have been separated from sin (Ephesians 2:19). Basically, the church is made up of those who are saints. Some human churches beg money from nearly anyone and everyone. However, the collection is designed as an act of worship for Christians, not an appeal for visitors to donate.
What exactly is the collection?
It is an activity in which each member can "lay by him" or put aside his contribution to the Lord. The New King James Version says "lay something aside." It is a gathering together of money for a purpose. According to the New Testament, churches were and are authorized to use their collected funds for three purposes. The first is to support gospel preaching (2 Corinthians 11:8, Philippians 4:15-16). The second is to provide whatever is necessary for the edification of the saints (1 Corinthians 14:26, Ephesians 4:11-16). The third is benevolence for needy saints (Acts 11:27-30, Romans 15:26-28). How did they obtain the funds for these things? This is the only passage which shows how the money is to be collected.
Where is the collection to be put?
"In store." The New King James Version says, "Storing up." This term implies putting something into a place where goods or precious things are collected and laid up, a storeroom, or treasury. The Jews had a treasury at the temple into which people could put their gifts (Mark 12:41). Even Jesus and His disciples, as they went about their work, had a "bag" into which they put their money for buying what they needed (John 12:6, 13:29). The early disciples brought their money to a common place, after which it was no longer under their individual control (Acts 4:34-37, 5:1-4). This authorizes a church to have a treasury, out of which whatever scriptural needs it has (benevolence, evangelism, or edification) are to be taken.
How is this collection to be given by each individual?
"As God hath prospered him," or in keeping with his income. Everything we have is from God, the source of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). He has asked that a certain part of that be returned to Him for the work of the church, but He has not specified an amount or percentage. In the Old Testament, He commanded the people of Israel to give a tithe, that is a tenth (Deuteronomy 12:6-11). However, in the New Testament, tithing is not authorized. The collection is to be a free-will offering in proportion to our prosperity, given cheerfully. "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver" ( 2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
Why should the collection be taken?
"That there be no gatherings when I come." The word translated "gatherings" is a plural form of the same word translated "collection." God has ordained that elders should oversee the work of the local church (1 Peter 5:1-3). This would include making decisions on what to do with the funds collected. These decisions would still have to be made by the brethren during times before elders are appointed (Acts 14:23). Some explain this passage by saying that Christians should just put their money aside somewhere in their homes and then when a need arises they can put it together to meet the need. But that defeats the whole purpose of the passage. When a need arises, Paul is saying that if the money is collected and put in store, then no one will need to go around to people's houses and gather the money. Rather, it will already be together to draw upon in meeting the need.
Conclusion
There are two erroneous ideas about this passage which have arisen. One is that because Paul specifies a "collection for the saints," referring to benevolence for needy Christians, this passage can be applied only to taking up a collection for benevolence. It cannot be applied to taking up money for evangelism or edification and, some would even argue, to using any money thus collected for those purposes. What we have here is a specific application of a generic principle. The specific application is how a collection for the saints is to be gathered. The general principle is that whatever funds the church needs are to be gathered by saints laying by in store on the first day of the week. While it is important to understand a passage in its context, sometimes a passage contains a principle that can be applied beyond its immediate context. The context of Deuteronomy 25:4 is very specific about the treatment of oxen, but in 1 Corinthians 9:9-10 Paul saw a broader application.
The other erroneous idea is that if we can take a passage which, seemingly, concerns only raising funds for benevolence and apply it to raising funds for evangelism, then why can we not also take other passages which concern how funds are spent for benevolence, sending from one church to another, and apply them to how funds are spent for evangelism, sending from one church to another and thus authorizing a sponsoring church arrangement? Actually, this idea is answered in the previous paragraph, but a couple of examples already cited help us to understand the point. It is true that in benevolence one church is authorized to send money to another church when the receiving church is in genuine need (cf. Acts 11:27-30). However, the New Testament pattern specifies that in evangelism the funds were always sent directly to the preacher (Philippians 4:15-16). Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 deals only with how funds are collected and implies nothing about how they can be spent.
"The collection" is a subject about which some do not like preached. They assume that whenever there is a sermon on the collection that they are being accused of not giving enough or that someone is trying to wring more money out of them. However, it is certainly a Biblical subject and therefore teaching the whole counsel of God demands that it be addressed. Furthermore, there is definitely a benefit to hearing and practicing what the Bible says on this topic because the Lord Himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). Those who claim to be God's redeemed should be eager to support the church by giving of their means into the collection. (---Taken from Expository Files; November, 2005; Vol. 12, No. 11)
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
OUR FINAL VICTORY
(1 Cor. 15.53-58)
by Wayne S. Walker
The fifteenth chapter of the book of First Corinthians is the great "resurrection chapter." Paul begins the chapter by talking about the gospel which he had preached and by which the Corinthians were saved. The basic facts of gospel were death, burial, resurrection, and post-resurrection appearances of Christ. However, some in Corinth were apparently denying the resurrection of the dead, so Paul argues that if there is no resurrection from the dead, the Christ could not have been raised. But he affirms that Christ was raised from the dead and thus became our assurance of a future resurrection from the dead. After discussing the nature of the resurrected body, in verses 53-58 Paul talks about our final victory.
"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?' The sing of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory thorugh our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
To begin, he says that this final victory involves this mortal putting on immortality (vs. 53-54). Basically, the word "immortality" means that which is not subject to death. Of course, the word "death" is used in different ways. Often it refers to physical death, or separation of spirit from the body (1 Cor. 15.21-22). Sometimes it means spiritual death or separation from God by sin (Jas. 1.15). And other times it denotes eternal death or everlasting punishment in hell (Rev. 20.14). In the context of 1 Cor. 15, which discusses the physical resurrection, the idea of immortality suggests that which is not subject to physical death.
There are some teach "conditional immortality," saying that soul or spirit is not immortal of itself but only becomes immortal for the righteous in the resurrection. However, while it is true that the soul who sins will die spiritually, the soul or spirit that God made in each of us is not subject to physical death but survives the death of the body (Eccl. 12.7, Matt. 10.28, Jas. 2.26). Furthermore, here in 1 Cor. 15, Paul is not even discussing the nature of the spirit but of the body. "But someone will say, 'How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?'" (1 Cor. 15.35). The whole idea is that each of us is a spirit which is clothed with a physical body. At death we become "unclothed," but someday we hope to be clothed with a new spiritual body as Paul writes in 2 Cor. 5.1-4.
Next, Paul says that this final victory involves the end of death (vs. 55-56). Physical death passed upon mankind because Adam and Eve brought sin into the world. "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground. For out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return" (Gen. 3.19). Therefore, death is an appointment that all of us will keep (Heb. 9.27). However, when Christ returns, death will be completely conquered. "Then comes the end.....The last enemy that will be destroyed is death"1( Cor. 15.24-26). And, of course, this will be accomplished by the resurrection when "the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thess. 4.16-17)
Again, Paul says that this final victory involves Jesus Christ our Lord (v. 57). It is Jesus who made this victory possible by His death on the cross. "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb. 2.14-15). Also, it is Jesus who will bring this victory about when "all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth..." (Jn. 5.28-29). However, in order to be given this victory through Christ we must have faith. "And whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith" (1 Jn. 5.4). Yet we must remember that this faith is not just a mere acknowledgement of Jesus. Rather, it is an active principle that controls our minds and guides our daily lives.
This brings us to the last thing that Paul says, which is that this victory involves our working for the Lord (v. 58). No, we cannot earn this great victory by our own works. It is "the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2.8-9). It is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy" (Tit. 3.5). Yes, it is a gift. Paul calls it the victory that God gives to us. Yet like many other gifts, there are conditions attached to receiving it, and these conditions demand our obedience (Rom. 6:17-18, 2 Thess. 1:7-9). The point that Paul is making is that in view of this final victory that God promises to the believer, we need to be as diligent and faithful as we can in doing the work of the Lord because "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only" (Jas. 2:24). To gain victory over sin through the forgiveness of Christ, we must obey the terms of pardon revealed in the gospel. Then to gain the final victory over death we must continue to be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
---Taken from Expository Files; July, 2008; Vol. 15, No. 7
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF THE BODY
(1 Corinthians 15:42-44)
by Wayne S. Walker
Most people try to take care of their bodies. We usually eat good food, take baths, see the doctor when we are sick, brush our teeth, visit the dentist twice a year, get our eyes checked, wear nice looking clothes, fix our hair, and maybe even exercise some. All of this is for the well-being and enhancement of the physical body. However, someday, no matter what we do, we are going to die, and our bodies will be put in the grave where they will return to the dust of the ground from whence they came, unless Jesus comes first.
Yet, just as surely as the body without the spirit dies, so when Jesus does return, the bodies of all who have or will have died will be raised from the dead and reunited with their spirits. In 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, Paul talks about the death and resurrection of the body. "So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in honor. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."
It is very important to note that Paul is not discussing the nature and immortality of the soul in this passage. Rather, he is talking about what happens to the body in both death and the resurrection. Some have misused this passage to teach "conditional immortality," affirming that even our souls cannot be considered immortal until after the resurrection of the dead. However, the subject is introduced in verse 35. "But someone will say, 'How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?'" The topic which Paul is addressing is not the soul but the body. What does Paul have to say about this?
First, he says that it is sown in corruption and raised in incorruption. The word "corruption" apparently refers to the fact that the body is physical and will decay, as God has said (Genesis 2:7, 3:19; Ecclesiastes 12:7). It will be put in the ground and return to the elements from which it was made. However, when it is raised, it will never again be subject to decay but will be incorruptible. This, which is now corruption, will in the resurrection will put on incorruption (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). The reason is that we shall be fitted for an inheritance that is incorruptible (1 Peter 1:3-5).
Second, Paul says that the body is sown in dishonor and raised in glory. Why sown in dishonor? This probably refers to the fact that we are guilty of sin (Romans 3:23, 5:12). The body or flesh has been the instrument through which we have committed these sins (Romans 8:5-8). However, at least for the righteous, the body will be raised in glory because it will then be perfect or sinless, like Christ's glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21, 1 John 3:1-3).
Third, Paul says that the body is sown in weakness and raised in power. The very weakness of this physical body is seen in the fact that it wears out, dies, and then decays. In John 11:38-39, after Lazarus became sick and died, Jesus came and commanded the stone of his burial place to be removed. Martha, and probably everyone else there, was amazed because a body that had been in the tomb for four days would be repulsive and offensive. After the body dies, man does not have the power to bring it back to life, in spite of all those horror movies about "the living dead." However, God has power to raise the dead and will do so at the end of time (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
Fourth, Paul says that the body is sown a natural body and raised a spiritual body. The idea of the natural body here is simply that which is physical by nature and hence mortal or subject to death (Romans 6:12-13, James 2:26). However, while the body that is raised will be the same body, it will no longer be natural or physical but spiritual. Paul talks about a change taking place; hence, it will be different in nature. In 2 Corinthians 5:1-4 Paul talks about the destruction of our earthly house or tent, referring to death, and then being clothed with our habitation which is from heaven.
Paul illustrates this change with the sowing of wheat. "Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain, perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body a He pleases, and to each seed its own body" (1 Corinthians 15:36-38). When we sow a seed, it must die in order to produce a new plant. The plant that comes forth is not the same seed that was planted. It is like the one from which the seed came, but it is still different because it is new life.
One other thing that we need to remember is that in this passage Paul is primarily talking about the resurrection of the righteous. Yes, all of the dead, both righteous and unrighteous, will be raised at the same time (John 5:28-29). However, the blessings of the resurrection that Paul discusses in these verses are reserved for those who are righteous (Philippians 3:10-11). All will be raised, but only the righteous will attain unto the resurrection of life. (---taken from Expository Files; December, 2003; Vol. 10, No. 12)
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE CHRISTIAN
(Romans 8:18-28)
by Wayne S. Walker
In view of all the trials, difficulties, afflictions, temptations, and other problems that we face in life, how can a Christian be confident that he is in a right relationship with God and has the hope of eternal life? And even if he does everything that he is supposed to, how can he be sure that when he gets to the end of the way, the promised reward will be waiting for him? Paul gives an answer to these questions in Romans 8:18-28. In verse 18, he reminds us that we shall suffer trials and tribulations in this life, but says that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed afterward. Then in verse 28 he tells us why we can look forward to this promise, writing, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." This passage explains for us the safety and security of the Christian.
First, what is Paul talking about? He says that "all things work together." The big debate on this passage through the years has been whether the term "all things" is absolutely inclusive of everything or to be limited to certain specific things by the context. Those who believe that the term must be limited by the context will often argue that God does not cause bad things to happen in order to work out good for people. Of course, we recognize that this is true. The Bible teaches that God does not tempt any man with evil (James 1:13-18). Thus, they usually conclude that "all things" refers only to the things which God has done to provide for man's redemption.
However, the passage does not actually say that God causes anything, only that all things work together for good. Bad things happen; that is a fact of life. But God can take even bad things, which He Himself did not cause, and use them for good. For example, in Philippians 1:1-13,Paul wrote that his imprisonment had resulted in even some among the palace guard hearing and obeying the gospel. Other passages (Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-12) teach that tribulations and temptations which God allows but does not cause can help us develop patience and hope. Therefore, my conclusion is that "all things" is inclusive of anything and everything that might happen, including our sufferings in this life, and the only limitation is imposed by the verse itself as I shall mention later.
Second, how do all things work together? Paul says, "For good." This simply means, again, that God can take anything, even bad things which He did not necessarily will to happen, and use them to accomplish some good purpose. One perfect illustration of this is Joseph. God did not cause Joseph's brothers to be jealous of him and sell him into slavery; God did not cause Potphari's wife to lie about him and Potiphar to put him into prison. Yet in Genesis 45:7 Joseph said, "And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance." I believe that Joseph is saying that God sent him there by using the various events that happened so that the Lord's plan to save the family of Jacob might be carried out.
Of course, God's ultimate plan for us is that we might be saved in heaven (Matthew 25:34). In order to fulfil His plan, He provided for our redemption in Christ, but to maintain His plan, He continues to work through the events of our lives to help us gain the goal, not allowing any temptation to overtake us but what He provides a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13), and chastening us as it seems good to Him (Hebrews 12:7-11). Now, as to the inevitable question as to exactly how God does this, the answer is that we just do not always know. Our finite minds simply cannot comprehend all the infinite ways available to God to work out His plan, but by faith we can believe that He has both the ability and the desire to do so.
Third, to whom do all things work together for good? Paul says it is "to those who love God." Here is the limitation of the verse mentioned earlier. The passage does not necessarily teach that all things work out together for good to just anyone and everyone, but to those who truly love the Lord. This, of course, is the first and foremost commandment (Mark 12:28-30). If someone loves the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength (and this necessarily demands obedience to the Lord's will, 1 John 5:3), then he can rest assured that God can and will work out all things for His good, even if he may not understand how. If a person really does not love the Lord, then he has no reason nor basis to expect that God will work out all things for his good.
So then, here is the safety and security of the Christian. As long as we love God and obey His will, we can be sure that God will work all things together for our good by not allowing any temptation or trial to happen to us without providing a way of escape, and using the events that occur in our lives [even suffering] to provide opportunities for us to grow in our faith with the ultimate goal of helping us get to heaven. That is what Paul is talking about in the following verses, Romans 8:28-39. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ....For I am persuaded that neither death nor life...nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Our safety and security depend on God's love, because He wants to do everything within His power and will to make it possible for us to be with Him.
Fourth, where are these blessings of safety and security found? Paul answers this in the last phrase of the verse, "to those who are the called according to His purpose." Those who love the Lord are the called according to His purpose. The New Testament has a lot to say about being called by God. According to 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, God calls us by the gospel, and those who respond to the gospel in faith and obedience are the called of God. But where are these called ones found? In 1 Corinthians 1:2 Paul wrotes that those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus are the ones who are called to be saints.
Thus, the called are in Christ. How does one come to be in Christ? "For you are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27). The Bible says that we are baptized into Christ. But why is it so important to be in Christ, and to remain in Christ? "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ....In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:3-7). The "place" where all spiritual blessings are found is "in Christ." Those who are the called in Christ have the safety and security of knowing that as long as they truly love the Lord, He will do everything He can to help them gain eternal life.
Hence, we see that this safety and security are not unconditional. God has done and is doing His part, but we have to do our part too by obeying the Lord's will and remaining faithful to Him no matter what. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, but we must not allow ourselves to depart from it. However, if we love Him above all else and serve Him in this life according to His word, we can have the confidence of a home in heaven when the Lord returns. (---taken from Focus Magazine; Jan., 2001; Vol. 5, No. 1; pp. 26-27)
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
DISCHARGED FROM THE LAW
(Romans 7.1-25)
by Wayne S. Walker
A false concept that is very prevalent in the religions world today is that we are in some way still amenable to the Old Testament law. Many people believe that all one has to do to be saved is to keep the Ten Commandments, or that we can use instrumental music in worship because David did. These folks have never learned that there is a distinct and vital difference between the Old and New Testaments. During the period when men were beginning their attempt to restore New Testament Christianity in this country, one of Alexander Campbell's early discourses, his "Sermon on the Law" in 1816, caused a great deal of controversy when he sought to dilineate the proper division of the Bible, because most religious people insisted upon equal authority for both covenants in the life of the Christian. One passage which deals with the subject is Romans 7:1-25, where Paul says that we are discharged from the law.
In verses 1-6, Paul drew an analogy from the husband-wife relationship. Speaking to those who knew the concept of the law, he said that a man is under the principles and precepts of a law as long as that man is alive (verse 1). He then illustrated the idea by stating that if a woman is married to a man and the man dies, she is free from the law of her husband to marry another. However, if her husband is still alive and she marries another she is an adulteress (with the exception of a divorce for fornication, Matt. 19:9). Yet, if her first husband is dead, she is not an adulteress if she remarries because she is loosed from the law of that husband (vs. 2-3).
This analogy may help some who are confused and wonder why we "keep parts of the Old Testament" but not other parts (when in fact we keep none of it). The law of the first husband, to which the woman agreed, might have been to darn his underwear, fix gravy with rice, and starch his socks. After his death and her remarriage, the law of her second husband may have been to darn his underwear, fix gravy with potatoes, and no starching socks. She does not continue to starch socks as her first husband wanted, because she has been loosed completely from that law, even though she still does things in it as her second husband wants. She darns his underwear, not because it was the law of the first husband but because it is the law of the second. In like manner, we obey certain principles found in the Old Testament, not because they are in the Old Testament but because they are in the new.
Therefore, Paul concludes that we are dead to the law (vs. 4-6). To what law is he referring? He specifies that it is the law which contained the commandment, "Thou shalt not covet" (see Exo. 20:17). How are we dead to the law? It is by the body of Christ when He hung at Calvary. "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross" (Col. 2:14). Why are we dead to the law? In order that we might be joined to another, to Christ and His law, and bring forth fruit to God, thus serving in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter (cf. 2 Cor. 3:6-11).
In verse 7, an imaginary question is raised about the nature of the law. Is the law then sinful? Did God cause man to sin by giving the law? Paul says certainly not. The purpose of the law was to define sin and condemn it. "I had not knownsin, but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." The law contained "the commandment, which was ordained to life" (v. 10). The design of the law was to teach the Israelites how to live so as to please God and receive His favor. "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord" (Lev. 18:5).
We are told, "Wherefore the law is holy" because it prescribed a commandment that was "holy, and just, and good" (v. 12). Paul continues, "For we know that the law is spiritual" (v. 14) since its purpose was spiritual in nature. It pointed the Israelites to the Messiah. "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24). Finally he says, "I consent unto the law that it is good" (v. 16) in that it served the purpose for which God instituted it. Thus, the law was not evil in and of itself. Yet, at the same time it was not perfect because it made no provisions for remission of sins (Heb. 10:3-4). Therefore, all under the law were under only condemnation if they disobeyed, for there was no avenue of release. God never gave the old covenant to be a final method of bringing men into perfection. It was given for a specific purpose: to prepare men for the coming of Christ who would bring into existence a complete means for perfecting man.
In verses 8-24, Paul talks about the effect of the law. Because of what has been previously said, the law was one of condemnation and death (vs. 8-14). Sin took advantage or occasion of the law. Since the law required perfect obedience, it gave sin force by subjecting every transgression to the penalty of death. Yet, it supplied neither help nor hope to the transgressor (v. 8). When a man does not know the law, sin is "dead" (i.e., "dormant") to him; he feels alive. But when he came in contact with the law, sin came alive and the commandment which was meant to tell a person how to live became a means of death. Paul said that sin deceived and slew him. He died,or saw himself as dead through the law and its penalty (vs. 9-11). Did the law cause the death? No, sin caused the death, working through the law (that is, the law prescribed the penalty of death) which was given that sin might appear sinful (vs. 12-14).
There follows a description of one under the law without Christ (vs. 15-24). Paul projected himself into this situation and said that which he did (sin spurred on by rebellion at the command) he allowed not (did not endorse it to be good). What he wanted to do (keep the command) he did not, and what he hated (breaking the command) he does. But even though he did that which he did not want to do (break the law), he still recognized the law to be good (vs. 15-16). In him, that is his flesh, dwelt no good thing. (This is not a statement of total depravity but of the result of sin through the law.) He wanted to do good, but he did not find the means to do it, either in himself or the law. For the law provided the knowledge of, not the cure for, sin. And in order to do good, we must first be freed from evil (vs. 17-20).
There is a law, Paul went on, that when he wanted to do good, evil was there tempting him (vs. 21-24). He delighted in the law of God in that he wanted to do what is right. But there was a different kind of law in his members, warring against the law of his mind (the desire to do good) and it brought him into captivity to the law of sin (cf. Gal. 5:16-17). This is the effect of trying to keep the old law, of seeking justification on the basis of law. It is complete dominion and captivity to sin resulting in a wretched state. "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death," this miserable condition? Not the law!
In verse 25, Paul tells us that the answer to the question is Jesus Christ our Lord, who was sent by the grace of God. Jesus promised that, when all was fulfilled, the law would pass away (Matt. 5:17-18). Since Christ is the "end of the law" (its fulfillment, Rom. 10:4), the law has served its purpose and was taken out of the way. Christ came to "redeem them that were under the law" (Gal. 4:4-5). He did this by abolishing "in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances" (Eph. 2:15).
The old covenant itself prophesied its own replacement (Heb. 8:6-13). When Jesus came to do the will of God, He took away the first covenant so that He could establish the second, "by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. 10:7-10). Jesus paid the penalty, thus providing perfect pardon. Having done this, He took that old law, which did not offer perfect pardon but only the penalty of death for sin, out of the way. As a result, Paul concluded in Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus."
This is why we say that we are justified by grace and not the law. This is not to say that we are not under law to Christ (1 Cor. 9:21), but that the old law not is the grounds of our justification (Rom. 3:30, Gal. 3:11). Even if Christ did come and take our place as an atonement for sin, the old law made no provision for such a substitution as long as it was in force. He had to take it out of the way, giving His own law which provided for His sacrifice to be valid (note Heb. 7:11-14). If we are still under that old law, Christ's death on the cross avails nothing. If we seek justification by the provisions of that law, Paul warns, "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Gal. 5:4). (---taken from Guardian of Truth; Apr. 4, 1985; Vo. XXIX, No. 7)
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link