Blessed are the Gentle

                                             Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart...

Matthew 11:29a

...In the world you have tribulation, but

take courage; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33b

Gentle…praus…meek, mild, fair, a blend of spiritual poise and strength, a quiet and friendly composure that does not become embittered or angry at what is unpleasant. First, it is a disposition toward God in which we accept all His dealings with us as good and therefore accept them without disputing and resisting. Secondly, it is a disposition toward man that is without self-assertiveness or self-interest. It stems from trust in God’s goodness and control over the situation. 

It is not meekness as we typically think of meekness. It is not timidness, or cowardice, or a sissiness, or an avoidance of conflict. In the ancient times it was used to describe an animal that had been tamed, a stallion that was now able to be led by a small child with only a bridle. It is the picture of power under control. It is not a passive gentleness, it is not a timid gentleness, but a deliberate and determined gentleness. Therefore in it we see the strength of gentleness, a gentle strength, a tamed strength.

Spiritually, it is a tamed spirit. It is a spirit under control, a spirit controlled and subservient to the Holy Spirit, a spirit that does not quench the Holy Spirit, but yields to the Holy Spirit. It is a spirit that yields itself to God and restrains itself with men.

It is sometimes used as a synonym for humility, but it is really not. Humility is a lowliness of mind that considers others more important than itself. Gentleness is a condition of the soul that because it has yielded or submitted itself to God, it then reins itself in and restrains itself in its dealings with others. It doesn’t assert itself even though it has the power and ability to do so. However, humility and gentleness are close companions and go hand in hand or arm in arm with each other.

The reality is that Jesus has overcome the the world, the One who was gentle and humble in heart, the One who would not hurt a bruised reed, the One who entered Jerusalem, not on the conqueror's white steed, but on a donkey, and, actually, the foal (young and not full grown) of a donkey.  

This is not the picture of a world conqueror that would be drawn up in one's imagination, or portrayed in books or movies. He did not come in power and might, with a mighty army or legions of cavalry, or with shock and awe; but He came gently and in meekness and humility and submission to the Father's will; and, in doing so, overcame the world and all of its evil. In overcoming the world He has set free from the dominion of the world and its ruler all who would come to Him in repentance and faith.  

It is those who exercise this same spirit of gentleness who overcome sin, Satan, and the world. It is those who exercise this same gentleness of spirit that will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), and not just the earth of the millennial reign, but the new heavens and earth where righteousness reigns forever and ever.

Is this you my friend? Have you been tamed by the Spirit? Do you live under the Spirit's control?  Are you submissive to God and restrained towards men?  If not, repent of your rebellion and untamed spirit, and by faith submit yourself to Christ as your Lord.

The Great Grace of God

The richness of the doctrines put forth in Ephesians is truly amazing. These doctrines are a plentiful provision for hours of meditation and enjoyment. It is always hard for me to read through the first three chapters without stopping and contemplating on one of the great truths that are included therein.

One of the things that makes this book so rich is how the the doctrines presented are interwoven with one another and support one another. One of the doctrinal strands that runs through this book is the grace of God. I am currently preaching through Romans and I have just finished with Romans 3:18, and if you are familiar with verses 9-18 of Romans 3,  you know that this section is God's testimony on sin's absolute dominion over man and its result. Man's utter sinfulness, his utter desperation because of his sin, his utter inability and complete lack of desire to come to God, and his utter unworthiness before God has been on my mind for the last few weeks. With this backdrop in mind, as I was reading through chapter one of Ephesians one this week, the grace of God presented in the first few verses literally jumped off of the page at me.

What does man need from God, the God whom man has spurned, the God whom man has sinned against, the God whose holiness we will all be measured against and found so so lacking? Man needs grace, not an idle grace, not a passive grace, not a benign grace, not an impotent grace, but an active all-encompassing, super-abounding, God-given and God-directed grace. So as Paul dives into the deep end of the pool in laying out the doctrines of salvation in the first 3 chapters of this letter, he lays as the foundation of our salvation, the marvelous grace of God, and he wastes no time as he weaves grace in at the very beginning of this epistle.

Here is a short outline of grace in the first eight verses:

The Declaration of Grace vs 2
"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

This is a familiar greeting from Paul and he uses it or something similar in every letter. In fact, it is so familiar that we tend to gloss over what is being said. Have you ever wondered why this greeting is being used, and used every time?  What is God saying to His church, His people, those that He has purchased through the sacrifice of His Son? He is declaring that grace has been given to us, mercy has been extended to us, His favor has been bestowed on us. It is a potent reminder of the wonderful gratuitous benevolence of God to us.

Paul gives us an explanation of what this grace to you means with his statement in Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God." When we also consider this verse along with Romans 3:24 "being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." we comprehend more fully just how gracious God is in His provision of salvation. It is a gift, and through Paul's epistles He has declared it is from Me to you.

The Definition of Grace vs 3
"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."

Through the years I have heard many definitions of grace, from what the word means in the Greek to man's attempt to define it. I think this verse most completely sums up the essence of what grace is. It is God's blessing us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

Grace is God's blessing. It is a spiritual blessing upon the heart and soul of man. It has its origins and its climax in the heavenly places; and it is given and accomplished in and through Christ.There is an old song I learned in Sunday School and the chorus is, "Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings see what God has done." The blessing of grace is a multitude of spiritual blessings too numerous to count, and they go on for all eternity as we see in Ephesians 2:7 "so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." The phrase "mind-blowing" does not even come close to describing the riches of the blessing of His grace.

The Beginning of Grace vs 4
"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world"

The grace of God did not come about as a result of the fall. No, the grace of God has been operative since before the foundation of the world. Before time and creation, God's grace was already being bestowed upon us in His choosing of us. Before we were born we were already the recipients of His marvelous saving grace as He placed us in His eternal redemptive plan.

The Purpose of Grace vs 4
"...that we would be holy and blameless before Him."

We know that the will of God for us is to be holy as He is holy in all our behavior (I Peter 1:14-16). We also know that in our flesh, in our own strength and by our own ability we cannot keep that command. It is by the grace of God that we are made adequate to be holy before Him. Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (Romans 5:20). There is always a greater supply of grace available than the sin that entangles us. Paul shows us the reality of this in his prayers for the Ephesians in 1:18-21 and in 3:14-20. There is abundant spiritual power and abundant spiritual resources for us to be holy before Him through this grace in which we stand (Romans 5:2).

The Foundation of Grace vs 4b-5
"In love he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself"

The foundation of grace is the love of God. The love of God for those whom He would call as His own, those whom He would adopt into His family, those to whom He would give His name. Because God is love, He is a God of grace. Grace operates and flows out of the great love of God. Paul says this very distinctly in Ephesians 2:4-5 "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)"

The Graciousness of Grace vs 5
"according to the kind intention of His will"

The Greek word for "kind intention" carries with it the idea of a benevolent purpose. God's grace for us has as its end a benevolent purpose. It is for our good and our blessing and our benefit that God bestows His grace upon us. His grace for us is purposeful and deliberate, not random or whimsical.

The Result of Grace vs 6
"to the praise of the glory of His grace"

God's grace is indeed glorious, and should be praised. Inherent in praise is the idea of thanksgiving. In our praise of Him we should indeed thank Him for His grace to us. In consideration of all that His grace is and all that we have because of it, we should open our eyes to its glory and respond in praise.

The Cost of Grace vs 6
"which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved"

Grace is the unmerited favor of God. We have done nothing to earn it, and our actions and attitudes toward God in our pagan state would not warrant it, so He freely bestowed it on us in Christ. We have grace because of what Christ has done on our behalf. As I have mentioned in a previous post, we stand before God with no merits of our own, but with all the merits of Christ.

The Power of Grace vs 7
"In Him we have redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of His grace"

Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin. A line from a hymn that states well the power of grace. Sin cannot overcome grace, grace is greater than all our sin. Where sin abounds grace abounds all the more (Romans 5:20). We are forgiven our sins, not because of anything we have done, but because of all that God has done; and it is all of grace. God extends His grace to us in His forgiveness of all of our sins, having nailed them to the cross.

The Measure of Grace vs 7b-8
"according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us"

The riches of His grace are immeasurable. When we stand in grace, there is grace as far and as wide as we can see. We cannot outlive it, we cannot exceed its reach, we cannot use it up, we cannot diminish it in any capacity. For whatever we need grace is available. For whenever the need grace is available. There is no limit to the grace of God, and He has lavished it upon us. He has generously given us all the full measure of His grace, and it is inexhaustible.

We need grace from God, in all of its aspects, in all of our life.  Let us marvel together at the great grace of God that has been given to us through Christ.

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Trinity-Mystery and Reality

The Trinity, though a mystery, is a theological reality revealed through the pages of Scripture. We see the Trinity at work in:

Creation
Genesis 1:1-2, 1:26-27; John 1:1-3, Hebrews 1:2, I Corinthians 8:6

Salvation
I Peter 1:1-2, John 6:44, 15:26, 16:8, Ephesians 4:30

Church Life
I Corinthians 12:4-7, 11-12, 18, 24, 27

Giving of Scripture
Hebrews 2:2-4, II Peter 1:19-20

The Ministry of Christ
Matthew 3:13-4:1

We do serve and worship a triune God, not three gods, or one god who manifests himself in three different ways; but a God who is Father, Son, and Spirit all at once, for all time. The footprints of the Trinity are all through the Scriptures. Some are more visible than others, but there are many which can be found by those with a nose for the truth.

The Trinity... Mystery? Yes!...Reality? Yes!...Which should cause us all to worship with awe and wonder, because there is truly no other god like Him.

The Three Most Distinctive Christian Doctrines

There is much that separates Christianity from every other religion, but I believe there are three doctrines that are the most distinctive and provide the greatest degree of separation from the other religions, and also from sects that call themselves Christian.  In fact, these three doctrines are foundational to other key doctrines of the Christian faith. These three doctrines are the Trinity, the Incarnation, and Penal Substitutionary Atonement.

Understanding the Love of God-Part II

In Part I we saw how God has a particular and specific love for His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and that He loves us with the same love with which He loves His Son. This is a familial love, a love that a father has for his own son. This familial love is not for those who are of the world, those who have not been adopted into the family of God, those who have not believed on Christ, His person and His finished work on our behalf. So let's see what else we can glean about this wondrous love of God.

His Particular Love is an Eternal Love

Remember when we were looking at the love of the Father for the Son and we saw that He loved both the Son and His own before the foundation of the world (John 17:24, Ephesians 1:4). This means that before time began God already loved us. God's love for us is from eternity past, so in the eternal mind of God there has never been a time when He did not love us. This fact should give all of us who belong to Him a security in our relationship with Him. It also highlights His unmerited grace in bringing us to Himself. Before we were born, and could do anything good or bad He already loved us with an everlasting love. His love for us has always been, it will always be, and everything connected with His purpose for us revolves around this eternal love with which He loves us. Why can we never be separated from His love, as was stated in Romans 8:32? Because His love for us will never cease! We see a picture of this in Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness." The Lord is talking to Israel in this passage, but in it we see pictured His eternal love for those who are His own. Think about what it means that God has always loved you with the same love with which He has always loved His Son. Because God loves us with the same love with which He loves His Son, He would no sooner let us go than He would His own Son. What a humbling truth! At a minimum it should fill your heart with thanksgiving and humble your soul.

Additionally, if you think about how Romans 8:29... for those whom He foreknew He predestined... and Ephesians 1:4-5...In love He predestined us to adoption as sons...go together, you will see that to be foreknown is synonymous with being foreloved.  So, in the foreknowledge of God for those whom He would predestine to salvation, there was also present an eternal love for those very people.  So those who are His own, whom come to Him by faith in His Son, have been known and loved by God for all eternity.

His Particular Love is an Electing Love

I commented earlier that to be beloved is to be the object of a particular love or the particular object of someone's love. We are the beloved of God, and therefore we are the particular object of His love (those on whom He bestows His love), and the object of His particular love (the same love with which He loves the Son, a familial love). But there is also something that goes along with being His beloved. Let's look at some Scriptures together to see what that is.

Ephesians 1:4b-5a In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.
Colossians 3:12a So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved....
II Thessalonians 2:13-14 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I Thessalonians 1:4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;
Jude 1:1 Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

Did you notice that God has only called beloved His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and those whom He has chosen beforehand for salvation. He calls no one else beloved.  Did you also notice the connection between love and predestination; being beloved and being chosen, called, and kept. Because we are the particular objects of His particular love (His beloved), He chose us out of the world unto Himself, and has given us to His Son. This particular love is a love of choice, not compulsion. He chose to set His affection upon us, and the result of this is His drawing of us to Himself. He loves whom He chooses and He chooses whom He loves, and those who are not loved with this particular love are not predestined for salvation, they are not chosen, called, or kept. We see that He only saves those on whom He has set His particular love, this eternal love, which is the same love with which He loves His Son.  This is all done in accordance with the kind intention of His will to accomplish His eternal purpose, which God the Father carried out in Christ the Son.

When we start contemplating this we soon bump the ceiling of our understanding. And that is okay. This causes many questions to come up, the foremost of which is, "Why did God choose to love me, and therefore save me, and not person X?" One day we will know fully as we have been fully known, but until that time we can be in rapt wonder of the greatness of the mind of God, and how incomprehensible His ways are. This truth is transcendent, one that is above and beyond us and our rational capabilities. Suffice it to say that there is enough here to cause us to bow low before Him in holy reverence and awe. It is truths like this that set God apart as God, and let us know that He is truly a God who is deserving of all worship.

His Particular Love is a Saving Love

Because we are loved with a particular love, God has chosen us, and because He has chosen us we are saved. To be loved with this particular love is to be chosen, selected out of the mass of humanity headed for hell, for salvation. The outcome of this love is our salvation, our deliverance from the penalty, power, and ultimately, the presence of sin. The wages of sin is death, and the consequence of sin is the just judgement of a holy God. However, we see this in Ephesians 2:2-7... But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus... Apart from the love of God we would not know salvation. In His choosing to love us our salvation was guaranteed and our eternal state was fixed. I am reminded of a statement by A. W. Pink to the effect that the crucifixion of Christ did not make our salvation possible, it made it certain.

II Timothy :8b-9 ...according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity. The love of God is most manifest in the person of Christ, and it is through the person and work of Christ that He has brought salvation to those whom He has set His great love upon. God's love for His beloved is in accordance with His eternal purpose which has been carried out in Christ. 

Christian friends, rejoice and be glad, be thankful and worshipful, that God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation. Marvel at the wondrous love with which you are loved by the Father. Give thanks to God for loving you so, for loving you with the same love with which He loved the Son, and for placing this saving love upon you.

Yes, there is a general love of God for all of mankind, and in God's love for mankind He has made salvation available to whosoever would turn from their sin, from seeking their own way, seeking their own desires, speaking their own word; and, in repentance and faith turn to the only One who can save, and ask Him to set His saving love on them.

Understanding the Love of God-Part I

 These next two posts are reposts from a few years back, which I thought would be good to repost.

Today I want to talk about the love of God, which, I believe, is the grandest theme in the Scriptures. The love of God is what has prompted Him to do all that He has done on our behalf. Yes, I know that ultimately all things are for His glory, but it is through His love that His glory is most vibrantly and visibly expressed. In I John 4:8 &16 we see that God is love. He doesn't possess love, but He is love; and that love is manifested in, an oh so tangible way, in and through the person of Christ. So let's press on to know more fully this love which is part and parcel of the very nature of God. It is part of who He is and cannot be separated from Him.

The general love of God

First, there is the general love of God for mankind. I know that there are those among our hyper-reformed brothers that will say that God does not love mankind, but only the elect, and that He is angry with the wicked every day. While it is true that God is angry with the wicked every day, it does not, and has not, kept Him from loving mankind. Let's look at some examples from Scripture.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Again, there are those who will say that this verse only applies to the elect, and if this verse were the only verse like it in the Scriptures, which it is not, then that argument might have some weight. However, the word for world here is kosmos. It is used 151 times in the NT and always means this created world, its order, or the people who inhabit it. Also, in this verse we see the word whosoever. It does not say for God so loved the elect, that they would believe in Jesus (even though that is true, and we shall see more on that later), but that God so loved the world that whosoever believes in Christ shall be saved. Whosoever is very clear in its meaning and it means anyone who will. A synonomous verse to John 3:16 is II Corinthians 5:19...God was in Christ reconciling the world (kosmos) to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them (Compare this little section with Acts 17:30), and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. God has made reconciliation with Himself available to the world (unredeemed humanity). Why? Because God has a general love for mankind. It is also interesting to note here that the word for love used in John 3:16 is agapao, which is the word for love used in I John 4:8, 16. God can not deny Himself, or be other than He is, so we see this love of God revealed in His love for this world, and the people who inhabit it.

Additionally, let's look at Titus 3:4-5 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us... The phrase, love for mankind, is one word in the Greek and that word is philanthropia, from which we get our word philanthropy. It is composed of two Greek words, phileo--which means brotherly love; and anthropos--which means mankind. This is a very specific word to denote God's charitable, benevolent love and kindly disposition for all of mankind. It is used only one other time in the NT and that is in Acts 28:2.

But, let's don't stop there, let's look at Matthew 5:43-48, the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus says "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as you heavenly Father is perfect." Notice that Jesus is saying here that we are to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, and to do that we must love not only those who love us, because even the most despised (tax collectors) do that; but also those who hate us and persecute us; and what is implied here is that God loves those who are His enemies (which He would automatically since He is love). So God does love the wicked, even those who are his enemies, which we all are until He saves us (Romans 5:10).

Finally, let's look at the story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-22. We all know the story about how he turned away from Christ because he did not want to give up his possessions. But what is interesting here is the attitude of Jesus towards this young man. Let's pick this story up in 10:21 Looking at him Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack; go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." Here we see the heart of God, revealed through Christ, and His love (agape) for this one person, and how this love prompted Christ to reveal to this young man what was between him and heaven, even though He knew the young man would reject Him and walk away; and it is interesting to note here that even though Jesus felt a love for this young man, He let him walk away from Him and spurn His offer of salvation.

Because of God's love for this world, mankind, all those who are his enemies, and, yes, even individuals, He has made salvation available to all, by giving His Son, that whosoever believes in His Son will have life eternal. God is love, and He cannot be other than who He is, and we see His love for mankind revealed in these verses.

The particular love of God for His Son

However, there is another dimension to the love of God, and to understand that we need to look back into eternity past to see it. God gives us a glimpse of it in John 17:24 in the prayer of Christ, "Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given me, be with Me where I am so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world." We see here that the Father has loved the Son, God the Father has loved Jesus the Son, since before time began. So for all eternity there has been the love of the Father for the Son. A father's particular love for his own son has always existed between God and Christ. Now we also see here that Jesus wants this love to be known by those whom God has given Him (the elect) as they will see it manifested in the glory bestowed on the Son by the Father when they are with Him.

We see this attitude of the Father towards the Son manifested in Matthew 3:17 For this is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. To be the beloved of someone is to be the particular object of their love, or the object of someone's particular love. We see this stated in a more distinct way in Colossians 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (literally, the Son of His love). The Son has always been the particular object of the love of the Father, so we can safely say that the Father has a particular love for the Son, and can understand that because we see it paralleled in this world by the particular love each father has for his own son. We see a manifestation of this love of the Father for the Son in John 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. So the Father loves the Son in different way than the Father loves the world as the Son is the beloved of the Father, He is the particular object of His love, and this love has always existed between the Father and the Son.

The particular love of God for those who are His own

How does God love us, those who belong to Him? We know He loves the world, he loves mankind, but how does He love us, those whom He has called out of the world. To understand this let's go back to John 17:23-24, 26. Again this is Jesus praying, "I in them and You in Me, that they maybe perfected in unity, so the the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with me where I am so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world...and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them. It is important to note here that in verse 23 Jesus states that the purpose behind the unity of those who believe in Him would be that the world, the same kosmos that God loves with a general love, would know that not only that the Father sent the Son, but that the Father loves those who believe in the Son with the same love with which He loves the Son. The truth given here, that God loves those who believe in His Son with the same love with which He loves the Son is a staggering truth, one that is almost incomprehensible, and is surely inexplicable. It always causes me to pause and catch my spiritual breath. But, while contemplating this great and wonderful truth, we must also not miss the fact that God does not love the world with the same love with which He loves the Son, this love is only for those who place their faith in Christ Jesus.

The Familial love of God

As we have already seen in John 17 God loves us with the same love with which He loves the Son. Tie this in with Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. We see that God's plan from before the foundation of the world was for those of us who name the name of Christ as our Savior to be the brethren of His Son, and that Christ was to have the place of preeminence as the firstborn of the sons of God. It is not those of the world who are the brethren of Christ, but only those whom God has predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. Therefore the love of God for the Son is only for those who are among the family of God.

This is said a little differently, but just as succinctly in I John 3:1. Notice how beautifully John expresses the richness of this truth. See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God, for such we are. The love of the family is reserved for those who are members of the family, and the familial love we see here upon the earth is a dim and imperfect expression of the familial love of God as we have been created in His image, and this image has been marred by sin. This familial love of God is lavishly and graciously bestowed only upon those who are His children and we never see in Scripture those of the world being called the children of the living God. It is only those whom God has called out of the world and place their faith in Christ who become His children.

This is said much more strongly and forcefully in Ephesians 1:4-5a just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world....In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself. This verse brings together all the other verses concerning our status as children of God and tells us how God went about making us His children and the brethren of Christ. We have been adopted. Even better, we see that the reason behind our adoption is the love of God. We know from John 17:24 that the Father loved the Son before the foundation of the world, and from this verse in Ephesians we see that we were also loved before the foundation of the world. What does this mean? It means that God loved us with the same love He had for the Son, that familial love, before the foundation of the world, and because of that love and out of that love He predestined us for adoption as his children. What a wonderful and deep truth to dwell upon, that from eternity past God loves us with the same eternal love with which He loves Jesus and the outworking of that love is our admittance into the family of God; and now we can get insight into why Paul could boldly cry out in Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It reminds me of Psalm 36:7-8 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of your house; and You give them to drink of the river of your delights. Oh, the wonder and magnificence of it all!

To be continued

 https://morris-pressingon.blogspot.com/2014/02/understanding-love-of-god-part-ii.html

Understanding Hebrews 6:4-8

When considering a verse or a passage, always remember that context is King, so the verse or passage must always be first looked at within its immediate context, and then the context of the chapter, then book, and, finally, within the scope of all of the Bible.  So to properly understand  Hebrews 6:4-8, we must give consideration to its place in the book of Hebrews.

When we consider the book of Hebrews, we see that it is written to a group of Jews who were being swayed and pressured to leave Christianity and return to Judaism.  So the author of Hebrews states the case for the supremacy of Christ and the New Covenant against Judaism and the Old Covenant.  Along with his laying out the supremacy of Christ we see that he lays out a series of warnings throughout the book that build one upon another as they are given (2:1-3, 3:7-19, 4:1-11, 6:4-8, 10:26-31, 12:15-17, and 12:25-29). These warnings are for those who would reject His word and therefore, reject His Son. 

The book starts out in 1:1-2 by saying that God has spoken, first to the fathers through the prophets, and in these last days in Christ.  So, the first warning, 2:1-3, is to pay attention to the Word that has been spoken, both Old and New Testament, and therefore not neglect (let slide by) the great salvation that has been offered in Christ. The next warning, 3:7-19, is when you hear His voice (through the Scriptures, the Word that has been spoken) don't let your heart be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, don't have an evil and unbelieving heart, listen to the word and don't be disobedient and therefore unbelieving. The third warning, 4:1-11, is don't fall short of His rest by rejecting His word because your heart is hardened, but receive the Word by faith and don't follow the example of the Jews in the wilderness. The fourth warning, 6:4-8, is more bluntly stated, and it is this:  If you have experienced the work of His Spirit both in person and corporately and have been enlightened (you see the light spiritually and know that it is the truth),    

{This enlightenment comes from:

1. Tasting of the heavenly gift (personal encounter/experience with the convicting work of the Spirit of Truth ie John 16:8). 

2. Having been made partakers of the Holy Spirit (Shared corporate experience of the presence of the Spirit ie I Corinthians 14:24-25).

3. Having tasted (experienced) the word of God, they know it is true as it has spoken to them ie Romans 10:8, Hebrews 4:12.

4. Having tasted the powers of the age to come (know the reality of the resurrection and understand its place as the forerunner and guarantee of our resurrection, our victory over death and Hades in Christ) ie I Corinthians 15:35-57, Hebrews 2:14-15.}

then having this much enlightenment and personal experience with spiritual reality so that you know it is true, don't willingly reject it/turn your back on it (which is what it means to fall away), because if you do, you cannot be renewed to repentance.  This is not deception or ignorance, but a willful rejection, . The fifth warning, 10:26-31,  is once you know the truth, but reject it by willfully continuing in your sin, then nothing but a terrifying judgment awaits in the hands of God (this also ties in and gives commentary on 6:4-8). The sixth warning given, 12:15-17, concerns Esau.  Esau knew the truth, knew his birthright was the Messiah who would come through him as the firstborn to bless the world (See how the gospel was given to Abraham Galatians 3:6-8 and Genesis 12:3. Reiterated in Genesis 22:18.  Given to Isaac in Genesis 26:45, and Jacob in Genesis 28:14), but he rejected it/despised it; and as a result God rejected him and would not grant him repentance even though Esau sought it with tears (ties in with the warnings of 6:4-8 and 10:26-31). The seventh warning, 12:25-29, ties right back with the opening of the book in 1:1-2; and it is don't refuse Him who speaks to you, either through men (prophets and their writings, words of Christ from the apostles) or from God; for you need to consider whom you are dealing with for your eternal destiny, for He is a consuming fire from whom you cannot escape.

It also helps to understand that believing the gospel is a command given by Christ (Mark 1:15).  So not to believe, especially in light of the type of revelation this group had been the recipient of, is very much a willful act of disobedience, a willful hardening of the heart;  and we see the correlation of belief/obedience and unbelief/disobedience in Hebrews 3:18-19, 4:2, 4:6, 4:11, 5:9, 10:36, 13:21, and also in John 3:36.

So in light of all of this we see that Hebrews 6:4-8 fits in with the author’s purpose of warning the Jews not to be disobedient and turn away from Christ, but to continue on in Christ, and to accept Him as the greater, better, and complete way to God. 

Vacation, God, and Creation

For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice

that by the word of God the heavens existed long

ago and the earth was formed out of water and by

water, through which the world at that time was

destroyed, being flooded with water.

II Peter 3:5-6

My family and I just returned from an 9 day vacation in Wyoming and South Dakota.  It was a great time for us all, the diversity of beauty in Wyoming was incredible to behold, and the Black Hills of South Dakota were a very pleasant surprise.  One of the highlights of the trip was a two hour horseback ride in the Tetons.  On this ride we ascended over 2100 feet to one of the peaks in the area, and on the way up I couldn't contain myself and started singing "How Great Thou Art." And if you are not familiar with that hymn, the first two lines are as follows:

O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder

Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

They pow'r thro'out the universe displayed.

When thro'the woods and forest glades I wander

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

And the chorus is:

Then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee,

how great Thou art, how great Thou art. x2

As I was singing this, I was considering the greatness and grandeur of God's creation, and how the evidence of His handiwork is there for all to see; and, as a result, how all are without excuse for not seeking Him (Romans 1:19b-20), and to paraphrase something I read recently about how to reply to the atheist who wants evidence for God's existence, "You are standing on it!" 

Shortly after this, we were at the pinnacle of our ride on a peak about 8,400 feet high, and we had an uninterrupted 360 degree view of all the mountains and valleys around us.  Our guide, an old and gentlemanly cowboy named Doyle, was telling us about the other peaks and mountain ranges we were viewing, and he brought our attention to the mountain range to the west, which had several peaks around 11,000 feet high.  He then proceeded to tell us that those peaks were once part of an ancient seabed and contained fossils of seashells and marine life.  That is when II Peter 3:5-6 came to my mind.  Not only is there evidence that the world was formed out of water and by water, but there is world wide evidence of the flood, and it all  escapes man's notice.

Why does it escape his notice?  We see the answer in the one Greek word for escape notice, the word lanthano.  In the tense and voice used, this word means that man is willfully ignorant, culpably ignorant.  This is not a benign neglect on man's part, but a don't confuse me with the facts because I am being intentionally ignorant mind set.  It escapes their notice because they will it so.  It is hidden from them because they don't want to know the truth. In other words, it is a deliberate overlooking of the facts and their reality. It is the outcome of Romans 1:21, "For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

On the way back down I was thinking about all of this in light of the recent kerfuffle over the video of Al Mohler at the Ligonier conference a couple of years ago.  In this video Al makes the case for a literal reading of the creation account in Genesis 1-2, and therefore for a young earth.  You see, for us as Christians, it is a matter of faith (Hebrews 11:3) to take the Scriptures at face value, and to value the Scriptures above the science that man foolishly calls wisdom.  This is not a blind faith, but a faith in what God has chosen to reveal to us.  And, personally, I believe He has not revealed any more to us concerning creation than He has in order to test our faith.  You see, what we believe about creation is a matter of faith.  We will either place our faith in the Bible, or place our faith in science; and placing our faith in science is no more than placing our faith in man, for science is the wisdom of man.  Science is man's attempt to explain creation, and it leaves God out; and even the old earth and theistic evolutionists have given in to the wisdom of the world, and have subordinated the Word of God, to the wisdom of man.

My friends, don't be swayed by the prevailing wisdom of the day, but be persuaded by the eternal truth of God.  Look at creation, in all its diversity and complexity, and marvel at this God who created it all.  Then bow down with the hosts of heaven and proclaim, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created." Revelation 4:11.  Amen, Lord, Amen!

The Greatest Injustice

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin

on our behalf, so that we might become

the righteousness of God in Him.

II Corinthians 5:21

The greatest injustice ever wrought would be Christ   

being punished for the sins of all those who would 

never come to Him.  Indeed, this would be the 

 most cruel and unusual punishment imaginable; 

 as it would be punishment in vain.  

The Blood of the Atonement

The blood of atonement is required from all.

Romans 1:20-21a For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks...
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Hebrews 9:22b...and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.
Genesis 3:21 The Lord God made garment of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed.  (The first blood atonement for sin, performed by God, Himself)
Genesis 4:3-4 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground.  Abel, on his part brought of the firstlings of his flock and their fat portions.  And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering.  (Abel offered a blood sacrifice)

The blood of the atonement is available to all.

Ezekiel 18:23 "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares the Lord God, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live."
Ezekiel 33:11 "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord God, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.  Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel.
Isaiah 45:22 "Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.


The blood of the atonement is applied only to the elect.

Romans 8:28-29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the  image of His Son...and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
I Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood:  May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.
Hebrews 12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
 Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

Christ, Our Great High Priest

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood,

He Himself likewise also partook of the same...

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren 

in all things, so that He might become a merciful

and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God...

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who

has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God...

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize

with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted 

in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 2:14, 17; 4:14-15

The beauty of Jesus Christ being our high priest before God, is that He came down and took our flesh upon Himself, and in so doing was tempted in every way, just as we are tempted.  From that perspective He operates as our intercessor before God because He can fully identify and sympathize with the yearnings and temptations of the flesh.  Now, of course, He did not succumb to the temptations, but He was tempted none the less.  So when He intercedes with God for us, when He pleads our cause before God, He does so from a position of familiarity and understanding of just what it is like to be in a body of flesh.  He intercedes with insight gained from living amongst us, and sharing our human condition.

Yes, He is our Savior, but once He becomes our Savior, He then assumes the role of our Advocate before God (I John 2:1), and what a role that is.  We know from Scripture that Satan is our adversary, and part of what he does as our adversary is accuse us (Christians) night and day before God (Revelation 12:10), and he certainly has enough ammunition to use against us as none of us is without sin (Ecclesiates 7:20, I John 1:8-10, James 1:21, 3:2, Romans 7:17-21); but for every accusation we have an Advocate (I John 2:1) who intercedes vigorously for us based on His death for our sin, His paying the penalty for that sin, His blood being shed for that sin; and that His death is the propitiation (satisfaction of the holy wrath and satisfaction of the justice of God) against that sin (Jeremiah 50:34, Micah 7:9).  His sacrifice and its accompanying propitiation is not just an adequate defense, but is an overwhelming defense, an impenetrable defense against all the accusations of the enemy.  

As our high priest, Christ knows and cares.  As our high priest, Christ is capable and qualified. As our high priest, Christ is indefeatable.  So don't let the guilt of your sin keep you from coming to God; and once you have come to Him, don't let the accusations and incrimination of the enemy weigh you down because Christ has vigorously pleaded your case and defended you, and therefore there is no longer any condemnation from God upon you (Romans 8:1).  

Praise be to God for His wondrous salvation and all of its benefits to men.

The Gospel-the Message of Evangelism and Discipleship

...we should recall that Paul did not write any evangelistic works.  He addressed all his writing to Christians who already believed the gospel.  He did not write to make converts, but to teach disciples who already believed.  Each church had a different set of issues.  Groups within churches had different issues.  Whether the issues involved worship, doctrine, leadership, ethics, stewardship, spiritual gifts, marriage or anything else, Paul always rooted his teaching in the gospel.  The gospel is not only the message of how to be saved, it is also the message of how to be saved.  It is the message of both evangelism and discipleship.  All Christian doctrine and practice have their basis in the gospel.  Practices and beliefs of Christians that are not rooted in the gospel are not Christian.  They may be cultural or personal, but all Christian belief and practice comes as an implication of the gospel.

Harry L. Poe
Recovering the Gospel for the Twenty-first Century
Southern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism
Page 157

An Established Purpose

Remember this, and be assured;

recall it to mind, you transgressors.

Remember the former things long past,

for I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is no one like Me,

declaring the end from the beginning,

and from ancient times things which

have not been done, saying,

 "My purpose will be established,

and I will accomplish all My good pleasure."

Isaiah 46:8-10

If God has declared the end from the beginning,

then He must be working all things together

toward that end.



Being Justified

We can never be more justified

than what we have been declared

to be by God.  There is nothing we

can do to make ourselves more justified

in His sight, nothing we can do to add

to our justification. 

Dying for Certainty

Without election there is only the potential for salvation,

not the certainty of salvation.  So would Christ die for

those who might possibly be saved, or would He die

for those whom He knew for certain would be saved?

If He died for all to be saved, and all are not saved,

then His dying on the cross for their sin was a failure.

If He suffered for their sin, and they are not saved,

then His suffering for them was in vain.  And if
God is omniscient, then why would He impose the penalty
of sin upon Christ for those whom He knew would not come to faith?

II Thessalonians 2:13, I Peter 1:1-2, Isaiah 53:10-11

Why NOT the NIV

As many know, I have had a long bias against the NIV, as I feel it has dumbed the Scriptures down, and numbed the reader from the punch that is provided in the Greek language.  Yes, I know for some it is easier to read, but making something easier to read should not be the litmus test for any translation of the Scriptures.  Accuracy and communicating as close as possible what the author really said should be the litmus test for any and all translations.  And that is the problem with the dynamic equivalency method of translation. 

Dr. Jim Hamilton gives a wonderful example of the difference between the dynamic equivalency and the formal equivalency methods, and why the dynamic equivalency is inferior.  See the link below.

http://jimhamilton.info/2011/06/29/dynamic-equivalence-the-method-is-the-problem/

Our Knowledge of the Godhead

Our knowledge of God is incomplete without knowledge of the Son and the Spirit, who are co-equal and consubstantial with the Father.  So for us to know God truly and fully we must know the Godhead which makes up the Trinity. We know that if we have seen Jesus we have seen the Father, that to know Jesus is to know the Father; and that the Holy Spirit is at the same time both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ.  Knowledge of each has its own special place, function, and application as each member of the Godhead has their own special place, function, and role.

We see their work in salvation (I Peter 1:1-2, Ephesians 1:3-14), creation (Genesis 1:1-2, 26; John 1:1-3),  the earthly ministry of Christ (Matthew 3:16-4:1), and Christ's sacrifice (Hebrews 9:14), just to name a few.  So understanding the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit within the context of their membership in the Godhead, will give us insight into the profoundness of the person of God.