Category Archives: The Gospel

Born Again, Faith, The Gospel, What is God Like?

The Letter Kills, but the Spirit Gives Life

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Overview

“…who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:6

This passage is confusing to many, including myself, until I applied the law of context and noncontradiction.  (See article on Context Matters.).  To start, let’s list the keywords: 

ministers,

new covenant,

letter,

kills,

and life. 

Our main questions should center around the deadly “letter.”  Whatever it is.  It kills or takes life.  The questions are simple also:

  1. What does the letter refer to?
  2. What does it kill?
  3. Why is the Spirit the direct opposite of the letter, i.e., life?
  4. Is the letter killing me, or do I have life in the Spirit?

If we can understand Paul’s statement in the context of the story of redemption, we will know what to avoid. Even better, it will lead us to the Spirit which gives life.  Sometimes, it is less about avoidance of something and more about acceptance of a truth that may make us uncomfortable at first.

Immediate Context-

The immediate context (the preceding verses) sets up this metaphoric statement by Paul to the Corinthian church.  The reason for his council is described in the previous two verses (v. 4, 5).

And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,

2 Corinthians 3: 4-5

The key thought here is trust through Christ and sufficiency from God, not ourselves.  This is the pre-thought before he discloses that the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.  Trust in Christ eliminates self-sufficiency.

Self-Sufficiency

It seems that this church had a “self-sufficiency” problem.  The answer to this dilemma is simple enough: “Our sufficiency is from God.”  Understanding the sufficiency of God through Christ is a critical and unique teaching of Christianity.  It is the difference between life and death. The difference between true and false. This truth is important as we move through this reasoning regarding the letter of the law and the death it causes.

Another passage by Paul to the church in Rome addresses the same issue as the Corinthians.  It appears that the believers at Rome have understood and responded.

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Romans 7:6

The keywords here are strikingly similar to the ones addressed to Corinth.  The following words in parentheses are the Corinthian words,

Serve (minister),

Newness of the Spirit (new covenant),

Oldness of the letter (letter that kills).

Paul talks as if the Romans had learned the truth.  He mentions “being delivered” from the law by dying to what held them.  What held them?  Self Sufficiency.  It kills faith in Christ. 

Slain by the Law or By Sin?

So, we can conclude that Paul’s theology has not changed between churches.  It is, therefore, a universal pitfall that we can relate to:  The letter of the law kills, and we need to be delivered from it to serve in the newness of the Spirit (i.e., the New Covenant).

I had been told that this letter of the law (that we need to die to) is the ceremonial and priestly law that ended at the cross, but if we stay in context, we see a different law:

Immediately after Romans 7:6, Paul asks a clarifying rhetorical question in verse 7. It lets us know that the Ten Commandments are the object of his discourse.

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”

Since “You shall not covet” is one of the ten commandments, it is safe to surmise that the context is about the moral law of God. 

For the next few verses, 7-11, Paul expands on how he was alive without the law.  This would indicate he did not know or understand the law and felt no conviction about his sin, but when he came to this written knowledge of sin, he realized that he was a dead man because of sin that was disclosed by the law. He came to a realization and conviction that it was a sin to covet, and therefore, he saw only death before him because of the sin, not the law.  To make his point, he ends with this statement that sounds like the opposite of his disparagement of the letter of the law.

Therefore, the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Romans 7:12

So that which was holy, just, and good made him aware of the penalty of sin. The sin, not the law, slew him.  The law was good for him.  It opened his eyes to sin and its penalty.

Has then what is good (the law) become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

Romans 7: 13

He became aware that he was an exceedingly sinful person by a knowledge of the written law, i.e., the Ten Commandments.

The law lets us know what sin is in God’s eyes.  God gave the law to Moses written by His own finger on stone! 

Whosoever commits sin transgress also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.

1 John 3:4

Purpose of the Law

All would agree obedience to the law, without Christ, does not make us righteous. In fact, it makes us unrighteous because of our attempt at self-sufficiency.  The law’s main purpose is to establish what sin is and point out our need for a Savior:

Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:20

To make this precept even more robust, Paul says in the previous chapter,

For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Romans 2: 13

So, doing the law is important; it is part of justification!

Now I ask this question:  What is it that we have died to and were held by?  Obedience to the law? How are we delivered from the Law? 

The answer seems obvious. It was not the law but the attempt to obey without Christ, to become self-sufficient.

Let me make an important Biblical assertion: Living through the Spirit doesn’t give license to break, nor provide, the impulse to break the letter of the law.  The other extreme is equally true:  Obeying the law without Christ does not bring about righteousness.  So, what is Paul telling us about the letter of the law?  It appears to be a life and death statement (Letter kills, Spirit gives life). 

We have to die to the idea that we can obey the law to the letter and the Spirit without Christ.

Righteousness by Works

When we use obedience through our self-sufficiency as a way to add to what God has already done for our salvation, we are on the wrong path that leads straight to legalism.   This is hard to accept for those who think of self-produced good deeds and works as an addition to what God has already done through His mercy, love, and forgiveness. Things like repetitive prayers and prayer beads will tend to replace simple trust in Christ. Making up personal rules about how to be holy also replaces simple trust and sufficiency in Christ.

 It is only by the grace and love of God that we are in a position to be saved.  To make this even easier, it is a gift from God Himself.  This is the basis for our redemption, the Grace and Love of God.  Without it, we would all be lost. It is given to us without any work on our part.  Redemption from sin and salvation from eternal death is something we did not initiate.  Our Holy God did not make a list of good deeds and works that had to be completed before acceptance. Instead, He asks for something harder:  Belief and trust.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2: 8-10

A man in his shop builds a beautiful piece of furniture.  It is his workmanship…the product of his doing.  He shapes the wood, sands it down, and applies the paint.   Can the piece of furniture do anything to add to this workmanship?  We are His workmanship in the area of good works.  We are to walk (live in them) …not create them (good works).  With Christ, this situation is more spiritually natural and less tiring than working on producing good works on our own.

The Work of Faith

The platform for being saved by the grace of God has another vital component- faith or trusting in God’s plan, i.e., His incarnation, His life, His death, and His resurrection, His gift of the Spirit, His mediation, and His return again.  It is all about Him! Without any one of these, we would be lost. All of these components have their basis and start with the grace and love of God.

And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty…And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

1 Cor. 15: 14, 17

Some might say, “See, faith is something I have to “work” on.”  Is it something you “work on,” or is it something you exercise from the start?

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:4

Being born of God overcomes the world.  With this new birth comes faith in Christ. It is a package deal. He gives a measure of faith to all who come into the world.  It lies dormant until a choice is made to use it and let God change them.  It is certain that faith can grow.  But, remember, a very small amount of faith (mustard seed) can move mountains.  The amount of faith is less important for salvation as it is to use what little you may have.

Works are Fruit, Not as a Method for Salvation

James, the brother of Jesus, understood clearly that works that include obedience are the fruit of salvation, not the method or addition to salvation.  A person who has truly been born again and in love with their Savior will respond with obedience and good works.  They will live by the workmanship of Christ…good works.

 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

James 2: 18-20

It is James’ way of saying, “lip service proves nothing.”  The proof of your faith is in the pudding itself, i.e., “works.” I can say all day long that I have saving faith, but if my actions prove otherwise, my faith is dead or not real.

So, where do we focus?  On becoming a wonderful worker for God or a wonderful lover and truster of God?  Do we concentrate on doing good works to be accepted by God, or do we respond out of a new spiritual heart that loves God and loves our neighbor?

The Letter is Important. Why does it Kill?

The direct commands of God are important, but not the way you may think.

Let me give a couple of examples and then apply some common sense.

Example:  Jesus described two cases where the Spirit of the law was explained.  He used the two commandments about adultery (seventh) and murder (sixth).

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 

Matthew 5: 27-28,

Again, it would seem that Jesus is dismissing, minimizing, or contradicting the specific commandment about adultery (letter of the law), which is having sex with someone who is not my wife.  Instead, He expands the law to include the thoughts (heart).  It is not merely looking at the woman (or a man) but mulling it over and creating lust (strong sexual desire) in the thoughts and perhaps playing it out in the mind to plan a rendezvous.

There is no need to complete the act to commit adultery; It has already been done in the heart. We have broken the seventh commandment.  In such a case, we need forgiveness from Christ even if we didn’t actually sleep with the woman or man.  We may actually need a new heart if this urge is uncontrollable and repetitive.

Here is where spiritual common sense comes into play.  What if I told my wife that from now on, I was going to live by the Spirit and not by the letter?  Consequently, I plan to have sex with as many women as I please because the letter (the literal words of the law) kills, but the Spirit gives life.  I think that reasoning would lead to not just a killing by the letter but murder by my wife! 😊 This leads to the next expansion of the law by Jesus: Murder 

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.”

Matthew 5: 21-22

Again, Jesus seems to dismiss the letter or literal words of the command to focus only on the Spirit of the law, But in effect, He is magnifying or expanding the letter of the law…a direct fulfillment of an ancient prophecy about Jesus:

The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable. Isaiah 42: 21

Committing murder by the letter of the law, i.e., taking someone’s life, is not negated by the Spirit of the law, which is anger without a purpose or reason.  So, it would not make sense to say, “I can murder as long as I don’t hate the person.”  Letter VS Spirit. 

How do I know that each letter of the law is important?  Before Jesus expanded on these two commandments, he made sure his audience understood that He did not come to destroy the Law (letter) or the Prophets.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5: 17-20

Jesus’ “fulfilling the law and the Prophets” does not do away with the letter of the law.  In fact, He makes reference to the details of the letter (that He has no intention of destroying). Like a microscope, he zooms in on the details of the Ten-Commandment law.  He references the importance of every letter and mark:  Jot (smallest letter) and tittle (the smallest stroke of the smallest Hebrew letter).  It is like Jesus is saying He isn’t going to change even the dot on top of our smallest letter. “i.” Yet, as humans, we want to rewrite the Ten Commandments to fit our own lifestyle and then teach others to break His law. This is the spirit of the anti-Christ. We are putting ourselves in the place of Christ and contradicting his plain word.  It is not just one commandment; it is all of them!

Righteousness by the law-The Cart before the Horse

Until all is fulfilled, the law and the prophets remain.  All has not been fulfilled yet. Many prophecies about the Second Coming remain unfulfilled.  Jesus’ keeping the law perfectly (jot and tittle) does not give us the green light to break any of the commandments.  We can’t say,

“I don’t have to keep the law; Jesus did it for me.” 

Try to explain that to my wife or those I love if I lie, steal, covet, or live an adulterous life, etc.    But we can never reach righteousness by our own efforts by gritting our teeth and working hard to become a good law keeper.  We must not get the cart before the horse. 

Too many Christians get hung up on that last part of the passage:

For I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

 V. 20

They think Jesus is saying obedience to the smallest letter and the smallest stroke will create more righteousness and ensure acceptance by the Lord.  Did the scribes and Pharisees have righteousness?  Yes!  In their own eyes, manufactured by strict observance of the law, but in reality, they did not have the righteousness that comes from faith in Jesus.  Now, keep in mind faith does not negate obedience to the law.  Paul said it very clearly in Romans 3:

Therefore by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.:

Romans 3:20

Can it be any clearer?  That commandment keeping and deeds of the law will not justify anyone in God’s sight.  Thanks be to God for the atoning sacrifice of God!  Paul explains further:

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.

Romans 3: 21-22

Did you catch that?  The righteousness of God is apart from the law.  It is not connected!  This should have been good news for those Scribes, Pharisees, and religious people who were trying to obtain righteousness and acceptance of God through the meticulous, to-the-letter keeping of the law.  The righteousness of God cannot be obtained that way. Further, we are all sinners with a human heart that lusts and hates without cause.  Generations of evil and sin influence our hearts.

“Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Roman 3:28

This does not contradict James, who said works (deeds of the law) are evidence of faith.  To say it very simply, Paul describes the soil for salvation (grace through faith); James describes the result (or fruit) of salvation (i.e., works).  One is the method of salvation (gospel), and the other is the results of salvation or the gospel.

That should be settled in the heart of every follower of Christ.  To make sure we understand about the law, Paul exclaims.

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 3:31

Conclusion Part 1

The attempt to obey the letter kills the relationship with Jesus. However, living in the Spirit will give life to your Jesus Journey. We must die to self-sufficiency in our obedience to the law as a way to obtain righteousness or to gain acceptance with God.  Obedience and good works come spiritually naturally with a new heart and new motives of love toward a holy God who saved us by His unmerited favor towards us.  This kind of salvation is real and spills over to those around us. Instead of pushing people away with legalistic requirements, they pull them to Jesus by their love.

We are thankful for His mercy and love, and we respond accordingly.  By doing this, we obtain life through the spirit rather than death by working on obedience or perfection instead of trusting Jesus.

Take a moment to study these two illustrations.

In “1 Me” I relate to God by the law.

In “2 Me” I relate to the law through God. 

The “1 Me” starts with the law to build a relationship with God. I think that obedience improves my relationship with God.  But my vision of God can be blurred by the obligations God set forth in the Ten Commandments or any other of His commands.  It will lead me to be religious and to live by the letter and not the Spirit.

On the other hand, The “2 Me” knows God first. I see the law through a relationship with God.  I have experienced a loving God who has forgiven my sins, and my desire is to follow Him.  I keep God’s law because I love Him.  It is a response of love and not obligation.  My focus is on Him and Him alone. The more personal associations I have with Him and observe how He works in my life and others, the more I love Him.   I can then clearly see that righteousness by faith works through love.  I have a new heart that seeks to carry out the will of God because of love, not obligation, religiosity, or to gain favor with God.   The law is not negated.  It is established in the heart.  I respond out of love for Christ.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

John 14: 15

“…showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

 Exodus 20:6

Now, let’s look at another chart to close:

Above the blue horizontal lines is Salvation. Below it is the opposite (lost or unsaved). We are lost either at birth or at the age where we can respond to the Holy Spirit. The act of infant baptism accomplishes nothing toward salvation. The destiny of these innocent babies, baptized or not, only God knows, but this I know: The character of God is merciful, loving, and forgiving. He looks to save, not condemn.

At the point where we respond by choice, then repent, and turn to Jesus for forgiveness, we are born again and have salvation. The Holy Spirit will testify to this new birth. Our upward journey with Christ begins. We want to be more like Christ. If we let him, He alone will mold us into His image for His sake, not ours. So even if we die without the molding complete (Christ’s likeness), we are still saved from eternal death. This journey towards Christ’s likeness is called sanctification or the upward call. This we will discuss next time. It is important because there is an enemy that wants to take the Jesus experience away from you and to leave Him. This is why Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6: 10-18). We are in a battle and “press on” even in the bad times.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3: 12-14

Faith, Reasons to Believe, The Gospel, What is God Like?

The Murder of Jesus-Part 2-Is Jesus God?

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(Disclaimer, again):  I have never read Bill O’Riley’s book called Killing Jesus. The following thoughts came from my own personal study. Any similarities are purely coincidental.)

I am using the word “murder” because it is different than “killing”.  Killing can be an accident or defensive.  Murder is intentional with malice. Further, the word “murder” in this article is used symbolically to demonstrate how Jesus and His message are denigrated in our society, including in some churches.

__________

Last time, we looked at how the religious leaders of Jesus’ day belittled and denigrated Jesus’ words, teachings, and example.  They sought to murder Him because he cut across their traditions and man-made rules about the Sabbath.  Their hatred was so strong for Him that they sought how they might destroy Him!

They also did not know Jesus.  They claimed that only God could forgive sins.  They were right about that but wrong about who He was.  In their midst stood Immanuel (God with us)!  Their religiosity blinded them.  Indeed, Jesus could forgive sins because He is God, a member of the eternal Godhead. 

There is nothing new under the sun.  Today, the same two topics of the Sabbath and the divinity of Jesus are constantly called into question even though the Bible is clear on these two topics.  They are twisted and degraded, which leads to the murder of Jesus (symbolically).  So, as we walk on holy ground approaching this topic of divinity, let us consider the importance of understanding the nature of Christ.

Sometimes, someone else can so clearly express the truth better than me.  Rarely do I rely on someone else’s writings, but in this case, I make an exception.  A small book written in the 19th century by E. J. Waggoner, Christ, and His Righteousness, follows the scripture closely and fairly to come to a Biblical conclusion about the nature of Christ.  While some of the following are his words, mine are interspersed as the Spirit leads me. But, the most important words are the words from God Himself as found in both the Old and New Testaments.

The ultimate goal is to understand the depth of the sacrifice of Christ,

who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

Philippians 2:6

If we fall short in our understanding of Christ’s nature, we may attempt to murder Him by minimizing the story of redemption.  Let’s begin with the basic question:

IS CHRIST GOD?

In many places in the Bible, Christ is called God.  The Psalmist says:

“The mighty God (Elohim), even the Lord [Jehovah], hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people. Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare His righteousness; for God is judge Himself.”

Ps. 50:1-6.

It should be clear that this passage refers to the 2nd coming of Christ by two declarations from God’s word:

First, all judgment is given to Christ by God the Father.

Last time, we saw where the Jews sought to kill Jesus, broke their traditions of Sabbath observance, and He made himself equal with God.  He did this by forgiving the paralytic’s sins, and in John 5, Jesus claimed that He and God were equal:

“Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”

John 5:18

Jesus’ answer to them showed the closeness of the work of Jesus and God the Father (verses 19-20). It is logical that if Jesus didn’t think He was equal with God, He would have said so.  Instead, He refers back to the Psalmist Asaph’s description of Jesus (God) being given all judgment (Psalm 50: 4-6).  His response to the Jews probably surprised and infuriated them because He is showing the power given to Him by the Father:

For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

John 5: 22-23

Is it not clear that honoring Jesus honors the Father, also?  More on that later.

Secondly, the description of the Psalmist Asaph matches Paull and Peter’s New Testament description of the second coming of Christ.  Asaph refers to God (Elohim) whose coming is destructive and is the time to gather His people.  Jesus fulfills this prophecy.  Elohim is the same name used at the beginning of Genesis…” In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” and over 2,400 times elsewhere in the Old Testament.  This simple comparative chart should help us see the connection between Psalm 50 and the New Testament.  This is just one of many connections between the God of the Old Testament and Jesus’ divinity in the New Testament.

Psalm 50New Testament
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous (like a storm) all around Him. V.3“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with *a shout, (1 Thess 4:16).” “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be [burned up. 2 Peter 3: 10
The Saints shall be gathered together….God is judge Himself.And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His [saints) from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.  Matthew 24: 31, “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: 17

*Note: This shout will be the voice of the Son of God, which will be heard by all that are in their graves and which will cause them to come forth. John 5:28, 29.

A prophecy of Isaiah makes it certain that Jesus would be called (among other descriptive names) “the mighty God, the everlasting Father.”

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”

 Isa. 9:6.

These are not simply the words of Isaiah; they are the words of the Spirit of God. God has, in direct address to the Son, called Him by the same title.

In Ps. 45:6, we read these words:

“Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of Thy kingdom is a right scepter.”

The casual reader might take this to be simply the Psalmist’s description of praise to God, but when we turn to the New Testament, we find that it is much more. We find that God the Father is the speaker and that He is addressing the Son, calling Him God. (See Heb. 1:1-8).

But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

Hebrews 1: 8

Christ is the “express image” of the Father’s person. Heb. 1:3. As the Son of the self-existent God, He has by nature all the attributes of Deity. It is true that there are many sons of God, but Christ is the “only begotten Son of God,” and therefore, the Son of God is, in a sense, that which no other being ever was or ever can be.

The angels are sons of God, as was Adam (Job 38:7; Luke 3:38), by creation; Christians are the sons of God by adoption (Rom. 8:14, 15); but Christ is the Son of God by association with the Father.

When Philip said to Jesus,

“Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father”

John 14:8, 9.

This is as emphatic a statement as when He said,

“I and My Father are one.”

John 10:30.

So truly was Christ God, even when here among men, that when asked to exhibit the Father, He could say, Behold Me. And this brings to mind the statement that when the Father brought the First-begotten into the world, He said,

“And let all the Christ And His Righteousness. angels of God worship Him.”

Heb. 1:6.

It was not simply when Christ was sharing the glory of the Father before the world that He was entitled to homage, but when He came as a Babe in Bethlehem, even then, all the angels of God were commanded to adore Him.

The Jews did not misunderstand Christ’s teaching concerning Himself. When He declared that He was one with the Father, the Jews took up stones to stone Him, and when He asked them for which of His good works they sought to stone Him, they replied:

” For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

John 10:33.

If He had been what they regarded Him, a mere man, His words would indeed have been blasphemy, but He was God. The object of Christ in coming to earth was to reveal God to men so that they might come to Him. Thus, the apostle Paul says that.

“God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself”

2 Cor. 5:19

In John, we read that the Word, which was God, was “made flesh.” John 1:1,14.

In the same connection, it is stated,

” No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (or made Him known).

John 1:18.

Note the expression, “the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father.” He has His abode there, and He is there as a part of the Godhead, as surely when on earth as when in heaven. The use of the present tense implies continued existence. It presents the same idea that is contained in the statement of Jesus to the Jews (John 8:58),

“Before Abraham was, I am.”

John 8:58

And this again shows His identity with the One who appeared to Moses in the burning bush, who declared His name to be “I AM THAT I AM.” And, finally, we have the inspired words of the apostle Paul concerning Jesus Christ, that

“it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell.”

Col. 1:19

What this fullness is, which dwells in Christ, we learn from the next chapter, where we are told that.

” For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;”

Col. 2:9.

This is the most absolute and unequivocal testimony to the fact that Christ possesses by nature all the attributes of Divinity.

Conclusion:

The sacrifice of God the Father and Jesus, who are so intimately associated by their existence and purpose. The plan of the Father and Jesus made Jesus’ sacrifice far exceed the mere blood of bulls and goats.  Those poor animals who knew not of their pending death must have kicked and squirmed as they felt the blade of the knife on their tender throats and felt the life go slowly out of their consciences.

But Jesus willingly laid down His life in cooperation with the Father,

Therefore, My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

John 10: 17-18

Let us stand in awe and respond with love for God and the value of sinful mankind that our Creator would die for the created. 

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?  For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11: 33-36

Next time, we will consider Jesus as our Creator. 

Faith, God's Will For Us, The Gospel, What is God Like?

THE MURDER OF JESUS-PART 1

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(Disclaimer:  I have never read Bill O’Riley’s book called Killing Jesus. The following thoughts came from my own personal study. Any similarities are purely coincidental.)

I am using the word “murder” because it is different than “killing”.  Killing can be an accident or defensive.  Murder is intentional with malice. Further, the word “murder” in this article is used symbolically to demonstrate how Jesus and His message are denigrated in our society, including in some churches.

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Let it never be said that a single race initiated the murder of Jesus.  He willingly laid down His life for all races.  He allowed Himself to become the sacrifice for everyone’s sin, whether now, in the past, or in the future. His dying words were one of grace and forgiveness:

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Luke 23:24

It was out of ignorance, protection of traditions, and religiosity that they encouraged the crucifixion. But It was always in the plan, from the beginning of time, for Jesus to descend to earth to be an example and to be the sacrificial lamb to pay for our sins so that we might have eternal life. Then to rise from death to the heavenly sanctuary.

Jesus Willingly Laid Down His Life

No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down for Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

John 10:18

A thought question: “Were we in the same position as the religious leaders, would we want to murder Jesus?”  The answer is likely “yes” if we are as religious, dogmatic, and sold out to traditions as they were. The religious leaders were not open to His words.   They tried to keep Him from talking and teaching. However, we can murder HIm today by making His word and followers of no effect or minimized. Jesus is murdered almost daily in the public eye through social media, movies, TV shows, and leftist news channels.

Another way we can murder Jesus is by treating followers of Christ the same as they did Jesus via hatred.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”

John 15:18

‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Matthew 25:40

Since no one can kill Jesus physically, the enemy and our unconverted selves can do so by promoting our own teachings over His.  This is the point of this article. 

It is not physical harm but the hate-filled accusatory judgment that the world dishes out. Even church members do the same when they fight with each other over the gnat while swallowing the camel in the room.

The Spirit of the Antichrist in the world today

The Jews of Jesus’ day wanted to murder Him because of His teachings. His message cut across their long-held traditions and man-made rules. Today, arguments over theology and man-made traditions have become the anti-Christ of His teachings. In fact, the “Ant-Christ” and the Beast of Daniel and Revelation seek to put traditions and man-made worship and Religious rules above the teachings of Christ! Perhaps this is why John exclaimed that the spirit of the Antichrist is already in the world. (1 John 4:3). This passage is in the context of false teachers or prophets (see verses 1 and 2). False teachers always promote their own agenda, beliefs, and interpretations over the plain spoken word. Let’s examine this closer:

Nothing New Under The Sun

“Therefore, the Jews sought all the more to kill Him because He not only broke the Sabbath but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.”

John 5: 18

John’s account of the Jews seeking to murder Jesus points out several great mysteries of God’s kingdom.

On this day, the religious leaders charged Jesus with two violations worthy of death.  One was based on carefully guarded traditions, the other on the word of God!

First, they said He “broke the Sabbath.”  Secondly, they said Jesus (made) Himself equal to God.  Today, churches are still at odds over these two accusations.  They point to this passage and say, “The Sabbath is of no significance because Jesus broke it.” Some claim that Jesus is not God. By making these claims, they denigrate His teaching and thereby murder Him again.

Are we just as rigid, religious, and closed-minded as the religious leaders were? Have we closed our ears to the plain word of God in favor of our denomination or traditions?

Have you heard someone say, “If it was good enough for grandma, it is good enough for me.” This really puts Grandma and her traditions on a pedestal, even over God’s word! She must have known all the truth. While good ole Grandma was a fine Christian lady, I like Jesus better. Is Jesus murdered when the grandson or granddaughter put Grandma over Jesus? Is this not replacing Christ with Grandma?

Murdering Jesus With Man-Made Rules

“Jesus replied…You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain;

their teachings are merely human rules.;”

Matthew 15:7-9 NIV (Jesus quoting from Isaiah 29:13)

Why did the Jews think Jesus  “broke the Sabbath”? Did He really break the Sabbath?  The answer is found in verses 8-10 in the same chapter (John 5).

“Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately, the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.  The Jews, therefore, said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.’“

John 5: 8-10

Who said it was not lawful to “carry your bed” on the Sabbath?  They did!  Not Jesus!  Did you notice that the haughty religious leaders directed their judgment towards the man who was cured, not at Jesus?    It is much easier to judge someone who is weak and unlike the majority than it is to judge Jesus. 

At another time, Jesus demonstrated to them a concept that overruled their legalistic Sabbath keeping when he healed the man with a withered hand in the Synagogue on the Sabbath (Matthew 12: 9-13). He asked them which one would not rescue a sheep fallen in a pit on the Sabbath.” By asking this rhetorical question, he demonstrated the value of a person over the animal world and made this point about keeping the Sabbath:

Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath

Matthew 12: 11-12”

So, doing good on the Sabbath is a teaching of Jesus on how to observe it, but it so enraged the religious leaders that they sought to murder him. The very next verse says this,

Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy (murder) Him.

Matthew 12: 14

How powerful are long-held traditions and man-made rules about the Sabbath? Going against it can lead to the murder of the Son of God and even His followers!

At another time, they would accuse Jesus directly of breaking the Sabbath by healing on the Sabbath (See Mark 3:2) and causing the man to “work” on the Sabbath!  The Lord Jesus told the man to “take up his bed and walk.”  Jesus was influencing the healed man to sin (according to their definition) when Jesus instructed the man to do something that violated their man-made rules about the Sabbath, i.e., getting out of bed, lifting it, and walking!

Ponder Question:  Do we seek to murder Jesus (degrade) His teachings) when we make up our self-made laws about the fourth commandment?  By thinking we obey, we really are modifying based on our traditions to conform the Sabbath to our lifestyle and the popularity of the world or the way we were raised or taught.  Do we set our own rules about keeping the day holy, as the commandment states?  Or do we annul the Sabbath commandment and place the solemnity on another day without scriptural authority? There is no evidence that Jesus broke the spirit or the letter of the fourth commandment…only the religious leaders claimed He broke it. He did, however, break their silly, made-up rules and traditions. Why? Because they didn’t know who He was!

Killing Jesus by Refusing to See Him as God

Jesus answered, “I am the Father are one…”We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

John 10:33

When Jesus healed another paralytic, Jesus forgave his sins. 

When Jesus saw their faith, He told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Mark 2: 5-7

The scribes were right by reasoning in their hearts that only God can forgive sins.  They didn’t dare to claim to have the power to forgive sins. The priests of the Temple performed ceremonies to lead the sinner to God for atonement, but they would never proclaim their sins forgiven.  Sins have always been forgiven by faith in God’s love, grace, and mercy.  Someone greater than the religious teachers was in their midst, the incarnate Immanuel (God with us). He had the power because He is God.

Ponder Question: Do we kill Jesus when we seek forgiveness of sins or absolution from a priest?  Is the heavenly temple where Jesus is ready to minister to our sins and failures left desolate because a mere man has stepped into His place?

Further thought: do we murder Jesus by hating other people?

A Christian teacher at a private school asked her students to draw a picture of the person they disliked the most. One girl drew a picture of her once-best friend who stole her boyfriend. Another person drew a picture of a political figure, while another drew a picture of her father, who had left the family.

Next, the teacher took the pictures and placed them carefully on a dart board. Each student was given darts. Without prompting, all stood and faced the picture of the person they disliked the most and began to throw the darts at their picture. The activity began to get lively as each student threw the darts harder and harder. Soon, the pictures were in tatters, and the teacher asked them to return to their desks.

Once the students were settled and quiet, the wise teacher began to remove the tattered pictures from the dart boards. Underneath was another tattered picture. It was a picture of Jesus!

The students gasped, and some wept when the teacher reverently quoted these words of Jesus:

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Next time, we will explore further Jesus’ claim to divinity from His works, the Apostles, and the Prophets. Did Jesus ever degrade the words of the Father or of the Old Testament writers?

The Gospel

Everlasting Gospel

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Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

Revelation 14: 6-7 NKJV

A Difference Between Gospel and Everlasting Gospel.

How does the “everlasting gospel” differ from the “gospel“? In no other place in scripture does the phrase “everlasting gospel” appear. But, the simple word “gospel” is brought up 100 times in the New Testament. Of the “Gospel” writers, John is the only one who does not use the word. (Matthew 5 times, Mark 8, and Luke 4, John 0. ) The only time John uses the word is here in Revelation, but he insinuates a gospel that does not end. What does that mean? Please keep in mind that just because the word “gospel” is not used, it does not mean that it is not present in the Bible, even in the Old Testament. Its theme is throughout!

I have cautiously come to the conclusion. that the everlasting gospel is the Good News that will last forever, even in heaven.  What is the Good News that will supersede anything else? It is the theme of redemption and the love of the Godhead—a mystery of sacrifice, love, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness. These mysteries cannot be understood except in the actions of God the Father, Jesus, and the Spirit.

Another author says it this way:

“The theme of redemption is one that the angels desire to look into; it will be the science and the song of the redeemed throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.  Is it not worthy of careful thought and study now? The infinite mercy and love of Jesus, the sacrifice made on our behalf, call for the most serious and solemn reflection.” (empasis supplied)

Steps to Christ, EG White

What is the Gospel?

The gospel has always been described as the Good News. This Good News comes through the story of Jesus. It is usually divided up into events and actions of the Godhead. The following are the primary parts of the story of redemption.

1.) The incarnation of Jesus (Immanuel-God with us). Even though Jesus is the second member of the Godhead, He became one of us! (Hebrews 2: 14-18) . What a great mystery of love!

2.) He lived a sinless life. (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

3.) He died for our sins, paying the full penalty. We don’t have to work for our own salvation. Any good work or victories over sin are produced by the work of Jesus in our new heart. ( 1 Corinthians 5: 3, Philippians 2: 13, Hebrews 7:25)

4.) He rose again to show that we, too, can be resurrected from the dead. if there was no resurrection, we would still be in our sins and lost. (1 Corinthians 15:4, 1 Corinthians 15: 6-7)

5.) He sent the Holy Spirit to guide, direct, and comfort. (John 14:6)

6.) He became an Intercessor for us. The High Priest we can come to directly for help and forgiveness. (Hebrews 4: 16, 1 Timothy 2:5)

7.) He is coming again to take us where He is now. (John 14: 1-3)

8.) He will create a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness will reign, where sin and death will never raise their ugly heads again. (2 Peter 3: 13, Nahum 1:9)

All of these events are based on the love of God and beautifully summarized by John, who does not use the word gospel except in Revelation. Nevertheless, it encapsulates the eternal gospel that we will ponder throughout eternity…perhaps teach angels or unfallen worlds.

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.

John 3:16

Prophecies, Hope, and Faith are Fulfilled. Love Remains

The eternal gospel will be our study of the science of redemption. All the prophecies will have been fulfilled; There will be no need for tongues, faith, or hope. Love is the only one of the gifts left standing.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Cor. 13: 8

Although John is skimpy on the word gospel, his message is the theme of love, which is the basis for the gospel.

Of all the apostles, John talks about love more than any other; it appears 39 times in his gospel writing, compared to Matthew (11 times) , Mark (5), and Luke (12). This is more than all the other gospel writers combined! Only Paul exceeds this number (70 times), but Paul was a more prolific writer with 14 books compared to John’s 5 books of the Bible.

It is John alone who records the 11th commandment of Christ regarding loving one another as Jesus loved.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:34

Everlasting Gospel Provides a Choice for the Warnings

Before the messages of warning of the three angels are proclaimed, it is the “everlasting” gospel that proceeds the tough announcement of judgment, the fall of Babylon, and a terrible beast that will force people to choose between it or God.

It is this everlasting gospel that will likely cause “Babylon” to fall and counteract the threats of the beast. The dire warnings would be weakened without the preaching of “everlasting gospel” first.

This section of Revelation describes a preparation for the return of Christ. Jesus confirms this activity of preaching the gospel to the whole world before the end comes, as recorded by Matthew :

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24: 14 NKJV

The Three Warnings

In the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Jesus fills in the blanks between the preaching of the everlasting gospel and warnings to the people of earth. Without first preaching the sacrificial love found in the eternal gospel, the three warnings have no context, power, or choices for those who hear. It will sound to them as just noise…a clanging cymbal.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1

The scene in Revelation 14 is the description of an angel (the first of three) who has the everlasting gospel to preach to everyone on planet Earth. It is visible because it is in the air! Not one person is exempt from the hearing of this everlasting gospel. The power of this message gets attention as insinuated by the sound of a “loud voice.” If you have ever been in a relatively quiet place with the sound of people talking in the background and you hear someone get loud. It gets your attention. With all the activity of earth’s everyday activities, a voice will rise above the clatter. It is the preaching of the “everlasting gospel.” In conjunction with that loud voice comes the messages of the other angels, but the core of their messages is a gospel that will never end.

This angel has the first of three warnings for the people of Earth before the end comes. Note: I am briefly showing the warnings for context to end this article. The study of these messages is deep and requires more time and space to investigate, which I will attempt next time.

Warning #1

 “…saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

Revelation 14: 7

The first angel that has and proclaims the eternal gospel gives the first warning. Because of God’s great love, he wants all to come to repentance so that no one will perish. He warns that it is time to turn away from earthly idols and life’s priorities to worship the Creator.

Warning #2

A second angel follows who warns:

Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14: 8

As people hear the eternal gospel of love, it brings down this symbolic Babylon with its truth about Jesus. Fornication is the mixing of two things that do not belong together…. unmarried sexual relations, which symbolizes the mixing of the truth of Jesus and the error of the false teachings from a city…a dwelling place of power. The truth exposes the lies of Babylon (which means confusion), and it brings down this city of error).

Warning #3

Then, a third and final angel warns with a loud voice like the first angel:

Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. 

Revelation 14: 9-10

Of the three messages, this one is the most descriptive and severe. It has to do with worshipping a beast (symbolic for a religious/political power) and showing loyalty to this power by allowing a symbolic mark that displays loyalty to this antichrist power. That is the choice: loyalty to the God who loves and created you or the beast power that wants to manipulate and use you!

These messages are delivered individually but logically connected in their order. Hopefully, we will discover more next time, but for now, let us focus on the eternal gospel. The story of redemption that we will discuss in heaven after prophecies, these warnings, tongues, faith, and hope have been fulfilled.

If the eternal gospel is understood and accepted now, it becomes the insurance against the three warning messages. Blessings as you consider these things.