Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Ephesians Lesson 35 of 39 part 1

For the past few sections of this discussion we have been revealing and dealing with; The Light of Christ in Your Life.

Psalms 14:1a
"The fool hath said in his heart, no, God...."
Not that there is no God, because we do not think there is a person alive that can honestly say that. Even those who call themselves atheists or claim agnosticism are acknowledging God's existence by calling themselves as such. But way down deep inside of them, when the death angel comes knocking on their door, they are suddenly going to realize too late, that there is a God, and that there is an eternity, waiting to received them. So we don’t like to look at this verse in that light, but rather if we will put a comma after the word no, the fool says no to God. Do you see that? The fool says, No, God, I’m not going to do what you tell me, I’m not going to believe what you say. Now that’s a fool! Now as soon as you get the concept that the fool is the person who says no to God, he is the man who is then destitute of faith. And this is exactly what Israel did with Jesus. And then through Acts it is recorded in at least six more places where Christ is rejected. Man does not understand the obdurate pride and steadfast hate in the nature of guile found in his heart. For Peter reveals this about our LORD in:

1Peter 2:21-24 “For even hereunto we were called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed to Him that judges righteously: Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes we were healed (restored to righteousness, thereby being made whole again). For we were as sheep going astray; but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.”
The true problem stems from mans perception of the word “heal” as used throughout the synoptic gospels and in Isaiah 53:5 where it states:But he wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” In both cases the word “healed” in the ancient Hebrew Lexicon the number is H7495 and it means: The pictograph of the square with the top and right borders darkened, is a picture of the head of a man, the of the square with all borders darkened, is a picture of an open mouth. Combined these mean "man open". Wounds, sickness and illnesses are cured with medicines made from plant materials which were pulverized into a medicinal power. When we search for our number in the list of meanings we find physician, repair. In Brown-Driver-Briggs Dictionary we find; That God liberates, restores grace, to both individuals and nations from distress. In Peters case the Thayer's Greek Dictionary for G2390 states: to free from errors and sins, to bring about (one’s) salvation. And this is exactly what Peter reveals in 1Peter 3:18 where he states: “For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” Over the past postings we have revealed that where the word spirit is used in relationship to man it is mans soul being restore to God. God's kingdom is restored just as John the Baptist introduced to Israel by way of repentance from dead works and then Jesus taught through the revealing of scriptures in the Jewish synagogues and confirmed by sings, wonders or miracles. All was a restoration of God's righteousness among or in man.

So the definition of a fool then is actually a person who is destitute of faith, and we have had examples in the Scriptures of such people. Cain was the first one. The guy was destitute of faith, and consequently he didn’t bring the kind of sacrifice that God had told him to bring, because he didn’t believe what God had said, he rationalized. The next one we come to early on in Scripture is Ishmael. Ishmael was not a man of faith. He went and did just exactly opposite of what God, through his father Abraham had said, "Not to marry Canaanites," so he went and did it anyway. He showed the fact that he was destitute of faith because he said no to God.

Well the next one that is a classic example of no faith is Esau. He was probably a nicer guy than his brother Jacob, but what was his problem? He had no faith! He couldn’t put an ounce of importance on anything God said, so consequently, what happened to him? He became the epitome of a man with no faith. He very well could have been God's choice because of the way he is described at birth, that is being of red flesh and ruddy or hairy. We also have the example of the nation of Israel when they were there at Kadesh Barnea, and God had told them, "The land of promise is ready for you, the land is flowing with milk and honey, it’s productive. I’ll drive the Canaanites out of the land with hornets, you won’t even have to fight with them and lose a drop of blood, just go in and occupy the land." But you see the nation of Israel did not believe what God said. So what did they say? "No, we can’t take the land, because we would be like grasshoppers in their sight," and consequently because they couldn’t believe what God said, they missed the blessings of the land of milk and honey. Instead for 40 years ended up out there on that old barren dessert, and died like flies because they had no faith. And of course Hebrews chapter 3 teaches that.   
 

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