Over the past few year I have noticed on other blogs that speak of the mans varying points and angels of thought about religions view of Salvation that they seem to have no point. Some have so much talk or wording in them that one gets lost and confused. The one thing that I have learned is that GOD is not in confusion or chaos. This is mainly because they do not know or understand GOD's plan and purpose for their lives. Because along life's path they were told that we can not know GOD's will, this however is not so. For He is how ever in order and harmony and oh yes the music of nature. Now for Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace and obedience. And then to Salvation available to all men, with the use of the ESV translation.
"God Equipping Us to Do His Will"
"Now may the God of peace . . . make you complete in every good work to do His will." (Hebrews 13:20-21)
"Our study is from Hebrews 13:20-21. In our previous meditation, we saw that the God of peace makes obedience available through the shed blood of the crucified, risen Christ. That shed blood forgives our sins, making friends out of formerly disobedient enemies of GOD and are fellow man. Furthermore, that shed blood establishes the New Covenant of Grace, which supplies God's sufficiency for all our needs, including, the developing in us an obedient life.
Now, we will reflect upon GOD being the One Who uses His divine resources to equip us to do His plan and purposes, His divine Will. What a hope and joy this is! GOD Himself is willing to undertake the task of shaping us into His obedient servants: "Now may the God of peace . . . make you complete in every good work to do His Will."
This term, "complete," is exceedingly insightful. It speaks of equipping people for their intended task, getting them ready to do what they are called to do. To equip means to furnish whatever qualities are necessary to perform the task at hand. To equip means to supply whatever is needed for an assigned purpose. Our calling and purpose in the Will of GOD is that we engage in a great variety of good works. GOD is more than willing to equip us "in every good work to do His Will."
Long ago, David was inspired of the Holy Spirit to speak boldly in similar terms. "The LORD will perfect that which concerns me" (Psalm 138:8). In light of David's calling to obedience (and our own calling to the same), many things concern us. We are called to serve, to be a living sacrifice, to pray, to worship, to love, to evangelize, to edify — and the list continues. How are we to expect progress in such a broad range of obedience? Our confidence is that "The LORD will perfect that which concerns [us]."
As we have asked previously, is this work of GOD to equip us unto obedience an automatic issue? Not at all! Remember, we can resist (Acts 7:51), quench (1Thessalonians 5:19), and grieve (Ephesians 4:30) the work of the Spirit of Grace in our lives. So what is to be our response? Since the LORD is the One Who must be equipping us to do His Will, we are to be seeking Him. We are to be humbly dependent upon Him. We must not look to ourselves, to formulas, or to any other hope."
Salvation is Possible to all men,
Luke 3:1-6 "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of GOD came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of GOD.'"
Acts 2:14 "Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day (about 3 PM). But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: "'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the LORD (Judgement and His wrath) comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.'"
Romans 5:15-17, 18-19, 20-6:7 "The free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more has the Grace of GOD, the free gift of Grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought Justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of Grace and the free gift of Righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of Righteousness leads to Justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made Righteous.
Now the law (this is both that of Moses' Law and that of sin and death) came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, Grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ, Now our LORD. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that Grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? For do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? For in water baptism we were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death (nullifying sin and the curse of death in sin), in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin."
Romans 10:5-13 "For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the Law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the Righteousness based on Faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in your heart that GOD raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is Justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes Him will not be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is LORD of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For "everyone who calls on the name of the LORD Will be saved."
1Timothy 2:1-7 "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of GOD our Savior, Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth (that is to say, Christ). For there is One GOD, and there is one Mediator between GOD and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony (witness) given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth."
Titus 2:11-14, 15 "The Grace of GOD has appeared, bringing Salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great GOD and Savior Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.
Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you."
2Peter 3:8-10 "Do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the LORD one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The LORD is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. For the day of the LORD will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed."
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Discovering the Great and Precious Promises of GOD (Christ Centered)
If you have been following this blogs posts from it's inception you have grown with me in the knowledge and revelation of Christ, restored to us as the seed faith of Abraham and the GOD of promises. We know that these promises are all directed toward and fulfilled in Christ Jesus and Him alone. For it was Christ Who formed and then placed His Spirit in man at mans creation, Christ being the LORD of the book of His record. Our Bible. Being Christ centered again is what His Revelation or Light is all about for in this Light mankind as a whole is of His Family unit, receives Salvation. There is no divisions in any unit, as all that is united to it are One. And Salvation is batted about like a rag doll and is misunderstood. So I will attempt with the LORD's help to set His record straight. But first Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace. And then with the use of the ESV translation I will begin to look more closely at Salvation.
"The God of Peace Making Obedience Available to Us"
"Now may the God of Peace Who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His Will." (Hebrews 13:20-21)
"These powerful verses continue our inquiry concerning a life of obedience. They conclude with what results when God is allowed to do His work in our lives. We become "complete in every good work of His Will." This hope is made available to us by "the God of Peace." We no longer struggle within ourselves nor to we resist His workings in fact we totally agree with His plan and purpose and become His ambassadors of Light, to the world under the bondage to the law and curse of sin and death.
We all started out in life at war with GOD. Although we may not have been aware of this fact, we were enemies of GOD: "You . . . were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works" (Colossians 1:21). We were disobedient by our very nature: "the sons of disobedience . . . by nature children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:2-3). Yet, through His Son, GOD reached out to offer us Peace. "For He Himself is our Peace, Who . . . abolished in His flesh the enmity . . . making peace . . . through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity" (Ephesians 2:14-16). This sacrifice on the cross was effective, because the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead with victory over sin and death: "the GOD of Peace Who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead." Who being LORD of all creation is the LORD Who's Spirit Now resides within our soul as in the beginning. (Genesis 1:27-28 and 2)
At the cross of Christ, the blood was shed that brings eternal blessings to all who believe Him: "through the blood of the everlasting covenant." The LORD promised these eternal benefits to His people through the prophets of old. "And I Will make an Everlasting Covenant with them, that I Will not turn away from doing them good; but I Will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me . . . Moreover I Will make a Covenant of Peace with them, and it (He) shall be an Everlasting Covenant with (within) them" (Jeremiah 32:40 and Ezekiel 37:26).
The blood of the New Covenant of Grace secures these benefits: "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22:20). This shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is able to cleanse and forgive forever all who humbly trust Him. Also, that shed blood of the New Covenant (GOD's new arrangement for living) supplies the adequacy we need from GOD for the obedient life He has called us to live: "Our sufficiency is from GOD, Who also made us sufficient as ministers of the New Covenant" (2Corithians 3:5-6).
Salvation promised,
Psalm 91:14-16 "Because he holds fast to Me in love, I Will deliver him; I Will protect him, because he knows My name. When he calls to Me, I Will answer him; I Will be with him in trouble; I Will rescue him and honor him. With long life I Will satisfy him and show him My salvation."
Isaiah 45:14-17 "Thus says the LORD: "The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: 'Surely GOD is in you, and there is no other, no god besides Him.'" Truly, you are a GOD Who hides Himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. All of them are put to shame and confounded; the makers of idols go in confusion together. But Israel is saved by the LORD with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity."
Mark 16:14-18 "He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen. HE said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name (as a free woman marries a husband and takes his name in like fashion those who in essence are married to the LORD are One with Him more completely and bear His stamp, seal or name) they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Luke 19:1-10 "Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." So he hurried and came down and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
Acts 11:1-18 "The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of GOD. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." But Peter began and explained it to them in order: "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' But I said, 'By no means, LORD; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What GOD has made clean, do not call common.' This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.' As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then GOD gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in GOD's way?" When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified GOD, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also GOD has granted repentance that leads to life."
Acts 16:25-34 "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe the in Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed GOD."
"The God of Peace Making Obedience Available to Us"
"Now may the God of Peace Who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His Will." (Hebrews 13:20-21)
"These powerful verses continue our inquiry concerning a life of obedience. They conclude with what results when God is allowed to do His work in our lives. We become "complete in every good work of His Will." This hope is made available to us by "the God of Peace." We no longer struggle within ourselves nor to we resist His workings in fact we totally agree with His plan and purpose and become His ambassadors of Light, to the world under the bondage to the law and curse of sin and death.
We all started out in life at war with GOD. Although we may not have been aware of this fact, we were enemies of GOD: "You . . . were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works" (Colossians 1:21). We were disobedient by our very nature: "the sons of disobedience . . . by nature children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:2-3). Yet, through His Son, GOD reached out to offer us Peace. "For He Himself is our Peace, Who . . . abolished in His flesh the enmity . . . making peace . . . through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity" (Ephesians 2:14-16). This sacrifice on the cross was effective, because the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead with victory over sin and death: "the GOD of Peace Who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead." Who being LORD of all creation is the LORD Who's Spirit Now resides within our soul as in the beginning. (Genesis 1:27-28 and 2)
At the cross of Christ, the blood was shed that brings eternal blessings to all who believe Him: "through the blood of the everlasting covenant." The LORD promised these eternal benefits to His people through the prophets of old. "And I Will make an Everlasting Covenant with them, that I Will not turn away from doing them good; but I Will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me . . . Moreover I Will make a Covenant of Peace with them, and it (He) shall be an Everlasting Covenant with (within) them" (Jeremiah 32:40 and Ezekiel 37:26).
The blood of the New Covenant of Grace secures these benefits: "This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22:20). This shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is able to cleanse and forgive forever all who humbly trust Him. Also, that shed blood of the New Covenant (GOD's new arrangement for living) supplies the adequacy we need from GOD for the obedient life He has called us to live: "Our sufficiency is from GOD, Who also made us sufficient as ministers of the New Covenant" (2Corithians 3:5-6).
Salvation promised,
Psalm 91:14-16 "Because he holds fast to Me in love, I Will deliver him; I Will protect him, because he knows My name. When he calls to Me, I Will answer him; I Will be with him in trouble; I Will rescue him and honor him. With long life I Will satisfy him and show him My salvation."
Isaiah 45:14-17 "Thus says the LORD: "The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: 'Surely GOD is in you, and there is no other, no god besides Him.'" Truly, you are a GOD Who hides Himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. All of them are put to shame and confounded; the makers of idols go in confusion together. But Israel is saved by the LORD with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity."
Mark 16:14-18 "He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and He rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen. HE said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name (as a free woman marries a husband and takes his name in like fashion those who in essence are married to the LORD are One with Him more completely and bear His stamp, seal or name) they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Luke 19:1-10 "Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." So he hurried and came down and received Him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
Acts 11:1-18 "The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of GOD. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, "You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them." But Peter began and explained it to them in order: "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' But I said, 'By no means, LORD; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What GOD has made clean, do not call common.' This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house. And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.' As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then GOD gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in GOD's way?" When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified GOD, saying, "Then to the Gentiles also GOD has granted repentance that leads to life."
Acts 16:25-34 "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe the in Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed GOD."
Friday, July 29, 2016
Discovering the Great and Precious Promises of GOD (Christ Centered)
I looked at the Grace that is in Christ Jesus our risen LORD. Today I want us to look at the Richness of this Grace. But first Pastor Hoekstra and his writing on Grace and I will turn my attention towards Grace's richness with the use of the ESV translation. And as always should the LORD broaden my insight and understanding I will add it without hesitation.
"God Working in Us Both to Will and to Do"
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13)
"Again, our meditation is from Philippians 2:12-13. Yesterday, we saw that God must be allowed to work within our hearts, if we are to walk in obedience. "It is God who works in you . . . for His good pleasure." Today, we will consider the extent to which He desires to work: "both to will and to do." In order to fully obey the LORD, we need His working within us for both the willing and the doing. Because in our fallen nature we have become resistant to such things after all we like the animal kingdom have become creatures of habit. As of foster father is a creature of habit.
First, the LORD wants to affect our willingness to obey Him (to fulfill "His good pleasure"). So, He invites us into His word to learn of His Will. "Oh, that My people would listen to Me . . . [and] walk in My ways!" (Psalm 81:13). Then, His word goes to work within our hearts, convicting us of our need to obey it. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). All the while, He is nurturing in us a love for His word. "Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold!" (Psalm 119:127). Increasingly, we become willing to (we desire to) obey His word. "I delight to do Your Will, O my GOD" (Psalm 40:8).
After working in our hearts a willingness to obey Him, the LORD also wants to work in us until we are doing His Will. Yes, willing and doing are two different matters, just as Redemption and Salvation are also two different matters. Redemption comes first as it is within this corral that obedience and His desire is perfected. Then in Salvation we learn even more of Him than in the beginning as His Grace and Love are perfected. We easily forget this distinction. We wrongly assume that once the willingness is present, the doing will inevitably follow. Jesus revealed the fallacy of this thinking in a well-known warning to His disciples. "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). Even when our hearts are willing to obey, our flesh is inadequate to bring the willingness on to obedience. Thus, we are to be alert to our need for prayer that we might obey and not yield to temptation. The word even teaches us how to cry out to GOD for the internal inclination from Him that we need to actually obey His Will. "Make me walk in the path of Your commandments . . . Incline my heart to Your testimonies" (Psalm 119:35-36). Along the way there are many pitfalls of afflictions designed to bring us closer to GOD's desire for us.
The Riches of Grace,
Rom 2:1-11 and 9:19-26 "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of GOD rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of GOD? Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that GOD's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when GOD's righteous judgment will be revealed. He Will render to each one according to His works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He Will give Eternal Life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the (those relegated unbelieving aspiring to being religious, churchy folks) Jew first and also the Greek (the gentile unbelieving world of mankind), but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For GOD shows no partiality (they are both worthy of wrath)."
Romans 9:19-26 "You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who can resist His Will?" But who are you, O man, to answer back to GOD? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if GOD, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom He has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed He said by Hosea, "Those who were not my people I Will call 'My people,' and her who was not beloved I Will call 'beloved.'" And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' there they Will be called 'sons of the living GOD.'"
Ephesians 1:3-14 "Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love HE predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His Will, to the praise of His glorious Grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have Redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His Grace, which He (Lovingly) lavishes upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His Will, according to His purpose, which HE set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him Who works all things according to the counsel of His Will (plan and purposes), so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. For in Him you also, when you heard the word of (this revelation of) Truth, in the gospel for your Salvation, and believed Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory."
Ephesians 1:15-2:10 "For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the LORD Jesus and your love toward all the (those of His Salvation known as) saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the GOD of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which HE has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that HE worked in Christ when HE raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this Age but also in the age to yet come. And HE has put all things under His feet and gave Him as Head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him Who fills All in all (not the church of frigidair, death warmed over being lukewarm, of resistance to GOD). In which you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great Love with which HE loves us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, 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 coming Ages HE might show the immeasurable riches of His Grace in kindness toward us (how have Salvation) in Christ Jesus. For by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of GOD's (working within us), not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which GOD (lovingly) prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Philippians 4:15-20, 21-22, 23 "You Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my GOD Will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our GOD and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
The Grace of the LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit."
1Timothy 1:12-17 and Titus 3:1-11 "I thank Him Who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our LORD, because HE judged me faithful, appointing me to His service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the Grace of our (ascended Now) LORD overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe Him for eternal life. To the King of the Ages, immortal, invisible, the only GOD, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
Titus 3:1-11 "Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of GOD our Savior appeared, HE saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, Whom HE poured (gave) out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His Grace we might become heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed GOD may be careful to devote themselves to good works (standing steadfast in the Knowledge of Christ). These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
"God Working in Us Both to Will and to Do"
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13)
"Again, our meditation is from Philippians 2:12-13. Yesterday, we saw that God must be allowed to work within our hearts, if we are to walk in obedience. "It is God who works in you . . . for His good pleasure." Today, we will consider the extent to which He desires to work: "both to will and to do." In order to fully obey the LORD, we need His working within us for both the willing and the doing. Because in our fallen nature we have become resistant to such things after all we like the animal kingdom have become creatures of habit. As of foster father is a creature of habit.
First, the LORD wants to affect our willingness to obey Him (to fulfill "His good pleasure"). So, He invites us into His word to learn of His Will. "Oh, that My people would listen to Me . . . [and] walk in My ways!" (Psalm 81:13). Then, His word goes to work within our hearts, convicting us of our need to obey it. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). All the while, He is nurturing in us a love for His word. "Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold!" (Psalm 119:127). Increasingly, we become willing to (we desire to) obey His word. "I delight to do Your Will, O my GOD" (Psalm 40:8).
After working in our hearts a willingness to obey Him, the LORD also wants to work in us until we are doing His Will. Yes, willing and doing are two different matters, just as Redemption and Salvation are also two different matters. Redemption comes first as it is within this corral that obedience and His desire is perfected. Then in Salvation we learn even more of Him than in the beginning as His Grace and Love are perfected. We easily forget this distinction. We wrongly assume that once the willingness is present, the doing will inevitably follow. Jesus revealed the fallacy of this thinking in a well-known warning to His disciples. "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). Even when our hearts are willing to obey, our flesh is inadequate to bring the willingness on to obedience. Thus, we are to be alert to our need for prayer that we might obey and not yield to temptation. The word even teaches us how to cry out to GOD for the internal inclination from Him that we need to actually obey His Will. "Make me walk in the path of Your commandments . . . Incline my heart to Your testimonies" (Psalm 119:35-36). Along the way there are many pitfalls of afflictions designed to bring us closer to GOD's desire for us.
The Riches of Grace,
Rom 2:1-11 and 9:19-26 "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of GOD rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of GOD? Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that GOD's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when GOD's righteous judgment will be revealed. He Will render to each one according to His works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, He Will give Eternal Life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the (those relegated unbelieving aspiring to being religious, churchy folks) Jew first and also the Greek (the gentile unbelieving world of mankind), but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For GOD shows no partiality (they are both worthy of wrath)."
Romans 9:19-26 "You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who can resist His Will?" But who are you, O man, to answer back to GOD? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if GOD, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom He has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? As indeed He said by Hosea, "Those who were not my people I Will call 'My people,' and her who was not beloved I Will call 'beloved.'" And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' there they Will be called 'sons of the living GOD.'"
Ephesians 1:3-14 "Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love HE predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His Will, to the praise of His glorious Grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have Redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His Grace, which He (Lovingly) lavishes upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His Will, according to His purpose, which HE set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him Who works all things according to the counsel of His Will (plan and purposes), so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. For in Him you also, when you heard the word of (this revelation of) Truth, in the gospel for your Salvation, and believed Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory."
Ephesians 1:15-2:10 "For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the LORD Jesus and your love toward all the (those of His Salvation known as) saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the GOD of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which HE has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that HE worked in Christ when HE raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this Age but also in the age to yet come. And HE has put all things under His feet and gave Him as Head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him Who fills All in all (not the church of frigidair, death warmed over being lukewarm, of resistance to GOD). In which you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great Love with which HE loves us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, 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 coming Ages HE might show the immeasurable riches of His Grace in kindness toward us (how have Salvation) in Christ Jesus. For by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of GOD's (working within us), not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which GOD (lovingly) prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Philippians 4:15-20, 21-22, 23 "You Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my GOD Will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our GOD and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
The Grace of the LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit."
1Timothy 1:12-17 and Titus 3:1-11 "I thank Him Who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our LORD, because HE judged me faithful, appointing me to His service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the Grace of our (ascended Now) LORD overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe Him for eternal life. To the King of the Ages, immortal, invisible, the only GOD, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
Titus 3:1-11 "Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of GOD our Savior appeared, HE saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, Whom HE poured (gave) out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His Grace we might become heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed GOD may be careful to devote themselves to good works (standing steadfast in the Knowledge of Christ). These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Discovering the Great and Precious Promises of GOD (Christ Centered)
Yesterday I took us through the Grace of GOD today I will look into that which is of Christ Jesus that as a young boy GOD developed within Him. For when these two become One they are more powerful than we know and fully comprehend as they do His works within Redeemed mans soul in preparation for mans Salvation from this earth of darkness and sin's curse of death by fire. For it is GOD's great Love which we have seen is steadfastly set upon us that also works within the Redeemed soul and through it to reach the world around us in witness of GOD's great Truth and realities'. Now for Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching of Grace and then with the use of the ESV translation and the LORD's help by His Spirit and Truth I will undertake to reveal the Grace of the Lord Jesus.
"God Working in Us Unto Obedience"
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13)
"We have been considering from various perspectives the great truth that GOD wants us to grow in obedience to His Will (plan and purpose). Initially the lordship of Jesus makes disobedience seem unacceptable and by our fallen nature resist the Spirit within us. "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? " (Luke 6:46). Our Lord taught His early disciples to be instructing all future disciples concerning obedience: "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). Our present passage offers profound insight on this matter by describing GOD's working within us unto obedience. "It is GOD Who works in you both to Will and to do for His good pleasure." Just as it was with the Lord Jesus, in accord with the Lord's prayer of John 17.
This subject is introduced by a call to "work out your own salvation." Notice, we are not called to work for our salvation. Salvation is a gift of GOD's Grace, freely received by faith. "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" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Still, this gift of Salvation is GOD within us by His Grace to be worked out (developed outwardly) to an obedient life, a life that fulfills "His good pleasure."
This calling is to be approached in "fear and trembling." Initially, our temptation may be to approach this request with unabashed self-confidence. If it were not for the work of the Holy Spirit who reveals our true condition as being naked and utterly bankrupt of any and all natural ability to acquire anything on our now, while in the state of Redemption. Eventually, we begin to understand that we must respond in "fear" [a reverential awe] and "trembling" (a profound sense of inadequacy). The next phrase explains why we are to engage this responsibility with such unusual attitudes: "for it is GOD Who works in you." If the Salvation that GOD has placed in our inner man is to ever become a visible walk that pleases Him, it will always be a result of us allowing Him to do an ongoing work deep within us. "I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts . . . you are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living GOD, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart" (Jeremiah 31:33 and 2Corinthians 3:3). This is the wonder of true Christ-likeness or Oneness living. It is based upon GOD working within our hearts."
The Grace of Christ:
Exhibited in Childhood,
Luke 2:39-40 and John 1:14-18 "When they had performed everything according to the Law of the LORD, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the grace of God was upon Him."
John 1:14-18 "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about Him, and cried out, "This was He of Whom I said, 'He Who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.'") For from His fullness we have all received, Grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen GOD; the only GOD, Who is at the Father's side, He has made Him known."
Manifested in Self-Sacrifice,
2Corinthians 8:7-15 "As you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of Grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your Love also is genuine. For you know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich. In this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack."
Sufficient for all human needs,
2Corinthians 12:1-10 "I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the LORD. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, GOD knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, GOD knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the Revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the LORD about this, that it should leave me. But He said to me, "My Grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Bestowed upon Sinful man,
1Timothy 1:12-17 "I thank Him Who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our LORD, because He judged me faithful, appointing me to His service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the Grace of our LORD overflowed for me with the faith and love that are Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe Him for Eternal Life. To the King of the Ages, immortal, invisible, the only GOD, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
The Source of Power,
2Timothy 2:1-7 and Revelation 22:21 "You then, my child, be strengthened by the Grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (inferring that there are few who actually posses this Grace). Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the One Who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the LORD Will give you understanding in everything."
Revelation 22:21 "The Grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen."
"God Working in Us Unto Obedience"
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13)
"We have been considering from various perspectives the great truth that GOD wants us to grow in obedience to His Will (plan and purpose). Initially the lordship of Jesus makes disobedience seem unacceptable and by our fallen nature resist the Spirit within us. "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? " (Luke 6:46). Our Lord taught His early disciples to be instructing all future disciples concerning obedience: "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). Our present passage offers profound insight on this matter by describing GOD's working within us unto obedience. "It is GOD Who works in you both to Will and to do for His good pleasure." Just as it was with the Lord Jesus, in accord with the Lord's prayer of John 17.
This subject is introduced by a call to "work out your own salvation." Notice, we are not called to work for our salvation. Salvation is a gift of GOD's Grace, freely received by faith. "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" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Still, this gift of Salvation is GOD within us by His Grace to be worked out (developed outwardly) to an obedient life, a life that fulfills "His good pleasure."
This calling is to be approached in "fear and trembling." Initially, our temptation may be to approach this request with unabashed self-confidence. If it were not for the work of the Holy Spirit who reveals our true condition as being naked and utterly bankrupt of any and all natural ability to acquire anything on our now, while in the state of Redemption. Eventually, we begin to understand that we must respond in "fear" [a reverential awe] and "trembling" (a profound sense of inadequacy). The next phrase explains why we are to engage this responsibility with such unusual attitudes: "for it is GOD Who works in you." If the Salvation that GOD has placed in our inner man is to ever become a visible walk that pleases Him, it will always be a result of us allowing Him to do an ongoing work deep within us. "I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts . . . you are manifestly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living GOD, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart" (Jeremiah 31:33 and 2Corinthians 3:3). This is the wonder of true Christ-likeness or Oneness living. It is based upon GOD working within our hearts."
The Grace of Christ:
Exhibited in Childhood,
Luke 2:39-40 and John 1:14-18 "When they had performed everything according to the Law of the LORD, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the grace of God was upon Him."
John 1:14-18 "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about Him, and cried out, "This was He of Whom I said, 'He Who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.'") For from His fullness we have all received, Grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen GOD; the only GOD, Who is at the Father's side, He has made Him known."
Manifested in Self-Sacrifice,
2Corinthians 8:7-15 "As you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of Grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your Love also is genuine. For you know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich. In this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack."
Sufficient for all human needs,
2Corinthians 12:1-10 "I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the LORD. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, GOD knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, GOD knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the Revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the LORD about this, that it should leave me. But He said to me, "My Grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Bestowed upon Sinful man,
1Timothy 1:12-17 "I thank Him Who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our LORD, because He judged me faithful, appointing me to His service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the Grace of our LORD overflowed for me with the faith and love that are Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe Him for Eternal Life. To the King of the Ages, immortal, invisible, the only GOD, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."
The Source of Power,
2Timothy 2:1-7 and Revelation 22:21 "You then, my child, be strengthened by the Grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (inferring that there are few who actually posses this Grace). Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the One Who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the LORD Will give you understanding in everything."
Revelation 22:21 "The Grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen."
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Discovering the Great and Precious Promises of GOD (Christ Centered)
Okay the big day has arrived I will today look at Grace from first what is revealed about GODs Grace and then following Him comes the LORD Christ Jesus. But first Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on our obedience both in and by Grace. Then with the use of the ESV translation and the LORDs help the Grace of GOD.
"Obedience and the Life of Jesus"
"He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him . . . Christ in you, the hope of glory." (John 8:29 and Colossians 1:27)
"Our LORD, the LORD of our ascension the Lord and man Jesus wants His students to live in obedience to His Will: "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). Our Lord is also with us every step of our pilgrimage on earth, granting us His Grace unto obedience. "I am with you always . . . through Whom we have received Grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith" (Matthew 28:20 and Romans 1:4-5). This is also the way that Jesus Himself lived here on earth in relationship with His heavenly Father. "And He Who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." The Father was with the Son, as the Son lived to please the Father. So we as restored Sons live to please our Father through His Son.
Jesus came to earth to live in humble dependency upon, and full obedience to, the Father. "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:8). Even though obedience led to the cross, Jesus obeyed the Will (plan and purpose) of the Father. In the garden of Gethsemane, the obedient Son wrestled with the implications of the impending cross. The holy, eternal One was to taste the cup of sin and death for all of us. His entire being was repulsed by that which was so contrary to His nature. "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death . . . O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me" (Matthew 26:38-39). Yet, He obediently yielded to the Father's Will. "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You Will" (Matthew 26:39). This is the ultimate example of obedience. It is to be our stance and standard as well.
This same Jesus Christ (who always pleased the Father, even unto death) now lives in us. This same Jesus is our "hope of glory." He is our hope (expectation, confidence) of making it to glory (heaven) when this body made from the elements of this earth gives up the ghost. He is also our hope of walking in any heavenly reality here on the way to glory. He is our hope of an obedient life.
Obedience is essentially related to the life of Jesus. The life Jesus lived on earth is our perfect example of obedience. The life He now wants to live in and through us is our glorious hope of obedience."
GOD's Grace:
Freely given, Psalm 84:8-12 and Acts 11:19-26, 13:42-43 "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of Your anointed! (those called saints who possess the ontological essence of Christ within and around them as a covering or badge of holiness of righteousness in godliness) For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my GOD than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows Grace and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in You!"
Acts 11:19-26 "Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. The hand of the LORD was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the LORD. The report of this came to the ears of the assembly of believers in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the Grace of GOD, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the LORD with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the LORD. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the assembly of believers and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians."
Acts 13:42-43 "As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the Grace of God."
Empowers men for service,
1Corinthians 3:10-15 and 15:3-11 "According to the Grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day (of the LORD) will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on this foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."
1Corinthians 15:3-11 "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of believers of GOD. But by the Grace of GOD I am what I am, and His Grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the Grace of GOD that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believe."
May be rendered ineffectual,
2Corinthians 6:1-10; Galatians 2:15-21; Ephesians 3:1-13; Hebrews 2:10-13; James 4:1-10 "Working together with Him, then, I appeal to you not to receive the Grace of God in vain. For He says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of Salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of GOD we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine Love; by truthful speech, and the power of GOD; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything."
Galatians 2:15-21 "We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through Faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by Faith in Christ and not by works of the Law, because by works of the Law no one will be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified through Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to GOD. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of GOD, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not nullify the Grace of GOD, for if righteousness were through the Law, then Christ died for no purpose."
Ephesians 3:1-13 "For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of GOD's Grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same Body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of GOD's Grace, which was given me by the working of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this Grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God Who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of GOD might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that He has realized in Christ Jesus our LORD, through Whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory."
Hebrews 2:5-9 "For it was not to angels that GOD subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, "What is man, that You are mindful of him, or the son of man, that You care for Him? You made Him for a little while lower than the angels (for a short time); You have crowned Him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under His feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to Him, He left nothing outside His control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him. But we see Him Who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the Grace of GOD He might taste death for everyone."
James 4:1-10 "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with GOD? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of GOD. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us"? But He gives more Grace. Therefore it says, "GOD opposes the proud, but gives Grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to GOD. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to GOD, and He Will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the LORD, and He will exalt you."
Not given for selfish use,
1Peter 4:1-11 "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the Will of GOD. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him Who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead (separated from GOD while remaining mere men), that though judged in the (corruption of their) flesh the way people are, that they might live in the spirit the way God does. The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of GOD's varied Grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of GOD; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that GOD supplies—in order that in everything GOD may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. The Amen."
Promised to the humble,
1Peter 5:1-5 "So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as GOD would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "GOD opposes the proud but gives Grace to the humble."
"Obedience and the Life of Jesus"
"He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him . . . Christ in you, the hope of glory." (John 8:29 and Colossians 1:27)
"Our LORD, the LORD of our ascension the Lord and man Jesus wants His students to live in obedience to His Will: "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). Our Lord is also with us every step of our pilgrimage on earth, granting us His Grace unto obedience. "I am with you always . . . through Whom we have received Grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith" (Matthew 28:20 and Romans 1:4-5). This is also the way that Jesus Himself lived here on earth in relationship with His heavenly Father. "And He Who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him." The Father was with the Son, as the Son lived to please the Father. So we as restored Sons live to please our Father through His Son.
Jesus came to earth to live in humble dependency upon, and full obedience to, the Father. "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:8). Even though obedience led to the cross, Jesus obeyed the Will (plan and purpose) of the Father. In the garden of Gethsemane, the obedient Son wrestled with the implications of the impending cross. The holy, eternal One was to taste the cup of sin and death for all of us. His entire being was repulsed by that which was so contrary to His nature. "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death . . . O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me" (Matthew 26:38-39). Yet, He obediently yielded to the Father's Will. "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You Will" (Matthew 26:39). This is the ultimate example of obedience. It is to be our stance and standard as well.
This same Jesus Christ (who always pleased the Father, even unto death) now lives in us. This same Jesus is our "hope of glory." He is our hope (expectation, confidence) of making it to glory (heaven) when this body made from the elements of this earth gives up the ghost. He is also our hope of walking in any heavenly reality here on the way to glory. He is our hope of an obedient life.
Obedience is essentially related to the life of Jesus. The life Jesus lived on earth is our perfect example of obedience. The life He now wants to live in and through us is our glorious hope of obedience."
GOD's Grace:
Freely given, Psalm 84:8-12 and Acts 11:19-26, 13:42-43 "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of Your anointed! (those called saints who possess the ontological essence of Christ within and around them as a covering or badge of holiness of righteousness in godliness) For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my GOD than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows Grace and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in You!"
Acts 11:19-26 "Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. The hand of the LORD was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the LORD. The report of this came to the ears of the assembly of believers in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the Grace of GOD, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the LORD with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the LORD. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the assembly of believers and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians."
Acts 13:42-43 "As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the Grace of God."
Empowers men for service,
1Corinthians 3:10-15 and 15:3-11 "According to the Grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day (of the LORD) will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on this foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."
1Corinthians 15:3-11 "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of believers of GOD. But by the Grace of GOD I am what I am, and His Grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the Grace of GOD that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believe."
May be rendered ineffectual,
2Corinthians 6:1-10; Galatians 2:15-21; Ephesians 3:1-13; Hebrews 2:10-13; James 4:1-10 "Working together with Him, then, I appeal to you not to receive the Grace of God in vain. For He says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of Salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of GOD we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine Love; by truthful speech, and the power of GOD; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything."
Galatians 2:15-21 "We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through Faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by Faith in Christ and not by works of the Law, because by works of the Law no one will be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified through Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to GOD. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of GOD, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not nullify the Grace of GOD, for if righteousness were through the Law, then Christ died for no purpose."
Ephesians 3:1-13 "For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of GOD's Grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same Body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of GOD's Grace, which was given me by the working of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this Grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God Who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of GOD might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that He has realized in Christ Jesus our LORD, through Whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory."
Hebrews 2:5-9 "For it was not to angels that GOD subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, "What is man, that You are mindful of him, or the son of man, that You care for Him? You made Him for a little while lower than the angels (for a short time); You have crowned Him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under His feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to Him, He left nothing outside His control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him. But we see Him Who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the Grace of GOD He might taste death for everyone."
James 4:1-10 "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with GOD? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of GOD. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us"? But He gives more Grace. Therefore it says, "GOD opposes the proud, but gives Grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to GOD. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to GOD, and He Will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the LORD, and He will exalt you."
Not given for selfish use,
1Peter 4:1-11 "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the Will of GOD. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him Who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead (separated from GOD while remaining mere men), that though judged in the (corruption of their) flesh the way people are, that they might live in the spirit the way God does. The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of GOD's varied Grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of GOD; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that GOD supplies—in order that in everything GOD may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. The Amen."
Promised to the humble,
1Peter 5:1-5 "So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as GOD would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "GOD opposes the proud but gives Grace to the humble."
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Discovering the Great and Precious Promises of GOD (Christ Centered)
Today I will look next at the Faithfulness of our LORD Christ Jesus. After a look at what Pastor Hoekstra has written of Grace in the person of Christ, yours and mine anointing. Then I will look into the Faithfulness with the use of the ESV translation and as always should the LORD give me more I will add it without hesitation.
"Obedience and the Lordship of Jesus"
"But why do you call Me "Lord, Lord," and do not do the things which I say? . . . Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them . . . [and] teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Luke 6:46 and Matthew 28:19-20)
"As servants who have put on the New Covenant of Grace, in the Lordship of Jesus, which is part of our message. "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the LORD" (2Corinthians 4:5). The early Church proclaimed Jesus as LORD. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that GOD has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both LORD and Christ . . . The word which GOD sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ — He is LORD of all . . . believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved . . . Then Paul dwelt two whole years . . . teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 2:36; 10:36; 16:31; and 28:30-31). He that is Paul, like myself had proclaimed the revelation of Christ after GOD's transformation.
The scriptures often emphasize the fact that Jesus is our LORD. The opening verses of Paul's first letter to Corinth are a clear example. "Paul . . . to those who are sanctified by Christ Jesus . . . with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our LORD . . . Grace to you and peace from GOD our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ . . . you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our LORD Jesus Christ . . . Who Will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our LORD Jesus Christ. GOD is faithful, by Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our LORD. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our LORD Jesus Christ" (1Corinthians 1:1-10).
Clearly, it is right for followers or more correctly those who have put on the Lord Jesus to call Him LORD. Yet, to call Him LORD and then disobey Him is a contradiction. "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? " After believing Jesus and identifying with Him in water baptism, disciples are to be growing in obedience: "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you." As we are learning to walk in obedience, Jesus is ever present within us. "I am with you always." Day by day, He offers the needed Grace for obedience: "Declared to be the Son of GOD with power . . . through Whom we have received Grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith" (Romans 1:4-5).
The Faithfulness of Christ:
1Thessalonians 5:23-24 "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. He Who calls you is faithful; He Will surely do it."
2Thessalonians 3:1-5 "Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word (the living true Life revelation) of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith (as the many will choose to remain weaker and in ignorance of the Truth and Grace which is Christ). But the LORD is Faithful. He Will establish you and guard you against the evil one. We have confidence in the LORD about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the LORD direct your hearts to the Love of GOD and to the steadfastness of Christ."
Hebrews 2:14-18 "Since, therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that He helps, but He helps the offspring (those who acquire the trust and faith) of Abraham. Therefore He had to be made like His brothers (those with whom He was identified with in mans humanity) in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and Faithful High Priest in the service of GOD, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted."
Hebrews 10:19-25 "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the New and Living Way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great Priest over the House (Family unit) of GOD, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (of His words). Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is Faithful. Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works (of faith and obedience), not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Revelation 1:4-6, 7 "John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To Him Who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His GOD and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.
Revelation 19:11-16 "I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of GOD. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He Will rule them with a rod of iron. He Will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of GOD the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and LORD of lords."
"Obedience and the Lordship of Jesus"
"But why do you call Me "Lord, Lord," and do not do the things which I say? . . . Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them . . . [and] teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Luke 6:46 and Matthew 28:19-20)
"As servants who have put on the New Covenant of Grace, in the Lordship of Jesus, which is part of our message. "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the LORD" (2Corinthians 4:5). The early Church proclaimed Jesus as LORD. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that GOD has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both LORD and Christ . . . The word which GOD sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ — He is LORD of all . . . believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved . . . Then Paul dwelt two whole years . . . teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 2:36; 10:36; 16:31; and 28:30-31). He that is Paul, like myself had proclaimed the revelation of Christ after GOD's transformation.
The scriptures often emphasize the fact that Jesus is our LORD. The opening verses of Paul's first letter to Corinth are a clear example. "Paul . . . to those who are sanctified by Christ Jesus . . . with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our LORD . . . Grace to you and peace from GOD our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ . . . you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our LORD Jesus Christ . . . Who Will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our LORD Jesus Christ. GOD is faithful, by Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our LORD. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our LORD Jesus Christ" (1Corinthians 1:1-10).
Clearly, it is right for followers or more correctly those who have put on the Lord Jesus to call Him LORD. Yet, to call Him LORD and then disobey Him is a contradiction. "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? " After believing Jesus and identifying with Him in water baptism, disciples are to be growing in obedience: "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you." As we are learning to walk in obedience, Jesus is ever present within us. "I am with you always." Day by day, He offers the needed Grace for obedience: "Declared to be the Son of GOD with power . . . through Whom we have received Grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith" (Romans 1:4-5).
The Faithfulness of Christ:
1Thessalonians 5:23-24 "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. He Who calls you is faithful; He Will surely do it."
2Thessalonians 3:1-5 "Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word (the living true Life revelation) of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith (as the many will choose to remain weaker and in ignorance of the Truth and Grace which is Christ). But the LORD is Faithful. He Will establish you and guard you against the evil one. We have confidence in the LORD about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the LORD direct your hearts to the Love of GOD and to the steadfastness of Christ."
Hebrews 2:14-18 "Since, therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that He helps, but He helps the offspring (those who acquire the trust and faith) of Abraham. Therefore He had to be made like His brothers (those with whom He was identified with in mans humanity) in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and Faithful High Priest in the service of GOD, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted."
Hebrews 10:19-25 "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the New and Living Way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great Priest over the House (Family unit) of GOD, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (of His words). Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is Faithful. Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works (of faith and obedience), not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Revelation 1:4-6, 7 "John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To Him Who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His GOD and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.
Revelation 19:11-16 "I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of GOD. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He Will rule them with a rod of iron. He Will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of GOD the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and LORD of lords."
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Discovering the Great and Precious Promises of GOD (Christ Centered)
With todays being I am on the way to closing this blog as its purpose will have been reached. I am about to look into the Grace and GOD first and then into the Grace of my LORD, Christ Jesus, the duration of this effect is unknown to me. But as has become my habit I will again call on Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace the person of Christ my LORD. Then I will begin the journey into Grace with the use of the ESV translation. And as always should the LORD within me give insight I will add it there and then. But first I wont to look again at GOD's Faithfulness.
"The Work of the Holy Spirit unto Obedience"
"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." (Ezekiel 36:27)
"When we placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we were born again. We are made new creatures in Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). We received a new spiritual heart, as promised of old. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you" (Ezekiel 36:26).
Now, how does a new creature in Christ grow in a life of obedience? Our natural thinking might assume that a Christian could grow in obedience by simply doing his best to walk in the will of GOD. The next verse in Ezekiel's prophecy reveals that GOD has a better plan in mind. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes." The born again follower of Jesus is not designed to operate on his own best efforts. The Holy Spirit is to be the heavenly dynamic developing a life of obedience.
A disobedient life would include attitudes and actions that our fallen physical bodies naturally crave. These are to be taken to the cross, to be rendered as crucified with Christ. "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of GOD is coming upon the sons of disobedience" (Colossians 3:5-6). The Holy Spirit wants to enable us to respond properly concerning such carnal desires. "If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:13). These fallen, natural cravings are described as the "lusts of the flesh" in Galatians. They are overcome as we yield to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
Again, this work of the Holy Spirit is not automatic or "robotic." Rather, it is a relational matter. It is realized in our lives through humble dependency which the Holy Spirit within develops. It is possible to resist the work of the Holy Spirit in us. "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit" (Acts 7:51). It is when we depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead us in the path of obedience that we will truly live as obedient children of GOD. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of GOD, these are sons of GOD" (Romans 8:14).
Divine Faithfulness:
Deuteronomy 7:7-11 and 9:4-5 "It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set His love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that He swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is GOD, the faithful GOD Who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate Him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates Him. He will repay him to his face. You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today."
Deuteronomy 9:4-5 "Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that He may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
1Kings 8:56-61 "Blessed be the LORD Who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He spoke by Moses His servant (in our case it is Paul and the revelation of Grace in Christ given him). The LORD our GOD be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us or forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His rules, which He commanded our fathers. Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may He maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is GOD; there is no other. Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD our GOD, walking in His statutes and keeping His commandments, as at this day."
Psalm 36:5-9 "Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of GOD; Your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast You saved, O LORD. How precious is Your steadfast love, O GOD! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your Light (order) do we see light."
Psalm 89:1-4 and 105:8-15 "I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, "Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness." You have said, "I have made a covenant with My chosen ones; I have sworn to David My servant: 'I Will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.'"
Psalm 105:8-15 "He remembers His covenant forever, the word that He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that He made with Abraham, His sworn promise to Isaac, which He confirmed to Jacob as a statute, (ours is based on Better Promises in the blood of Jesus) to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance." When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it, wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, He allowed no one to oppress them; He rebuked kings on their account, saying, "Touch not My anointed ones, do My prophets no harm!"
1Corinthians 1:3, 4-9 "Grace to you and peace from GOD our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my GOD always for you because of the Grace of GOD that was given you in (through) Christ Jesus, that in every way you are enriched by Him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our LORD, Jesus Christ, Who sustains you to the end, guiltless in the day of our LORD, Jesus Christ. GOD is Faithful, by Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our LORD."
Hebrews 6:13-7:3 "When GOD made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater by whom to swear, HE swore by Himself (in Genesis 22:15-18), saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when GOD desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it with an Oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for GOD to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High GOD, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of GOD He continues a Priest forever."
1Peter 4:12-19 "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of Glory and of GOD rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify GOD in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of GOD; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the Gospel of GOD? And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" Therefore let those who suffer according to GOD's Will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."
"The Work of the Holy Spirit unto Obedience"
"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." (Ezekiel 36:27)
"When we placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we were born again. We are made new creatures in Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). We received a new spiritual heart, as promised of old. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you" (Ezekiel 36:26).
Now, how does a new creature in Christ grow in a life of obedience? Our natural thinking might assume that a Christian could grow in obedience by simply doing his best to walk in the will of GOD. The next verse in Ezekiel's prophecy reveals that GOD has a better plan in mind. "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes." The born again follower of Jesus is not designed to operate on his own best efforts. The Holy Spirit is to be the heavenly dynamic developing a life of obedience.
A disobedient life would include attitudes and actions that our fallen physical bodies naturally crave. These are to be taken to the cross, to be rendered as crucified with Christ. "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of GOD is coming upon the sons of disobedience" (Colossians 3:5-6). The Holy Spirit wants to enable us to respond properly concerning such carnal desires. "If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (Romans 8:13). These fallen, natural cravings are described as the "lusts of the flesh" in Galatians. They are overcome as we yield to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
Again, this work of the Holy Spirit is not automatic or "robotic." Rather, it is a relational matter. It is realized in our lives through humble dependency which the Holy Spirit within develops. It is possible to resist the work of the Holy Spirit in us. "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit" (Acts 7:51). It is when we depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead us in the path of obedience that we will truly live as obedient children of GOD. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of GOD, these are sons of GOD" (Romans 8:14).
Divine Faithfulness:
Deuteronomy 7:7-11 and 9:4-5 "It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set His love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that He swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is GOD, the faithful GOD Who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate Him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates Him. He will repay him to his face. You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today."
Deuteronomy 9:4-5 "Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that He may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
1Kings 8:56-61 "Blessed be the LORD Who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He spoke by Moses His servant (in our case it is Paul and the revelation of Grace in Christ given him). The LORD our GOD be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us or forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His rules, which He commanded our fathers. Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may He maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is GOD; there is no other. Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD our GOD, walking in His statutes and keeping His commandments, as at this day."
Psalm 36:5-9 "Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains of GOD; Your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast You saved, O LORD. How precious is Your steadfast love, O GOD! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your Light (order) do we see light."
Psalm 89:1-4 and 105:8-15 "I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, "Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness." You have said, "I have made a covenant with My chosen ones; I have sworn to David My servant: 'I Will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.'"
Psalm 105:8-15 "He remembers His covenant forever, the word that He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that He made with Abraham, His sworn promise to Isaac, which He confirmed to Jacob as a statute, (ours is based on Better Promises in the blood of Jesus) to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance." When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it, wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, He allowed no one to oppress them; He rebuked kings on their account, saying, "Touch not My anointed ones, do My prophets no harm!"
1Corinthians 1:3, 4-9 "Grace to you and peace from GOD our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my GOD always for you because of the Grace of GOD that was given you in (through) Christ Jesus, that in every way you are enriched by Him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our LORD, Jesus Christ, Who sustains you to the end, guiltless in the day of our LORD, Jesus Christ. GOD is Faithful, by Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our LORD."
Hebrews 6:13-7:3 "When GOD made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater by whom to swear, HE swore by Himself (in Genesis 22:15-18), saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when GOD desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it with an Oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for GOD to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High GOD, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of GOD He continues a Priest forever."
1Peter 4:12-19 "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of Glory and of GOD rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify GOD in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of GOD; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the Gospel of GOD? And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" Therefore let those who suffer according to GOD's Will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good."
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Discovering the Great and Precious Promises of GOD (Christ Centered)
Today, I will turn my attention to Eternal Life as formed or reprogrammed into the soul and spirit of redeemed man. It is this that carries the title of Salvation in a broad respect of teaching by the worldly churches of our day. Because they deny GOD's respective as being a narrow way in fact they do not accept the teaching of Christ's essence being within you and me. By so ding they frustrate the Grace of GOD as seen in Galatians 2:20-21 which states this, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not nullify the Grace of GOD, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose." Over the past few days Pastor Hoekstra has been revealing this Truth found in the last verse here stated. Speaking of Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace I will again use it here and then look into Eternal Life with the use of the ESV translation. And as always if the LORD gives a word I will add it there and then.
"The New Covenant Promise of a New Heart"
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26)
"To live in obedience to the Will of God, His plan and purposes, man needs more than his own best efforts and intentions. The history of Israel emphatically demonstrates this. GOD gave His law through Moses. His requirements for Israel's safety and security from disease and mans sin nature. He commanded them, saying, "Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them" (Ezekiel 20:19). Israel had promised to obey. "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient" (Exodus 24:7). Nevertheless, they failed miserably. "Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments" (Ezekiel 20:21).
In order to live obedient lives, people need a New life from GOD, followed by understanding in how to develop that new life. Here, we see a promise from GOD to supply this New Life. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you." These promises are related to the New Covenant of Grace that the prophets proclaimed for Israel some day. "Behold, the days are coming . . . when I Will make a new covenant with the house of Israel . . . not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt" (Jeremiah 31:31-32). The book of Hebrews elaborates on this New Covenant of Grace and applies it to the true Church today: "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a New and living Way which He consecrated for us" (Hebrews 10:19-20).
When anyone embraces the Grace of GOD offered in Jesus Christ (the mediator, the great High Priest of the New Covenant), that person is born again by the Spirit of GOD. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). This is a necessity. "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GOD" (John 3:3). Human "flesh-birth" brings with it a hard spiritual heart (a dead spirit). Spiritual new birth from GOD replaces this hard heart (this dead, non-responsive spirit in the circumcision of our heart). "I will give you a New Heart and put a new spirit within you." Our heart is restored as mans was as found in Genesis 2.
Think of our desperate need for this work of GOD that brings us a new heart, a newness of life. Those not born again are described as living "in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of GOD . . . because of the hardening of their heart" (Ephesians 4:17-18). Yet, whoever relies upon the Grace of GOD offered in Jesus Christ becomes a newborn child of GOD. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2Corinthians 5:17).
General references to Spiritual Life:
Daniel 12:1-4 "At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."
Matthew 25:41-46 (Jesus is speaking) "Then HE will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then HE will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into Eternal Life."
John 6:25-34 "When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man Will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal." Then they said to Him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of GOD, that you believe Him Whom HE has sent." So they said to Him, "Then what sign do You do, that we may see and believe You? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of GOD is He Who comes down from heaven and gives Life to the world." They said to Him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
John 10:22-30 "At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the Temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews (the elitists) gathered around Him and said to Him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name bear witness about Me, but you do not believe because you are not among My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they (are they) follow (become as) Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are One."
Romans 2:1-11 "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of GOD rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of GOD? Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that GOD's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when GOD's righteous judgment will be revealed. He Will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, HE Will give Eternal Life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For GOD shows no partiality."
Romans 6:20-23 "When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of GOD, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, Eternal Life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of GOD is Eternal Life in (through) Christ Jesus our LORD."
1Timothy 6:17-19 "As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on GOD, Who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."
Titus 1:1-3 "Paul, a servant of GOD and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of GOD's elect and their knowledge of the Truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of Eternal Life, which GOD, Who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in His word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of GOD our Savior."
1John 2:18-25, 26-27, 28-29 "Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, for they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. For you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the Truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the Truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise that HE made to us—Eternal Life.
I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as HE taught you, abide in Him.
Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him."
Jude 17-23 "You must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of GOD, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to Eternal Life. Have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh."
"The New Covenant Promise of a New Heart"
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26)
"To live in obedience to the Will of God, His plan and purposes, man needs more than his own best efforts and intentions. The history of Israel emphatically demonstrates this. GOD gave His law through Moses. His requirements for Israel's safety and security from disease and mans sin nature. He commanded them, saying, "Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them" (Ezekiel 20:19). Israel had promised to obey. "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient" (Exodus 24:7). Nevertheless, they failed miserably. "Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, and were not careful to observe My judgments" (Ezekiel 20:21).
In order to live obedient lives, people need a New life from GOD, followed by understanding in how to develop that new life. Here, we see a promise from GOD to supply this New Life. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you." These promises are related to the New Covenant of Grace that the prophets proclaimed for Israel some day. "Behold, the days are coming . . . when I Will make a new covenant with the house of Israel . . . not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt" (Jeremiah 31:31-32). The book of Hebrews elaborates on this New Covenant of Grace and applies it to the true Church today: "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a New and living Way which He consecrated for us" (Hebrews 10:19-20).
When anyone embraces the Grace of GOD offered in Jesus Christ (the mediator, the great High Priest of the New Covenant), that person is born again by the Spirit of GOD. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). This is a necessity. "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GOD" (John 3:3). Human "flesh-birth" brings with it a hard spiritual heart (a dead spirit). Spiritual new birth from GOD replaces this hard heart (this dead, non-responsive spirit in the circumcision of our heart). "I will give you a New Heart and put a new spirit within you." Our heart is restored as mans was as found in Genesis 2.
Think of our desperate need for this work of GOD that brings us a new heart, a newness of life. Those not born again are described as living "in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of GOD . . . because of the hardening of their heart" (Ephesians 4:17-18). Yet, whoever relies upon the Grace of GOD offered in Jesus Christ becomes a newborn child of GOD. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2Corinthians 5:17).
General references to Spiritual Life:
Daniel 12:1-4 "At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."
Matthew 25:41-46 (Jesus is speaking) "Then HE will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then HE will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into Eternal Life."
John 6:25-34 "When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man Will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal." Then they said to Him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of GOD, that you believe Him Whom HE has sent." So they said to Him, "Then what sign do You do, that we may see and believe You? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of GOD is He Who comes down from heaven and gives Life to the world." They said to Him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
John 10:22-30 "At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the Temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews (the elitists) gathered around Him and said to Him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name bear witness about Me, but you do not believe because you are not among My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they (are they) follow (become as) Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are One."
Romans 2:1-11 "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of GOD rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of GOD? Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that GOD's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when GOD's righteous judgment will be revealed. He Will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, HE Will give Eternal Life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For GOD shows no partiality."
Romans 6:20-23 "When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of GOD, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, Eternal Life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of GOD is Eternal Life in (through) Christ Jesus our LORD."
1Timothy 6:17-19 "As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on GOD, Who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."
Titus 1:1-3 "Paul, a servant of GOD and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of GOD's elect and their knowledge of the Truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of Eternal Life, which GOD, Who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in His word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of GOD our Savior."
1John 2:18-25, 26-27, 28-29 "Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, for they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. For you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the Truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the Truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise that HE made to us—Eternal Life.
I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as HE taught you, abide in Him.
Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him."
Jude 17-23 "You must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of GOD, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to Eternal Life. Have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh."
Friday, July 22, 2016
Discovering the Great and Precious Promises of GOD (Christ Centered)
The world is in turmoil lawlessness and all that goes with birth pains of child bearing, just as the Lord Jesus had said would come upon man. But for those who are Christ Centered, they watch and listen to all mans foolishness spewing from their mouths and actions. Because they are the worldly, earthy and in ignorance that they have chosen for themselves. When we look within us we find Christ's words are our source of comfort as I have covered before. How is this possible? Because it is His Life within our being that makes all the difference to us and the world around us. It is this that I will look at today. But first Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace, which I have said is the person of Christ as is Truth as John introduced to the world in his gospel. The I will with the use of the ESV translation turn to my chosen subject the Life of Christ. And as always when the LORD gives me utterance I will add it without hesitation.
"Israel's Response to the Law's Demand"
"Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient" . . . Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice." (Exodus 24:7 and Deuteronomy 26:17)
GOD's law demands wholehearted obedience. "This day the LORD your God commands us to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 26:16). When the Israelites heard this summary requirement of their Law, they confidently promised that they would obey. "Today we have proclaimed the LORD to be our GOD, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that they were to and would obey His voice." Forty years earlier, when the Lord first gave His Law through Moses to His people, they responded in a similar fashion. "Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, 'All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient'."
Their intentions were certainly commendable. However, their performance was definitely unacceptable. Even before they had departed from the mountain where the Law was given, they plunged into disobedience. "They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it" (Exodus 32:8). Soon after the death of Joshua (who led them into the Promised Land), they repeatedly rebelled against the LORD their God. The book of Judges documents this clearly: "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 3:12); "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 4:1); "Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 6:1); "Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 10:6).
Twelve hundred years later, Stephen would summarize Israel's history of disobedience. "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you" (Acts 7:51). What a sobering evaluation of those who were so confident of obeying the Law of GOD." GOD in His wisdom and foreknowledge brought about a world class transformation, a real revival of His Spirit within mans receptive heart, as Acts is our record of this event.
Christ's Life ours,
Radiant Life:
John 1:1-5 and 5:24-29 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and this life is the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
John 5:24-29 (Jesus is speaking) "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him Who sent Me has Eternal Life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to (into this) Life. "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of GOD, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has Life in Himself, so HE has granted the Son also to have (His) Life in Himself. HE has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out (Matthew 27:51 at the ";" sign through 53, 54, Ephesians 4:7-10, Colossians 1:18-23, 2:8-15; the first fruits resurrection), those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment."
Abundant Life:
John 10:1-10, 16 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door (the revelation of Christ, the Light and Life of GOD within us) but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd (such as Paul became) of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens (open the secret things of Christ, the mysteries of Christ). The sheep hear His voice (through His prophets that is to say His pastors and teachers who possess Christ's essence within them, as stated in Romans 8:9), and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice (the calling out as seen in Genesis and then Exodus with Noah and Israel and John 10:16, 27-30 and as shown above in the "coming out" and in Acts 2:14-21, 1Corinthians 15:20-58 and 1Thessalonians). A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what He was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am (now the only) the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they Will hear My voice; and they Will become one flock of One Shepherd."
Life for the Dead:
John 11:17-27 "When Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews (the Hebrew elites composed of lawyers, doctors and Priests) had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met Him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask from GOD, God Will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes (as the first marriage of Genesis 2) Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."
The Way, the Truth, the Life:
John 14:1-6, 7 (Jesus is speaking) "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I Will come again and Will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him."
Life Everlasting:
Romans 5:18-6:7, 8-11, 12-14 and 1John 1:1-3, 4, 5 "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law (both that of sin and death and Moses Law of condemnation) came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, Grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, Grace also might reign through righteousness leading to Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our LORD. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that Grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized (water baptism) into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in Newness of (His) Life. For if we have been united (the "en") with Him in a death (a marriage of two as seen in Genesis 2, in reverse) like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free (by death) from sin.
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the Life He lives He lives to GOD. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to GOD in Christ Jesus.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to GOD (Romans 12:1-2, 3 and Galatians 2:20-21) as those who have been brought from death to Life, and your members to GOD as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under Grace."
1John 1:1-3, 4, 5 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you this Eternal Life, which is with the Father and is made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that GOD is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all."
The Only Source of Life:
1John 5:5-12 "Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of GOD? This is He who came by water and blood (physical death)—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the One Who Testifies, because the Spirit is the Truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of GOD is greater, for this is the testimony of GOD that He has borne concerning His Son. Whoever believes the Son of GOD has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe GOD has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that GOD has borne concerning His Son. And this is the testimony, that GOD gave us Eternal Life, and this Life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has Life; whoever does not have the Son of GOD does not have life."
"Israel's Response to the Law's Demand"
"Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient" . . . Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice." (Exodus 24:7 and Deuteronomy 26:17)
GOD's law demands wholehearted obedience. "This day the LORD your God commands us to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 26:16). When the Israelites heard this summary requirement of their Law, they confidently promised that they would obey. "Today we have proclaimed the LORD to be our GOD, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that they were to and would obey His voice." Forty years earlier, when the Lord first gave His Law through Moses to His people, they responded in a similar fashion. "Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, 'All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient'."
Their intentions were certainly commendable. However, their performance was definitely unacceptable. Even before they had departed from the mountain where the Law was given, they plunged into disobedience. "They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it" (Exodus 32:8). Soon after the death of Joshua (who led them into the Promised Land), they repeatedly rebelled against the LORD their God. The book of Judges documents this clearly: "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 3:12); "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 4:1); "Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 6:1); "Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 10:6).
Twelve hundred years later, Stephen would summarize Israel's history of disobedience. "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you" (Acts 7:51). What a sobering evaluation of those who were so confident of obeying the Law of GOD." GOD in His wisdom and foreknowledge brought about a world class transformation, a real revival of His Spirit within mans receptive heart, as Acts is our record of this event.
Christ's Life ours,
Radiant Life:
John 1:1-5 and 5:24-29 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and this life is the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
John 5:24-29 (Jesus is speaking) "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him Who sent Me has Eternal Life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to (into this) Life. "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of GOD, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has Life in Himself, so HE has granted the Son also to have (His) Life in Himself. HE has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out (Matthew 27:51 at the ";" sign through 53, 54, Ephesians 4:7-10, Colossians 1:18-23, 2:8-15; the first fruits resurrection), those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment."
Abundant Life:
John 10:1-10, 16 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door (the revelation of Christ, the Light and Life of GOD within us) but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd (such as Paul became) of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens (open the secret things of Christ, the mysteries of Christ). The sheep hear His voice (through His prophets that is to say His pastors and teachers who possess Christ's essence within them, as stated in Romans 8:9), and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice (the calling out as seen in Genesis and then Exodus with Noah and Israel and John 10:16, 27-30 and as shown above in the "coming out" and in Acts 2:14-21, 1Corinthians 15:20-58 and 1Thessalonians). A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what He was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am (now the only) the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
"I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they Will hear My voice; and they Will become one flock of One Shepherd."
Life for the Dead:
John 11:17-27 "When Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews (the Hebrew elites composed of lawyers, doctors and Priests) had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met Him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask from GOD, God Will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes (as the first marriage of Genesis 2) Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."
The Way, the Truth, the Life:
John 14:1-6, 7 (Jesus is speaking) "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I Will come again and Will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him."
Life Everlasting:
Romans 5:18-6:7, 8-11, 12-14 and 1John 1:1-3, 4, 5 "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law (both that of sin and death and Moses Law of condemnation) came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, Grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, Grace also might reign through righteousness leading to Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our LORD. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that Grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized (water baptism) into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in Newness of (His) Life. For if we have been united (the "en") with Him in a death (a marriage of two as seen in Genesis 2, in reverse) like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free (by death) from sin.
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the Life He lives He lives to GOD. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to GOD in Christ Jesus.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to GOD (Romans 12:1-2, 3 and Galatians 2:20-21) as those who have been brought from death to Life, and your members to GOD as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under Grace."
1John 1:1-3, 4, 5 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you this Eternal Life, which is with the Father and is made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that GOD is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all."
The Only Source of Life:
1John 5:5-12 "Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of GOD? This is He who came by water and blood (physical death)—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the One Who Testifies, because the Spirit is the Truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of GOD is greater, for this is the testimony of GOD that He has borne concerning His Son. Whoever believes the Son of GOD has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe GOD has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that GOD has borne concerning His Son. And this is the testimony, that GOD gave us Eternal Life, and this Life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has Life; whoever does not have the Son of GOD does not have life."
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