Romans 5:1 "Therefore (because of what we’ve just been reading in chapter 3, that we’re a fallen race, we are in total depravity and bankrupt, but) being justified by faith, (not by works but rather by simply trusting His Word) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" How does peace with God come? By a death of our old nature having a changing of direction in our thinking from the heart, to awake back into a divine spiritual life again as at the first, placing us into the same state that Adam had before sin and death begin, justified. The secret of the cross and our being counted in Jesus, in His suffering, death, burial, resurrection into the regeneration into a new spiritual being by redemption and our salvation, ascension back to glory. The old Satanic nature put to death in two areas one our flesh and second in our flesh. For mankind is a procreated being and as such is receptive of one master, at natural birth Satan's nature is our nature but when we hear the true Gospel and it is received it awakens the seed hidden deep in our soul, the very seed of woman as found in Genesis 3:15. Its this seed that destroys Satan within us and becomes our way to the New Life through the same process which Israel was to have acquired New Life but failed to do so.
Now stop and think a moment. You know we’re surrounded by people that are just bound by works, religion and a twisting of the scriptures into what is called a bless me, prosperity religion. The bondage that so many people are in with a works-oriented or prosperity religion. They are both just in constant fear that maybe they’re not going to be able to work enough. And on top of that there is never any joy, there is never peace with God, because it’s depending on their works. Or doing what they consider the "doing of the Word". Now that’s an awful place to be. They're under the same kind of priesthood of materialism or the external ministry of the Hebrews under Aaron's order. My, that’s horrible. The Bible makes it so plain that when we come to redemption, not resting on our works, or our self sufficiency but we’re resting on what Christ has tasted for every man, and we can have peace with God. There’s no wondering, "I wonder if I’ll make it, I wonder if I’ll get to heaven or bless me because I'm so deserving of more stuff, I've given my tithes to my church etc.." No, we don’t have to wonder, because we have this wonderful Grace. Now back to the text in Romans 5:1
Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, (not works or self sufficiency but our trusting Him) we have peace with God…" Alright we want to stay with this whole concept that "Christ died for us." So now staying in Romans chapter 5, come on down to verse 6. And remember this is all going back to that verse in Hebrews where "Christ tasted death for everyone." No one can ever say, "Well, He didn’t do enough for me." Oh, yes, He did and more.
Romans 5:6 "For when we were yet without strength, (we were hopeless, beggarly and bankrupt) in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Not for good people, but He died for the ungodly, those without God (Psalms 1: 1; 1 Timothy1:9-10) . Now verse 7.
Romans 5:7 "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die." Yeah that could be possible. Here is a fellow who is so admirable and so looked up to, and he suddenly gets framed of a crime or whatever, and someone might come along and take his punishment, that’s a possibility. But for a no good, a reprobate, who would want to die for that kind of a person? Well, you’d probably say, "Nobody would, it’s probably good riddance." But you see that’s what we were, and Christ the Creator God, died for us. We've all been born into darkness and slavery to the spirit of the world though we've been ignorant of our condition, all of our natural life we've had one foot held by hells fire. Now verse 8.
Romans 5:8 "But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." So this is the whole idea of Hebrews. Yes, that which was in the past: Judaism, the Levitical Law, the Temple Worship, it was good. After all, God ordained it - but everything now on this side of the Cross and especially after the revelations of Paul’s mysteries, we now have something that is so much better. The comparison throughout the Epistle of Hebrews is that Christ is better and higher than the angels and that the New Covenant of God's Grace is based upon far Better things than the old. And that one thing and another is better than that which went before. As the old was based on mans performance and the external, materialism of works-oriented religion of legalism called Judaism which many churches have copied in some form as worship.
The Apostle is showing the epitome of Christ and Who He really is! How that He was the Son, and, how that He was the One Who will one day rule and reign on a new inhabited earth. (That was in verse 5.) Now we have been showing in the last couple of verses in chapter 2, how that even though He was the Creator God, He was the Ruler of the universe - for a little while He took His position lower than the angels. In other words, He became man. This is what we are looking at now in these verses, how God the Creator in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth – the Man, Who has accomplished everything that needed to be accomplished. And in His death, He not only tasted death for us, as believers, but for every human being who has ever lived. Let’s move on into verse 10.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
The Epistle to the Hebrews part XXXVIII
Romans 3:9 "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;" And what’s synonymous with sin? Death! Everybody, both Hebrew and Gentile are under the curse of sin and death. All man kind was originally created in Adam an angelic being and receptive of God's nature but with the fall man became human, earthy or carnal and retained the receptive portion in his soul and is therefore became governed by Satan until such time as the Light of God is invited in to regenerate mans condition of sin to holiness. Consequently, we find in verse 10:
Romans 3:10-11 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; 11. There is none that understands, there is none that seek after God." "Man never goes looking after God, but rather it’s God Who always seeks the sinner." Go back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. After they had sinned and had sewed their fig leaves, and they knew God was coming down the path - did they run to meet Him? No! But rather, what did they do? They hid. But God came looking for them, not that He didn’t know where they were, but the whole idea was, to show us that God seeks that which He had lost, the sinner. Well, when we get to John’s gospel, that’s exactly what it says. In fact come back to John’s gospel chapter 3 so we can see it with our own eyes, because this is the mental makeup of sinful men, women, boy and girls, we’re all alike, and this is the true picture.
John 3:19-20 "And this is the condemnation, (this is mankind’s problem) that light is come into the world, (see how that fits with what we read a moment ago?) and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20. For every one that does evil (anything contrary to the will and word of God) hats the light, neither come to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." Now in your mind’s eye, can you picture Adam and Eve? This is the perfect picture. They had sinned, they sewed fig leaves, but were they ready to meet their righteous Lord? No! So instead of running to meet Him and get right with Him, what did they do? They ran and hid, because their deeds were evil, they had been disobedient, and this is the perfect picture of it. So, since they had done evil, they hated the Light, they didn’t want to come to the Light, they ran and hid. Now come back to Romans and this is just an extension of all of this. Evil men are what they are because they’ve rejected the Light and embraced darkness, Satan's nature. Now reading on in Romans chapter 3, and verse 10.
Let's do a word study by getting the meaning of “light, redemption, and salvation” from Thayer's Greek Definitions: an we'll shorten it to just the biblical meaning:
G5457 Strong's numbering: light
Thayer's definition #2) metaphorically
2a) God is light because light has the extremely delicate, subtle, pure, brilliant quality
2b) of truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it
2c) that which is exposed to the view of all, openly, publicly
2d) reason, mind
2d1) the power of understanding especially moral and spiritual truth
G3083, 3084, 3085
Thayer Definition:
1) the price for redeeming, ransom
1a) paid for slaves, captives
1b) for the ransom of life
2) to liberate many from misery and the penalty of their sins
3) to deliver: from evils of every kind, internal and external;
metaphorically, to overthrow, to do away with
G4991, 4990, 4992
1) deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation
1a) deliverance from the molestation of enemies
1b) in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls safety or salvation
1b1) of Messianic salvation
2) salvation as the present possession of all true Christians
3) future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.
Romans 3:10-11a "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: 11. There is none that understands,…" Why? Because we are a fallen race, we are bent to sin, because of Adam. Remember: "We’re not sinners because we have sinned, we’ve sinned because we’re sinners." Well, this is what these verses are telling us, that the human race is just bent to sin. Living under a veil of blindness of eyes and deafness of ears, our thinking is only worldly because we pay more attention to the worldly things. Verse 12.
Romans 3:12 "They are all (the human race, not just the Hebrews, not just Gentile) gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one." And then the Word goes on to describe the human nature, and the culmination of it is in verse 18.
Romans 3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now that seems like a harsh statement, but it’s true, as they really don’t fear Him. And even if they do want to recognize that there’s an eternity out there, we know what they rationalize? "Well, I don’t think I’ve been that bad, I think God will be good to me, I think He’ll let me in." And they cannot comprehend that God cannot tolerate their sin when He had done everything that He has done to bring about their redemption which brings us to salvation, if we falter not while on the way or path. Now we think we can now come all the way down to verse 23 here in Romans chapter 3. And here is the Apostle Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit’s conclusion.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:24 "Being justified freely (not because of our works, not because of what we can do, or even some religious action but) by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"(again this is positional) Well that’s enough for that portion - let’s look at another in Romans chapter 5, and let’s start with verse 1.
Romans 3:10-11 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; 11. There is none that understands, there is none that seek after God." "Man never goes looking after God, but rather it’s God Who always seeks the sinner." Go back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. After they had sinned and had sewed their fig leaves, and they knew God was coming down the path - did they run to meet Him? No! But rather, what did they do? They hid. But God came looking for them, not that He didn’t know where they were, but the whole idea was, to show us that God seeks that which He had lost, the sinner. Well, when we get to John’s gospel, that’s exactly what it says. In fact come back to John’s gospel chapter 3 so we can see it with our own eyes, because this is the mental makeup of sinful men, women, boy and girls, we’re all alike, and this is the true picture.
John 3:19-20 "And this is the condemnation, (this is mankind’s problem) that light is come into the world, (see how that fits with what we read a moment ago?) and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20. For every one that does evil (anything contrary to the will and word of God) hats the light, neither come to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." Now in your mind’s eye, can you picture Adam and Eve? This is the perfect picture. They had sinned, they sewed fig leaves, but were they ready to meet their righteous Lord? No! So instead of running to meet Him and get right with Him, what did they do? They ran and hid, because their deeds were evil, they had been disobedient, and this is the perfect picture of it. So, since they had done evil, they hated the Light, they didn’t want to come to the Light, they ran and hid. Now come back to Romans and this is just an extension of all of this. Evil men are what they are because they’ve rejected the Light and embraced darkness, Satan's nature. Now reading on in Romans chapter 3, and verse 10.
Let's do a word study by getting the meaning of “light, redemption, and salvation” from Thayer's Greek Definitions: an we'll shorten it to just the biblical meaning:
G5457 Strong's numbering: light
Thayer's definition #2) metaphorically
2a) God is light because light has the extremely delicate, subtle, pure, brilliant quality
2b) of truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it
2c) that which is exposed to the view of all, openly, publicly
2d) reason, mind
2d1) the power of understanding especially moral and spiritual truth
G3083, 3084, 3085
Thayer Definition:
1) the price for redeeming, ransom
1a) paid for slaves, captives
1b) for the ransom of life
2) to liberate many from misery and the penalty of their sins
3) to deliver: from evils of every kind, internal and external;
metaphorically, to overthrow, to do away with
G4991, 4990, 4992
1) deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation
1a) deliverance from the molestation of enemies
1b) in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls safety or salvation
1b1) of Messianic salvation
2) salvation as the present possession of all true Christians
3) future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.
Romans 3:10-11a "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: 11. There is none that understands,…" Why? Because we are a fallen race, we are bent to sin, because of Adam. Remember: "We’re not sinners because we have sinned, we’ve sinned because we’re sinners." Well, this is what these verses are telling us, that the human race is just bent to sin. Living under a veil of blindness of eyes and deafness of ears, our thinking is only worldly because we pay more attention to the worldly things. Verse 12.
Romans 3:12 "They are all (the human race, not just the Hebrews, not just Gentile) gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one." And then the Word goes on to describe the human nature, and the culmination of it is in verse 18.
Romans 3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now that seems like a harsh statement, but it’s true, as they really don’t fear Him. And even if they do want to recognize that there’s an eternity out there, we know what they rationalize? "Well, I don’t think I’ve been that bad, I think God will be good to me, I think He’ll let me in." And they cannot comprehend that God cannot tolerate their sin when He had done everything that He has done to bring about their redemption which brings us to salvation, if we falter not while on the way or path. Now we think we can now come all the way down to verse 23 here in Romans chapter 3. And here is the Apostle Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit’s conclusion.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:24 "Being justified freely (not because of our works, not because of what we can do, or even some religious action but) by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"(again this is positional) Well that’s enough for that portion - let’s look at another in Romans chapter 5, and let’s start with verse 1.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
The Epistle to the Hebrews part XXXVII
John 1:9 "That was the true Light, which lighted every man that comes into the world." Now that’s what it says, and we can’t argue with that, we can comprehend it. It requires the inspiration of revelation of Genesis chapters 1-4, covered in another writing. We know it’s hard for many to comprehend, how some soul out in the outback of Australia, who we think has never heard the Gospel - yet the Scripture says, he has received enough Light that he can escape condemnation. And again we always have to use Romans chapter 1, and verse 20, which we saw before this verse in John several years ago, we wondered how Paul could write, even by inspiration, something like this. When we think there are billions who have never heard, and if they’ve never heard, how can they be responsible? Well, that’s not what the Bible teaches. That’s what humans think, and even a lot of us are prone to think that if people have never heard, then how can they be responsible. They're responsible because man was created in the image and likeness of God the Spirit, in other words man is spiritual and receptive as such by his very nature though he's in a bestial condition or state of being, separated from his creator by sin and death. The fallen bestial nature of the fallen angels. But death of the bestial nature can work for man to reverse the first process. And that is what the true Gospel is all about, as it is very good news.
Romans 1:20 "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world (even before Adam was created) are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, (in other words the stars, the sun, and the moon and even nature itself reveals God's nature and endless life.... etc.) even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they (multitudes of the human race that we think have never heard and the angelic host) are without excuse:" Now those are awesome words aren’t they? And these people are going to come before the Great White Throne without a word of argument. They are suddenly going to know that they deserve the doom that is coming because they’ve rejected the Light that was given. Now then, we’re going to look at this whole idea of death that we alluded, that we’d be looking at how Christ not only will become King of Kings, but He’s going to put everything in the secular world under His feet, but He’s also going to defeat our arch enemy, death. And the only way you can defeat death is with death! Now for that study let’s go back to Genesis chapter 2, and verse 17. Here the Lord is talking to Adam and He says:
Genesis 2:17 "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it, for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die." (death, the separation of God's presences) Now the moment that Adam an angelic being just placed into an earth suit ate, what entered the world? Death! Sin and Death became part and parcel of the human experience as well as all of nature. Because of the eating of the fruit mans understanding and sight was changed from spiritually divine realm to that of blindness to spiritual truths and the nature or likeness of the bestial nature, to self-centered. Everything is now facing death. Before we go any farther we should look at Genesis chapter 4 for in it we find that God was with man until shortly after Cain slue Abel. All that went before was considered to be the laying of the foundation of the world. And we can see this in verse 14 and 26 as within it are two ancient words used both in our Bibles say the same word, earth or world. In verse 26 we see that after Cain was cast from the presence of God or as stated the face of God that all man began to worship of the LORD. But each has a different meaning and purpose. Now let’s look at the next one still in the Old Testament in Ezekiel chapter 18. We’re just going to see from Scripture that this is not just a one time statement, but rather it’s one of the very fundamental truths that we have to face. Let’s drop in at verse 4, and this is a verse we guess that throws a curve at a lot of people because of the very first statement. Well of course every soul that’s ever lived is God’s because the soul, or mans spirit (as man started as a divine being an angel Genesis 1:26-27) comes from God, and they are God’s, but it’s going to be up to His Sovereignty to determine whether they spend eternity with Him, or are separated from Him (as they, man, remains spiritually asleep, the seed requires illumination to bring forth life). But that doesn’t take away the fact of the first part of this verse.
Ezekiel 18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: (now here comes that crowning statement) the soul that sins, it shall die." (or remain asleep, separated from God, there is no quickening of mans spirit within him to new life in God, when the natural or bestial mans flesh dies he as an angel passes through the join his fallen counter parts in hells fire) See, there’s no escaping death. The whole human race is headed for death. Now first and foremost we look at physical death. We’re all, unless the Lord comes in our lifetime, going to die physically, sleep, but there’s two areas of life and death that we have to deal with, and that is the spiritual, as well as the physical. Now we saw in John chapter 5, how that Jesus spoke of a resurrection of those who were spiritually alive, by virtue of their faith, and on the other hand, those who would be physically dead, and the two of course we always have to keep separate. So now we want to bring us all the way up to John’s gospel chapter 12, because this is one of the fundamental truths of Scripture, that the only way we can overcome sin or death, is with death or by death. So this is why Christ had to die and is part of the secret marriage that was hid in God.
Since everything in Scripture speaks of death being overcome with death, or we cannot have life until we have death, and we always use the plant kingdom for an example, because we’re all acquainted with gardening, or agriculture of some sort. But if we plant a seed in the moist warm soil, what happens to that original seed? It dies, then outside husk decays! Anyone that has ever been in biology knows that. That seed dies! Now out of that death process, what happens next? New life, and reproduction! Before something can have new life, something has to die.(John12:24 tells us that)
Now here is the way the Lord Jesus Himself put it in John chapter 12, and verse 23, and of course this is the time when certain Gentiles (who had no doubt heard all about Jesus’ earthly ministry, and all the miracles, signs, and wonders that He had performed, and they’re curiosity was exercised) approach Andrew and Philip, and then they go in and tell Jesus that there are Greeks that want to see Him. Now verse 23.
John 12:23 "Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, (remember this is the great feast of Passover and people are already gathering around the temple area, so His crucifixion is only a matter of hours but a greater thing is about to be revealed) that the Son of man should be glorified. 24. Verily, verily, I say to you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit."
Now the whole concept of nature is based on that very concept. This is the meaning of "and greater things shall you do because I go to the Father", Jesus as man was limited by time and distance but as a Spirit there is no such obstacles. Now spiritually, let’s look at it from Paul’s point of view, so let’s go to Romans chapter 3 for a minute where you’ll find that as a result of spiritual death of man, brought about by Adam’s fall, this is the result.
Romans 1:20 "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world (even before Adam was created) are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, (in other words the stars, the sun, and the moon and even nature itself reveals God's nature and endless life.... etc.) even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they (multitudes of the human race that we think have never heard and the angelic host) are without excuse:" Now those are awesome words aren’t they? And these people are going to come before the Great White Throne without a word of argument. They are suddenly going to know that they deserve the doom that is coming because they’ve rejected the Light that was given. Now then, we’re going to look at this whole idea of death that we alluded, that we’d be looking at how Christ not only will become King of Kings, but He’s going to put everything in the secular world under His feet, but He’s also going to defeat our arch enemy, death. And the only way you can defeat death is with death! Now for that study let’s go back to Genesis chapter 2, and verse 17. Here the Lord is talking to Adam and He says:
Genesis 2:17 "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it, for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die." (death, the separation of God's presences) Now the moment that Adam an angelic being just placed into an earth suit ate, what entered the world? Death! Sin and Death became part and parcel of the human experience as well as all of nature. Because of the eating of the fruit mans understanding and sight was changed from spiritually divine realm to that of blindness to spiritual truths and the nature or likeness of the bestial nature, to self-centered. Everything is now facing death. Before we go any farther we should look at Genesis chapter 4 for in it we find that God was with man until shortly after Cain slue Abel. All that went before was considered to be the laying of the foundation of the world. And we can see this in verse 14 and 26 as within it are two ancient words used both in our Bibles say the same word, earth or world. In verse 26 we see that after Cain was cast from the presence of God or as stated the face of God that all man began to worship of the LORD. But each has a different meaning and purpose. Now let’s look at the next one still in the Old Testament in Ezekiel chapter 18. We’re just going to see from Scripture that this is not just a one time statement, but rather it’s one of the very fundamental truths that we have to face. Let’s drop in at verse 4, and this is a verse we guess that throws a curve at a lot of people because of the very first statement. Well of course every soul that’s ever lived is God’s because the soul, or mans spirit (as man started as a divine being an angel Genesis 1:26-27) comes from God, and they are God’s, but it’s going to be up to His Sovereignty to determine whether they spend eternity with Him, or are separated from Him (as they, man, remains spiritually asleep, the seed requires illumination to bring forth life). But that doesn’t take away the fact of the first part of this verse.
Ezekiel 18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: (now here comes that crowning statement) the soul that sins, it shall die." (or remain asleep, separated from God, there is no quickening of mans spirit within him to new life in God, when the natural or bestial mans flesh dies he as an angel passes through the join his fallen counter parts in hells fire) See, there’s no escaping death. The whole human race is headed for death. Now first and foremost we look at physical death. We’re all, unless the Lord comes in our lifetime, going to die physically, sleep, but there’s two areas of life and death that we have to deal with, and that is the spiritual, as well as the physical. Now we saw in John chapter 5, how that Jesus spoke of a resurrection of those who were spiritually alive, by virtue of their faith, and on the other hand, those who would be physically dead, and the two of course we always have to keep separate. So now we want to bring us all the way up to John’s gospel chapter 12, because this is one of the fundamental truths of Scripture, that the only way we can overcome sin or death, is with death or by death. So this is why Christ had to die and is part of the secret marriage that was hid in God.
Since everything in Scripture speaks of death being overcome with death, or we cannot have life until we have death, and we always use the plant kingdom for an example, because we’re all acquainted with gardening, or agriculture of some sort. But if we plant a seed in the moist warm soil, what happens to that original seed? It dies, then outside husk decays! Anyone that has ever been in biology knows that. That seed dies! Now out of that death process, what happens next? New life, and reproduction! Before something can have new life, something has to die.(John12:24 tells us that)
Now here is the way the Lord Jesus Himself put it in John chapter 12, and verse 23, and of course this is the time when certain Gentiles (who had no doubt heard all about Jesus’ earthly ministry, and all the miracles, signs, and wonders that He had performed, and they’re curiosity was exercised) approach Andrew and Philip, and then they go in and tell Jesus that there are Greeks that want to see Him. Now verse 23.
John 12:23 "Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, (remember this is the great feast of Passover and people are already gathering around the temple area, so His crucifixion is only a matter of hours but a greater thing is about to be revealed) that the Son of man should be glorified. 24. Verily, verily, I say to you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit."
Now the whole concept of nature is based on that very concept. This is the meaning of "and greater things shall you do because I go to the Father", Jesus as man was limited by time and distance but as a Spirit there is no such obstacles. Now spiritually, let’s look at it from Paul’s point of view, so let’s go to Romans chapter 3 for a minute where you’ll find that as a result of spiritual death of man, brought about by Adam’s fall, this is the result.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
The Epistle to the Hebrews part XXXVI
1Corinthians 15:22a
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…" Now all is going to be made alive someday, but not all will be with Christ. Let’s look at that in John’s gospel chapter 5. And this is exactly what Paul is alluding to, that even the lost are going to be resurrected but for a short time. Jesus is speaking in His earthly ministry and says:
John 5:28 "Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice." In other words, everyone that has lived and died is going to be resurrected at one time or another. Remember that the first resurrection took place when Jesus was raised from the grave and the tombs were opened and the dead walked the streets of Jerusalem after the earth quake that early first day of the week, in the morning, as the first fruits or were they. Now verse 29.
John 5:29 "And shall come forth,(the first fruits, at Christ' resurrection) they that have done good, (people of trust, or the ones who have passed through conversion and the regeneration by redemption and later become part of the Body of Christ, the main body as few reach beyond) to the resurrection of life(those that come to salvation); and they that have done evil, (they’ve stayed in unbelief by wickedness, lawlessness, evil deeds and iniquity was in them, all that go to the final judgment) unto the resurrection of damnation."(the final judgment of the great white throne) Now those are the three resurrections, and the Book of Revelation separates the final judgment by 1000 years. Now come back to I Corinthians chapter 15.
I Corinthians 15:22-23 "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, 23. But every man in his own order (or company) Christ the first fruits; (those who rose after His resurrection in Matthew chapter 27) afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming." Which we feel will be the Departure of the Church and or the last of the last of days. The trigger which starts the greater part of the tribulation, the last 3 1/2 years possibly. Now verse 24. This is the verse I want to look at.
I Corinthians 15:24-26 "Then comes the end, (human history as we now know it) when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, (this Kingdom in which He’s going rule and reign) even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. 25. For He must reign, till He has put all enemies under His feet. (not just the empires of politics, religion, economies and governments but death and hell) 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed (or put under His feet) is death." And we know death is our greatest enemy, and then verse 27.
I Corinthians 15:27 "For He has put all things under His feet, …" Even death which will be the final enemy! We’ve established, that He, Jesus is Christ, our Lord and Savior, will be the One Who will be the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords of the world to come, in this inhabited earth that will be made again like the Garden of Eden. We also know He is higher than the angels, even though for the work of the cross, He became a little lower than the angels for a short time. But now then, as the One Who will be the ruler, and the King of this coming Kingdom, we find that the last part of verse 8 gives us a clue, that even though all these things are being made ready, and we know it’s coming, it just hasn’t happened yet, and that’s what it says. So let’s begin this study with verse 9, but look at the last part of verse 8 in Hebrews chapter 2.
Hebrews 2:8b-9 "…But now we see not yet all things put under him. (It’s still in a future time. Now verse 9) But (this much we know. Even though the Kingdom hasn’t come in yet,) we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels (for just a little while) for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the Grace of God should taste death for every man." (Genesis 5 the study on the names of the heirs of Adam through Noah reveal this to be a true fact. Adam means man, Seth- appointed, Enosh-mortal, Kenan or Cainan-sorrow, Mahlalei-the blessed God, Jared-shall come down, Enoch-treaching, Methuselah-His death shall bring, Lamech-the despairing, Noah-comfort or rest. Now putting this together; Man appointed mortal sorrow the blessed God shall come down teaching his death shall bring the despairing comfort.) Can we get what this is saying?
Not just for those who will be saved and go to glory, but He tasted death for the billions that are going to go to their doom. And of course that’s what is going to make it so awful. We think the worst part of the Lake of Fire will be that people will realize that they did not have to be there. They’re there because they chose to be there, and it’s going to be a horrible time of regret, "Why didn’t I take what was offered?" But you see, by then it’s going to be too late. But the thing that we always like to emphasize is that when Christ finished the work of cross, He opened redemption and salvation to every last human being.
Let’s go back to John’s gospel chapter 1 verse 9. When we taught this before, we told our class, "I can’t explain this." But the Word of God says it, and we believe it. But can’t explain, we don’t know how this can possibly be. This is an awesome verse. And here it’s speaking of Jesus Christ the Light of the world.
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…" Now all is going to be made alive someday, but not all will be with Christ. Let’s look at that in John’s gospel chapter 5. And this is exactly what Paul is alluding to, that even the lost are going to be resurrected but for a short time. Jesus is speaking in His earthly ministry and says:
John 5:28 "Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice." In other words, everyone that has lived and died is going to be resurrected at one time or another. Remember that the first resurrection took place when Jesus was raised from the grave and the tombs were opened and the dead walked the streets of Jerusalem after the earth quake that early first day of the week, in the morning, as the first fruits or were they. Now verse 29.
John 5:29 "And shall come forth,(the first fruits, at Christ' resurrection) they that have done good, (people of trust, or the ones who have passed through conversion and the regeneration by redemption and later become part of the Body of Christ, the main body as few reach beyond) to the resurrection of life(those that come to salvation); and they that have done evil, (they’ve stayed in unbelief by wickedness, lawlessness, evil deeds and iniquity was in them, all that go to the final judgment) unto the resurrection of damnation."(the final judgment of the great white throne) Now those are the three resurrections, and the Book of Revelation separates the final judgment by 1000 years. Now come back to I Corinthians chapter 15.
I Corinthians 15:22-23 "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, 23. But every man in his own order (or company) Christ the first fruits; (those who rose after His resurrection in Matthew chapter 27) afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming." Which we feel will be the Departure of the Church and or the last of the last of days. The trigger which starts the greater part of the tribulation, the last 3 1/2 years possibly. Now verse 24. This is the verse I want to look at.
I Corinthians 15:24-26 "Then comes the end, (human history as we now know it) when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, (this Kingdom in which He’s going rule and reign) even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. 25. For He must reign, till He has put all enemies under His feet. (not just the empires of politics, religion, economies and governments but death and hell) 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed (or put under His feet) is death." And we know death is our greatest enemy, and then verse 27.
I Corinthians 15:27 "For He has put all things under His feet, …" Even death which will be the final enemy! We’ve established, that He, Jesus is Christ, our Lord and Savior, will be the One Who will be the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords of the world to come, in this inhabited earth that will be made again like the Garden of Eden. We also know He is higher than the angels, even though for the work of the cross, He became a little lower than the angels for a short time. But now then, as the One Who will be the ruler, and the King of this coming Kingdom, we find that the last part of verse 8 gives us a clue, that even though all these things are being made ready, and we know it’s coming, it just hasn’t happened yet, and that’s what it says. So let’s begin this study with verse 9, but look at the last part of verse 8 in Hebrews chapter 2.
Hebrews 2:8b-9 "…But now we see not yet all things put under him. (It’s still in a future time. Now verse 9) But (this much we know. Even though the Kingdom hasn’t come in yet,) we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels (for just a little while) for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the Grace of God should taste death for every man." (Genesis 5 the study on the names of the heirs of Adam through Noah reveal this to be a true fact. Adam means man, Seth- appointed, Enosh-mortal, Kenan or Cainan-sorrow, Mahlalei-the blessed God, Jared-shall come down, Enoch-treaching, Methuselah-His death shall bring, Lamech-the despairing, Noah-comfort or rest. Now putting this together; Man appointed mortal sorrow the blessed God shall come down teaching his death shall bring the despairing comfort.) Can we get what this is saying?
Not just for those who will be saved and go to glory, but He tasted death for the billions that are going to go to their doom. And of course that’s what is going to make it so awful. We think the worst part of the Lake of Fire will be that people will realize that they did not have to be there. They’re there because they chose to be there, and it’s going to be a horrible time of regret, "Why didn’t I take what was offered?" But you see, by then it’s going to be too late. But the thing that we always like to emphasize is that when Christ finished the work of cross, He opened redemption and salvation to every last human being.
Let’s go back to John’s gospel chapter 1 verse 9. When we taught this before, we told our class, "I can’t explain this." But the Word of God says it, and we believe it. But can’t explain, we don’t know how this can possibly be. This is an awesome verse. And here it’s speaking of Jesus Christ the Light of the world.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Epistle to the Hebrews part XXXV
Ephesians 1:7-11 "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace: 8. Wherein He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence: 9. having made known the mystery (secret, see verse 5) of His will, according to His good pleasure which He has purposed in Himself: (look at Job 23:13-14; Psalms 33:11; 2 Timothy 1:9, now here it comes in verse 10.) 10. That in the dispensation of the fullness of times (this coming Kingdom. That’s just another way of putting it. Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 2:44, 9:24-27; Amos 9:11; Micah 4:1-2; Malachi 3:1; 1Corinthians 10:11) He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him. 11. In whom also we obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will:" (Jeremiah 31:31, 32:40; Ezekiel 37:26; Matthew 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 8:6-13, 9:15, 10:16-17, 12:24, 13:20) See note 37 in the teachings on Galatians in our other blogspot listed to the left corner of the front page here, http://whmaynard.blogspot.com.
Now these are all references then, alluding to His coming power and majesty that will be put above everything, and all of His enemies will be put under His feet. Now we think we can also go back to I Corinthians chapter 15, and let’s come in at verse 12, because we see, none of these things could have been consummated without His resurrection from the dead. Now it was one thing that He was crucified, but none of these things could have come to pass had He not been raised from the dead - that was a preeminent thing. He could not put everything under His feet until He had defeated His arch enemy, Satan, sin and death. And this was all for us, to our benefit, no matter if we be Hebrew or Gentile of the nations.
I Corinthians 15:12-14 "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13. But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also vain." In other words, when people reject the resurrection they are destitute of faith! They have nothing to go on, because everything rests on this spiritual fact, that Christ arose from the dead, had He not risen there would be no new birthing available to man. Verse 15.
I Corinthians 15:15a "Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God;…" Paul says, we would be a liar, because we witnessed Christ in resurrection and ascension form. Remember first the apostles saw Him, Mary saw Him, and after that, he was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, and last of all he was seen of me also, all proof of His resurrection. So Paul’s writing here with first hand knowledge that, yes, Christ is alive. Now verse 16.
I Corinthians 15:16 "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:" How many people, even in our enlightened America and indeed the world, think that when you die, it’s like when a dog dies. Oh, they’ve got the wishful thinking for something better, that somehow they’ll get there, but you see they’re not going to get there if their trust isn’t in this crucified, buried, and risen Christ. And if we can’t believe the resurrection, we’re as good as nothing, still in our deadness of spiritual separation from God. Now read on in verse 17.
I Corinthians 15:17 "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; (it counts for nothing) you are yet in your sins." In other words, there’s been no forgiveness or redemption until we appropriate the whole Gospel of God's Grace by trusting His Word. Remember that the whole Gospel is for us only that which the risen Lord spoke to Paul or gave to Him by inspiration of revelation. We're too receive this inspiration by revelation from the Holy Spirit when He confirms within us that what was revealed to us is the Truth, as He can only reveal the Truth. And on our part this may take years for us to hear and see what the Holy Spirit is revealing both within, internally and without our intelligence or intellect.
I Corinthians 15:19 "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." And that’s a lot of professing “Christians” today. Oh, they talk about Jesus, and they claim they love Jesus, and are followers of Jesus, but on the other hand, have never placed their total trusting in the obedient, humble and contrite, suffering, crucified, risen and ascended Lord. They've never learned of Him, just seen the external of Him with whom we have to do. Now come on down to verse 24, so let’s keep going with verse 20.
I Corinthians 15:20 "But now (there’s no doubt about it) is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. 21. For since by man came death, ( we’ll be looking at that next) by man (the second man, the second Adam, Jesus of Nazareth) came also the resurrection of the dead." So on the one hand we have the Federal head of the human race, Adam, who plunged us into the fall and into our lost estate of spiritual separation from God by sin which gave us death, but we also have the second Adam who has accomplished everything to bring redemption and salvation to everyone that will believe and receive Him into themselves. Which changes us from the old nature into a new birthing by His Grace through His planned way into and through redemption leading to our total salvation, if we falter not. Now verse 22.
Now these are all references then, alluding to His coming power and majesty that will be put above everything, and all of His enemies will be put under His feet. Now we think we can also go back to I Corinthians chapter 15, and let’s come in at verse 12, because we see, none of these things could have been consummated without His resurrection from the dead. Now it was one thing that He was crucified, but none of these things could have come to pass had He not been raised from the dead - that was a preeminent thing. He could not put everything under His feet until He had defeated His arch enemy, Satan, sin and death. And this was all for us, to our benefit, no matter if we be Hebrew or Gentile of the nations.
I Corinthians 15:12-14 "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13. But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also vain." In other words, when people reject the resurrection they are destitute of faith! They have nothing to go on, because everything rests on this spiritual fact, that Christ arose from the dead, had He not risen there would be no new birthing available to man. Verse 15.
I Corinthians 15:15a "Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God;…" Paul says, we would be a liar, because we witnessed Christ in resurrection and ascension form. Remember first the apostles saw Him, Mary saw Him, and after that, he was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, and last of all he was seen of me also, all proof of His resurrection. So Paul’s writing here with first hand knowledge that, yes, Christ is alive. Now verse 16.
I Corinthians 15:16 "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:" How many people, even in our enlightened America and indeed the world, think that when you die, it’s like when a dog dies. Oh, they’ve got the wishful thinking for something better, that somehow they’ll get there, but you see they’re not going to get there if their trust isn’t in this crucified, buried, and risen Christ. And if we can’t believe the resurrection, we’re as good as nothing, still in our deadness of spiritual separation from God. Now read on in verse 17.
I Corinthians 15:17 "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; (it counts for nothing) you are yet in your sins." In other words, there’s been no forgiveness or redemption until we appropriate the whole Gospel of God's Grace by trusting His Word. Remember that the whole Gospel is for us only that which the risen Lord spoke to Paul or gave to Him by inspiration of revelation. We're too receive this inspiration by revelation from the Holy Spirit when He confirms within us that what was revealed to us is the Truth, as He can only reveal the Truth. And on our part this may take years for us to hear and see what the Holy Spirit is revealing both within, internally and without our intelligence or intellect.
I Corinthians 15:19 "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." And that’s a lot of professing “Christians” today. Oh, they talk about Jesus, and they claim they love Jesus, and are followers of Jesus, but on the other hand, have never placed their total trusting in the obedient, humble and contrite, suffering, crucified, risen and ascended Lord. They've never learned of Him, just seen the external of Him with whom we have to do. Now come on down to verse 24, so let’s keep going with verse 20.
I Corinthians 15:20 "But now (there’s no doubt about it) is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. 21. For since by man came death, ( we’ll be looking at that next) by man (the second man, the second Adam, Jesus of Nazareth) came also the resurrection of the dead." So on the one hand we have the Federal head of the human race, Adam, who plunged us into the fall and into our lost estate of spiritual separation from God by sin which gave us death, but we also have the second Adam who has accomplished everything to bring redemption and salvation to everyone that will believe and receive Him into themselves. Which changes us from the old nature into a new birthing by His Grace through His planned way into and through redemption leading to our total salvation, if we falter not. Now verse 22.
Monday, April 2, 2012
The Epistle to the Hebrews part XXXIV
Facing death for our faith doesn’t scare us a bit. We're ready to go. Now if they would torture us over a period of 5 or 6 years, like a lot of people have been, then that gives us second thoughts, and we wouldn’t look forward to that at all. But, you see, our Lord did. He knew the suffering that was coming. He knew exactly what was going to happen to Him. He knew how those Roman soldiers were going to abuse Him, and beat Him as He carried the cross down toward Golgotha. He knew the pain that would happen when they drove the nails. He knew what it was going to be like to hang on that tree/cross, and He never shrank from it! And all because He was going to be willing to pay the price of total redemption for all of mankind (from Adam to the very last soul born of woman). And we’ll be looking at that more later, where we see in Hebrews chapter 2, "that He tasted death for every man." But now coming out of verse 8, as He:
Philippians 2:8b-10a "…became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (now verse 9 - what a change) Wherefore (because of all He did to accomplish that work of the cross, Wherefore) God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, …"
Now we know we have to be careful that we do not put others down, and we never like to give that impression that we’re smug or arrogant or anything like that, but we have use a word over and over, “exclusive salvation."
And this is what this verse says, "There is no other way." There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved. Well see a Joseph Smith won’t cut it, or any of these others who claim to be a later prophet, or what ever. There is only One name, and only one way whereby we must be saved, and see, this says it so plainly.
Philippians 2:10a "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,…"
We’ll never forget hearing an evangelist many, many years ago who put it this way, and we imagine others have said it the same way. "Every human being has that choice of bowing the knee and recognizing Christ as Savior in this life, or he’ll do it at the Great White Judgment Throne in preparation for his doom." Isn’t that true? That’s exactly what it is. We can bow the knee and recognize Christ as our Savior now and go on with joy evermore, or we can reject it and pass off this life. But one day, we’ll come before Him at the Great White Throne, and every lost person of the ages is going to bow the knee and recognize finally that He was Who He said He was, but it’s going to be too late for them, because He won’t be the Savior at the Great White Throne, but rather He’s going to be the Judge!
Philippians 2:11 "And that every tongue (whether in this life or the one to come) should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (now we think that the translators changed this it should read LORD, because He's LORD of Spirits and of spirits, man) to the glory of God the Father."
Well these are all references that give rise to His coming exaltation. Now let’s come back to the Book of Ephesians chapter 1, and this is all still showing how that He was made lower than the angels for a little while, but the day is coming when He is going to be exalted. He is going to be the King over this earthly Kingdom. Let’s begin with verse 7. Remember that Paul is constantly using the prepositional phrase in Ephesians that speaks of our position "In Christ." This only takes place when we've surrendered our will into His Will and have passed through the veil (death, burial) and resurrection with Christ by faith and obedience to His revealed word and Will, by personal inspiration of revelation. This usually being after we've completed our first estate under our tutor the Holy Spirit who has been given us as our comforter, trainer and teacher or guide. When He's revealed our bankruptcy of pride and self sufficiency and the exceeding sinfulness of that sin. That He works humility and a contrite heart within us which brings us to the place of wanting death because we can't reach our goal of righteousness and holiness but by any other way. It is just here that God meats us at our hour of greatest need and despair all because we've learned the secret of Christ Jesus' humility and total dependency on the Holy Spirit. We're readied for the second blessing which is received by willful surrender to His Will, that being through death.
Philippians 2:8b-10a "…became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (now verse 9 - what a change) Wherefore (because of all He did to accomplish that work of the cross, Wherefore) God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, …"
Now we know we have to be careful that we do not put others down, and we never like to give that impression that we’re smug or arrogant or anything like that, but we have use a word over and over, “exclusive salvation."
And this is what this verse says, "There is no other way." There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved. Well see a Joseph Smith won’t cut it, or any of these others who claim to be a later prophet, or what ever. There is only One name, and only one way whereby we must be saved, and see, this says it so plainly.
Philippians 2:10a "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,…"
We’ll never forget hearing an evangelist many, many years ago who put it this way, and we imagine others have said it the same way. "Every human being has that choice of bowing the knee and recognizing Christ as Savior in this life, or he’ll do it at the Great White Judgment Throne in preparation for his doom." Isn’t that true? That’s exactly what it is. We can bow the knee and recognize Christ as our Savior now and go on with joy evermore, or we can reject it and pass off this life. But one day, we’ll come before Him at the Great White Throne, and every lost person of the ages is going to bow the knee and recognize finally that He was Who He said He was, but it’s going to be too late for them, because He won’t be the Savior at the Great White Throne, but rather He’s going to be the Judge!
Philippians 2:11 "And that every tongue (whether in this life or the one to come) should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (now we think that the translators changed this it should read LORD, because He's LORD of Spirits and of spirits, man) to the glory of God the Father."
Well these are all references that give rise to His coming exaltation. Now let’s come back to the Book of Ephesians chapter 1, and this is all still showing how that He was made lower than the angels for a little while, but the day is coming when He is going to be exalted. He is going to be the King over this earthly Kingdom. Let’s begin with verse 7. Remember that Paul is constantly using the prepositional phrase in Ephesians that speaks of our position "In Christ." This only takes place when we've surrendered our will into His Will and have passed through the veil (death, burial) and resurrection with Christ by faith and obedience to His revealed word and Will, by personal inspiration of revelation. This usually being after we've completed our first estate under our tutor the Holy Spirit who has been given us as our comforter, trainer and teacher or guide. When He's revealed our bankruptcy of pride and self sufficiency and the exceeding sinfulness of that sin. That He works humility and a contrite heart within us which brings us to the place of wanting death because we can't reach our goal of righteousness and holiness but by any other way. It is just here that God meats us at our hour of greatest need and despair all because we've learned the secret of Christ Jesus' humility and total dependency on the Holy Spirit. We're readied for the second blessing which is received by willful surrender to His Will, that being through death.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
The Epistle to the Hebrews part XXXIII
Hebrews 2:7 "You mad him a little lower than the angels; (for a little while) you (speaking of the Triune God, "Elohim") crowned Him with glory and honor, and did set Him over the works of your hands:" (Genesis 1: 26-28) In other words, this glorious earthly Kingdom that we’re introduced to back in verse 5.
Hebrews 2:8a "You have put all things in subjection under his feet…." Are we seeing how the writer of Hebrews is constantly putting Christ where He belongs? He’s not just the lowly Jesus of Nazareth the man of humility. He is the Son, He is the Creator, He’s the God of glory. And He was only made lower than the angels for that short period of time whereby He could go in humility and lowly submission the way of the cross and taste death for every man, as we’ll soon see down in verse 9. But coming back to verse 8, and again speaking to God the Father, the Triune God:
Hebrews 2:8a "You have put all things in subjection under His feet,…" Earlier we showed how all through Scripture the various writers quote Psalms 110:1, and what was it?
Psalms 110:1 "The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool." They would be under His feet and that’s when He will assume the power and glory of the Kingdom. Well, here we have that same thing repeated again.
Hebrews 2:8a "You have put all things in subjection under His feet. For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing (is going to escape His rule and reign) that is not put under Him…." The last part of the verse tells us what? It’s still future. Many people are trumpeting that everything prophetic is in the past. Well not according to this it’s not.
Hebrews 2:8b "…But now we see not yet (but it’s coming) all things put under Him." Now let’s go to Philippians chapter 2, and we’re still on this whole concept of when He sits up this glorious earthy Kingdom. And let’s just drop into some of our
favorite verses:
Philippians 2:5a "Let this mind be in you,…" In other words, Romans chapter 12 says, "be not conformed to this world, but be transconformed to the mind of Christ." Well this is a Pauline statement that we as believers ought to literally think to a degree as Christ thinks. We’re to have His thoughts which are higher than the mundane thoughts of this world. The natural man or average person of the world is unable to acquire the mind of Christ as they have never submitted themselves fully into the Fathers Will. It requires God's Grace working in us again to bring about a reprogramming of our former way of thinking (worldly or carnally minded, concerned with the every day affairs of life) we're to study or feed upon God's Word to renew the spirit of our minds to acquire the mind of Christ and the humility of obedience even unto death. God as Father infuses our mind by the Holy Spirit with His Law and nature and in so doing we acquire the mind of Christ, under the operation of the Holy Spirits working Grace within our members to develop humility which destroys to yoke of bondage to sin and self will or pride through the required path of death which then opens the door of the promised New Covenant wherein we become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:5-7a "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; 6. Who, (Christ Jesus) being in the form of God, (as He never stopped being God) thought it not robbery to be equal with God; 7a. But…" The flipside. Even though He was the Sovereign Creator God of the universe, as Hebrews says, "He lowered Himself to a position lower than the angels for a little while." And He:
Philippians 2:7b "…made Himself of no reputation, (He did not use Deity to subject the people under Him at that time, because He did not come to subject them, but rather to save them) and took upon Him the form of a servant,…" (or bond slave, one having been pierced through usually in the ear with an awl)
Someone made the statement that after all we should all be rich, because Jesus was. Well, that’s not the Jesus in our Bible! Our Bible says, "He didn’t even have a place to lay His head. He didn’t even have a den like the foxes have." So He wasn’t rich in material things. Oh, we know the Psalmist says: "Our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills," but that’s not the Jesus of Nazareth, as He had nothing of this world’s goods. He became as low as a bond slave. He requires us to acquire the same mind set as He had, in humble humility and totally depending on the Grace of God to supply our every day spiritual richness and our need for His Grace to see us through. The worldly and carnally minded twist His word and force it to say something other than what it actually says. His Words are spiritual and are spiritually discerned or judged by the spiritually alive. Reading on in verse 7. Not only did He take on Himself the form a servant:
Philippians 2:7c "…and was made in the likeness of men:" (He had all our human frailty and shame. He put on flesh as a body was prepared for Him Genesis 3:15; Psalm 40: 6-8; Hebrews 2:14-17, 10:7-9) Now stop and think a minute, after a long day of putting up with the press of the crowds, and everything else, he became physically tired. He became hungry. He became sorrowful. You say, "When did that happen, that He became sorrowful?" We all know. At Lazarus’ funeral. What did He do? Jesus wept. Why did He weep? In His humanity, He was just as sorrowful as you and I would be. Why? Because of the lack of trust in Him, their unbelief. So this is all part of the price He paid then, that He could go in humility the way of the cross and suffer the death that we deserved to suffer. Now let’s read verse 8.
Philippians 2:8 "And found in fashion as a man, He humbled (this is a secret to the defeat of sin and death and the destruction of them and Satan power) Himself, (as a man) and became obedient to death, (not an ordinary death, but what kind?) even the death of the cross." (crucifixion - a most horrible death. A death that on man could inflect upon himself, it requires anothers hands, the laying on of hands to transfer sins, the cross was our alter of worship because the Lamb was there crucified outside the gates of the city. Both having spiritual significance.)
Hebrews 2:8a "You have put all things in subjection under his feet…." Are we seeing how the writer of Hebrews is constantly putting Christ where He belongs? He’s not just the lowly Jesus of Nazareth the man of humility. He is the Son, He is the Creator, He’s the God of glory. And He was only made lower than the angels for that short period of time whereby He could go in humility and lowly submission the way of the cross and taste death for every man, as we’ll soon see down in verse 9. But coming back to verse 8, and again speaking to God the Father, the Triune God:
Hebrews 2:8a "You have put all things in subjection under His feet,…" Earlier we showed how all through Scripture the various writers quote Psalms 110:1, and what was it?
Psalms 110:1 "The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool." They would be under His feet and that’s when He will assume the power and glory of the Kingdom. Well, here we have that same thing repeated again.
Hebrews 2:8a "You have put all things in subjection under His feet. For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing (is going to escape His rule and reign) that is not put under Him…." The last part of the verse tells us what? It’s still future. Many people are trumpeting that everything prophetic is in the past. Well not according to this it’s not.
Hebrews 2:8b "…But now we see not yet (but it’s coming) all things put under Him." Now let’s go to Philippians chapter 2, and we’re still on this whole concept of when He sits up this glorious earthy Kingdom. And let’s just drop into some of our
favorite verses:
Philippians 2:5a "Let this mind be in you,…" In other words, Romans chapter 12 says, "be not conformed to this world, but be transconformed to the mind of Christ." Well this is a Pauline statement that we as believers ought to literally think to a degree as Christ thinks. We’re to have His thoughts which are higher than the mundane thoughts of this world. The natural man or average person of the world is unable to acquire the mind of Christ as they have never submitted themselves fully into the Fathers Will. It requires God's Grace working in us again to bring about a reprogramming of our former way of thinking (worldly or carnally minded, concerned with the every day affairs of life) we're to study or feed upon God's Word to renew the spirit of our minds to acquire the mind of Christ and the humility of obedience even unto death. God as Father infuses our mind by the Holy Spirit with His Law and nature and in so doing we acquire the mind of Christ, under the operation of the Holy Spirits working Grace within our members to develop humility which destroys to yoke of bondage to sin and self will or pride through the required path of death which then opens the door of the promised New Covenant wherein we become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:5-7a "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; 6. Who, (Christ Jesus) being in the form of God, (as He never stopped being God) thought it not robbery to be equal with God; 7a. But…" The flipside. Even though He was the Sovereign Creator God of the universe, as Hebrews says, "He lowered Himself to a position lower than the angels for a little while." And He:
Philippians 2:7b "…made Himself of no reputation, (He did not use Deity to subject the people under Him at that time, because He did not come to subject them, but rather to save them) and took upon Him the form of a servant,…" (or bond slave, one having been pierced through usually in the ear with an awl)
Someone made the statement that after all we should all be rich, because Jesus was. Well, that’s not the Jesus in our Bible! Our Bible says, "He didn’t even have a place to lay His head. He didn’t even have a den like the foxes have." So He wasn’t rich in material things. Oh, we know the Psalmist says: "Our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills," but that’s not the Jesus of Nazareth, as He had nothing of this world’s goods. He became as low as a bond slave. He requires us to acquire the same mind set as He had, in humble humility and totally depending on the Grace of God to supply our every day spiritual richness and our need for His Grace to see us through. The worldly and carnally minded twist His word and force it to say something other than what it actually says. His Words are spiritual and are spiritually discerned or judged by the spiritually alive. Reading on in verse 7. Not only did He take on Himself the form a servant:
Philippians 2:7c "…and was made in the likeness of men:" (He had all our human frailty and shame. He put on flesh as a body was prepared for Him Genesis 3:15; Psalm 40: 6-8; Hebrews 2:14-17, 10:7-9) Now stop and think a minute, after a long day of putting up with the press of the crowds, and everything else, he became physically tired. He became hungry. He became sorrowful. You say, "When did that happen, that He became sorrowful?" We all know. At Lazarus’ funeral. What did He do? Jesus wept. Why did He weep? In His humanity, He was just as sorrowful as you and I would be. Why? Because of the lack of trust in Him, their unbelief. So this is all part of the price He paid then, that He could go in humility the way of the cross and suffer the death that we deserved to suffer. Now let’s read verse 8.
Philippians 2:8 "And found in fashion as a man, He humbled (this is a secret to the defeat of sin and death and the destruction of them and Satan power) Himself, (as a man) and became obedient to death, (not an ordinary death, but what kind?) even the death of the cross." (crucifixion - a most horrible death. A death that on man could inflect upon himself, it requires anothers hands, the laying on of hands to transfer sins, the cross was our alter of worship because the Lamb was there crucified outside the gates of the city. Both having spiritual significance.)
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