One of the most life changing truths that I've learned over the last few years is the fact that the promises of God are not dependant upon my performance, but upon my believing. Rom 4 :13-14 reads "For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified...".
To be blatantly honest, I need God. I have issues and circumstances in which I need God's intervention and blessing. Before the understanding that the promises aren't based on Law(my ability to be good enough to deserve blessing), but upon God's grace(his undeserved blessing and favor strictly because he's good) I could never maintain any faith that God was going to come through because my performance inevitably failed. So I figured "I've messed up once again, God's mad, and now why would God ever bless me in this situation?". My faith and hope continually faltered, and with them my attitude and demeanor. I was frustrated and rarely saw breakthrough. Like we just read trying to get the promises by earning them actually nullifies them.
2 Cor 3:20 "For as many as may be the promises of God, in him(Christ) they are yes; wherefore also by him is our Amen to the glory of God through us." When I realized that when I got saved I was put into Christ(Rom 6:3-8), made completely right with God once and for all(Heb 10:10-14), and became a coheir with him(Rom 8:16-17), my faith finally had a firm foundation to stand on. All I had to do was believe and say "Amen"(So be it). I couldn't believe God for anything when I thought he was relating to me based on my ever shifting righteousness, but now I can stand firm in faith in the midst of trial and need knowing I'm the righteousness of Christ(1Cor 5:21), blessed with everything I need(Eph 1), and God is for me(Rom 8:31). There came a stability and a peace that I never imagined when I learned the promises are mine and when I fall they're still coming. God gave them because he is good and secured them for me by making them based on Christ's performance not mine(Col1:12).
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Between the Cherubim
This is just an incredible correlation of scriptures that I had heard of, but never knew the depth of.
If you've studied the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament or seen "Raiders of the Lost Ark" you've seen that the Ark has a golden covering with two angels facing one another. This covering is called the Mercy Seat. In Exodus 25 we read v21"You shall put the Mercy Seat on top of the ark,and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I shall give to you. v22And there I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are above the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel." When God spoke to Moses in Tent of Meeting, he met with him and spoke to him from the mercy seat, specifically from between the cherubim.
During the days of the temple the ark was kept in the Holy of Holies being shut off from the people with a black veil, and only the High Priest could approach the ark once a year with blood offered for the sins of the people. Heb 9:7
In John 20 we see Mary outside the tomb of Jesus. "v11But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; v12 and she beheld two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying." Christ is the fulfilment of the mercy seat. It is at the place of Christ's resurrection and life that we meet with God and speak with him. We are united with him in his resurrection and we become a new creation purified with Christ"s righteousness, adopted children with an inheritance(Rom 6:5, Cor 5:17&21,Rom 8:15,Col1:12). Christ as our High Priest broke through the veil(representing sin), covered the covenant with mercy and with his blood for our sins so we can enter into the holy place and meet with God with confidence.
Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great High Priest over the House of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Heb 10:19-22.
If you've studied the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament or seen "Raiders of the Lost Ark" you've seen that the Ark has a golden covering with two angels facing one another. This covering is called the Mercy Seat. In Exodus 25 we read v21"You shall put the Mercy Seat on top of the ark,and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I shall give to you. v22And there I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are above the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel." When God spoke to Moses in Tent of Meeting, he met with him and spoke to him from the mercy seat, specifically from between the cherubim.
During the days of the temple the ark was kept in the Holy of Holies being shut off from the people with a black veil, and only the High Priest could approach the ark once a year with blood offered for the sins of the people. Heb 9:7
In John 20 we see Mary outside the tomb of Jesus. "v11But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; v12 and she beheld two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying." Christ is the fulfilment of the mercy seat. It is at the place of Christ's resurrection and life that we meet with God and speak with him. We are united with him in his resurrection and we become a new creation purified with Christ"s righteousness, adopted children with an inheritance(Rom 6:5, Cor 5:17&21,Rom 8:15,Col1:12). Christ as our High Priest broke through the veil(representing sin), covered the covenant with mercy and with his blood for our sins so we can enter into the holy place and meet with God with confidence.
Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great High Priest over the House of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Heb 10:19-22.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
How can we NOT be under Law? 2
In my last post I began raising the question that if a believer is no longer under the rules, regulations, and punishments of the Old Covenant(Law) how is he to live a victorious life in the atmosphere of freedom in the New Covenant. In other words, if God is no longer relating to me based on my performance, my sins have been paid for, and they're not being held against me what is keeping me from using this freedom to run into sin and selfishness?
Knowing that we are but flesh, it would be irresponsible for God to leave us in a state of absolute freedom and rest without making provision for us to live as children of the Most High. In Heb 8 v10 it states that in the New Covenant God writes his laws on our hearts and minds. Ezekiel prophesied "...I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (36:26) We must remember that when we got saved we were reborn into a new creation(2Cor 5:17). Our old sinful nature was crucified with Christ(Gal 2:20)(Rom 6:5-6) and we were resurrected with a new nature(Rom 6:4-5) that has the ways of God written on it. This new nature desires the things of God and is wired to act, speak, and think in line with the ways of God. I've heard it said that if you have a house with plumbing and electrical problems and you bulldoze the house then an expert builder builds you a new one you won't have plumbing and electrical problems anymore. This is why Jesus said unless one is born again he can't see the kingdom of God. We were dead in trespasses and sins(Eph 2:1)and when we're born again God the master builder crucifies the sin nature and rebuilds us a brand new perfect creation in our spirit with the DNA of heaven written in it. This is why the father can look at us and call us righteous, holy, and blameless, despite our obvious flaws and shortcomings. After I got saved when I acted like I did before salvation it was unsatisfying and just felt wrong. My new nature was and is bothered whenever I sin. Nobody has to tell me anything I just know that this behavior doesn't jive with me anymore. Now many times I overrode, and still do sometimes override my new nature and sin and act in ways that I shouldn't. However, the longer I walk with the Lord and rest in his grace I notice greater and greater victories and changes. Paul said in Philippians not that he was perfect, but he pressed on(Phl 3:12-14).
If this is true and believers have new natures that instinctively want to please God and walk in his ways, then why do we struggle with sin and so often fall short. First, I'd like to point out that any true believer struggles with his sin. No matter how addicted to or how much he enjoys his sin, deep inside he doesn't want it or at the very least doesn't want to want it. His new nature knows that he is living in a way beneath who he truly is.
Also, we still have an unrenewed soul and body. When we got saved and our spirits were regenerated to perfection, our bodies looked the same and we still carried some of the old mindsets and emotions. This is why Romans 12 says to renew our minds. We are not to let sin reign in our mortal body, but present ourselves to God as those alive from the dead(Rom 6:12-13) I believe the challenge of believers is to catch our beliefs, mind, will, and emotions up to our holy, righteous, perfected spirits.
Knowing that we are but flesh, it would be irresponsible for God to leave us in a state of absolute freedom and rest without making provision for us to live as children of the Most High. In Heb 8 v10 it states that in the New Covenant God writes his laws on our hearts and minds. Ezekiel prophesied "...I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (36:26) We must remember that when we got saved we were reborn into a new creation(2Cor 5:17). Our old sinful nature was crucified with Christ(Gal 2:20)(Rom 6:5-6) and we were resurrected with a new nature(Rom 6:4-5) that has the ways of God written on it. This new nature desires the things of God and is wired to act, speak, and think in line with the ways of God. I've heard it said that if you have a house with plumbing and electrical problems and you bulldoze the house then an expert builder builds you a new one you won't have plumbing and electrical problems anymore. This is why Jesus said unless one is born again he can't see the kingdom of God. We were dead in trespasses and sins(Eph 2:1)and when we're born again God the master builder crucifies the sin nature and rebuilds us a brand new perfect creation in our spirit with the DNA of heaven written in it. This is why the father can look at us and call us righteous, holy, and blameless, despite our obvious flaws and shortcomings. After I got saved when I acted like I did before salvation it was unsatisfying and just felt wrong. My new nature was and is bothered whenever I sin. Nobody has to tell me anything I just know that this behavior doesn't jive with me anymore. Now many times I overrode, and still do sometimes override my new nature and sin and act in ways that I shouldn't. However, the longer I walk with the Lord and rest in his grace I notice greater and greater victories and changes. Paul said in Philippians not that he was perfect, but he pressed on(Phl 3:12-14).
If this is true and believers have new natures that instinctively want to please God and walk in his ways, then why do we struggle with sin and so often fall short. First, I'd like to point out that any true believer struggles with his sin. No matter how addicted to or how much he enjoys his sin, deep inside he doesn't want it or at the very least doesn't want to want it. His new nature knows that he is living in a way beneath who he truly is.
Also, we still have an unrenewed soul and body. When we got saved and our spirits were regenerated to perfection, our bodies looked the same and we still carried some of the old mindsets and emotions. This is why Romans 12 says to renew our minds. We are not to let sin reign in our mortal body, but present ourselves to God as those alive from the dead(Rom 6:12-13) I believe the challenge of believers is to catch our beliefs, mind, will, and emotions up to our holy, righteous, perfected spirits.
Friday, April 16, 2010
How can we NOT be under Law? 1
The fact that a believer is no longer under the Law, is one of the most challenging revelations I've had in my study of grace. My whole life I've known the 10 commandments and heard countless sermons on them. They're in every church and obviously they are good(the world would be a much better place if everyone held God in his rightful place, and no one lied, stole, etc). So when I read scripture after scripture like "...you are not under Law, but under grace"(Rom6:14), "...you were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ"(Rom 7:4), "...the law is not made for a righteous man..."(1Tim 1:9), and the book of Hebrews which is a discertation on how the Old Covenant is weak, obsolete, and replaced by the New, it almost seems heretical.
However, like anything else, a deeper study reveals truths that put everything in context and bring clarity to the scriptures. First of all, how can Paul make these statements which would seem to be contrary to other scripture, especially the Old Testament? Briefly put, Jesus was born under the Law to redeem us who were under it(Gal4:4-5), lived a perfect life(Heb4:15), became a offering for sin, fulfilled the requirement of the Law(Rom8:3-4), canceled our sin debt taking it out of the way (Col2:14), made us the righteousness of God(2 Cor 5:21) and we now have peace with him(Rom5:1).
So does being free of the Law and not having to perform under it for God to accept me (Gal 5:1)give licence to sin like so many who oppose the grace message claim? Won't sin run rampant if we're no longer under the rules and regulations of the Law, with no wrath of God to scare us into obedience(Rom 4:15), just a heavenly father with unconditional love? Can a believer live life with such freedom and maintain a godly lifestyle? Paul addressed the same questions(which makes me think I'm on the right track) in Romans 6:1-2) he wrote "Are we to continue in sin that grace may increase? May it never be. How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" and in Galatians he wrote "Don't turn your freedom into an opportunity the flesh, but through love serve one another"(5:13). In fact Paul credits grace not Law with instructing us in the ways of godliness(Titus 2:11-12) and enabling us to labor abundantly for the Lord (1 Cor 15:10).
more to follow
However, like anything else, a deeper study reveals truths that put everything in context and bring clarity to the scriptures. First of all, how can Paul make these statements which would seem to be contrary to other scripture, especially the Old Testament? Briefly put, Jesus was born under the Law to redeem us who were under it(Gal4:4-5), lived a perfect life(Heb4:15), became a offering for sin, fulfilled the requirement of the Law(Rom8:3-4), canceled our sin debt taking it out of the way (Col2:14), made us the righteousness of God(2 Cor 5:21) and we now have peace with him(Rom5:1).
So does being free of the Law and not having to perform under it for God to accept me (Gal 5:1)give licence to sin like so many who oppose the grace message claim? Won't sin run rampant if we're no longer under the rules and regulations of the Law, with no wrath of God to scare us into obedience(Rom 4:15), just a heavenly father with unconditional love? Can a believer live life with such freedom and maintain a godly lifestyle? Paul addressed the same questions(which makes me think I'm on the right track) in Romans 6:1-2) he wrote "Are we to continue in sin that grace may increase? May it never be. How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" and in Galatians he wrote "Don't turn your freedom into an opportunity the flesh, but through love serve one another"(5:13). In fact Paul credits grace not Law with instructing us in the ways of godliness(Titus 2:11-12) and enabling us to labor abundantly for the Lord (1 Cor 15:10).
more to follow
Friday, February 12, 2010
Immovable Love and Grace
It never fails to amaze me that when we look at scripture simply and logically, how profound truths of the Kingdom come forth. I heard a preacher say that God, who is love, sent Jesus who is grace. My mind kind of went off of that idea and I saw a truth that solidifies my deep security in the Grace of God even more.
Scripture is very clear that Jesus is the embodiment of the Grace of God. John says that "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ"(Jn1:17). Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians that in Christ are the promises of God, our inheritance as saints, and all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Christ is also for us righteousness, sanctification, and redemption(1 Cor 1:30). Jesus is everything we have and everything we need because through him we have peace with God(Rom 5:1), who "has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and excellence"(2Pet 1:3).
Scripture is also clear that Christ and the inheritance that he brings to all who put their faith in him is the expression of God"s love. "For God so loved the World that he sent his one and only son"(Jn 3:16). Paul told the Romans "But God demonstrates his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Also, 1 John reads in chapter four that "By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins." The Gospel is God"s way of expressing his love and it is manifested in our transformed lives living in his peace and blessing of the New Covenant.
If we link these two truths with Romans 8:35-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,""For thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered a sheep to be slaughtered."" But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neitherdeath, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" we have a promise to stand on. That Jesus and the grace established in the New Covenant, the very expression of God's love, will never be taken from us and nothing can separate us from it. Therefore, we are free to live, rest, and worship in an unconditional love and grace that will never end or be removed.
Scripture is very clear that Jesus is the embodiment of the Grace of God. John says that "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ"(Jn1:17). Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, and Colossians that in Christ are the promises of God, our inheritance as saints, and all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Christ is also for us righteousness, sanctification, and redemption(1 Cor 1:30). Jesus is everything we have and everything we need because through him we have peace with God(Rom 5:1), who "has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and excellence"(2Pet 1:3).
Scripture is also clear that Christ and the inheritance that he brings to all who put their faith in him is the expression of God"s love. "For God so loved the World that he sent his one and only son"(Jn 3:16). Paul told the Romans "But God demonstrates his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Also, 1 John reads in chapter four that "By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins." The Gospel is God"s way of expressing his love and it is manifested in our transformed lives living in his peace and blessing of the New Covenant.
If we link these two truths with Romans 8:35-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,""For thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered a sheep to be slaughtered."" But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neitherdeath, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" we have a promise to stand on. That Jesus and the grace established in the New Covenant, the very expression of God's love, will never be taken from us and nothing can separate us from it. Therefore, we are free to live, rest, and worship in an unconditional love and grace that will never end or be removed.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Immanuel
As I was contemplating the Christmas story last week, the name Immanuel kept coming to mind. In Matthew 1 an angel is telling Joseph of what's about to happen and says in v.23 "Behold, the virgin shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel. which translated means "God with us"".
This name Immanuel has two meanings in the divine plan of the Gospel. Christ humbled himself, took on humanity, and was thusly "with us" (Jn 1:14,Phil 2:7) while he walked the Earth. However, Immanuel also describes the end goal of the work Christ came to do. When Jesus died he cried "It is finished!"(Jn 19:30) and the veil in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mt 27:51).
In the Jewish temple the inner room was called the "Holy of Holies". In this room the Ark of the Covenant was kept. This ark represented the presence of God. The only man who could enter into the presence was the High Priest and he could only come once a year. The Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the temple and the people by a thick dark veil. This veil was symbolic of the division between God and man, sin.
When Christ died he bore our sins(Isa 53:5-6), became the sacrifice for our sins(1Jn2:2), and fulfilled our debt of sin toward God(Col2:14). He condemned sin in the flesh (Rom 8:3) taking it out of the way. The veil was torn because the sin barrier between God and man has been removed by the work of the cross and now through Christ, Immanuel, God is with us.
The ministry of Jesus and ours who preach the Gospel is one of reconciliation. "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ , and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting the world's sins against them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation" 2 Cor 5:18-19.
This all leads to the question that crossed my mind while contemplating "Immanuel." If God with us was the goal and Christ accomplished it fully, removing the veil of sin, why are believers more focused on their sin (which has already been dealt with and removed), than we are with the God who we are reconciled to? We have been reconciled. We have been made perfect(Heb10:14, Heb12:23). We have peace with God(Rom5:1). Let us move past sin, guilt, and condemnation, recognizing that it has been defeated and removed, and that God's grace and the fruit of the Spirit will cause us to move to maturity(Rom6:14, Titus2:11-12, Heb6:1-3, Gal5:22).
True life is knowing and being with God(Jn17:3,Ps16:11), and Christ has paved the way for us to enter into this life totally and unhindered. Lets stop looking at the entry point of salvation and move into the fullness of the inheritance of the saints.
This name Immanuel has two meanings in the divine plan of the Gospel. Christ humbled himself, took on humanity, and was thusly "with us" (Jn 1:14,Phil 2:7) while he walked the Earth. However, Immanuel also describes the end goal of the work Christ came to do. When Jesus died he cried "It is finished!"(Jn 19:30) and the veil in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mt 27:51).
In the Jewish temple the inner room was called the "Holy of Holies". In this room the Ark of the Covenant was kept. This ark represented the presence of God. The only man who could enter into the presence was the High Priest and he could only come once a year. The Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the temple and the people by a thick dark veil. This veil was symbolic of the division between God and man, sin.
When Christ died he bore our sins(Isa 53:5-6), became the sacrifice for our sins(1Jn2:2), and fulfilled our debt of sin toward God(Col2:14). He condemned sin in the flesh (Rom 8:3) taking it out of the way. The veil was torn because the sin barrier between God and man has been removed by the work of the cross and now through Christ, Immanuel, God is with us.
The ministry of Jesus and ours who preach the Gospel is one of reconciliation. "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ , and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting the world's sins against them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation" 2 Cor 5:18-19.
This all leads to the question that crossed my mind while contemplating "Immanuel." If God with us was the goal and Christ accomplished it fully, removing the veil of sin, why are believers more focused on their sin (which has already been dealt with and removed), than we are with the God who we are reconciled to? We have been reconciled. We have been made perfect(Heb10:14, Heb12:23). We have peace with God(Rom5:1). Let us move past sin, guilt, and condemnation, recognizing that it has been defeated and removed, and that God's grace and the fruit of the Spirit will cause us to move to maturity(Rom6:14, Titus2:11-12, Heb6:1-3, Gal5:22).
True life is knowing and being with God(Jn17:3,Ps16:11), and Christ has paved the way for us to enter into this life totally and unhindered. Lets stop looking at the entry point of salvation and move into the fullness of the inheritance of the saints.
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