What is thy only comfort in life and death?
Answer:
That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.
~ Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
February 15, 2012
April 1, 2010
JESUS: RESURRECTED & ACCEPTED
And finally, here is the third part of my little speech I hope to share (in order to help us look to Christ and glorify Him more) this Sunday:
But the story doesn't end at the cross. The promise in the last half of Isaiah 53:10 was that "he would prolong his days", that is, Christ would come back to life. According to the Scriptures then, after three days in the tomb, Jesus came back from the dead.
He appeared first to the women at the tomb (Matt. 28:9; John 20:18), then to Peter, and then to the rest of the apostles (1 Cor. 15:5). He ate with them, spending time with them, proving that he was physically alive and not a ghost (Luke 24:36-43). Although some doubted, Thomas repented calling Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). After that, it was stated by Paul that he also appeared to more than 500 believers at one time (1 Cor. 15:6).
This was to fulfill what was written in Psalm 16, "For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol (i.e., the place of the dead), or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life" (Psalm 16:10-11).
After Jesus ascended back to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit, as He promised, and filled the apostles with power from on high to preach and to baptize and to teach believers in the Way. Everyone who believed received the Holy Spirit and were baptized and continued in the apostle's teaching and fellowship.
The apostles all taught that it is not through works according to the Law that we can be justified, but only through the work of Jesus Christ when He lived, died and rose again for us who trust in Him.
Paul wrote in Romans 5, that while we were helplessly weak (to be righteous in ourselves), Christ died for the ungodly. He said God showed his love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He also said that being now justified by His blood, we shall much more be saved from the wrath of God through Him. And that having been enemies of God, we are now reconciled, much more shall we live through Christ. (Romans 5:8-10).
"More than that," Paul wrote, "we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:11).
This is the heart of the gospel, the good news of God. This is what makes it possible for a poor man in Peru to weep over the fact that God reconciled Him through Christ after he heard Scripture being read in his native language. This is what makes it possible for a wealthy American to give up pursuing his own glory and in turn seek the glory and joy of God in Christ. This is what makes it possible for us to be both bold and loving, strong and gentle, firm and gracious as we go and share it in a world that rejects the Son of God. We know through the cross that God is Sovereign over all people. We also know now that He kept His promises to send the Messiah, and He will keep His promise to send Him again at the end of the world to save all of those in His Kingdom, and to condemn all those who without it.
After the verse I read where John said Jesus came to His own, and His own did not receive Him, the next verse says, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). It follows by saying that this was God's decision to give them a new birth, "who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13).
As children of God, those who receive Christ and all that He is according to the Bible, also have eternal life. Jesus said that a son remains in the house forever (John 8:36), and that He came to give eternal life to those the Father has given Him (John 10:28).
The cross of Christ is the answer to so many of our problems.
Maybe you think God is mean to let all kinds of evil happen? But look how He graciously took the punishment of our evil upon Himself at the cross.
Maybe you think you are too sinful to be forgiven and justified by God? Then look How God completely satisfied His judgment on the cross for you, if you will believe.
Maybe you think you don't have enough faith to trust Him? Then look How it is God who works through the cross to make you acceptable by faith. He gave His Son, will He not also give you faith if you want it?
Maybe you think you are not good enough? Then look at the cross, where the righteousness of Jesus Christ was exchanged for your sinfulness, so that you could have His righteousness.
Maybe you think you cannot be holy? Then look at the cross, where Jesus Christ sealed the guarantee that will make you holy by His Spirit.
If you haven't received Him, then receive Him by simple trust right now. If you have received Him already, then keep on walking before Him in the same way that you received Him, by faith, trusting His love for you through the cross!
Don't be like the people who rejected Jesus at the cross, but rather, let us follow those who believed in Him when He rose from the dead.
Let His steadfast love and grace through the cross always be our motivation for faithful obedience to Jesus, our Lord and King.
Amen.
JESUS: RESURRECTED
But the story doesn't end at the cross. The promise in the last half of Isaiah 53:10 was that "he would prolong his days", that is, Christ would come back to life. According to the Scriptures then, after three days in the tomb, Jesus came back from the dead.
He appeared first to the women at the tomb (Matt. 28:9; John 20:18), then to Peter, and then to the rest of the apostles (1 Cor. 15:5). He ate with them, spending time with them, proving that he was physically alive and not a ghost (Luke 24:36-43). Although some doubted, Thomas repented calling Jesus, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). After that, it was stated by Paul that he also appeared to more than 500 believers at one time (1 Cor. 15:6).
This was to fulfill what was written in Psalm 16, "For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol (i.e., the place of the dead), or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life" (Psalm 16:10-11).
After Jesus ascended back to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit, as He promised, and filled the apostles with power from on high to preach and to baptize and to teach believers in the Way. Everyone who believed received the Holy Spirit and were baptized and continued in the apostle's teaching and fellowship.
The apostles all taught that it is not through works according to the Law that we can be justified, but only through the work of Jesus Christ when He lived, died and rose again for us who trust in Him.
Paul wrote in Romans 5, that while we were helplessly weak (to be righteous in ourselves), Christ died for the ungodly. He said God showed his love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He also said that being now justified by His blood, we shall much more be saved from the wrath of God through Him. And that having been enemies of God, we are now reconciled, much more shall we live through Christ. (Romans 5:8-10).
"More than that," Paul wrote, "we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:11).
JESUS: ACCEPTED
This is the heart of the gospel, the good news of God. This is what makes it possible for a poor man in Peru to weep over the fact that God reconciled Him through Christ after he heard Scripture being read in his native language. This is what makes it possible for a wealthy American to give up pursuing his own glory and in turn seek the glory and joy of God in Christ. This is what makes it possible for us to be both bold and loving, strong and gentle, firm and gracious as we go and share it in a world that rejects the Son of God. We know through the cross that God is Sovereign over all people. We also know now that He kept His promises to send the Messiah, and He will keep His promise to send Him again at the end of the world to save all of those in His Kingdom, and to condemn all those who without it.
After the verse I read where John said Jesus came to His own, and His own did not receive Him, the next verse says, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). It follows by saying that this was God's decision to give them a new birth, "who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13).
As children of God, those who receive Christ and all that He is according to the Bible, also have eternal life. Jesus said that a son remains in the house forever (John 8:36), and that He came to give eternal life to those the Father has given Him (John 10:28).
The cross of Christ is the answer to so many of our problems.
Maybe you think God is mean to let all kinds of evil happen? But look how He graciously took the punishment of our evil upon Himself at the cross.
Maybe you think you are too sinful to be forgiven and justified by God? Then look How God completely satisfied His judgment on the cross for you, if you will believe.
Maybe you think you don't have enough faith to trust Him? Then look How it is God who works through the cross to make you acceptable by faith. He gave His Son, will He not also give you faith if you want it?
Maybe you think you are not good enough? Then look at the cross, where the righteousness of Jesus Christ was exchanged for your sinfulness, so that you could have His righteousness.
Maybe you think you cannot be holy? Then look at the cross, where Jesus Christ sealed the guarantee that will make you holy by His Spirit.
If you haven't received Him, then receive Him by simple trust right now. If you have received Him already, then keep on walking before Him in the same way that you received Him, by faith, trusting His love for you through the cross!
Don't be like the people who rejected Jesus at the cross, but rather, let us follow those who believed in Him when He rose from the dead.
Let His steadfast love and grace through the cross always be our motivation for faithful obedience to Jesus, our Lord and King.
Amen.
JESUS: REJECTED
Here is the second part of my little speech I'm preparing for church this upcoming Easter Sunday:
JESUS: REJECTED
But although He created the world, and He came to His own chosen people, Israel, through whom all the promises of Scripture were given, He was not known nor received by them (John 1:10-11).
This is how the Son of God was treated when God came as a man to earth:
• He was sought after to be killed by Herod and became a fugitive in Egypt as an infant.
• He was disbelieved by His own home town, and when His words offended them, they tried to throw Him over a cliff.
• He was disbelieved by His own brothers.
• He was hated by the religious leaders of His time, who repeatedly plotted to have Him arrested and put to death.
• He was accused of being demon possessed.
• While many believed in Him during the time He was healing and doing miracles, everyone forsook Him when He was arrested.
• A man who had followed Him, heard His teaching, saw Him heal thousands and perform countless miracles, betrayed Him for money and afterward, Judas committed suicide.
• Peter, who was one of Jesus' three closest followers, swore with curses that he did not know Him after the betrayal.
• Only false witnesses spoke at His trial, nobody defended Him.
• The high priest and all the Sanhedrin accused God's Son of blasphemy.
• He was punched, spit on, mocked and condemned.
• Pilate wanted to let Him go as innocent, but the Jews insisted that He die in place of a murderer.
• The Romans beat Him and mocked Him and crucified the Son of God.
• Jesus was rejected and hated all His life, from His birth to His death.
• When God came into the world, the world quickly got rid of Him.
The words of Jesus came true when He said, "And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their works were evil" (John 3:19). And Isaiah had written long before that, "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (Isaiah 53:3).
Jesus taught that each one of us are in the same sinful condition apart from His saving grace. He said we are slaves to our sin if we do not continue in His Word, because only the truth will set us free (John 8:31-32, 34). Jesus also described our hearts as the source of all kinds of evil in Mark 7:21. No one is guiltless, because Jesus said in Mark 10:18 that "No one is good but God alone." Jesus clearly taught that all human beings, including you and me, are sinfully wicked by nature and need to be born again and cleansed from our sins. Therefore, we should not think that we are somehow morally better than those who rejected Christ, since we have the same sinful nature as they did.
Nevertheless, His rejection and murder, Jesus had said, happened to fulfill what was written in Scripture (Matthew 26:24,31; Luke 20:17; 22:37; 24:46; John 15:25). Isaiah 53:10 said, "Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."
It was God who sent His Son to die. It was God who worked through the events of the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus, by crushing him under the wrath and judgment that our sins deserved.
But of course, the story doesn't end here at the cross...
March 15, 2010
God's Redemption History
After the fall into sin of Adam and Eve from the paradise of God, God cursed the ground and subjected man to hard labor for food, and he subjected woman to pain in childbearing and conflict in relationships. When God cursed the serpent, He declared that a Son from the woman would come who would deal a crushing blow to Satan, while the serpent would wound the heel of that man.
Adam's son, Abel, was a righteous man by faith, but was murdered by his brother Cain. Then Adam and Eve had Seth, who had a descendant called Noah. God showed grace to Noah and his family by sparing their lives in the ark, during the destruction of the world through the Flood. From Noah's three sons the earth was repopulated. Noah blessed his son, Shem, from whom came a man named Abram. God called Abram away from his homeland, and promised him another land, where He would make a great nation from his descendants. From that nation, God said He would bless every nation who would bless Abram, and those who cursed Abram would be cursed. God changed Abram's name to Abraham and showed him that his descendants would be slaves for 400 years in Egypt, but that God would deliver them. Abraham believed God, and so God counted him to be a righteous man by faith.
Abraham and his wife Sarah did have a son according to the promise, even though they were both very old. From that son, Isaac, came Jacob, and from Jacob, came the twelve tribes of Israel. They all moved to Egypt during a famine, and their descendants later became slaves in Egypt. After 400 years, God raised up Moses, by whom He miraculously delivered Israel out from slavery in Egypt and brought them through the desert wilderness to the land of Canaan. Because the people had rebelled and disbelieved the Word of God, every single one of them except 2 died in the desert, and their children went in to take the land under the leadership of Joshua, who's name means "God saves." God instituted sacrifices for the people under a high priest, in order to remind them of their sin and need for forgiveness. But they often turned away from God to idolatry.
From the nation of Israel, God raised up a king, named David, to rule His people. David trusted in the Lord God, so the Lord promised that one of his descendants would rule on the throne forever. From the family tree of David, God brought Jesus into the world, who's Hebrew name is Joshua, and means "God saves." The angel that appeared to Joseph and Mary told them to name him Jesus, because "He will save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). He was also called Immanuel, meaning "God with us."
Jesus fulfills all the promises, and showed himself to be the Son of God and Son of David by the miracles he performed. His rejection and death at the hands of his own people, proved that he was the Messiah, or Christ (Anointed One), which the Scriptures had predicted. When Christ rose from the dead, he showed himself to his disciples, who could not believe He was alive until after they saw him eat and drink with them. These men He filled with the Holy Spirit, and sent them to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name, that all who believe would receive the Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ when they repent. Everyone who believed was baptized, shared together the symbolic Lord's supper, and continued living under the teaching of the apostles as they put their hope in Christ. This salvation came as a work of God, and it extends not only to Jews, but to every person on earth who receives it as a free gift, and accepts God's testimony about His Son.
Reader, will you turn open the pages of the Holy Bible, and learn from them who Jesus Christ is, and how He came to save you from your sins if you trust Him? God promised that His final judgment is coming on this world, and everyone who is not born again by the Spirit of God will be condemned to eternal hell. But Jesus provides eternal salvation for all who come to Him by faith before His return. Praise God that He accepts every sinner who repents! Don't wait or ignore Him, because Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, and all who truly turn to Him have access to God the Father and are His beloved children!
Adam's son, Abel, was a righteous man by faith, but was murdered by his brother Cain. Then Adam and Eve had Seth, who had a descendant called Noah. God showed grace to Noah and his family by sparing their lives in the ark, during the destruction of the world through the Flood. From Noah's three sons the earth was repopulated. Noah blessed his son, Shem, from whom came a man named Abram. God called Abram away from his homeland, and promised him another land, where He would make a great nation from his descendants. From that nation, God said He would bless every nation who would bless Abram, and those who cursed Abram would be cursed. God changed Abram's name to Abraham and showed him that his descendants would be slaves for 400 years in Egypt, but that God would deliver them. Abraham believed God, and so God counted him to be a righteous man by faith.
Abraham and his wife Sarah did have a son according to the promise, even though they were both very old. From that son, Isaac, came Jacob, and from Jacob, came the twelve tribes of Israel. They all moved to Egypt during a famine, and their descendants later became slaves in Egypt. After 400 years, God raised up Moses, by whom He miraculously delivered Israel out from slavery in Egypt and brought them through the desert wilderness to the land of Canaan. Because the people had rebelled and disbelieved the Word of God, every single one of them except 2 died in the desert, and their children went in to take the land under the leadership of Joshua, who's name means "God saves." God instituted sacrifices for the people under a high priest, in order to remind them of their sin and need for forgiveness. But they often turned away from God to idolatry.
From the nation of Israel, God raised up a king, named David, to rule His people. David trusted in the Lord God, so the Lord promised that one of his descendants would rule on the throne forever. From the family tree of David, God brought Jesus into the world, who's Hebrew name is Joshua, and means "God saves." The angel that appeared to Joseph and Mary told them to name him Jesus, because "He will save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). He was also called Immanuel, meaning "God with us."
Jesus fulfills all the promises, and showed himself to be the Son of God and Son of David by the miracles he performed. His rejection and death at the hands of his own people, proved that he was the Messiah, or Christ (Anointed One), which the Scriptures had predicted. When Christ rose from the dead, he showed himself to his disciples, who could not believe He was alive until after they saw him eat and drink with them. These men He filled with the Holy Spirit, and sent them to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name, that all who believe would receive the Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ when they repent. Everyone who believed was baptized, shared together the symbolic Lord's supper, and continued living under the teaching of the apostles as they put their hope in Christ. This salvation came as a work of God, and it extends not only to Jews, but to every person on earth who receives it as a free gift, and accepts God's testimony about His Son.
Reader, will you turn open the pages of the Holy Bible, and learn from them who Jesus Christ is, and how He came to save you from your sins if you trust Him? God promised that His final judgment is coming on this world, and everyone who is not born again by the Spirit of God will be condemned to eternal hell. But Jesus provides eternal salvation for all who come to Him by faith before His return. Praise God that He accepts every sinner who repents! Don't wait or ignore Him, because Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, and all who truly turn to Him have access to God the Father and are His beloved children!
November 22, 2009
Isaiah 61
Isaiah Chapter 61The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion-- to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the LORD; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast.
Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.
For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them
their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.
November 19, 2009
No Condemnation - Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 ESV(Some manuscripts add the end of verse 4 after this: "who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.")
It literally says from Greek: "None therefore now sentence of condemnation them in Christ Jesus", which could be translated,
"Therefore, there is now no sentence of condemnation* for those in Christ Jesus."
*The word for condemnation (katakrima G2631) is legal and means to be judicially sentenced to condemnation, to receive the death penalty.
The word "therefore" indicates a conclusion drawn from what has already been taught in all the chapters before this, specifically that one is justified by faith in Christ Jesus apart from works of the law (Rom 3:28).
A man or woman who is united to Christ by faith is freely forgiven of all sin (Rom. 4:7-8), freely granted the perfect righteousness of God as a gift (Rom. 3:22,24; 4:5-6,24), and therefore it must be concluded that there cannot be any condemnation for them.
It is impossible to condemn one whom God has justified (Rom 8:33), and all who are united to Christ Jesus by faith (resulting in obedience from the heart) are completley justified and totally free from all condemnation (see Acts 13:39).
*The word for condemnation (katakrima G2631) is legal and means to be judicially sentenced to condemnation, to receive the death penalty.
The word "therefore" indicates a conclusion drawn from what has already been taught in all the chapters before this, specifically that one is justified by faith in Christ Jesus apart from works of the law (Rom 3:28).
A man or woman who is united to Christ by faith is freely forgiven of all sin (Rom. 4:7-8), freely granted the perfect righteousness of God as a gift (Rom. 3:22,24; 4:5-6,24), and therefore it must be concluded that there cannot be any condemnation for them.
It is impossible to condemn one whom God has justified (Rom 8:33), and all who are united to Christ Jesus by faith (resulting in obedience from the heart) are completley justified and totally free from all condemnation (see Acts 13:39).
Praise be to our wonderful God!
Picture by Lee Tomassetti, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved
September 23, 2009
Encouragement to be Sober and to Build Each Other Up
One of the passages of Scripture I have been meditating on lately:
1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 (ESV)
July 27, 2009
Jesus, Doctor of Sinners
(This is another repost from August 23, 2008, originally published under the title: Jesus Came to Save Sinners [go to the link to see previous comments])
As I read through Luke, a chapter a day, I pray to the Holy Spirit that He would teach me to understand it rightly. I have been noticing that there is a common theme throughout the gospel of Luke, there is a certain emphasis, it seems. Luke makes it clear that Jesus came to seek and to save sinners. The parable of the Lost Sheep, the parable of the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, the Rich Young Ruler, all these stories and much more emphasize that people are sinners who are lost and need the right Shepherd to come and find them. Consider Zacchaeus from Luke 19:1-10 ESV:
"He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through." [I remember another famous story about a sinner saved in Jericho, her name was Rahab the prostitute.] "And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich." [Of course, being a tax collector in those days was as low as scum, but Zac was a chief tax collector and was rich.] "And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way." [It is interesting how lowly sinful people were drawn to Jesus in the gospels.] "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." [Zacchaeus only wanted to see Jesus pass by, but Jesus wants to see Zacchaeus face to face. The Lord said he must stay at Zac's house. Wonder why?] "So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." [Zacchaeus received Jesus with joy. It makes me wonder that there are people who say they are Christians, but do not react with joy when receiving Jesus. Desperate sinners always find joy in the one and only Savior of sinners. On the other hand, the others could not equate themselves as low as this vile sinner, and so they had no lasting joy in the Lord.] "And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." [Zacchaeus was not ashamed to stand before the Lord and call Him "Lord." He acknowledged Jesus as his Lord, Master, King, God, Judge. 'Lord' means Jesus rules over my life. I belong to Him and submit myself to His rule and judgment. He must be our Lord if he is to be our Savior. This shows that Zacchaeus repented. Jesus had taught in Luke 13 that unless we repent, we will perish (Luke 13:2-3). Zacchaeus showed his repentant heart by what he did. Money was no longer his treasure - Jesus was.] "And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham." [Salvation came to Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus did not come to salvation - it was Jesus who came to his house. Jesus called him a son of Abraham, which meant he belonged to Jesus, was an heir of the promise, a believer (see Galatians 3:29).] "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." [Jesus, the Son of Man (God became a man - John 1:14), came to seek and to save the lost. Abraham's children are lost sinners, and here we see a wonderful example of the Savior seeking those He came to Save. Jesus said in John 10:28, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." Romans 5:8 says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."]
As I read through Luke, it strikes me how much this theme is carried through. That Jesus saves sinners. What a hopeful message to wretches (such as myself)! It is the lost children of Abraham, who are lost sinners, whom Jesus came to save. We must repent when we receive Jesus with joy. Repentance is a positive two-fold action granted to us by the Holy Spirit. When we repent, we turn from treasuring sin to treasuring Christ (like Zacchaeus when he heartily gave away his riches, because he had a better inheritance in the Savior). Faith always sees more value in Christ than in the fleeting and damning pleasures of sin. As I walk with my Lord and Savior, my prayer is continually, "Lord, turn me from my sin, cause me to do what you command." I know that anything wrong I do is from my own evil heart, but anything good is a gift granted by my Lord, who came to save sinners - even the worst of them (1 Timothy 1:15). It always amazes me... Jesus came to seek and save the lost... and He never fails!
All I can say is, what grace! What a Savior! Can you relate?
As I read through Luke, a chapter a day, I pray to the Holy Spirit that He would teach me to understand it rightly. I have been noticing that there is a common theme throughout the gospel of Luke, there is a certain emphasis, it seems. Luke makes it clear that Jesus came to seek and to save sinners. The parable of the Lost Sheep, the parable of the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, the Rich Young Ruler, all these stories and much more emphasize that people are sinners who are lost and need the right Shepherd to come and find them. Consider Zacchaeus from Luke 19:1-10 ESV:
"He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through." [I remember another famous story about a sinner saved in Jericho, her name was Rahab the prostitute.] "And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich." [Of course, being a tax collector in those days was as low as scum, but Zac was a chief tax collector and was rich.] "And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way." [It is interesting how lowly sinful people were drawn to Jesus in the gospels.] "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." [Zacchaeus only wanted to see Jesus pass by, but Jesus wants to see Zacchaeus face to face. The Lord said he must stay at Zac's house. Wonder why?] "So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." [Zacchaeus received Jesus with joy. It makes me wonder that there are people who say they are Christians, but do not react with joy when receiving Jesus. Desperate sinners always find joy in the one and only Savior of sinners. On the other hand, the others could not equate themselves as low as this vile sinner, and so they had no lasting joy in the Lord.] "And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." [Zacchaeus was not ashamed to stand before the Lord and call Him "Lord." He acknowledged Jesus as his Lord, Master, King, God, Judge. 'Lord' means Jesus rules over my life. I belong to Him and submit myself to His rule and judgment. He must be our Lord if he is to be our Savior. This shows that Zacchaeus repented. Jesus had taught in Luke 13 that unless we repent, we will perish (Luke 13:2-3). Zacchaeus showed his repentant heart by what he did. Money was no longer his treasure - Jesus was.] "And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham." [Salvation came to Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus did not come to salvation - it was Jesus who came to his house. Jesus called him a son of Abraham, which meant he belonged to Jesus, was an heir of the promise, a believer (see Galatians 3:29).] "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." [Jesus, the Son of Man (God became a man - John 1:14), came to seek and to save the lost. Abraham's children are lost sinners, and here we see a wonderful example of the Savior seeking those He came to Save. Jesus said in John 10:28, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." Romans 5:8 says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."]
As I read through Luke, it strikes me how much this theme is carried through. That Jesus saves sinners. What a hopeful message to wretches (such as myself)! It is the lost children of Abraham, who are lost sinners, whom Jesus came to save. We must repent when we receive Jesus with joy. Repentance is a positive two-fold action granted to us by the Holy Spirit. When we repent, we turn from treasuring sin to treasuring Christ (like Zacchaeus when he heartily gave away his riches, because he had a better inheritance in the Savior). Faith always sees more value in Christ than in the fleeting and damning pleasures of sin. As I walk with my Lord and Savior, my prayer is continually, "Lord, turn me from my sin, cause me to do what you command." I know that anything wrong I do is from my own evil heart, but anything good is a gift granted by my Lord, who came to save sinners - even the worst of them (1 Timothy 1:15). It always amazes me... Jesus came to seek and save the lost... and He never fails!
All I can say is, what grace! What a Savior! Can you relate?
June 3, 2009
Human Reconciliation with God
"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." (Romans 5:10).
The meaning of this text is simple and clear. We (meaning Christians born again by the work of the Holy Spirit) were reconciled (brought into a peaceful relationship with) God, even while we were His very enemies.
What a statement!
We (Christians) were enemies of God; and while we were His enemies, we were brought back to God in a right relationship and belief in Him.
How did this happen?
By the death of His very own Son, God made us to be reconciled. And not only that, but by the life of Christ (resurrection) we will be saved forever from the ultimate wrath of God (Romans 5:9-10).
This means that our reconciliation was made effective by one act in history -- the death of the Son of God. That is how and when we were reconciled to God.
To the non-believer, or anyone living in unrepentance, there is no peace with God, no friendship with God, no escape from the wrath of God, whether one believes in His existence or not.
The only reason why Christians can claim a right knowledge of God, a right relationship to God and a right hope with God, is because Jesus Christ died and rose again for us.
That is our only boast.
We are nothing but recipients of undeserved mercy, and so we have become Christians because Christ died to bring us into peace with Him. The unreconciled are left fighting against God and ultimately defeated by Him without reconciliation.
So in order to explain ourselves, the reason why Christians are the way we are and have the hope we have is one reason -- Jesus died for us.
You cannot ask us to change our minds, we cannot change our minds, because God has reconciled us to Himself by the death of His Son. This is our solid defense and unfailing hope.
He has done it, we can't deny it.
"While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son."
The meaning of this text is simple and clear. We (meaning Christians born again by the work of the Holy Spirit) were reconciled (brought into a peaceful relationship with) God, even while we were His very enemies.
What a statement!
We (Christians) were enemies of God; and while we were His enemies, we were brought back to God in a right relationship and belief in Him.
How did this happen?
By the death of His very own Son, God made us to be reconciled. And not only that, but by the life of Christ (resurrection) we will be saved forever from the ultimate wrath of God (Romans 5:9-10).
This means that our reconciliation was made effective by one act in history -- the death of the Son of God. That is how and when we were reconciled to God.
To the non-believer, or anyone living in unrepentance, there is no peace with God, no friendship with God, no escape from the wrath of God, whether one believes in His existence or not.
The only reason why Christians can claim a right knowledge of God, a right relationship to God and a right hope with God, is because Jesus Christ died and rose again for us.
That is our only boast.
We are nothing but recipients of undeserved mercy, and so we have become Christians because Christ died to bring us into peace with Him. The unreconciled are left fighting against God and ultimately defeated by Him without reconciliation.
So in order to explain ourselves, the reason why Christians are the way we are and have the hope we have is one reason -- Jesus died for us.
You cannot ask us to change our minds, we cannot change our minds, because God has reconciled us to Himself by the death of His Son. This is our solid defense and unfailing hope.
He has done it, we can't deny it.
"While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son."
June 2, 2009
Called to be Slaves of Jesus - Llamados a ser Esclavos de Jesús
Romans 1:6 says that we were "called to belong to Jesus Christ".
Romanos 1:6 dice que fuimos "llamados a ser de Jesucristo".
Romanos 1:6 dice que fuimos "llamados a ser de Jesucristo".
February 20, 2009
For the Love of God, Souls and the Terror of Hell
"Let all that you do be done in love." - 1 Cor. 16:14
"If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord come!" - 1 Cor. 16:22
"For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you." - 2 Cor. 2:4
My grandmother passionately reminds me often that, "Love is the key," as she points her finger directly at me. "And don't you forget it," she always adds. That is very true, and with love in mind, I want to passionately remind those who read this post that it is out of love for God, His glory, His Son and His purposes in this world, that we must not only earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 1:3), but we must earnestly and passionately seek to evangelize the lost.
Such a word as "evangelize" is offensive in much of Western culture today, yet is it not a word overflowing with love? It means to announce the good news and seek to convince others of its beneficial truth. It speaks of a message widely hated around the globe. Yet it is a message with the best interest of the glory of God in mind according to His saving purposes, and without knowing and believing it, guilty souls will spend eternity under the just wrath of God in hell. So it also contains the best interest of all people.
Such a word as "evangelize" is offensive in much of Western culture today, yet is it not a word overflowing with love? It means to announce the good news and seek to convince others of its beneficial truth. It speaks of a message widely hated around the globe. Yet it is a message with the best interest of the glory of God in mind according to His saving purposes, and without knowing and believing it, guilty souls will spend eternity under the just wrath of God in hell. So it also contains the best interest of all people.
Here is a message by Mark Dever that he spoke at John Piper's church almost two weeks ago. I hope that all will listen to it. May it move you to your knees and move you to plea passionately to God for the love and the power to do what Jesus sent His people out as "lambs among wolves" to do, which is to share the good news.
If you are genuinely born again by the Spirit of God, then consider for yourself the love of God that He would send His Son into the world to save such an unwilling, unfaithful, unloving, unworthy, sinful rebel such as yourself. Then also consider what it would cost you to give up a little time for prayer, a little money, a little pleasure, a little acceptance with this ungodly world, a little pain, a little heart-ache to follow Jesus in the most rewarding and joyful experience possible during our preparation for eternity.
And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16 ESV).
And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16 ESV).
May grace be multiplied to those who love and serve our Lord Jesus Christ under many trials.
December 5, 2008
Romans 6:14 Notes
For sin will have no dominion over you (literally: be Lord over you), for you are not under law but under grace.
My literal translation of Romans 6:14:
"Sin for you people* will not be lord, for you are not under law but under grace."
(* "you" is plural.)
Sin will not be the ruler or slave master over Christians any longer. Why not? Because they are not under the law but under grace, which means that Christians are not subject to the law of commandments (Eph. 2:14-16), but are rather given freedom from it through God's abundant grace in Christ Jesus our Lord. The reason for this is that Jesus Christ has abolished (or more lit. "disemployed, put an end to") the law of commandments expressed in ordinances by His death on the cross (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14). Sin rules where the law is in force. The reason sin has dominion where the law is in force, is because it can only bring forth death using the law when the commandment is violated and the penalty of the law is put into charge. The law pronounces death on the one who sins (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12). Therefore anyone who sins is under the just penalty of the law, which is death and condemnation. So in this way, sin is lord, because it keeps bringing forth death where the law is in charge, since it by nature violates God's laws (1 John 3:4).
Grace is not so. Grace sets us free from the law by providing sufficient payment through the death of Christ. Jesus fulfilled the law and met its requirement of death for all who are justified by faith. Therefore sin is rendered powerless to kill, since the law has been satisfied already by the death of Christ on behalf of believers, and so the Christian cannot be brought under it again. That is why sin is not lord of the Christian, because it cannot make the Christian guilty under the law anymore. The reason for this is because the Christian is counted righteous by faith in Christ Jesus, and is therefore no longer under the law but is set free by the grace of Christ.
(See also Matthew 3:15, 5:17; Romans 3:24-26,28, 4:15-16, 5:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:21, 3:13,24,25; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 3:18).
The very next verse following Romans 6:14 is vitally important:
"What then, do we keep sinning because we are not under law but under grace? It will not happen!" (Romans 6:15).
My literal translation of Romans 6:14:
"Sin for you people* will not be lord, for you are not under law but under grace."
(* "you" is plural.)
Sin will not be the ruler or slave master over Christians any longer. Why not? Because they are not under the law but under grace, which means that Christians are not subject to the law of commandments (Eph. 2:14-16), but are rather given freedom from it through God's abundant grace in Christ Jesus our Lord. The reason for this is that Jesus Christ has abolished (or more lit. "disemployed, put an end to") the law of commandments expressed in ordinances by His death on the cross (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14). Sin rules where the law is in force. The reason sin has dominion where the law is in force, is because it can only bring forth death using the law when the commandment is violated and the penalty of the law is put into charge. The law pronounces death on the one who sins (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12). Therefore anyone who sins is under the just penalty of the law, which is death and condemnation. So in this way, sin is lord, because it keeps bringing forth death where the law is in charge, since it by nature violates God's laws (1 John 3:4).
Grace is not so. Grace sets us free from the law by providing sufficient payment through the death of Christ. Jesus fulfilled the law and met its requirement of death for all who are justified by faith. Therefore sin is rendered powerless to kill, since the law has been satisfied already by the death of Christ on behalf of believers, and so the Christian cannot be brought under it again. That is why sin is not lord of the Christian, because it cannot make the Christian guilty under the law anymore. The reason for this is because the Christian is counted righteous by faith in Christ Jesus, and is therefore no longer under the law but is set free by the grace of Christ.
(See also Matthew 3:15, 5:17; Romans 3:24-26,28, 4:15-16, 5:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:21, 3:13,24,25; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 3:18).
The very next verse following Romans 6:14 is vitally important:
"What then, do we keep sinning because we are not under law but under grace? It will not happen!" (Romans 6:15).
November 26, 2008
No Confidence in the Flesh
Thus says the LORD:
"Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the LORD."
(Jeremiah 17:5 ESV).
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD."
(Jeremiah 17:7 ESV).
"Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the LORD."
(Jeremiah 17:5 ESV).
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD."
(Jeremiah 17:7 ESV).
November 4, 2008
Assurance of Salvation
Sometimes the path to assurance can be a dreary road, but there is hope for those who trust the Lord.Does your assurance rest on Christ as your salvation?
Romans 8:31-38
What then shall we say to these things? [To what things? Why, the things that were written before this of course! See Romans 1-8. But more specifically to Rom. 8:23,24-25, and especially Rom. 8:28,29,30!!!] If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all [i.e., all who are 'children of God' and 'heirs with Christ' and who have the 'firstfruits of the Spirit' - Rom. 8:16,17,23], how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?...
What is the argument here for being sure we are saved? On what basis does it rest assured? We always need to be careful not to write too much on important truths, since that can overwhelm our mind instead of strengthen it by what the Scripture plainly says. Paul assures his readers that the assurance of the promise of eternal salvation rests not on anything we have done, but rather, on what God has done in Christ. Paul made it clear in chapters 6-8 that only believers who have been crucified with Christ and have died to sin, to the law and to the world are saved. That all who have the Holy Spirit and are being led to put to death the deeds of the flesh are saved. But when he talks of where our assurance really stands sure, he says (for those who meet the previous qualifications of being genuine Christians, see Romans 8:1-28 for evidences of being saved), it is God who is for us, since He is the one who predestined us, called us, justified us and ultimately glorified us before we even had any say in the matter! So our confidence for being sure is in what God has done for us, not what we have done for Him.
The fruits of righteousness are a result of what God has done in saving us, and are an evidence that we are saved, but I don't think we can look to them for real confidence. What we look to for a firm ground of assurance is found in Christ. God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all. I have often thought, "How can I doubt God's love?" I know for a fact that in my natural flesh, I want to do nothing but doubt God, which is sin and is the same as calling Him a liar! But by His grace and through the work of His Holy Spirit, I cannot doubt what He has done for me. He gave up His own Son for me. He loved me in an unbelievable way, and now I believe it! How could I possibly think He won't do the rest of what He promised, such as eternal salvation? "How will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?"
There is more here, but I think you get the point. I am sure that I am saved, because I have repented sincerely of my sins before God, have put all my hope and trust in the one man God anointed to be the Savior and in whom all are commanded to believe, and have bowed my heart and life to Jesus Christ as my Lord and God. But the only reason I have to be sure that all this means salvation for me, is that God loved me by giving up His own precious beloved Son on the cross to take away my condemnation, so that through His resurrected life, I may be justified and live forever at peace with Him. This kind of love makes me want to shed tears of joy! How about you? Does the cross of Christ truly mean salvation for you? Are you believing? Remember that faith is a gift in Ephesians 2:8-9! One of the things I was teaching on Romans chapter 5 this past Sunday, and I said, "Do you know why all who are in Christ by faith can never, ever, ever, ever be lost or condemned?" And they kind of looked at me expecting an answer from me, so I said, "Because Christ was already condemned for them." That is why I will never be lost, the perfect Lamb of God was condemned for all my sins, and now there is nothing left for me but salvation! If He was condemned for me, I cannot be condemned. I know this is for me, because of the grace the Lord has shown to me in giving me His Spirit, repentance and real living faith. My faith and works are sometimes weak, but I can never doubt the all surpassing love of God in Christ my Savior. It was a battle for me in the past to know this, but that is why I look unto Jesus (Heb. 12:2). I hope you all do the same.
October 30, 2008
Still Ain't Too Late to Hear All of Grace for Free!!!
I am trying hard to refrain from spewing out threats to anyone who has not yet downloaded this book for free: All of Grace by Charles H. Spurgeon. I already listened to it in the car to and fro my work. It is well worth every word Mr. Spurgeon prayed over and took his pen in hand to write.Go ahead and download it before the month is over... there is still one day left! :)
P.S. And I would love to hear what people think who have been listening already. Thanks, grace to you!
Related Post:
FREE: All of Grace Audio Book!!!
October 25, 2008
FREE: All of Grace Audio Book!!!
I just read Noel Piper's post on the Desiring God blog this morning about free audio book resources. She mentioned All of Grace being free this month. So I downloaded the free audio book: All of Grace by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. I already read this book before, and I've given them away to Christians needing to be taught. It is very good and should be read by everyone! The chapters are short and easy to understand (it is not a big book, but a little one). It is worth reading again and again! So go ahead and download it while it is free, otherwise as soon as this month is over, it will cost around $15. And if you drive as excessively as I do, it is very valuable to have something like this to listen to in the car. You can also order a free paperback from Chapel Library's literature catalog, or buy it for around $3.21 if you write to them or call.To make it easy on you if you want a paperback, just write:
Chapel Library
2603 W. Wright St.
Pensecola, Florida 32505
And include this information:
Item: aogr
Title: All of Grace
Author: C. H. Spurgeon
They will send you a free one, or if you want more than one, they are $3.21 each. There is a study guide included if requested (but it is one that takes a lot of time, I tried it, but didn't complete it because I am way too busy for my age :)
Related Post:
Still Ain't Too Late to Hear All of Grace for Free!!!
October 15, 2008
Are You Assured of Your Salvation? Why or Why Not?
Do you have assurance that you are saved? Why or why not?
This is something I've been thinking about lately. Mostly thinking about where my assurance lies. Every Christian thinks about this question from time to time. Personally, it is one that I have wrestled with intensely in the past. So I want to ask anyone who reads this post (whether or not you've commented here before - all readers wanted) to share a little about your personal assurance of salvation. There are two sides, those who say they have and those who don't - both are welcome to share.
1. Do you have assurance that you are saved? Why or why not?
2. How do you know?
3. How important is it for you to know whether you are going to heaven?
I will let you know my answer later. First I'd like to know what others say. Thanks!
This is something I've been thinking about lately. Mostly thinking about where my assurance lies. Every Christian thinks about this question from time to time. Personally, it is one that I have wrestled with intensely in the past. So I want to ask anyone who reads this post (whether or not you've commented here before - all readers wanted) to share a little about your personal assurance of salvation. There are two sides, those who say they have and those who don't - both are welcome to share.
1. Do you have assurance that you are saved? Why or why not?
2. How do you know?
3. How important is it for you to know whether you are going to heaven?
I will let you know my answer later. First I'd like to know what others say. Thanks!
September 13, 2008
Knowing Christ By a Personal Revelation
I thought these questions I transcribed from a gospel tract were good for some healthy self-examination:He said to them, "But who do you say I am?" And Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah: for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven" (Matt 16:15-17).
The most important question we can be asked is this: Do we in reality know the living Christ? It is not: Are we religious? Are we members of local churches? Do we read the Bible? We might be very religious, yet not know Christ in the heart. We may be very loyal to our local church, we may study the Bible, we may "say our prayers," or even love to read religious books and study doctrine. But these soul searching questions still remain - Have we ever seen ourselves as lost, vile sinners before a Holy God? Have we ever been stripped of our self-righteousness and laid low in the dust of humility? Have we ever by faith perceived the glorious person of the Lord Jesus Christ, all because of a direct and personal revelation to us by God the Holy Spirit?
When Christ is made known by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, he is made known as the very well-spring of blessing to the soul. If we know Jesus no more than the world does, or than those who are intellectuals among men, then we do not have the real blessing. If we only know the Lord of glory by what we have found out by reading or talking to others, without the help of the Father's drawing power, then it is not the blessing of true salvation. If we do not know more of Christ than what flesh and blood can reveal, we are nothing more than Pharisees or Sadducees - religious, but lost without God - separatists or rationalists, but not recipients of revelation and regeneration. May the eternal Jehovah reveal to us our true and undone condition before Him!
Among the vast religious throngs of this earth there are to be found true people of God. Those chosen of the Father are also redeemed by the Son, and made alive by the Spirit. The elect of God know by deep acknowledgment of their sin that they are blind and ignorant by nature. The true children of God have been made humble; they confess their total dependence on the grace and mercy of Christ, and place their entire confidence and faith in his credible righteousness and shed blood. In the Lord Jesus Christ alone do "we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph 1:7).
It is only when the Lord himself deals with us, taking us in his powerful hand, that we are truly taught who Christ is. We may have heard about Jesus, but we only know him as "the Son of the living God" when illuminated and made alive by God the Spirit. Jesus came forth from God, and the power to know Christ comes forth from God also. If we have Christ, we have eternal life! If we do not have Christ, we have nothing but dead, lifeless, counterfeit religion. Our blessed Master said, "No man can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draw him" (John 6:44). May divine power draw you this day! May we see Christ in all his beauty! May we come to worship and serve only him. Christ is to be seen, but in the light which he himself supplies. May that light shine on you even now, and to our glorious God be all the glory!
(Adapted from "Do You Know Christ By Personal Revelation" by W. F. Bell. Available from Chapel Library.)
August 23, 2008
Jesus Came to Save Sinners
As I read through Luke, a chapter a day, I pray to the Holy Spirit that He would teach me to understand it rightly. I have been noticing that there is a common theme throughout the gospel of Luke, there is a certain emphasis, it seems. Luke makes it clear that Jesus came to seek and to save sinners. The parable of the Lost Sheep, the parable of the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, the Rich Young Ruler, all these stories and much more emphasize that people are sinners who are lost and need the right Shepherd to come and find them. Consider Zacchaeus from Luke 19:1-10 ESV:
"He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through." [I remember another famous story about a sinner saved in Jericho, her name was Rahab the prostitute.] "And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich." [Of course, being a tax collector in those days was as low as scum, but Zac was a chief tax collector and was rich.] "And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way." [It is interesting how lowly sinful people were drawn to Jesus in the gospels.] "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." [Zacchaeus only wanted to see Jesus pass by, but Jesus wants to see Zacchaeus face to face. The Lord said he must stay at Zac's house. Wonder why?] "So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." [Zacchaeus received Jesus with joy. It makes me wonder that there are people who say they are Christians, but do not react with joy when receiving Jesus. Desperate sinners always find joy in the one and only Savior of sinners. On the other hand, the others could not equate themselves as low as this vile sinner, and so they had no lasting joy in the Lord.] "And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." [Zacchaeus was not ashamed to stand before the Lord and call Him "Lord." He acknowledged Jesus as his Lord, Master, King, God, Judge. 'Lord' means Jesus rules over my life. I belong to Him and submit myself to His rule and judgment. He must be our Lord if he is to be our Savior. This shows that Zacchaeus repented. Jesus had taught in Luke 13 that unless we repent, we will perish (Luke 13:2-3). Zacchaeus showed his repentant heart by what he did. Money was no longer his treasure - Jesus was.] "And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham." [Salvation came to Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus did not come to salvation - it was Jesus who came to his house. Jesus called him a son of Abraham, which meant he belonged to Jesus, was an heir of the promise, a believer (see Galatians 3:29).] "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." [Jesus, the Son of Man (God became a man - John 1:14), came to seek and to save the lost. Abraham's children are lost sinners, and here we see a wonderful example of the Savior seeking those He came to Save. Jesus said in John 10:28, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." Romans 5:8 says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."]
As I read through Luke, it strikes me how much this theme is carried through. That Jesus saves sinners. What a hopeful message to wretches (such as myself)! It is the lost children of Abraham, who are lost sinners, whom Jesus came to save. We must repent when we receive Jesus with joy. Repentance is a positive two-fold action granted to us by the Holy Spirit. When we repent, we turn from treasuring sin to treasuring Christ (like Zacchaeus when he heartily gave away his riches, because he had a better inheritance in the Savior). Faith always sees more value in Christ than in the fleeting and damning pleasures of sin. As I walk with my Lord and Savior, my prayer is continually, "Lord, turn me from my sin, cause me to do what you command." I know that anything wrong I do is from my own evil heart, but anything good is a gift granted by my Lord, who came to save sinners - even the worst of them (1 Timothy 1:15). It always amazes me... Jesus came to seek and save the lost... and He never fails!
All I can say is, what grace! What a Savior! Can you relate?
"He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through." [I remember another famous story about a sinner saved in Jericho, her name was Rahab the prostitute.] "And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich." [Of course, being a tax collector in those days was as low as scum, but Zac was a chief tax collector and was rich.] "And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way." [It is interesting how lowly sinful people were drawn to Jesus in the gospels.] "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." [Zacchaeus only wanted to see Jesus pass by, but Jesus wants to see Zacchaeus face to face. The Lord said he must stay at Zac's house. Wonder why?] "So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." [Zacchaeus received Jesus with joy. It makes me wonder that there are people who say they are Christians, but do not react with joy when receiving Jesus. Desperate sinners always find joy in the one and only Savior of sinners. On the other hand, the others could not equate themselves as low as this vile sinner, and so they had no lasting joy in the Lord.] "And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." [Zacchaeus was not ashamed to stand before the Lord and call Him "Lord." He acknowledged Jesus as his Lord, Master, King, God, Judge. 'Lord' means Jesus rules over my life. I belong to Him and submit myself to His rule and judgment. He must be our Lord if he is to be our Savior. This shows that Zacchaeus repented. Jesus had taught in Luke 13 that unless we repent, we will perish (Luke 13:2-3). Zacchaeus showed his repentant heart by what he did. Money was no longer his treasure - Jesus was.] "And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham." [Salvation came to Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus did not come to salvation - it was Jesus who came to his house. Jesus called him a son of Abraham, which meant he belonged to Jesus, was an heir of the promise, a believer (see Galatians 3:29).] "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." [Jesus, the Son of Man (God became a man - John 1:14), came to seek and to save the lost. Abraham's children are lost sinners, and here we see a wonderful example of the Savior seeking those He came to Save. Jesus said in John 10:28, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." Romans 5:8 says, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."]
As I read through Luke, it strikes me how much this theme is carried through. That Jesus saves sinners. What a hopeful message to wretches (such as myself)! It is the lost children of Abraham, who are lost sinners, whom Jesus came to save. We must repent when we receive Jesus with joy. Repentance is a positive two-fold action granted to us by the Holy Spirit. When we repent, we turn from treasuring sin to treasuring Christ (like Zacchaeus when he heartily gave away his riches, because he had a better inheritance in the Savior). Faith always sees more value in Christ than in the fleeting and damning pleasures of sin. As I walk with my Lord and Savior, my prayer is continually, "Lord, turn me from my sin, cause me to do what you command." I know that anything wrong I do is from my own evil heart, but anything good is a gift granted by my Lord, who came to save sinners - even the worst of them (1 Timothy 1:15). It always amazes me... Jesus came to seek and save the lost... and He never fails!
All I can say is, what grace! What a Savior! Can you relate?
August 13, 2008
Entering His Rest
"For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." For who were those who heard and yet rebelled?... And to whom did he swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?... Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it."(Hebrews 3:14-16,18-19; 4:1 ESV).
The verses above seem to be about assurance (it would probably be best to read the whole chapter of Hebrews 3 to get the context). To some, the word assurance means very little, while to others it is what their soul thirsts for. I have struggled with the problem of assurance for many years now. I used to think I had assurance of salvation when the Bible promised that I had assurance of the opposite: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." The list is even worse at the end of Romans 1, and it really hits hard against the self-righteous in Romans 2. And such was I, until I was washed that is. "And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV).
I have assurance that I have come to share in Christ, as long as I hold my original confidence firm to the end (Heb. 3:14). But my struggle is helping others lose their false assurance, just as I had to lose my false assurance before I sought out the firm confidence that is only found in Christ Jesus my precious Savior. Now I want to encourage others to hold their confidence in Him firm to the end, just as I strive to do as I come before the throne of grace. "Let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16 ESV).
Have you lost your false confidence for that which is received at the throne of grace? It is Christ who died, not only to forgive us our sins, but to save us from our sins and grant us true repentance (see Titus 2:11-14). "Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." (Romans 8:34 ESV).
Oh what a precious confidence Jesus Christ is! We must find our rest and assurance in Him alone. God bless and grace be with you.
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