Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "empty-tomb"
Two for the Price of One – Part 1
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
The cross of Christ is the axis around which all history revolves. Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the penalty of all mankind’s sins is central for humanity.
God created mankind to be His family. Like unruly kids man chose to go his own way and be his own god. God responded by providing man-the-prodigal-son a way back into His good graces. The way is through the cross of Christ. There is no other way (John 14:6).
We sing songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. We write songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. In sermons, Sunday School classes, and revival meetings we hear about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. On television, the radio, and the theater we learn about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion.
How could it be otherwise? The cross is where the blood of Jesus was shed, where the wages of sin was paid, where a holy life was ended so that the lives of all sinners might cease. Death came via the cross, death to sin, death to sinners, death to a world engulfed in darkness.
Whoever will may live because of the cross of Christ. Whoever will…that is the key. Will I? Will you? Who will? Yet even as we sing and read and hear about the cross of Christ, we cannot but speak of life, of living, of being born again to newness of life.
Don’t you find it a little strange? I mean, how do we get from the place of death with its grotesque and lurid images of a mangled body, tortured beyond endurance, mutilated beyond recognition, barely resembling a human being any more—how do we get from there to life, and not just life but true life, perfect life, eternal life? On the one hand the subject revolves around death, on the other life becomes the subject. How can this be?
Scripture teaches that two groups of people comprise humanity. There are those who are born once and die twice, and then there are those who are born twice and die once. Sound confusing? It doesn’t have to.
Every human being is born once. How else can he exist as a human being? He must first be born in order to exist. Every human being is born a sinner because his parents are sinners and like begets like. When Father Adam sinned, he became a sinner. Consequently, since all human beings descend from Father Adam, all human beings are born as sinners.
The wages of sin is death. Since every human being is a sinner, he sins. Ergo, every human being has to die. Conclusion: every human being is born at least once and dies at least once. The difference between the two groups of human beings is between dying once and dying twice, between being born once and being born twice.
We will continue this theme in our next study. Be sure to thank the Lord for dying on your behalf. He does like to hear us thank Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The cross of Christ is the axis around which all history revolves. Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the penalty of all mankind’s sins is central for humanity.
God created mankind to be His family. Like unruly kids man chose to go his own way and be his own god. God responded by providing man-the-prodigal-son a way back into His good graces. The way is through the cross of Christ. There is no other way (John 14:6).
We sing songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. We write songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. In sermons, Sunday School classes, and revival meetings we hear about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. On television, the radio, and the theater we learn about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion.
How could it be otherwise? The cross is where the blood of Jesus was shed, where the wages of sin was paid, where a holy life was ended so that the lives of all sinners might cease. Death came via the cross, death to sin, death to sinners, death to a world engulfed in darkness.
Whoever will may live because of the cross of Christ. Whoever will…that is the key. Will I? Will you? Who will? Yet even as we sing and read and hear about the cross of Christ, we cannot but speak of life, of living, of being born again to newness of life.
Don’t you find it a little strange? I mean, how do we get from the place of death with its grotesque and lurid images of a mangled body, tortured beyond endurance, mutilated beyond recognition, barely resembling a human being any more—how do we get from there to life, and not just life but true life, perfect life, eternal life? On the one hand the subject revolves around death, on the other life becomes the subject. How can this be?
Scripture teaches that two groups of people comprise humanity. There are those who are born once and die twice, and then there are those who are born twice and die once. Sound confusing? It doesn’t have to.
Every human being is born once. How else can he exist as a human being? He must first be born in order to exist. Every human being is born a sinner because his parents are sinners and like begets like. When Father Adam sinned, he became a sinner. Consequently, since all human beings descend from Father Adam, all human beings are born as sinners.
The wages of sin is death. Since every human being is a sinner, he sins. Ergo, every human being has to die. Conclusion: every human being is born at least once and dies at least once. The difference between the two groups of human beings is between dying once and dying twice, between being born once and being born twice.
We will continue this theme in our next study. Be sure to thank the Lord for dying on your behalf. He does like to hear us thank Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Two for the Price of One – Part 2
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
Those human beings who approach the Lord Jesus, confess their sins to Him, and ask for His forgiveness—these folks are born twice. Based upon Jesus completed work on the cross, their sins are removed because Jesus paid the penalty for them and they accepted His payment. Thenceforth they are “in Christ”. As He is without sin, so too are they “in Christ”.
Those human beings who don’t approach the Lord Jesus to confess their sins and ask for His forgiveness, who choose to go another way of their own making or choosing—these folks are born once. They are not “in Christ” because they reject His payment on the cross for the penalty of their sins. Consequently the bill still demands payment, and the wages of sin is death. Ergo, they must die for their sins.
Each of us eventually goes the way of all flesh. We die once. We die and pass into eternity. If we went to the cross and accepted the payment for the penalty of our sins, the bill is paid and we don’t die again. Indeed, from the moment we accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins, we were born again, born the second time, born twice…never to die again. By going to the cross of Christ and accepting His payment for the penalty of our sins, we are born the second time and only die once.
Alas, but those who are only born once face a different fate in eternity. They stand before the great white throne tribunal of Jesus Christ and are judged according to their deeds. No, they are not judged based upon their estimation of their deeds. They are judged according to the Lord’s estimation of their deeds.
Dear people, it won’t be pretty at the great white throne tribunal. As the Bible clearly reveals, all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one righteous, not even one. All have gone their own way. No one seeks God in spirit and truth. All our righteousnesses are but filthy rags.
This will be exposed in all its hideousness at the great white throne. Every man’s works will be shown to be contaminated through and through with sin. Not one of man’s works will appear righteous, all good intentions not withstanding. Consequently, Judge Jesus will hammer his gavel on the Judge’s bench and thunder, “Guilty and sentenced to the lake of fire for all eternity!” That is the second death. This group of humans is born only once, so they die twice.
We’ve descanted today on both death and life, mostly on death because we spent our time around the cross of Christ. However, the Lord provides a bargain deal: two for the price of one. He not only offers us death to sin on the cross, but He gives a second heaping helping of life to righteousness at the empty tomb.
That is the message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study. But we haven’t time to delve into the issue now. Our time is up. Let’s enjoy time with the Lord before bed, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Those human beings who approach the Lord Jesus, confess their sins to Him, and ask for His forgiveness—these folks are born twice. Based upon Jesus completed work on the cross, their sins are removed because Jesus paid the penalty for them and they accepted His payment. Thenceforth they are “in Christ”. As He is without sin, so too are they “in Christ”.
Those human beings who don’t approach the Lord Jesus to confess their sins and ask for His forgiveness, who choose to go another way of their own making or choosing—these folks are born once. They are not “in Christ” because they reject His payment on the cross for the penalty of their sins. Consequently the bill still demands payment, and the wages of sin is death. Ergo, they must die for their sins.
Each of us eventually goes the way of all flesh. We die once. We die and pass into eternity. If we went to the cross and accepted the payment for the penalty of our sins, the bill is paid and we don’t die again. Indeed, from the moment we accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins, we were born again, born the second time, born twice…never to die again. By going to the cross of Christ and accepting His payment for the penalty of our sins, we are born the second time and only die once.
Alas, but those who are only born once face a different fate in eternity. They stand before the great white throne tribunal of Jesus Christ and are judged according to their deeds. No, they are not judged based upon their estimation of their deeds. They are judged according to the Lord’s estimation of their deeds.
Dear people, it won’t be pretty at the great white throne tribunal. As the Bible clearly reveals, all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one righteous, not even one. All have gone their own way. No one seeks God in spirit and truth. All our righteousnesses are but filthy rags.
This will be exposed in all its hideousness at the great white throne. Every man’s works will be shown to be contaminated through and through with sin. Not one of man’s works will appear righteous, all good intentions not withstanding. Consequently, Judge Jesus will hammer his gavel on the Judge’s bench and thunder, “Guilty and sentenced to the lake of fire for all eternity!” That is the second death. This group of humans is born only once, so they die twice.
We’ve descanted today on both death and life, mostly on death because we spent our time around the cross of Christ. However, the Lord provides a bargain deal: two for the price of one. He not only offers us death to sin on the cross, but He gives a second heaping helping of life to righteousness at the empty tomb.
That is the message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study. But we haven’t time to delve into the issue now. Our time is up. Let’s enjoy time with the Lord before bed, shall we?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Two for the Price of One – Part 3
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
The message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study teaches about life as well as death. “How so?” you wonder, as you read the words of the verse with befuddlement. Permit me to explain it.
If Christ did not rise out of death, then we are still in our sins because the penalty for sins wasn’t accepted. Accordingly, we must die twice because we are only born once. But…but…BUT Christ did die on the cross as payment for the penalty of our sins, and He did rise out of death to demonstrate God’s acceptance of His perfect payment for sins. And by faith we accepted His payment on our behalf.
Having done so we are born again, born twice, and we have His new resurrection life in exchange for our old life of sin. The subject of the entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is not the cross and death. It is the empty tomb and life, eternal life and the new resurrection body.
There could be no empty tomb apart from Christ’s death on the cross, so the cross and death cannot be omitted from the discussion in 1 Corinthians 15. By the same token the cross by itself cannot accomplish God’s goal of redemption for sinners apart from the empty tomb.
The two cannot be separated, not even for a jinute, and that’s quicker than a minute! The cross flows into the empty tomb. The empty tomb is filled with the cross. At the cross the penalty for sins was paid. Sinners died on the cross “in Christ”, and they were buried in the empty tomb “in Christ”—sinners, that is, who accept Jesus’ payment for their sins.
The sinner remains dead and buried in the tomb, but the new creation rises out of death and departs the tomb, leaving it empty to him. The old sinner remains in the tomb. The new creation in Christ Jesus does not. He lives with Christ evermore, and their residence is certainly not in a tomb! Hallelujah!
So the teaching of our quoted text is that Christ had to rise out of death, or His death for the penalty of our sins was not paid. God did not accept His payment on our behalf. In which case we are born only once and must die twice.
Praise God! Christ did rise out of death! His resurrection is indubitably true. We not only die “in Christ” on the cross of Christ, but we also rise out of death “in Christ” and leave the tomb. At the cross we are emptied of sin. At the empty tomb we are filled with new life, sinless life, life without sin.
Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. The cross must never be devalued, but let us never forget to fuse the empty tomb with it. Both together accomplish God’s plan of redemption for mankind.
Oh, that reminds me. Sorry I didn’t ask earlier, but have you been to the cross and exited the tomb?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Categories: Church Age
The message of the verse we quoted to kick off this study teaches about life as well as death. “How so?” you wonder, as you read the words of the verse with befuddlement. Permit me to explain it.
If Christ did not rise out of death, then we are still in our sins because the penalty for sins wasn’t accepted. Accordingly, we must die twice because we are only born once. But…but…BUT Christ did die on the cross as payment for the penalty of our sins, and He did rise out of death to demonstrate God’s acceptance of His perfect payment for sins. And by faith we accepted His payment on our behalf.
Having done so we are born again, born twice, and we have His new resurrection life in exchange for our old life of sin. The subject of the entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is not the cross and death. It is the empty tomb and life, eternal life and the new resurrection body.
There could be no empty tomb apart from Christ’s death on the cross, so the cross and death cannot be omitted from the discussion in 1 Corinthians 15. By the same token the cross by itself cannot accomplish God’s goal of redemption for sinners apart from the empty tomb.
The two cannot be separated, not even for a jinute, and that’s quicker than a minute! The cross flows into the empty tomb. The empty tomb is filled with the cross. At the cross the penalty for sins was paid. Sinners died on the cross “in Christ”, and they were buried in the empty tomb “in Christ”—sinners, that is, who accept Jesus’ payment for their sins.
The sinner remains dead and buried in the tomb, but the new creation rises out of death and departs the tomb, leaving it empty to him. The old sinner remains in the tomb. The new creation in Christ Jesus does not. He lives with Christ evermore, and their residence is certainly not in a tomb! Hallelujah!
So the teaching of our quoted text is that Christ had to rise out of death, or His death for the penalty of our sins was not paid. God did not accept His payment on our behalf. In which case we are born only once and must die twice.
Praise God! Christ did rise out of death! His resurrection is indubitably true. We not only die “in Christ” on the cross of Christ, but we also rise out of death “in Christ” and leave the tomb. At the cross we are emptied of sin. At the empty tomb we are filled with new life, sinless life, life without sin.
Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. The cross must never be devalued, but let us never forget to fuse the empty tomb with it. Both together accomplish God’s plan of redemption for mankind.
Oh, that reminds me. Sorry I didn’t ask earlier, but have you been to the cross and exited the tomb?
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Categories: Church Age
Opposites and Equivalents – Part 1
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit [Titus 3:5].
If we ask a variety of people the significance of December 25, we will likely receive a variety of answers. Some would immediately point to the day being Christmas, the birthday of Jesus.
Though the depiction of Jesus’ birth in the Bible isn’t conducive for a winter day in the Middle East—which is what December 25 is there—still, historically it was suitable for converting a pagan celebration of nature into a Christian event. In that way, it was reasoned by human thinking, we can stop the pagans from worshiping their pagan gods on their December 25 celebration and worship Jesus instead.
Trouble is, pagans don’t worship Jesus. They worship pagan gods! And if said pagans were to be born again, then they would no longer want to worship the pagan gods on December 25. So the whole scheme amounted to an exercise in futility. Paganism wasn’t affected positively by the machination, but Christianity was certainly diluted in the process.
Notwithstanding this historical reality, the result has long since been finalized and no longer has anything to do with worshiping pagan gods versus worshiping Jesus. I didn’t bring the issue up as a prelude to declaiming an anti-Christmas diatribe. We are conversing about different responses to the query about the significance of December 25 on our calendar.
Another response would be that December 25 is Christmas, and that is when Santa Claus comes to town. According to this understanding, a certain Saint Nicklaus (aka Santa Claus) lives at the North Pole. He keeps company with an entire work force of elves, who make toys for little girls and boys all year long.
While they are doing this, Santa is busy snooping on the same little girls and boys. He keeps a minutely detailed list of their lives—must be similar to the Lord’s books, which will be opened at the Great White Throne judgment—noting just who has been naughty and who has been nice. The nice girls and boys get the gifts, the naughty ones not so much.
Well, come the night of December 24 and Santa boards his flying sleigh, which is fueled by a nine-reindeer-powered engine. Santa calls each reindeer by name, as they soar through the sky to deliver the toys to the good little girls and boys. Santa’s voice rings through the crisp atmosphere with a melodic charm,
Ho! Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Lead the way, faithful Rudolph, with your red nosed headlight!
And there we have two different answers about the significance of December 25 in contemporary USA. But let us take our leave of good ol’ Saint Nick at this time. The shadows are lengthening and the light is dissipating. We must betake ourselves to Jesus for a time of fellowship, and meet back here tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
If we ask a variety of people the significance of December 25, we will likely receive a variety of answers. Some would immediately point to the day being Christmas, the birthday of Jesus.
Though the depiction of Jesus’ birth in the Bible isn’t conducive for a winter day in the Middle East—which is what December 25 is there—still, historically it was suitable for converting a pagan celebration of nature into a Christian event. In that way, it was reasoned by human thinking, we can stop the pagans from worshiping their pagan gods on their December 25 celebration and worship Jesus instead.
Trouble is, pagans don’t worship Jesus. They worship pagan gods! And if said pagans were to be born again, then they would no longer want to worship the pagan gods on December 25. So the whole scheme amounted to an exercise in futility. Paganism wasn’t affected positively by the machination, but Christianity was certainly diluted in the process.
Notwithstanding this historical reality, the result has long since been finalized and no longer has anything to do with worshiping pagan gods versus worshiping Jesus. I didn’t bring the issue up as a prelude to declaiming an anti-Christmas diatribe. We are conversing about different responses to the query about the significance of December 25 on our calendar.
Another response would be that December 25 is Christmas, and that is when Santa Claus comes to town. According to this understanding, a certain Saint Nicklaus (aka Santa Claus) lives at the North Pole. He keeps company with an entire work force of elves, who make toys for little girls and boys all year long.
While they are doing this, Santa is busy snooping on the same little girls and boys. He keeps a minutely detailed list of their lives—must be similar to the Lord’s books, which will be opened at the Great White Throne judgment—noting just who has been naughty and who has been nice. The nice girls and boys get the gifts, the naughty ones not so much.
Well, come the night of December 24 and Santa boards his flying sleigh, which is fueled by a nine-reindeer-powered engine. Santa calls each reindeer by name, as they soar through the sky to deliver the toys to the good little girls and boys. Santa’s voice rings through the crisp atmosphere with a melodic charm,
Ho! Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Lead the way, faithful Rudolph, with your red nosed headlight!
And there we have two different answers about the significance of December 25 in contemporary USA. But let us take our leave of good ol’ Saint Nick at this time. The shadows are lengthening and the light is dissipating. We must betake ourselves to Jesus for a time of fellowship, and meet back here tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Opposites and Equivalents – Part 2
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit [Titus 3:5].
In our last study we noted two different understandings of the significance of December 25 in contemporary USA. It may surprise you, but we are not really going to converse on the subject of Biblical versus cultural issues. Instead let us now consider the subject of the South Pole, or rather, of the differences between the North and South Poles.
There are many. For one thing, did you know that the South Pole has a significantly colder mean temperature than the North Pole does? The South Pole’s average temp is -56, while the North’s is -29. For you fair weather folks, that’s a lot of difference!
Another notable difference is the thickness of the ice between the two places. The North Pole’s ice sheet grows to about 12-15 feet thick in the winter. The South Pole’s ice sheet is roughly 9,000 feet thick, or 3 miles! Not a minor discrepancy, is it?
Another quaint difference between the two is that the North Pole is noted for its polar bears, while the South Pole has for its tourist attraction…penguins. Let’s see. On the one hand we have polar bears, on the other penguins. And the twain shall never meet because, if they did, the penguins would soon be extinct. Polar bears would have them over for supper, you see.
Still one more distinction has to do with energy. An estimated one-fourth of all untapped oil resources exist in the Artic region. In contrast the amount of oil in the Antarctic is…goose egg.
And then there is the difference in population. More than four million folks inhabit the Artic. Do you know how many call the Antarctic home? That would be zero! The Antarctic is the only place on earth where no one has a claim to the real estate.
There are many other significant differences between the Arctic and the Antarctic, dear friends. I have spent considerable time presenting some of these differences for a purpose. I trust you are familiar with the phrase “polar opposites”.
Well, what do you think is the origin of the phrase? As Maxwell Smart was fond of saying, “Would you believe…?” Yes, would you believe it stems from the vast differences between the North Pole and the South?
There is a distinction in our Bible verse which is just as notable as the distinction between the two poles. We might say that this distinction portrays polar opposites. Indeed, on the spiritual plane the distinction is far more pronounced, seeing how eternity is weighed in the balance. On the one hand we have time on earth, on the other time in eternity.
In our next study we will examine this distinction a bit. Hope to see you there. Don’t miss out! And don’t miss out on a chance to be with Jesus right now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
In our last study we noted two different understandings of the significance of December 25 in contemporary USA. It may surprise you, but we are not really going to converse on the subject of Biblical versus cultural issues. Instead let us now consider the subject of the South Pole, or rather, of the differences between the North and South Poles.
There are many. For one thing, did you know that the South Pole has a significantly colder mean temperature than the North Pole does? The South Pole’s average temp is -56, while the North’s is -29. For you fair weather folks, that’s a lot of difference!
Another notable difference is the thickness of the ice between the two places. The North Pole’s ice sheet grows to about 12-15 feet thick in the winter. The South Pole’s ice sheet is roughly 9,000 feet thick, or 3 miles! Not a minor discrepancy, is it?
Another quaint difference between the two is that the North Pole is noted for its polar bears, while the South Pole has for its tourist attraction…penguins. Let’s see. On the one hand we have polar bears, on the other penguins. And the twain shall never meet because, if they did, the penguins would soon be extinct. Polar bears would have them over for supper, you see.
Still one more distinction has to do with energy. An estimated one-fourth of all untapped oil resources exist in the Artic region. In contrast the amount of oil in the Antarctic is…goose egg.
And then there is the difference in population. More than four million folks inhabit the Artic. Do you know how many call the Antarctic home? That would be zero! The Antarctic is the only place on earth where no one has a claim to the real estate.
There are many other significant differences between the Arctic and the Antarctic, dear friends. I have spent considerable time presenting some of these differences for a purpose. I trust you are familiar with the phrase “polar opposites”.
Well, what do you think is the origin of the phrase? As Maxwell Smart was fond of saying, “Would you believe…?” Yes, would you believe it stems from the vast differences between the North Pole and the South?
There is a distinction in our Bible verse which is just as notable as the distinction between the two poles. We might say that this distinction portrays polar opposites. Indeed, on the spiritual plane the distinction is far more pronounced, seeing how eternity is weighed in the balance. On the one hand we have time on earth, on the other time in eternity.
In our next study we will examine this distinction a bit. Hope to see you there. Don’t miss out! And don’t miss out on a chance to be with Jesus right now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Opposites and Equivalents – Part 3
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit [Titus 3:5].
Yes, there are many significant differences between the North and South Poles, between the Arctic and the Antarctic. On the spiritual plane an even more significant difference exists, one in which man’s eternal fate is weighed in the balance. We learn of this difference in the Bible verse quoted above.
The subject is “salvation” (cf., “he saved us”). The contrast is between the Covenant of Law and the Covenant of Grace. Law is denoted by the words “not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness”. Grace, contrariwise, is brought into the spotlight by the words “but according to his mercy”.
Those two, viz., Law and grace, are polar opposites, dear friends. Both were given by God, but only one is God’s will for sinful man. The Scriptures teach us the same thing:
After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “ Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second [Hebrews 10:8-9].
The point made by the writer to the Hebrews is that God gave the Law to Israel, but He didn’t have any pleasure in the works of the Law.
Someone is nonplused and blurts out, “Huh? That does not compute! Why would God give Israel a legal code which He wasn’t pleased with?”
I heard you say it with my own ears, so don’t try to deny it. When the writer to the Hebrews notes that God wasn’t pleased with the Law, he isn’t denigrating the Law. The Law is good when it is used according to the purpose for which God gave it. The Law is given to sinners to show them they are sinners, not to save them.
And therein lies the crux of the matter. God didn’t want the Israelites to be sinners. Even less did He want them to be sinners and yet be clueless that they were sinners! If the Israelites recognized their sins and were repentant vis-à-vis those sins, then the Law would not have been needed.
But the Israelites weren’t, so they needed the Law to teach them that they were indeed sinners. In this context we recognize what the writer to the Hebrews meant—or rather what the Holy Spirit taught by those words He inspired the writer to pen.
Every time animals were offered on the bronze altar as substitutes for the Israelites, it was one more example of the Israelites’ lack of awareness of their sins. Yes, they did acknowledge their sins by means of offering those animal sacrifices. But no, they didn’t recognize in their hearts that they were sinners.
Oops! We are out of time again. In our next study we will continue vetting this subject. For now let us enter the prayer closet and come apart with Jesus a while.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Yes, there are many significant differences between the North and South Poles, between the Arctic and the Antarctic. On the spiritual plane an even more significant difference exists, one in which man’s eternal fate is weighed in the balance. We learn of this difference in the Bible verse quoted above.
The subject is “salvation” (cf., “he saved us”). The contrast is between the Covenant of Law and the Covenant of Grace. Law is denoted by the words “not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness”. Grace, contrariwise, is brought into the spotlight by the words “but according to his mercy”.
Those two, viz., Law and grace, are polar opposites, dear friends. Both were given by God, but only one is God’s will for sinful man. The Scriptures teach us the same thing:
After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “ Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second [Hebrews 10:8-9].
The point made by the writer to the Hebrews is that God gave the Law to Israel, but He didn’t have any pleasure in the works of the Law.
Someone is nonplused and blurts out, “Huh? That does not compute! Why would God give Israel a legal code which He wasn’t pleased with?”
I heard you say it with my own ears, so don’t try to deny it. When the writer to the Hebrews notes that God wasn’t pleased with the Law, he isn’t denigrating the Law. The Law is good when it is used according to the purpose for which God gave it. The Law is given to sinners to show them they are sinners, not to save them.
And therein lies the crux of the matter. God didn’t want the Israelites to be sinners. Even less did He want them to be sinners and yet be clueless that they were sinners! If the Israelites recognized their sins and were repentant vis-à-vis those sins, then the Law would not have been needed.
But the Israelites weren’t, so they needed the Law to teach them that they were indeed sinners. In this context we recognize what the writer to the Hebrews meant—or rather what the Holy Spirit taught by those words He inspired the writer to pen.
Every time animals were offered on the bronze altar as substitutes for the Israelites, it was one more example of the Israelites’ lack of awareness of their sins. Yes, they did acknowledge their sins by means of offering those animal sacrifices. But no, they didn’t recognize in their hearts that they were sinners.
Oops! We are out of time again. In our next study we will continue vetting this subject. For now let us enter the prayer closet and come apart with Jesus a while.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Opposites and Equivalents – Part 4
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit [Titus 3:5].
When they obeyed obeyed a set of rules, a list of dos and don’ts, the Israelites outwardly recognized the fact that they were sinners. But inwardly, in the heart, they were good old boys and girls. God certainly must be pleased with them because He chose them and not the Gentiles! Intellectually, you see, they acknowledged they weren’t perfect. But what the hey. Nobody’s perfect! Right?
The prophet Isaiah portrayed this fact of the Law, that it was given to the Israelites because they were spiritually immature and couldn’t as yet handle grace:
To whom would He teach knowledge, and to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast? For He says, “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little there.” [Isaiah 28:9-10]
Such a flippant attitude betrayed their true heart condition. If they hadn’t such a heart condition, then the Law wouldn’t have been necessary. They could have begun and ended with grace and bypassed the Law altogether.
Hence the writer to the Hebrews declared that the Lord had no pleasure in the outward performance of religion. He gave it to the Israelites, yes. But that was to teach them their need for a new heart, not to engage them in religious exercises for the sake of religious exercise.
The writer to the Hebrews noted that the Lord had no pleasure in the works of the Law. This wasn’t because the works of the Law were evil. The Lord Himself gave the Law to the Israelites. Another reason was behind the words of the writer to the Hebrews. Let’s determine what the reason was.
The Law said, “Do these religious exercises and you will live.” The problem wasn’t in the Law. The problem was in the Israelites. They were sinners and sinners sin, not live righteously, which is what keeping the Law would have amounted to. Compare the phrase, “deeds which we have done in righteousness”. The deeds were righteous because the Lord commanded them. Their source made obedience to the works of the Law righteous.
Grace, on the other hand, says, “Receive a righteous life freely, i.e., by God’s grace. Then you can do righteous things.” See! Sinners cannot do righteous things and earn a righteous life thereby. A righteous life is first needed in order to do righteous things.
Ergo, the Law was given to show the Israelites that they weren’t able to live righteously. They needed a Savior to remove their sins and given them a righteous life in place of their sin nature. Only then would they be able to do righteous things.
This concludes our study for today. We have chewed on much which can stand some more masticating. Let’s do so now in the presence of Jesus, as the Holy Spirit teaches us.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
When they obeyed obeyed a set of rules, a list of dos and don’ts, the Israelites outwardly recognized the fact that they were sinners. But inwardly, in the heart, they were good old boys and girls. God certainly must be pleased with them because He chose them and not the Gentiles! Intellectually, you see, they acknowledged they weren’t perfect. But what the hey. Nobody’s perfect! Right?
The prophet Isaiah portrayed this fact of the Law, that it was given to the Israelites because they were spiritually immature and couldn’t as yet handle grace:
To whom would He teach knowledge, and to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast? For He says, “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little there.” [Isaiah 28:9-10]
Such a flippant attitude betrayed their true heart condition. If they hadn’t such a heart condition, then the Law wouldn’t have been necessary. They could have begun and ended with grace and bypassed the Law altogether.
Hence the writer to the Hebrews declared that the Lord had no pleasure in the outward performance of religion. He gave it to the Israelites, yes. But that was to teach them their need for a new heart, not to engage them in religious exercises for the sake of religious exercise.
The writer to the Hebrews noted that the Lord had no pleasure in the works of the Law. This wasn’t because the works of the Law were evil. The Lord Himself gave the Law to the Israelites. Another reason was behind the words of the writer to the Hebrews. Let’s determine what the reason was.
The Law said, “Do these religious exercises and you will live.” The problem wasn’t in the Law. The problem was in the Israelites. They were sinners and sinners sin, not live righteously, which is what keeping the Law would have amounted to. Compare the phrase, “deeds which we have done in righteousness”. The deeds were righteous because the Lord commanded them. Their source made obedience to the works of the Law righteous.
Grace, on the other hand, says, “Receive a righteous life freely, i.e., by God’s grace. Then you can do righteous things.” See! Sinners cannot do righteous things and earn a righteous life thereby. A righteous life is first needed in order to do righteous things.
Ergo, the Law was given to show the Israelites that they weren’t able to live righteously. They needed a Savior to remove their sins and given them a righteous life in place of their sin nature. Only then would they be able to do righteous things.
This concludes our study for today. We have chewed on much which can stand some more masticating. Let’s do so now in the presence of Jesus, as the Holy Spirit teaches us.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Opposites and Equivalents – Part 5
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit [Titus 3:5].
Now let us move on to the second major teaching in our Bible verse. Let’s read the pertinent words of the verse together:
He saved us…according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.
Yes, the Lord saved us (grace). We don’t and cannot save ourselves (Law). Having said that, the Apostle Paul explained what this entailed. We learn this from the final part of the verse, beginning with the word “by”. God’s salvation entails two aspects, both of which are needed if we are to be truly saved. The two aspects are,
1. washing of regeneration
2. renewing by the Holy Spirit
To decipher the two aspects, we need to stay aware of what it is we are saved from. We are saved from a life of sin. We are saved from the sin nature inside each sinner. We are saved from being sinners.
Ergo, the Lord has to do two things, if He is to be successful in saving us. First, He has to get rid of the sin. Otherwise we have to die as the penalty for our sins, and that is the opposite of being saved.
But that alone won’t save us. No sooner are our sins removed than we are back in the pigsty committing more sins. To enable sinful man to live righteously, sinful man first needs a righteous life. So the Lord crucifies the old life of slavery to sin, but then He perfectly completes our salvation by giving us the new life of the Holy Spirit. And I can promise you, the Holy Spirit does live righteously!
When we wash our hands, we remove the dirt from them. When the Lord gives us His “washing of regeneration”, He removes the sin from us. After doing so, the Lord completes the salvation by giving us His Holy Spirit to live inside us.
This topic deserves much more of our attention. Indeed, it is exciting to delve into it! Accordingly we will pause and spend time alone with Jesus now, and return to the topic tomorrow to give it further attention.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Now let us move on to the second major teaching in our Bible verse. Let’s read the pertinent words of the verse together:
He saved us…according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.
Yes, the Lord saved us (grace). We don’t and cannot save ourselves (Law). Having said that, the Apostle Paul explained what this entailed. We learn this from the final part of the verse, beginning with the word “by”. God’s salvation entails two aspects, both of which are needed if we are to be truly saved. The two aspects are,
1. washing of regeneration
2. renewing by the Holy Spirit
To decipher the two aspects, we need to stay aware of what it is we are saved from. We are saved from a life of sin. We are saved from the sin nature inside each sinner. We are saved from being sinners.
Ergo, the Lord has to do two things, if He is to be successful in saving us. First, He has to get rid of the sin. Otherwise we have to die as the penalty for our sins, and that is the opposite of being saved.
But that alone won’t save us. No sooner are our sins removed than we are back in the pigsty committing more sins. To enable sinful man to live righteously, sinful man first needs a righteous life. So the Lord crucifies the old life of slavery to sin, but then He perfectly completes our salvation by giving us the new life of the Holy Spirit. And I can promise you, the Holy Spirit does live righteously!
When we wash our hands, we remove the dirt from them. When the Lord gives us His “washing of regeneration”, He removes the sin from us. After doing so, the Lord completes the salvation by giving us His Holy Spirit to live inside us.
This topic deserves much more of our attention. Indeed, it is exciting to delve into it! Accordingly we will pause and spend time alone with Jesus now, and return to the topic tomorrow to give it further attention.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Opposites and Equivalents – Part 6
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit [Titus 3:5].
Jesus both removes our sins (“washing of regeneration”) and imparts a new life to us (“renewing by the Holy Spirit”). Those two aspects entail His perfect salvation for sinners. Now let’s make this practical.
Until man passes into eternity, he has the sin nature inside, tempting him to sin as always. For the person who is truly born again, however, the Holy Spirit is also inside, empowering him to resist sin and live righteously. When he listens to the sin nature and sins, the Holy Spirit convicts the born again person and brings him to confession and repentance. Then he is clean once again and can live righteously.
This is the second aspect of our numbered list, viz., the “renewing by the Holy Spirit”. The Lord doesn’t remove our sins and then leave us to our own devices, powerless to live righteously because we haven’t a righteous life. The Lord freely removes our sins from us, based on Him having paid the penalty for them on the cross. Then He goes the extra mile and freely gives us a righteous life, the Holy Spirit, to live inside us.
When it came to the Law, the Israelites temporarily had their sins removed by the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean. But remember, the Lord wasn’t pleased with such things. They were mere temporary expedients, shadows of the reality, types only. They temporarily covered over the sins so that the Lord could abide in Israel’s presence.
The antitype is Jesus, the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus doesn’t temporarily cover over sins. He permanently and with full efficacy removes all sins eternally. His death on the cross perfectly paid the penalty, so sinners don’t have to pay the penalty.
We can have fellowship with the Lord now, not because our sins have been temporarily covered over as per the Law, but because they are permanently removed by the death of Jesus Christ once-for-all. Hence Jesus saves to the uttermst and for all eternity. This is stupendous! This is awesome!
Before closing let me remind you that we began our study of Titus 3:5 by noting how Law and grace are opposites. Now let me conclude by noting that the “washing of regeneration” and “renewing by the Holy Spirit” are equivalents. God has one salvation, not two. The two aspects are not identical, but they are inseparable and make up the whole of God’s one salvation.
Hallelujah! What a Savior! God is so good. Do you know that? Go to Him now. He calls you to come apart with Him. Allow Him to feed you eternal truths which will tantalize your taste buds.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Jesus both removes our sins (“washing of regeneration”) and imparts a new life to us (“renewing by the Holy Spirit”). Those two aspects entail His perfect salvation for sinners. Now let’s make this practical.
Until man passes into eternity, he has the sin nature inside, tempting him to sin as always. For the person who is truly born again, however, the Holy Spirit is also inside, empowering him to resist sin and live righteously. When he listens to the sin nature and sins, the Holy Spirit convicts the born again person and brings him to confession and repentance. Then he is clean once again and can live righteously.
This is the second aspect of our numbered list, viz., the “renewing by the Holy Spirit”. The Lord doesn’t remove our sins and then leave us to our own devices, powerless to live righteously because we haven’t a righteous life. The Lord freely removes our sins from us, based on Him having paid the penalty for them on the cross. Then He goes the extra mile and freely gives us a righteous life, the Holy Spirit, to live inside us.
When it came to the Law, the Israelites temporarily had their sins removed by the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean. But remember, the Lord wasn’t pleased with such things. They were mere temporary expedients, shadows of the reality, types only. They temporarily covered over the sins so that the Lord could abide in Israel’s presence.
The antitype is Jesus, the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus doesn’t temporarily cover over sins. He permanently and with full efficacy removes all sins eternally. His death on the cross perfectly paid the penalty, so sinners don’t have to pay the penalty.
We can have fellowship with the Lord now, not because our sins have been temporarily covered over as per the Law, but because they are permanently removed by the death of Jesus Christ once-for-all. Hence Jesus saves to the uttermst and for all eternity. This is stupendous! This is awesome!
Before closing let me remind you that we began our study of Titus 3:5 by noting how Law and grace are opposites. Now let me conclude by noting that the “washing of regeneration” and “renewing by the Holy Spirit” are equivalents. God has one salvation, not two. The two aspects are not identical, but they are inseparable and make up the whole of God’s one salvation.
Hallelujah! What a Savior! God is so good. Do you know that? Go to Him now. He calls you to come apart with Him. Allow Him to feed you eternal truths which will tantalize your taste buds.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Two for the Price of One – Part 1
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins [1 Corinthians 15:17].
The cross of Christ is the axis around which all history revolves. Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the penalty of all mankind’s sins is central for humanity.
God created mankind to be His family. Like unruly kids man chose to go his own way and be his own god. God responded by providing man-the-prodigal-son a way back into His good graces. The way is through the cross of Christ. There is no other way (John 14:6).
We sing songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. We write songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. In sermons, Sunday School classes, and revival meetings we hear about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. On television, the radio, and the theater we learn about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion.
How could it be otherwise? The cross is where the blood of Jesus was shed, where the wages of sin was paid, where a holy life was ended so that the lives of all sinners might cease. Death came via the cross, death to sin, death to sinners, death to a world engulfed in darkness.
Whoever will may live because of the cross of Christ. Whoever will…that is the key. Will I? Will you? Who will? Yet even as we sing and read and hear about the cross of Christ, we cannot but speak of life, of living, of being born again to newness of life.
Don’t you find it a little strange? I mean, how do we get from the place of death with its grotesque and lurid images of a mangled body, tortured beyond endurance, mutilated beyond recognition, barely resembling a human being any more—how do we get from there to life, and not just life but true life, perfect life, eternal life? On the one hand the subject revolves around death, on the other life becomes the subject. How can this be?
Scripture teaches that two groups of people comprise humanity. There are those who are born once and die twice, and then there are those who are born twice and die once. Sound confusing? It doesn’t have to.
Every human being is born once. How else can he exist as a human being? He must first be born in order to exist. Every human being is born a sinner because his parents are sinners and like begets like. When Father Adam sinned, he became a sinner. Consequently, since all human beings descend from Father Adam, all human beings are born as sinners.
The wages of sin is death. Since every human being is a sinner, he sins. Ergo, every human being has to die. Conclusion: every human being is born at least once and dies at least once. The difference between the two groups of human beings is between dying once and dying twice, between being born once and being born twice.
We will continue this theme in our next study. Be sure to thank the Lord for dying on your behalf. He does like to hear us thank Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
The cross of Christ is the axis around which all history revolves. Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for the penalty of all mankind’s sins is central for humanity.
God created mankind to be His family. Like unruly kids man chose to go his own way and be his own god. God responded by providing man-the-prodigal-son a way back into His good graces. The way is through the cross of Christ. There is no other way (John 14:6).
We sing songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. We write songs about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. In sermons, Sunday School classes, and revival meetings we hear about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion. On television, the radio, and the theater we learn about the cross, Calvary, Golgotha, the crucifixion.
How could it be otherwise? The cross is where the blood of Jesus was shed, where the wages of sin was paid, where a holy life was ended so that the lives of all sinners might cease. Death came via the cross, death to sin, death to sinners, death to a world engulfed in darkness.
Whoever will may live because of the cross of Christ. Whoever will…that is the key. Will I? Will you? Who will? Yet even as we sing and read and hear about the cross of Christ, we cannot but speak of life, of living, of being born again to newness of life.
Don’t you find it a little strange? I mean, how do we get from the place of death with its grotesque and lurid images of a mangled body, tortured beyond endurance, mutilated beyond recognition, barely resembling a human being any more—how do we get from there to life, and not just life but true life, perfect life, eternal life? On the one hand the subject revolves around death, on the other life becomes the subject. How can this be?
Scripture teaches that two groups of people comprise humanity. There are those who are born once and die twice, and then there are those who are born twice and die once. Sound confusing? It doesn’t have to.
Every human being is born once. How else can he exist as a human being? He must first be born in order to exist. Every human being is born a sinner because his parents are sinners and like begets like. When Father Adam sinned, he became a sinner. Consequently, since all human beings descend from Father Adam, all human beings are born as sinners.
The wages of sin is death. Since every human being is a sinner, he sins. Ergo, every human being has to die. Conclusion: every human being is born at least once and dies at least once. The difference between the two groups of human beings is between dying once and dying twice, between being born once and being born twice.
We will continue this theme in our next study. Be sure to thank the Lord for dying on your behalf. He does like to hear us thank Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
