Randy Green's Blog, page 427
October 17, 2013
That’s Just Perfect! – Part 2
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings [Hebrews 2:9-10].
My brand spanking new car wouldn’t even start. It was all of three hours old, and all the engine could do was groan and moan and kick the bucket. So I hied off to the car dealer to give him a piece of my mind…a big piece!
The dealer asked for clarification. He wanted to know what the problem was. So I painted him a picture of that entire afternoon. He looked at me for a moment, scratched his head, then retorted,
I still don’t see the problem, son. The air conditioner works fine, doesn’t it? And the radio plays sweet tunes. The tires are inflated properly, and the gas tank is full. You can run the automobile for hours and listen to the radio in air conditioned comfort, all to your little ol’ heart’s content. And all your friends will be impressed. So what more could you ask for? You are a strange one, sir.
Huh? Are we missing something here? Did we just pass into the Twilight Zone? The Beatles “Yellow Submarine” made more sense than the car salesman! One would think his name was “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and he lived on Boulevard Strawberry Fields Forever.
You see, no one pays big bucks for an automobile, just so he can sit in air conditioned comfort and hear a fantastic stereo system. For that we buy a home stereo setup. We buy a car so we can drive to different places. The engine is primary. The stereo and A/C are extras. (By the way, I made this up. No car salesman would be so inept.)
In Biblical terminology we would say that the imagined automobile I purchased was not “perfected”. It didn’t serve the purpose for which an automobile is manufactured. That is the real meaning in Scripture for being “perfect” or “complete”. It doesn’t have to do with moral issues, with sinlessness and holiness. It refers to something attaining to the purpose for which it was made.
Allow me to cite a Biblical example to illustrate. The Lord prophesied through Isaiah that He would raise up Cyrus king of Persia to put the hurting to Babylon. Cyrus was a heathen king who ruled a heathen empire. Yet the Lord arranged history so that Cyrus accomplished God’s work. When Cyrus did what the Lord foretold he would do, Cyrus was “perfected”. No, this heathen king wasn’t sinless or holy; but he was “perfected”.
In the same vein we read in our Bible verses today of another Person being “perfected”. As Cyrus king of Persia was “perfected”, so too in the case of the Person in our Bible verses: He wasn’t less than “perfect” and somehow became “perfect”, not in the sense of being imperfect or sinful and then becoming sinless. He was “made perfect” though.
This concept is absolutely essential for us to get solidified in our noggins, if we are to rightly understand the Scriptures. We will attempt a right understanding of them in our next study. For now let’s visit with our Lord Jesus and learn from Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 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...
My brand spanking new car wouldn’t even start. It was all of three hours old, and all the engine could do was groan and moan and kick the bucket. So I hied off to the car dealer to give him a piece of my mind…a big piece!
The dealer asked for clarification. He wanted to know what the problem was. So I painted him a picture of that entire afternoon. He looked at me for a moment, scratched his head, then retorted,
I still don’t see the problem, son. The air conditioner works fine, doesn’t it? And the radio plays sweet tunes. The tires are inflated properly, and the gas tank is full. You can run the automobile for hours and listen to the radio in air conditioned comfort, all to your little ol’ heart’s content. And all your friends will be impressed. So what more could you ask for? You are a strange one, sir.
Huh? Are we missing something here? Did we just pass into the Twilight Zone? The Beatles “Yellow Submarine” made more sense than the car salesman! One would think his name was “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and he lived on Boulevard Strawberry Fields Forever.
You see, no one pays big bucks for an automobile, just so he can sit in air conditioned comfort and hear a fantastic stereo system. For that we buy a home stereo setup. We buy a car so we can drive to different places. The engine is primary. The stereo and A/C are extras. (By the way, I made this up. No car salesman would be so inept.)
In Biblical terminology we would say that the imagined automobile I purchased was not “perfected”. It didn’t serve the purpose for which an automobile is manufactured. That is the real meaning in Scripture for being “perfect” or “complete”. It doesn’t have to do with moral issues, with sinlessness and holiness. It refers to something attaining to the purpose for which it was made.
Allow me to cite a Biblical example to illustrate. The Lord prophesied through Isaiah that He would raise up Cyrus king of Persia to put the hurting to Babylon. Cyrus was a heathen king who ruled a heathen empire. Yet the Lord arranged history so that Cyrus accomplished God’s work. When Cyrus did what the Lord foretold he would do, Cyrus was “perfected”. No, this heathen king wasn’t sinless or holy; but he was “perfected”.
In the same vein we read in our Bible verses today of another Person being “perfected”. As Cyrus king of Persia was “perfected”, so too in the case of the Person in our Bible verses: He wasn’t less than “perfect” and somehow became “perfect”, not in the sense of being imperfect or sinful and then becoming sinless. He was “made perfect” though.
This concept is absolutely essential for us to get solidified in our noggins, if we are to rightly understand the Scriptures. We will attempt a right understanding of them in our next study. For now let’s visit with our Lord Jesus and learn from Him.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 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...
October 16, 2013
That’s Just Perfect! – Part 1
But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings [Hebrews 2:9-10].
The last time I purchased a new automobile, it was a most peculiar affair. I found myself inside the dealer’s showroom. The salesman was courteous as all get-out, smiling from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat. And when it came to service on my new automobile, the salesman had a knack for disappearing like the Cheshire Cat!
But that is not the subject of the story. I signed the papers—I couldn’t resist the ear-to-ear smile—and drove my brand spanking new car home to my driveway. I phoned all my friends to report my good fortune. I have a brand spanking new car!
So everyone came over, elated at my good fortune. They marveled at the beauty of the car, the slimline features, the shine in the finish, a grill which was the envy of the neighborhood. Well, you get the point. They were impressed!
Nary a friend present declined a ride in my brand spanking new car. Truth be told, each one insisted on it. So the first batch of folks piled in, cramming themselves until they were jam-packed to the brim. The car was bursting at the seams, but no one seemed to mind at all. They were too ebullient in anticipation of the fantastic, super-duper ride they expected.
So there I was, sitting in the driveway in the driver’s seat of my brand spanking new car, the car bursting at the seams with passengers-to-be, my good friends at that. They were urging me on. It seems that, in their estimation, I wasn’t moving fast enough at starting the trip.
Let’s go, dude! Get a move on already! I can’t wait to feel how this beautiful piece of machinery glides along the road, like a flat stone skating across the surface of a calm lake. O! the suspense is unbearable. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
Well, it went something like that anyway. And that was the best part, because no sooner did I insert the key into the ignition and turn it, than we all experienced a letdown of gigantic proportions. The engine sputtered and stuttered and in general coughed up its last gasping breath.
There was my brand spanking new car filled with a good many of my friends, and many more were in the front yard observing this embarrassment. I was suddenly suffused with a flushed face, the butt of all the jokes that day. O! the shame of it all!
I wasn’t going to tolerate such shenanigans. I hied off to the car salesman and vented my perturbation.
This is totally unacceptable! Your lousy excuse for a car just cost me the respect of all my friends. And you can bet your booties, Granny, they won’t come here to buy a car anytime soon. How dare you sell me a piece of junk like that!
You won’t believe what the dealer had to say about this. So be sure to return tomorrow and hear it for yourself. For now let’s go to Jesus and find out what He has to say.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 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...
The last time I purchased a new automobile, it was a most peculiar affair. I found myself inside the dealer’s showroom. The salesman was courteous as all get-out, smiling from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat. And when it came to service on my new automobile, the salesman had a knack for disappearing like the Cheshire Cat!
But that is not the subject of the story. I signed the papers—I couldn’t resist the ear-to-ear smile—and drove my brand spanking new car home to my driveway. I phoned all my friends to report my good fortune. I have a brand spanking new car!
So everyone came over, elated at my good fortune. They marveled at the beauty of the car, the slimline features, the shine in the finish, a grill which was the envy of the neighborhood. Well, you get the point. They were impressed!
Nary a friend present declined a ride in my brand spanking new car. Truth be told, each one insisted on it. So the first batch of folks piled in, cramming themselves until they were jam-packed to the brim. The car was bursting at the seams, but no one seemed to mind at all. They were too ebullient in anticipation of the fantastic, super-duper ride they expected.
So there I was, sitting in the driveway in the driver’s seat of my brand spanking new car, the car bursting at the seams with passengers-to-be, my good friends at that. They were urging me on. It seems that, in their estimation, I wasn’t moving fast enough at starting the trip.
Let’s go, dude! Get a move on already! I can’t wait to feel how this beautiful piece of machinery glides along the road, like a flat stone skating across the surface of a calm lake. O! the suspense is unbearable. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
Well, it went something like that anyway. And that was the best part, because no sooner did I insert the key into the ignition and turn it, than we all experienced a letdown of gigantic proportions. The engine sputtered and stuttered and in general coughed up its last gasping breath.
There was my brand spanking new car filled with a good many of my friends, and many more were in the front yard observing this embarrassment. I was suddenly suffused with a flushed face, the butt of all the jokes that day. O! the shame of it all!
I wasn’t going to tolerate such shenanigans. I hied off to the car salesman and vented my perturbation.
This is totally unacceptable! Your lousy excuse for a car just cost me the respect of all my friends. And you can bet your booties, Granny, they won’t come here to buy a car anytime soon. How dare you sell me a piece of junk like that!
You won’t believe what the dealer had to say about this. So be sure to return tomorrow and hear it for yourself. For now let’s go to Jesus and find out what He has to say.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Genesis: Volume 1 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...
October 15, 2013
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 His 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 covered 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 merely 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 His 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 covered 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 merely 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...
October 14, 2013
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 entails. 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 entails. 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...
October 13, 2013
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 give 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, and it needs 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 give 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, and it needs 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...
October 12, 2013
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 which 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 which 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...
October 11, 2013
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 Arctic. 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 Arctic. 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...
October 10, 2013
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 to 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 to 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...
October 9, 2013
What is Spiritual Warfare? – Part 6
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf [Ephesians 6:18-19].
We learned how to put on “the full armor of God” in our last study. And that brings us to our second question: What actually is spiritual warfare?
To answer this question, we need only consider how we answered the first one. We put on “the full armor of God” by grace through faith. We read the Bible to learn what God tells us. We believe in both the head and the heart what He tells us. And we then obey by doing what He tells us.
To understand what spiritual warfare actually is, we need to read the Bible to see what He tells us. Then we need to believe in both the head and the heart what He tells us about spiritual warfare. And we then need to obey what He tells us.
Read once more the two Bible verses quoted to start this study. In three short lines we have five references to actual spiritual warfare. Take note of five words,
1. prayer
2. petition
3. pray
4. petition
5. pray
That, my friends, is the essence of spiritual warfare. Straightway after itemizing the five pieces of armor in “the full armor of God”, Paul penned those two verses. In other words he instructed Christians to put on the five pieces of armor, and then to go to prayer. The football players were to put on their football gear, and then go play football. The Christian is to put on “the full armor of God”, and then go fight spiritual warfare by praying.
We Christians today need to stop watching the football game on the TV and then fancying ourselves to be Hall of Fame players. We need to stop reading about spiritual warfare in the Bible and then fancying ourselves to be Hall of Faith saints. We cannot be football players apart from playing the game of football. We cannot be spiritual warriors apart from fighting spiritual warfare.
So what say ye? Most folks aren’t cut out to be football players, just as most folks aren’t cut out to be brain surgeons or rocket scientists. But those are natural abilities. If the Lord doesn’t give us those natural abilities, we aren’t going to be able to practice them.
This doesn’t apply in the spiritual realm, however, dear people. Yes, there are different ministries, and there are different spiritual gifts to perform those various minstries. And yes, the Holy Spirit gives each Christian the spiritual gift(s) He wants him to have. But no, that has nothing to do with fighting spiritual warfare.
No spiritual gift is unique to being a spiritual warrior. Prayer is the prerogative of each and every Christian, no exceptions. Every Christian is called by God to the ministry of fighting spiritual warfare. It is up to each Christian to decide whether or not he will obey the Word of God. Will you?
Lord Jesus, make it so in my life and in the lives of all Your people. Revive us, dear Savior, that we may be used by You to revive the world. In Jesus name.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 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...
We learned how to put on “the full armor of God” in our last study. And that brings us to our second question: What actually is spiritual warfare?
To answer this question, we need only consider how we answered the first one. We put on “the full armor of God” by grace through faith. We read the Bible to learn what God tells us. We believe in both the head and the heart what He tells us. And we then obey by doing what He tells us.
To understand what spiritual warfare actually is, we need to read the Bible to see what He tells us. Then we need to believe in both the head and the heart what He tells us about spiritual warfare. And we then need to obey what He tells us.
Read once more the two Bible verses quoted to start this study. In three short lines we have five references to actual spiritual warfare. Take note of five words,
1. prayer
2. petition
3. pray
4. petition
5. pray
That, my friends, is the essence of spiritual warfare. Straightway after itemizing the five pieces of armor in “the full armor of God”, Paul penned those two verses. In other words he instructed Christians to put on the five pieces of armor, and then to go to prayer. The football players were to put on their football gear, and then go play football. The Christian is to put on “the full armor of God”, and then go fight spiritual warfare by praying.
We Christians today need to stop watching the football game on the TV and then fancying ourselves to be Hall of Fame players. We need to stop reading about spiritual warfare in the Bible and then fancying ourselves to be Hall of Faith saints. We cannot be football players apart from playing the game of football. We cannot be spiritual warriors apart from fighting spiritual warfare.
So what say ye? Most folks aren’t cut out to be football players, just as most folks aren’t cut out to be brain surgeons or rocket scientists. But those are natural abilities. If the Lord doesn’t give us those natural abilities, we aren’t going to be able to practice them.
This doesn’t apply in the spiritual realm, however, dear people. Yes, there are different ministries, and there are different spiritual gifts to perform those various minstries. And yes, the Holy Spirit gives each Christian the spiritual gift(s) He wants him to have. But no, that has nothing to do with fighting spiritual warfare.
No spiritual gift is unique to being a spiritual warrior. Prayer is the prerogative of each and every Christian, no exceptions. Every Christian is called by God to the ministry of fighting spiritual warfare. It is up to each Christian to decide whether or not he will obey the Word of God. Will you?
Lord Jesus, make it so in my life and in the lives of all Your people. Revive us, dear Savior, that we may be used by You to revive the world. In Jesus name.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 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...
October 8, 2013
What is Spiritual Warfare? – Part 5
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf [Ephesians 6:18-19].
In our last study we concluded that two problems exist with Christians and spiritual warfare. We also concluded that the two problems raise two questions which demand answers.
The two problems are:
1. no armor is put on, despite belief to the contrary
2. no fighting is done, after the armor is supposedly put on
The two questions raised are:
1. How are we to put on “the full armor of God”?
2. What actually is spiritual warfare?
In our prior studies as we went through each piece of armor, I noted that each one is directly related to the Word of God. I hope you remember this vital fact. The Word of God is indispensable to a person being being born again, and it is just as indispensable for living as a born again person. This is because salvation—both being born again (justification) and living the new life (sanctification)—is by grace through faith.
Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (cf., Romans 10:17). Whereas faith is required to please God (cf., Hebrews 11:6), we cannot live for Him, we cannot be His disciples and serve Him, and we cannot conduct spiritual warfare on His behalf, apart from faith. And once more, faith comes from hearing the Word of God.
If we would serve God in any capacity—and spiritual warfare is definitely included in this—we have to hear His Word, believe it, and then obey it. Biblical belief (aka faith) is much more than intellectual understanding. It begins with understanding by the mind, but it moves the understanding down into the heart as well, so that our understanding is both intellectual and spiritual.
We have to love God for real, not just understand facts about Him and want to do things for Him to please Him. Our hearts must belong to Him. When that is the case, we don’t find reading His words to us to be a grievous chore. It is a delight to hear from Him! No one in love considers it a grievous chore to be with his sweetie!
So we put on “the full armor of God” by grace through faith. God gives it to us freely. We don’t earn it and we don’t deserve it. It’s His gift to us, i.e., grace. We believe His Word that this is so, believe it both in the head and in the heart, i.e., faith. And we want to put it on so as to serve Him as He instructs us to do so.
Oh no. Not again. We are out of time. And I was just getting warmed up too. Oh well. We will conclude this study on the morrow. Jesus awaits us now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 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...
In our last study we concluded that two problems exist with Christians and spiritual warfare. We also concluded that the two problems raise two questions which demand answers.
The two problems are:
1. no armor is put on, despite belief to the contrary
2. no fighting is done, after the armor is supposedly put on
The two questions raised are:
1. How are we to put on “the full armor of God”?
2. What actually is spiritual warfare?
In our prior studies as we went through each piece of armor, I noted that each one is directly related to the Word of God. I hope you remember this vital fact. The Word of God is indispensable to a person being being born again, and it is just as indispensable for living as a born again person. This is because salvation—both being born again (justification) and living the new life (sanctification)—is by grace through faith.
Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (cf., Romans 10:17). Whereas faith is required to please God (cf., Hebrews 11:6), we cannot live for Him, we cannot be His disciples and serve Him, and we cannot conduct spiritual warfare on His behalf, apart from faith. And once more, faith comes from hearing the Word of God.
If we would serve God in any capacity—and spiritual warfare is definitely included in this—we have to hear His Word, believe it, and then obey it. Biblical belief (aka faith) is much more than intellectual understanding. It begins with understanding by the mind, but it moves the understanding down into the heart as well, so that our understanding is both intellectual and spiritual.
We have to love God for real, not just understand facts about Him and want to do things for Him to please Him. Our hearts must belong to Him. When that is the case, we don’t find reading His words to us to be a grievous chore. It is a delight to hear from Him! No one in love considers it a grievous chore to be with his sweetie!
So we put on “the full armor of God” by grace through faith. God gives it to us freely. We don’t earn it and we don’t deserve it. It’s His gift to us, i.e., grace. We believe His Word that this is so, believe it both in the head and in the heart, i.e., faith. And we want to put it on so as to serve Him as He instructs us to do so.
Oh no. Not again. We are out of time. And I was just getting warmed up too. Oh well. We will conclude this study on the morrow. Jesus awaits us now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 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...
