Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 1 Peter 4:1
Christians thinking of Jesus often meditate on his divine nature without giving equal attention to his human nature, in doing so with resolve ourselves of the responsibility to be like him. His suffering in the body was not just the suffering of the cross. Jesus suffered through the temptations to sin the same way every human being does. “Tempted in all ways yet without sin” He did not have our sin nature, but he did have a will of his own. The human will can be an enemy or a friend of God. The direction of the will, Peter points out, is determined by the attitude of the mind, and the crucifying of the flesh. In reference to the mind and body Paul’s words in Romans 12 agree with Peter’s. He tells us to present our bodies as sacrifices, and then renew our minds. The consequence is that we will know God’s good pleasing and perfect will.
Many believers struggle a lifetime trying to know God’s will without finding it. This happens because they never allow the body to suffer through temptation. Jesus suffered to obey God with such intensity that he bled sweat. How much have you suffered in the body for Christ? Before you limit this application to martyrs, consider the nursery rhyme, “be careful little eyes what you see, little ears what you hear, little hands what you do and little feet where you go.” The truth of suffering of the body is not just child’s play it is related to adult action and divine destiny. The failure to manage the body has destroyed the lives of many great Christians.
In a conversation with my supervisor about the reasons for divorce he highlighted three A’s, abuse, adultery, and addictions. Physical and emotional abuses stem from words and deeds done in the body; adultery and addiction are both rooted in appetites that are destructive. Anyone who has ever tamed a temper, or arrested an adulterous urge has suffered in the body. Addiction by definition is a body submitted to the level of slavery. Slavery does not usually end without a war. Remember God destroyed the armies of Pharaoh, and the next generation did not receive a single promise until they fought. Peter therefore reminds us to “arm ourselves”. Even though the United States has been a nation at war recently we are a citizenry that is predominately living in peace. People at peace are not trained to suffer. When applied to sin the desire for peace can lead to appeasement of the flesh and sinful nature. The consequence is a body that is nourished on sin instead of one that is purified from sin. Peter tells us “whoever suffers in the body is done with sin”
Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus, who suffered in the flesh to destroy sin. We are called to be like him. “Righteousness is following the divine law; holiness is having a divine nature.” These are the words of Samuel Logan Brengle, Salvation Army office, who lived out God’s good and pleasing perfect will for his life. I pray you and I are willing the arm ourselves, to suffer some, that we might be “done with sin”.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Bad Men, Bad Angels, Same God
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. 1 Peter 3:19-20
In my last blog I spoke about the disobedience of men in the pre flood generation. The possibility of angelic disobedience is also contained in this passage. My cross reference is 2 Peter 2:4-5 “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment..;” The course of interpretation of this passage debatable. I have stated that where there is controversy in the scripture a diligent preacher is obligated to teach the controversy. I will do my best to follow my own admonishment. Key to this passage is what happens in Genesis 6:1-2. “When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.” The debate centers on who are the “sons of God” Job 1:6, 2:1, 38.7 all use the term in regards to angelic beings, Peter’s reference to these angels being placed in “gloomy dungeons” reinforces the fact that they sinned. Some believe that the sin was an angelic/human hybrid that was abhorrent to God.
Jude 5 - 7 is another passage to consider “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”
http://www.scripturessay.com/article.php?cat=&id=303 breaks down this passage as follows. “Jude 7 speaks of the SEXUAL IMMORALITY of Sodom and Gomorrah. It adds “The little clause "in like manner" (KJV), "in a similar way" (NIV), "which likewise" (RSV), "they, in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh..." (NAS95), must be understood in it's proper context. Most credible scholars believe that Jude is referring to some event in which angels, in the same way as Sodom, went after strange flesh in a sexually immoral way. It seems likely that the context of Jude 6 considers the context of Genesis 6.”
The problem with the above interpretation is that Jesus explicitly said that "in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven." (Matthew 22:30) (See also Luke 20:34-36). Therefore in Jesus' own words, angels are asexual and do not procreate. Interpreters that believe the Genesis 6 is referencing human and not angelic offspring point out that “The phrase: "sons of God" should be understood as referring to the posterity of Seth, who from the times of Enos, were called by the name of the Lord, (Gen. 4:25) and had the title of the sons of God, in distinction from the children of men. Those in the line of Seth claimed the privilege of divine adoption, and professed to be born of God, and partakers of his grace, and claimed to worship him according to his will, so far as revealed to them, and to fear and serve and glorify him. http://www.scripturessay.com/article.
Another difficulty with the passage is the claim that the angels had illicit relations with women. Yet the text is very clear: "they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose" (Genesis 6:2b). The phrase "took wives for themselves" only, and always, means marriage. It never refers to casual, illicit or adulterous relationships. (See Genesis 11:29 & Ruth 1:4). To suggest otherwise is reading into the text that which is simply not there. http://globalchristiancenter.com/biblical-theology/nephilim-genesis-6.html
There is more information that could be added to support or detract from both positions. Let me state what we know. We know that men sinned greatly before the flood. We know that some of the fallen angels “abandoned their proper abode” and were judged for their sin by being caste into a dungeon for holding until greater judgment. Peter’s motivation for setting the example of the pre flood generation is not in illicit a theological argument but to remind us that God’s judgments can be severe. Peter is a person that experienced a great deal of God’s grace, but he is also the person who spoke God’s judging words on those the lied to the Holy Ghost in Acts 5. The occasion is one in which Ananias and Sapphira gave a large and substantial portion of the proceeds of selling their property for the benefit of the church. Their claim was that they gave all of the profit to the church. Their lie resulted in their immediate death. Peter simply wants us to remember that God is the same yesterday, today and forever; in this case everything else is literally commentary.
In my last blog I spoke about the disobedience of men in the pre flood generation. The possibility of angelic disobedience is also contained in this passage. My cross reference is 2 Peter 2:4-5 “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment..;” The course of interpretation of this passage debatable. I have stated that where there is controversy in the scripture a diligent preacher is obligated to teach the controversy. I will do my best to follow my own admonishment. Key to this passage is what happens in Genesis 6:1-2. “When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.” The debate centers on who are the “sons of God” Job 1:6, 2:1, 38.7 all use the term in regards to angelic beings, Peter’s reference to these angels being placed in “gloomy dungeons” reinforces the fact that they sinned. Some believe that the sin was an angelic/human hybrid that was abhorrent to God.
Jude 5 - 7 is another passage to consider “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”
http://www.scripturessay.com/article.php?cat=&id=303 breaks down this passage as follows. “Jude 7 speaks of the SEXUAL IMMORALITY of Sodom and Gomorrah. It adds “The little clause "in like manner" (KJV), "in a similar way" (NIV), "which likewise" (RSV), "they, in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh..." (NAS95), must be understood in it's proper context. Most credible scholars believe that Jude is referring to some event in which angels, in the same way as Sodom, went after strange flesh in a sexually immoral way. It seems likely that the context of Jude 6 considers the context of Genesis 6.”
The problem with the above interpretation is that Jesus explicitly said that "in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven." (Matthew 22:30) (See also Luke 20:34-36). Therefore in Jesus' own words, angels are asexual and do not procreate. Interpreters that believe the Genesis 6 is referencing human and not angelic offspring point out that “The phrase: "sons of God" should be understood as referring to the posterity of Seth, who from the times of Enos, were called by the name of the Lord, (Gen. 4:25) and had the title of the sons of God, in distinction from the children of men. Those in the line of Seth claimed the privilege of divine adoption, and professed to be born of God, and partakers of his grace, and claimed to worship him according to his will, so far as revealed to them, and to fear and serve and glorify him. http://www.scripturessay.com/article.
Another difficulty with the passage is the claim that the angels had illicit relations with women. Yet the text is very clear: "they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose" (Genesis 6:2b). The phrase "took wives for themselves" only, and always, means marriage. It never refers to casual, illicit or adulterous relationships. (See Genesis 11:29 & Ruth 1:4). To suggest otherwise is reading into the text that which is simply not there. http://globalchristiancenter.com/biblical-theology/nephilim-genesis-6.html
There is more information that could be added to support or detract from both positions. Let me state what we know. We know that men sinned greatly before the flood. We know that some of the fallen angels “abandoned their proper abode” and were judged for their sin by being caste into a dungeon for holding until greater judgment. Peter’s motivation for setting the example of the pre flood generation is not in illicit a theological argument but to remind us that God’s judgments can be severe. Peter is a person that experienced a great deal of God’s grace, but he is also the person who spoke God’s judging words on those the lied to the Holy Ghost in Acts 5. The occasion is one in which Ananias and Sapphira gave a large and substantial portion of the proceeds of selling their property for the benefit of the church. Their claim was that they gave all of the profit to the church. Their lie resulted in their immediate death. Peter simply wants us to remember that God is the same yesterday, today and forever; in this case everything else is literally commentary.
Friday, January 13, 2012
All of the Bible or None of the Bible (part II)
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 1 Peter 3: 19 - 22
Let’s continue our story with talking about Noah and his building of the Ark. An important verse in this discussion is Genesis 6:3 “Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” This verse is often misinterpreted as a projection of normal human life span when it is actually the time Noah was given to build the Ark. Psalm 90:10 is the better gage of a human life span in this dispensation. “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures.” Time and human experience bear testimony to the accuracy of Psalm 90. However, Noah was operating in a time in which life spans were measured in centuries not decades.
Men grew in violence in an environment that was at peace. Animals had no fear of men in his dispensation and probably were not carnivorous. Truly, the lion would lay with a child and the child would be as safe as he would be in a crib. Genesis 9:2-3 is a historic moment that bears witness to the change in the physical nature of the planet and is reflected in the animal kingdom. “The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” The answer to how did Noah gather the animals is easy. The animals were not afraid of people. I am also postulating that they were not afraid of each other. Men clearly did not eat meat. I am making the argument that animals did not either. Admittedly, my deduction is not clearly stated in scripture; however it is not an irrational either.
I should explain the word dispensation for readers that are unfamiliar with the concept. “In Christian terms ... it refers to a period in history whereby God dealt with man in a specific way. (Conscience, Law, Grace)” Noah’s pre-flood time would be the age of Conscience, Mosses a time of Law, our own time one of Grace. The flood and the change in the world that followed it are the direct consequence of men’s disobedience to God. Please don’t view these categories as hard lines; there is much carry over from one time to another. The most consistent of these carryovers is the system of sacrifice implemented with Adam that had its fulfillment in Christ.
It is the profound nature of man’s disobedience in the pre flood dispensation that creates the global judgment of God. The level of disobedience may have included a perversion involving angels. I will address that in the next blog. However, before I close I want to talk about the eight people for a few minutes. Noah we know was righteous. The late Samuel Logan Brengle makes a wonderful distinction between righteousness and holiness. He states that righteousness is keeping the God’s law, while holiness is living out God’s character. As this applies to Noah, he is called righteous by the Lord himself. Ezekiel 16: 19-20 makes reference to Noah, Daniel and Job and states that if a city were judged they would be saved but the city lost. The eight post flood citizens of the world include Noah his wife, his three sons and their wives. Acts 16:31 immediately comes to mind, “believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.” This application I believe holds true for Noah’s family.
They are called to repopulate the planet with sacrifice and obedience still being a standard practice. There is radical drop in what for I will describe as the “fumes of Eden”, by that I mean, long life and a peaceful animal kingdom among other things. Peter is using fallen angels and the pre flood generation as examples for us. He is pointed out the necessity of holiness. The foundation principle is, “he who endures to the end shall be saved. His pen will later write, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others.” …2 Peter 2:4-5.. then you and I would be wise to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Let’s continue our story with talking about Noah and his building of the Ark. An important verse in this discussion is Genesis 6:3 “Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” This verse is often misinterpreted as a projection of normal human life span when it is actually the time Noah was given to build the Ark. Psalm 90:10 is the better gage of a human life span in this dispensation. “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures.” Time and human experience bear testimony to the accuracy of Psalm 90. However, Noah was operating in a time in which life spans were measured in centuries not decades.
Men grew in violence in an environment that was at peace. Animals had no fear of men in his dispensation and probably were not carnivorous. Truly, the lion would lay with a child and the child would be as safe as he would be in a crib. Genesis 9:2-3 is a historic moment that bears witness to the change in the physical nature of the planet and is reflected in the animal kingdom. “The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” The answer to how did Noah gather the animals is easy. The animals were not afraid of people. I am also postulating that they were not afraid of each other. Men clearly did not eat meat. I am making the argument that animals did not either. Admittedly, my deduction is not clearly stated in scripture; however it is not an irrational either.
I should explain the word dispensation for readers that are unfamiliar with the concept. “In Christian terms ... it refers to a period in history whereby God dealt with man in a specific way. (Conscience, Law, Grace)” Noah’s pre-flood time would be the age of Conscience, Mosses a time of Law, our own time one of Grace. The flood and the change in the world that followed it are the direct consequence of men’s disobedience to God. Please don’t view these categories as hard lines; there is much carry over from one time to another. The most consistent of these carryovers is the system of sacrifice implemented with Adam that had its fulfillment in Christ.
It is the profound nature of man’s disobedience in the pre flood dispensation that creates the global judgment of God. The level of disobedience may have included a perversion involving angels. I will address that in the next blog. However, before I close I want to talk about the eight people for a few minutes. Noah we know was righteous. The late Samuel Logan Brengle makes a wonderful distinction between righteousness and holiness. He states that righteousness is keeping the God’s law, while holiness is living out God’s character. As this applies to Noah, he is called righteous by the Lord himself. Ezekiel 16: 19-20 makes reference to Noah, Daniel and Job and states that if a city were judged they would be saved but the city lost. The eight post flood citizens of the world include Noah his wife, his three sons and their wives. Acts 16:31 immediately comes to mind, “believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.” This application I believe holds true for Noah’s family.
They are called to repopulate the planet with sacrifice and obedience still being a standard practice. There is radical drop in what for I will describe as the “fumes of Eden”, by that I mean, long life and a peaceful animal kingdom among other things. Peter is using fallen angels and the pre flood generation as examples for us. He is pointed out the necessity of holiness. The foundation principle is, “he who endures to the end shall be saved. His pen will later write, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others.” …2 Peter 2:4-5.. then you and I would be wise to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
All of the Bible or None of the Bible (part 1)
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 1 Peter 3: 19-22
The above passage in technically complicated and theologically important it also is another one of those passages that demand a reading of the Bible as a singular document and not just a grouping of literature tossed together. In the four verses quoted, we must deal with hell, angels, the pre-flood generation, baptism and the body resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension into heaven. Last blog I wrote on verse 19, today I will only set a foundation for verse 20. There is simply too much in these verses to gloss over. I will point the reader to references as necessary in order to maintain the brevity of the blog.
The flood is one of the great lines in the concrete that separates believers between believers and believers and non believers. Believing in a literal worldwide flood a literal Adam and Eve categorizes you as one of those “crazy creationist” and there is no way to get around that charge if you are an evangelical bible believer. As an evangelist and soul winner you have to be able to give intelligent answers to these questions. Ken Ham of answersingenesis.org is the best resource I know of in this area. His web site has a blog written by him called ‘Will pastors miss the millions of years point?’ It quotes extensively from a survey among pastors addressing the topic of this blog.
The question of the nature of the flood is of vital importance. Peter’s pen referenced only eight people being saved after the flood. If nine are saved the Bible is unreliable. It tells us the reason for the flood, disobedience, and immediately following the flood we have a radical change in the life span of men that is reported. If the account of the pre flood generation is mythological then the entire Bible is unreliable. Our faith is in vain and we are the most foolish of people.
If Jesus did not die to restore what Adam’s sin lost then the crucifixion is without redeeming merit; if the Bible is mythological about the flood then why not the resurrection? The Christian faith is routed in historic precedents that begin in Genesis. If there is death before Adam, then death is not the consequence of the sin. If death is the consequence of something other than sin then the scripture that says “without the shedding of blood there is not remission of sins” does not apply. If it does not apply then Jesus did not need to die for our sins. If Jesus did not need to die for our sins then everything he did and said has no foundation and he is only a man and not God. Then Christianity is a false religion. Therefore we better be able to justify why we believe what we believe.
The intellectual process for believing is God is easy. Creation itself is sufficient evidence to believe in God. The design and intricacies of nature demand a belief in a creator. Naming that creator Jesus and stating he is the designer is a much bigger leap. In order to that I have to believe in Bible. The intellectual process that makes me believe in the Bible starts with Jesus and then backs into evangelical truth and applies to things like the universal flood, a young earth and a literal Adam.
What are the things that are in the Bible that make me believe in Jesus? There are two I can start with, the first is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies related to Jesus. Simply search the topic and you will see a list of these scriptures. The second is the witness of the apostles. These are all men that went to great lengths to speak about their personal eye witness accounts of his resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that 500 people saw Jesus alive. Luke 1, 1 John 1 opening lines speak with clarity about a desire to witness to a truth that was historic. The writers only give us the option of accepting or rejecting their words as actual truth. Their claims leave no room for mythological or metaphorical interpretation. Neither does the rest of the Bible. To be continued
The above passage in technically complicated and theologically important it also is another one of those passages that demand a reading of the Bible as a singular document and not just a grouping of literature tossed together. In the four verses quoted, we must deal with hell, angels, the pre-flood generation, baptism and the body resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension into heaven. Last blog I wrote on verse 19, today I will only set a foundation for verse 20. There is simply too much in these verses to gloss over. I will point the reader to references as necessary in order to maintain the brevity of the blog.
The flood is one of the great lines in the concrete that separates believers between believers and believers and non believers. Believing in a literal worldwide flood a literal Adam and Eve categorizes you as one of those “crazy creationist” and there is no way to get around that charge if you are an evangelical bible believer. As an evangelist and soul winner you have to be able to give intelligent answers to these questions. Ken Ham of answersingenesis.org is the best resource I know of in this area. His web site has a blog written by him called ‘Will pastors miss the millions of years point?’ It quotes extensively from a survey among pastors addressing the topic of this blog.
The question of the nature of the flood is of vital importance. Peter’s pen referenced only eight people being saved after the flood. If nine are saved the Bible is unreliable. It tells us the reason for the flood, disobedience, and immediately following the flood we have a radical change in the life span of men that is reported. If the account of the pre flood generation is mythological then the entire Bible is unreliable. Our faith is in vain and we are the most foolish of people.
If Jesus did not die to restore what Adam’s sin lost then the crucifixion is without redeeming merit; if the Bible is mythological about the flood then why not the resurrection? The Christian faith is routed in historic precedents that begin in Genesis. If there is death before Adam, then death is not the consequence of the sin. If death is the consequence of something other than sin then the scripture that says “without the shedding of blood there is not remission of sins” does not apply. If it does not apply then Jesus did not need to die for our sins. If Jesus did not need to die for our sins then everything he did and said has no foundation and he is only a man and not God. Then Christianity is a false religion. Therefore we better be able to justify why we believe what we believe.
The intellectual process for believing is God is easy. Creation itself is sufficient evidence to believe in God. The design and intricacies of nature demand a belief in a creator. Naming that creator Jesus and stating he is the designer is a much bigger leap. In order to that I have to believe in Bible. The intellectual process that makes me believe in the Bible starts with Jesus and then backs into evangelical truth and applies to things like the universal flood, a young earth and a literal Adam.
What are the things that are in the Bible that make me believe in Jesus? There are two I can start with, the first is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies related to Jesus. Simply search the topic and you will see a list of these scriptures. The second is the witness of the apostles. These are all men that went to great lengths to speak about their personal eye witness accounts of his resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that 500 people saw Jesus alive. Luke 1, 1 John 1 opening lines speak with clarity about a desire to witness to a truth that was historic. The writers only give us the option of accepting or rejecting their words as actual truth. Their claims leave no room for mythological or metaphorical interpretation. Neither does the rest of the Bible. To be continued
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
U Haul to Hades, Moving on Up!
After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 1 Peter 3: 19-22
The above passage in technically complicated but theologically important it also is another one of those passages that demand a reading of the Bible as a singular document and not just a grouping of literature tossed together. In the four verses quoted, we must deal with hell, angels, the pre-flood generation, baptism and the body resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension into heaven. I am only going to cover verse 19 in today’s blog.
Verse 19a is not hard to interpret. David Guzik is my favorite Bible commentator; I will simply quote his words from the Blueletterbible.org in reference to this passage. “Jesus did die in His body, but was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit. Here, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. It also tells us that the Father raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 6:4), and it says that Jesus raised Himself from the dead (John 2:18-22). The resurrection was the work of the Triune God.”
“He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits” Jesus’ proclamation is the announcement in an eternal shift in character of mankind, and changed the operational nature of heaven and hell itself. This shift was not anticipated by the demonic world. “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” 1 Corinthians 2:8 The rulers of this age could be applied to the earthly leaders of the time such as Herod and Pilate, but I do not believe that the verse is speaking about the earthly realm. My position is based on Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Herod, Pilate and the earthly rulers were nothing but instruments of their father the devil anyway.
The Proclamation of Authority
Jesus proclaims governing authority of the abode of the dead. The question of authority is answered in Revelations 1:18 “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. “ Jesus is connecting his life death and resurrection to the authority over “death and Hades” Listen to one of the coolest aspects of this truth. The devil can’t even go home at without Jesus’ permission. Beyond being just fun to say, it speaks to this fundamental shift of authority that we as believers need to understand.
Jesus marks this shift when he says of the John the Baptist. I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." Luke 7:28. What is different is that death has been defeated. There were sections of abode of the dead that moved when Jesus finished his proclamation.
Luke 16 describes the compartments and the communication that went on between these sections of Hades. There is a conversation between Abraham and a rich sinner who was condemned because of his failure to believe Mosses and the prophets. Abraham says these words. ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ Luke 16:25-26.
This whole section of the abode of the dead moves locations when Jesus is making his proclamation, Ephesians 4:8 sings this truth to us. “ When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” The captivity that he lead captive was Abraham, Lazarus and the faithful Old Testament saints that included John the Baptist. It was a quick enough work that I believe it included the thief on the cross that Jesus promised “would be in paradise”
(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) Ephesians 4: 9-10
This verse describes the beginning of a victory parade of Jesus the righteous that has its crowning glory in Colossians 2:15 “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” This verse separates the distinction between Old Testament saints and New. The Old Testament saint had an armed guard with keys to a prison that was controlled in death and blocked spirtual seeing and hearing for all but a few anointed people. New Testament saints are free from sin, the devil, and the fear of death. They are empowered to walk spiritually as naturally as they do physically.
Everything Adam lost Jesus won. The Old Testament saints did not have this, so many of us believers live a weak spiritual life fearing an enemy that has been defeated. It is because we think that we need to do something when Jesus did everything. Believing that is what gives us the victory. That is why this brief passage is so important to our spiritual life because... “the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Romans 5:15
The above passage in technically complicated but theologically important it also is another one of those passages that demand a reading of the Bible as a singular document and not just a grouping of literature tossed together. In the four verses quoted, we must deal with hell, angels, the pre-flood generation, baptism and the body resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension into heaven. I am only going to cover verse 19 in today’s blog.
Verse 19a is not hard to interpret. David Guzik is my favorite Bible commentator; I will simply quote his words from the Blueletterbible.org in reference to this passage. “Jesus did die in His body, but was raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit. Here, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. It also tells us that the Father raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 6:4), and it says that Jesus raised Himself from the dead (John 2:18-22). The resurrection was the work of the Triune God.”
“He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits” Jesus’ proclamation is the announcement in an eternal shift in character of mankind, and changed the operational nature of heaven and hell itself. This shift was not anticipated by the demonic world. “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” 1 Corinthians 2:8 The rulers of this age could be applied to the earthly leaders of the time such as Herod and Pilate, but I do not believe that the verse is speaking about the earthly realm. My position is based on Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Herod, Pilate and the earthly rulers were nothing but instruments of their father the devil anyway.
The Proclamation of Authority
Jesus proclaims governing authority of the abode of the dead. The question of authority is answered in Revelations 1:18 “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. “ Jesus is connecting his life death and resurrection to the authority over “death and Hades” Listen to one of the coolest aspects of this truth. The devil can’t even go home at without Jesus’ permission. Beyond being just fun to say, it speaks to this fundamental shift of authority that we as believers need to understand.
Jesus marks this shift when he says of the John the Baptist. I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." Luke 7:28. What is different is that death has been defeated. There were sections of abode of the dead that moved when Jesus finished his proclamation.
Luke 16 describes the compartments and the communication that went on between these sections of Hades. There is a conversation between Abraham and a rich sinner who was condemned because of his failure to believe Mosses and the prophets. Abraham says these words. ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ Luke 16:25-26.
This whole section of the abode of the dead moves locations when Jesus is making his proclamation, Ephesians 4:8 sings this truth to us. “ When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” The captivity that he lead captive was Abraham, Lazarus and the faithful Old Testament saints that included John the Baptist. It was a quick enough work that I believe it included the thief on the cross that Jesus promised “would be in paradise”
(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) Ephesians 4: 9-10
This verse describes the beginning of a victory parade of Jesus the righteous that has its crowning glory in Colossians 2:15 “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” This verse separates the distinction between Old Testament saints and New. The Old Testament saint had an armed guard with keys to a prison that was controlled in death and blocked spirtual seeing and hearing for all but a few anointed people. New Testament saints are free from sin, the devil, and the fear of death. They are empowered to walk spiritually as naturally as they do physically.
Everything Adam lost Jesus won. The Old Testament saints did not have this, so many of us believers live a weak spiritual life fearing an enemy that has been defeated. It is because we think that we need to do something when Jesus did everything. Believing that is what gives us the victory. That is why this brief passage is so important to our spiritual life because... “the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Romans 5:15
Friday, January 6, 2012
The Pain, Position and Purpose of Christ
The section of scripture I will cover over the next few blogs are ones that is important to cover in their full context. It is a section of scripture that links the Bible from Genesis to Revelation as a continuous story. It is a section of scripture that places a demand on us to approach the Bible from and evangelical perspective that acknowledges that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16.
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18
Today’s verse leads me to meditation of the pain, the position, and the purpose of Christ. The verse starts with a consideration of His pain, it proceeds to speak about Christ position among men, and ends with a clear statement of the purpose of his work.
His Pain:
For Christ suffered once for sins. Peter is pointing us to the cross. The finished work of Christ, this is His ultimate suffering but it is not His only suffering. The finished work is able to be completed by Christ because it was a continuous work. Hebrews 4:15 tells of that Jesus “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” John MacArthur has pointed out in that each of Christ temptations were experienced to the fullest because he was never provided a means of escape. He request one, “Lord if you are willing take this cup from me but not my will but yours be done” We are told in Hebrews 5:7 “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he “offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” His loud cries and tears were heard, but he was not saved from death. Verse 8 tells us “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” One of the divine mysteries of our faith is that although Jesus is fully God, he is also fully man. The mystery poses the question can God sin? The answer to that is clearly no. However, Jesus was a man, so could Jesus sin? The answer is clearly yes. Hence the mystery, what is clear and not a mystery is that Jesus could be tempted to have a will that is contrary to the Father. The pain of the contradiction is lived out in be a real man, “the righteous for the unrighteous” All of humanity has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but not the man Christ Jesus. The fall of Adam would have forever condemned humanity to a sinful state separated from God, even as the fallen Angels are condemned. Knowing our weakness, the Lord himself became man. It was not an afterthought in the mind of God but indeed Christ is the “Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”
His Position
One of the astounding facts of the Gospel is the Christ becomes a man permanently. It happened in a moment in history. The Immaculate Conception was concept in the mind of God, it was a prophetic proclamation of the Old Testament writers, but it had its reality in a specific woman in time. The cosmic Christ, eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever changed his nature. He became a man. Jesus was always God, but he was not always man. It was as a man that he was tempted, mocked, crucified and bodily resurrected. It is as a man and he intercedes on our behalf in heaven. It is as a man that he ascended into heaven and it is as a man that he shall return to govern earth. It is in his human nature that he is declared righteous. It is as a man, that scriptures declare, “every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
His Purpose
Christ purpose is simple and profound. It is to bring you to God. It is not to bring mankind in general to God. No it is to bring you and me to God, one at a time, each person uniquely. Jesus did not die for the sin of mankind collectively. He became each human beings substitute specifically. Adam’s sin corrupted our nature, but each human being embraced that nature of their own free will and rebelled against the righteous decrees of a good and loving God. Justice demands that we pay for our sins. Sin when it is full grown brings forth death. It is therefore a capitol offense worthy the severest penalty. Death! Yes even by crucifixion! Well you say that you have done no great sin worthy of such a severe penalty. Then I say you do not understand the pervasiveness of your sin. You do not understand its contagious nature. Adam’s rebellion as we observe in the history is a benign act. He ate a piece of fruit off of a tree. Yet, in one generation that rebellion would lead a murderous jealously. That jealously stemmed from the kindest and gentlest corrections from the mouth of the Lord. “If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up?” It was and offering to the Lord, a religious act, that lead to Cain murdering Able. Do not for a second entertain the thought that you are better. You are not. Do not make Christ’s pain a small thing by thinking so, do not lower his lofty position by believing it, do not cheapen the constant righteous conduct of Christ to the cross by comparing to Cain like religious offerings. No my friend, empathize with his pain, exalt his position, and but eternally grateful that he purposed to save you!
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18
Today’s verse leads me to meditation of the pain, the position, and the purpose of Christ. The verse starts with a consideration of His pain, it proceeds to speak about Christ position among men, and ends with a clear statement of the purpose of his work.
His Pain:
For Christ suffered once for sins. Peter is pointing us to the cross. The finished work of Christ, this is His ultimate suffering but it is not His only suffering. The finished work is able to be completed by Christ because it was a continuous work. Hebrews 4:15 tells of that Jesus “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” John MacArthur has pointed out in that each of Christ temptations were experienced to the fullest because he was never provided a means of escape. He request one, “Lord if you are willing take this cup from me but not my will but yours be done” We are told in Hebrews 5:7 “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he “offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” His loud cries and tears were heard, but he was not saved from death. Verse 8 tells us “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” One of the divine mysteries of our faith is that although Jesus is fully God, he is also fully man. The mystery poses the question can God sin? The answer to that is clearly no. However, Jesus was a man, so could Jesus sin? The answer is clearly yes. Hence the mystery, what is clear and not a mystery is that Jesus could be tempted to have a will that is contrary to the Father. The pain of the contradiction is lived out in be a real man, “the righteous for the unrighteous” All of humanity has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but not the man Christ Jesus. The fall of Adam would have forever condemned humanity to a sinful state separated from God, even as the fallen Angels are condemned. Knowing our weakness, the Lord himself became man. It was not an afterthought in the mind of God but indeed Christ is the “Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”
His Position
One of the astounding facts of the Gospel is the Christ becomes a man permanently. It happened in a moment in history. The Immaculate Conception was concept in the mind of God, it was a prophetic proclamation of the Old Testament writers, but it had its reality in a specific woman in time. The cosmic Christ, eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever changed his nature. He became a man. Jesus was always God, but he was not always man. It was as a man that he was tempted, mocked, crucified and bodily resurrected. It is as a man and he intercedes on our behalf in heaven. It is as a man that he ascended into heaven and it is as a man that he shall return to govern earth. It is in his human nature that he is declared righteous. It is as a man, that scriptures declare, “every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
His Purpose
Christ purpose is simple and profound. It is to bring you to God. It is not to bring mankind in general to God. No it is to bring you and me to God, one at a time, each person uniquely. Jesus did not die for the sin of mankind collectively. He became each human beings substitute specifically. Adam’s sin corrupted our nature, but each human being embraced that nature of their own free will and rebelled against the righteous decrees of a good and loving God. Justice demands that we pay for our sins. Sin when it is full grown brings forth death. It is therefore a capitol offense worthy the severest penalty. Death! Yes even by crucifixion! Well you say that you have done no great sin worthy of such a severe penalty. Then I say you do not understand the pervasiveness of your sin. You do not understand its contagious nature. Adam’s rebellion as we observe in the history is a benign act. He ate a piece of fruit off of a tree. Yet, in one generation that rebellion would lead a murderous jealously. That jealously stemmed from the kindest and gentlest corrections from the mouth of the Lord. “If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up?” It was and offering to the Lord, a religious act, that lead to Cain murdering Able. Do not for a second entertain the thought that you are better. You are not. Do not make Christ’s pain a small thing by thinking so, do not lower his lofty position by believing it, do not cheapen the constant righteous conduct of Christ to the cross by comparing to Cain like religious offerings. No my friend, empathize with his pain, exalt his position, and but eternally grateful that he purposed to save you!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Goody Goody Questions of Hope
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3: 13-16
My immediate thought the question posed in verse 13 is a ‘lot of people!’ but my experience is very different. I have worked most of the past 20 years in the midst of dangerous men and women; murderers, rapist, drug addicts and dealers, thieves and lunatics, mostly without fear. I have not been able to do this because I am brave, but because I believe that if you are good to people they are going to be good to you. There have been exceptions to this general rule, but they are few. I young man I invited into my home stole from me, someone I was compassionate to threatened me. So what! I am blessed. The things that were stolen might have been given away if I were asked. The threats that were made against me were serious enough that I tossed and turned at night and imagined brutally hurting those that wanted to hurt me and my family. However, I came to understand that the perpetrators of these threats were to be pitied more than despised. When I realized this, fear evaporated and I could identify with Christ's suffering. A life lived with eagerness to do good witnesses the depravity of man but focuses on the image of God that is in all people.
The Gospel is received in perception often before it is received in proclamation. Let me explain. Verse 15 tells us to be prepared to answer those that ask. The ‘ask’, often does not come until a life is observed for a period of time. The time of that observation may be long or short. After three years of observing the miracles of Jesus, his dignified death, the earthquake and darkness that covered the earth at his crucifixion, finally at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit Jerusalem asked “what shall we do” It only took the jailer in Philippi one encounter to ask “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” In both cases lives were observed before commitments were made.
The answers given to the people of Jerusalem and to the jailer at Philippi were the same repent or believe and be baptized. Threats of hell were not made but promises of forgiveness, the type of forgiveness that allows you to forgive others. Gentle and respectful promises were made of empowered God filled lives that allows you to keep a clear conscience.
When I was stolen from I knew that was a possibility, when I was threatened I knew that was a possibility too. My clear conscience confirms for me that I would do the same things again. I know that my motives were pure. I realize that malicious speech my follow my attempts live out Christ like love, but a long view is needed. Thieves and violent people often repent when they experience the shame of their false accusation. The accusation will prove false to them as you continue to live as a witness that does good. Your vindication, if you are fortunate, is a friend and co-laborer in a world where together you are ‘eager to do good’.
My immediate thought the question posed in verse 13 is a ‘lot of people!’ but my experience is very different. I have worked most of the past 20 years in the midst of dangerous men and women; murderers, rapist, drug addicts and dealers, thieves and lunatics, mostly without fear. I have not been able to do this because I am brave, but because I believe that if you are good to people they are going to be good to you. There have been exceptions to this general rule, but they are few. I young man I invited into my home stole from me, someone I was compassionate to threatened me. So what! I am blessed. The things that were stolen might have been given away if I were asked. The threats that were made against me were serious enough that I tossed and turned at night and imagined brutally hurting those that wanted to hurt me and my family. However, I came to understand that the perpetrators of these threats were to be pitied more than despised. When I realized this, fear evaporated and I could identify with Christ's suffering. A life lived with eagerness to do good witnesses the depravity of man but focuses on the image of God that is in all people.
The Gospel is received in perception often before it is received in proclamation. Let me explain. Verse 15 tells us to be prepared to answer those that ask. The ‘ask’, often does not come until a life is observed for a period of time. The time of that observation may be long or short. After three years of observing the miracles of Jesus, his dignified death, the earthquake and darkness that covered the earth at his crucifixion, finally at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit Jerusalem asked “what shall we do” It only took the jailer in Philippi one encounter to ask “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” In both cases lives were observed before commitments were made.
The answers given to the people of Jerusalem and to the jailer at Philippi were the same repent or believe and be baptized. Threats of hell were not made but promises of forgiveness, the type of forgiveness that allows you to forgive others. Gentle and respectful promises were made of empowered God filled lives that allows you to keep a clear conscience.
When I was stolen from I knew that was a possibility, when I was threatened I knew that was a possibility too. My clear conscience confirms for me that I would do the same things again. I know that my motives were pure. I realize that malicious speech my follow my attempts live out Christ like love, but a long view is needed. Thieves and violent people often repent when they experience the shame of their false accusation. The accusation will prove false to them as you continue to live as a witness that does good. Your vindication, if you are fortunate, is a friend and co-laborer in a world where together you are ‘eager to do good’.
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