My sister-in-law is a published author of children’s stories. Her most successful book is called One-Eyed Jack. It is about a little boy who finds a stray dog and has to convince his father to let him keep it. The ideas for her story came from stories my brother had told her about a dog that we had when we were growing up. Our dog had come from an animal shelter and Dad had decided we should get him, but what had really gotten Paula’s attention was hearing her husband, Travis, talk about the special bond that formed between a boy and his dog.
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I had formed bonds with that same dog, but in different ways than my brother had. Because I was older, I wanted to train him, and was quickly able to teach him to shake hands. Travis on the other hand just wanted that puppy to be his friend and soon they were spending hours together jumping on the hay stacks.
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I recently picked up Paula’s book about the little dog named Jack, and realized that she was wise enough to avoid the old cliché, “Once upon a time,” in her introduction. I began to think about that phrase and realized that it would not be fitting for her book at all, for the relationships boys and dogs have are not a one time story. In fact, that same story plays out in the lives of many children all over the world. I am confident that many of the readers of this article could share special stories of a dog that they were close to when they grew up.
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The fact that these stories are so common does not make them any less interesting, in fact, they sometimes make them more so because we are able to connect with them. At the other end of the spectrum are the stories that are so very exiting because they really did happen only once. Those once in a lifetime adventures like a solo hike to the top of a treacherous mountain or the journey of Lewis and Clark across an uncharted America continue to intrigue readers for generations. But what if an event were so special that it wasn’t just once in a lifetime, but would only occur once in forever? There is such a special event in Scripture, and that event was the death of Christ in order to pay for our sins. Consider Hebrews 9:24-28:
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24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
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What an amazing story from history. Look at verse 26. Christ appeared to put away sin and He did it once when He offered Himself as a sacrifice. Please read this passage again, for it makes it very clear that He only did it once. Do you realize how good that news it? Christ was sinless and His sacrifice was so perfect that it only needed to occur once in order to take care of the sins of those who would trust Him. Please look at verse 28 again as well.
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If these verses are true, why do some people teach that Christ needs to be reoffered weekly? If you do not believe that these verses are really part of scripture, please look them up in your own Bible and reread them again.
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Romans 3:4 tells us to let God be true, but every man a liar. I trust what the Word of God teaches. This is an issue concerning the very gospel itself. It is an issue concerning how many times Christ had to offer His body to pay for our sins. The apostle Paul warned about false gospels and was quite adamant in his warning of Galatians 1:8 when he said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” I must say that I am more concerned about the anathemas found in the Holy Scriptures through the pen of the Apostle Paul than I am about the anathemas of men through the church. “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:9).
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Hebrews 9:24-28 makes it very clear that Christ only paid for our sins once upon a time, and that that time was upon the cross. So are you trusting in what He did to pay for your sins then, or are you trusting in what you do in taking part in a ritual now? One is an anathema, and we must look to the Scriptures to know which one it is.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Justified
Imagine that a young man and his little sister are walking home from a ball game on a dark night. A suspicious looking van pulls up beside them, the side door opens, a man jumps out and tries to take the girl. What he does not realize is that her brother is a United States Marine, home on leave, who is trained in hand to hand combat. He quickly subdues the assailant just as a police officer arrives on the scene. Not having seen the whole incident, the officer assumes the kidnapper is being assaulted. The marine tells the officer that he can explain. The officer asks, “how can you ‘justify’ beating up this guy?” Once the evidence is presented, the officer agrees that the marine was indeed ‘justified‘. This illustration will actually help to clarify a seeming contradiction in the Scripture.
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There is a raging debate in Christianity over whether a man is saved by grace or by works. Romans 11:6 tells us, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” The point is, we cannot be saved by BOTH grace and works, it has to be one or the other. Ephesians 2:8-9 clarifies the issue, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”This passage settles the issue. Salvation is clearly by grace alone, not by works. Some confusion, however, can result if another passage is misinterpreted. Consider James 2:18-26.
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18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
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This passage from James does not contradict the Ephesians passage; instead it supports it. Some may ask, “if Abraham was justified by works, doesn’t that mean he was saved by his works?” The answer is no. That would be a misapplication of the word justification. In order to understand this passage we must understand that word. Remember the marine who gave the justification for his actions? Perhaps you as well have done something where you have been asked to provide justification for your actions. What they are asking you to do is to show them that your actions are just. In other words give them evidence that what you did was right. Justification in James 2 means showing through action that you are just. Let us break down the passage further.
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Verse 18 says, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” In other words look at what I do, and I will show you I am just. Then, verses 19-20, state, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” This shows us that there is a kind of belief that is nothing more than an understanding of the truth and there is a belief that puts one’s complete confidence in God and turns to Him as Lord and Savior. The devils did not have the second kind of belief and that was evidenced by their actions. The same can be said of humans. If they do not have a saving belief, their works will show that they are not justified before God and that they are spiritually dead.
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A question is then asked about Abraham. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” That rhetorical question is not saying that Abraham was saved by his works, it is showing that he was shown to be just by his works. In other words, his works proved his relationship with God rather than establishing it. Notice how verse 22 is saying that his faith worked with his works. In other words the works were a result of his faith.
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So then how was his faith established? Verse 24 makes it clear that it happened when he believed God- when he put his full confidence in the Lord- not when he did the works: “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” Notice the difference in terms. The earlier verses talked of him being justified. This one speaks of him being righteous. His righteousness is his right condition before God as opposed to his justification which was the evidence of that condition.
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His righteousness came by belief, not by works, but the works which followed justified, or showed that his belief was real. “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” (vs. 24) In other words, you cannot show yourself to be just if you don’t do anything. The works are the evidence, but belief/faith is the means. If all you do is exercise faith and then don’t do anything, how can you show that you really believe?
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The passage ends with another example of this principle. “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (Vs 25-26) Realize you are not saved by your works, but if there are no works there is no evidence that you are saved and you are thus unable to show yourself to be just. So what is your justification for ‘your’ claim of faith? Could you show any proof that you actually believe God like Abraham and Rahab did?
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There is a raging debate in Christianity over whether a man is saved by grace or by works. Romans 11:6 tells us, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” The point is, we cannot be saved by BOTH grace and works, it has to be one or the other. Ephesians 2:8-9 clarifies the issue, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”This passage settles the issue. Salvation is clearly by grace alone, not by works. Some confusion, however, can result if another passage is misinterpreted. Consider James 2:18-26.
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18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
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This passage from James does not contradict the Ephesians passage; instead it supports it. Some may ask, “if Abraham was justified by works, doesn’t that mean he was saved by his works?” The answer is no. That would be a misapplication of the word justification. In order to understand this passage we must understand that word. Remember the marine who gave the justification for his actions? Perhaps you as well have done something where you have been asked to provide justification for your actions. What they are asking you to do is to show them that your actions are just. In other words give them evidence that what you did was right. Justification in James 2 means showing through action that you are just. Let us break down the passage further.
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Verse 18 says, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” In other words look at what I do, and I will show you I am just. Then, verses 19-20, state, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” This shows us that there is a kind of belief that is nothing more than an understanding of the truth and there is a belief that puts one’s complete confidence in God and turns to Him as Lord and Savior. The devils did not have the second kind of belief and that was evidenced by their actions. The same can be said of humans. If they do not have a saving belief, their works will show that they are not justified before God and that they are spiritually dead.
-
A question is then asked about Abraham. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” That rhetorical question is not saying that Abraham was saved by his works, it is showing that he was shown to be just by his works. In other words, his works proved his relationship with God rather than establishing it. Notice how verse 22 is saying that his faith worked with his works. In other words the works were a result of his faith.
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So then how was his faith established? Verse 24 makes it clear that it happened when he believed God- when he put his full confidence in the Lord- not when he did the works: “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” Notice the difference in terms. The earlier verses talked of him being justified. This one speaks of him being righteous. His righteousness is his right condition before God as opposed to his justification which was the evidence of that condition.
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His righteousness came by belief, not by works, but the works which followed justified, or showed that his belief was real. “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” (vs. 24) In other words, you cannot show yourself to be just if you don’t do anything. The works are the evidence, but belief/faith is the means. If all you do is exercise faith and then don’t do anything, how can you show that you really believe?
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The passage ends with another example of this principle. “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (Vs 25-26) Realize you are not saved by your works, but if there are no works there is no evidence that you are saved and you are thus unable to show yourself to be just. So what is your justification for ‘your’ claim of faith? Could you show any proof that you actually believe God like Abraham and Rahab did?
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Reliable Salvation
Some folks have a green thumb. My little brother has a greasy thumb. He loves to tinker on old motors. Today he has a job working for Pipestone County, but after work he still loves to “play” in his shop.
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I remember when he was barely a teenager, and we pulled an old ‘36 Dodge truck up from the pasture. The motor was shot, but there was an old Dodge car in the grove that Dad said he could take the motor out of. With a lot of time and just as much determination he got the motors swapped out and that old truck running again. Sure we had to pull it to get it started and it popped and banged a bit, but he was able to drive it around the yard. The tires barely held air, the signal lights didn’t work, and don’t even ask about the brakes.
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It was exciting to get that old truck running again, but we would not have trusted it to take us very far. There is no way I would want to rely on that truck for a cross county trip, let alone a ride to town. If I ever have to drive to California, I want something much more reliable than that old Dodge truck with rotten tires, rusty valves, and useless brakes.
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We just recently bought a used van. It is much newer than that old truck, but since I have not had it all that long, I still am not all that confident in it for such a long trip. I’ve had my pickup much longer, and it has been fairly reliable, but with around 190,000 on the odometer I’m not so sure I would want to take that either. We still have our car and it is fairly new and has much lower miles on it. That is probably the vehicle I would chose for the trip. Still even with fairly reliable transportation I realize I am not guaranteed to get there. The engine could blow, the transmission go out, or a computer chip could stop working. We could even have an accident.
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What if our hope for salvation was like a cross country car drive? Sadly, a lot of people think it is like that- thinking that, maybe I’ll make it, maybe I won’t. What if instead of just taking a car or a truck, God said, “just trust me, I’ll get you there.” Now God doesn’t do that for us when we plan a trip to California, but He does do that for us when it comes to eternity.
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John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That makes it clear that if we are to have eternal life, we must believe on Jesus Christ. Instead, too many people try to find there own way to heaven and come up short as Romans 10:3 proves, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”Let us realize if we depend on our own works, they are just as unreliable as that old truck from the pasture for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Some people suggest that Jesus does 90% of the saving and then we have to do the other 10%. That’s like saying God will get you 90% of the way to California, and then you have to drive that old truck the rest of the way. I’ve been in that truck. Trust me- it won’t make it even that far.
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an we really believe God when He promises to save us? Can we really have assurance of salvation? Folks, that is what faith and belief is all about. It is about putting your full confidence in Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh- trusting in Him alone to save you. Romans 3:3-4 makes it clear that God tells the truth and we can believe Him, “For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” I John 5:13 makes it clear that if we believe on Jesus Christ we can know that we are saved, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (emphasis mine)
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If you are trusting in anything other than God’s power to save you, you have no reason to have any assurance. But notice the assurance that comes with exercising faith, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9).
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I remember when he was barely a teenager, and we pulled an old ‘36 Dodge truck up from the pasture. The motor was shot, but there was an old Dodge car in the grove that Dad said he could take the motor out of. With a lot of time and just as much determination he got the motors swapped out and that old truck running again. Sure we had to pull it to get it started and it popped and banged a bit, but he was able to drive it around the yard. The tires barely held air, the signal lights didn’t work, and don’t even ask about the brakes.
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It was exciting to get that old truck running again, but we would not have trusted it to take us very far. There is no way I would want to rely on that truck for a cross county trip, let alone a ride to town. If I ever have to drive to California, I want something much more reliable than that old Dodge truck with rotten tires, rusty valves, and useless brakes.
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We just recently bought a used van. It is much newer than that old truck, but since I have not had it all that long, I still am not all that confident in it for such a long trip. I’ve had my pickup much longer, and it has been fairly reliable, but with around 190,000 on the odometer I’m not so sure I would want to take that either. We still have our car and it is fairly new and has much lower miles on it. That is probably the vehicle I would chose for the trip. Still even with fairly reliable transportation I realize I am not guaranteed to get there. The engine could blow, the transmission go out, or a computer chip could stop working. We could even have an accident.
-
What if our hope for salvation was like a cross country car drive? Sadly, a lot of people think it is like that- thinking that, maybe I’ll make it, maybe I won’t. What if instead of just taking a car or a truck, God said, “just trust me, I’ll get you there.” Now God doesn’t do that for us when we plan a trip to California, but He does do that for us when it comes to eternity.
-
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That makes it clear that if we are to have eternal life, we must believe on Jesus Christ. Instead, too many people try to find there own way to heaven and come up short as Romans 10:3 proves, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”Let us realize if we depend on our own works, they are just as unreliable as that old truck from the pasture for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Some people suggest that Jesus does 90% of the saving and then we have to do the other 10%. That’s like saying God will get you 90% of the way to California, and then you have to drive that old truck the rest of the way. I’ve been in that truck. Trust me- it won’t make it even that far.
-C
an we really believe God when He promises to save us? Can we really have assurance of salvation? Folks, that is what faith and belief is all about. It is about putting your full confidence in Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh- trusting in Him alone to save you. Romans 3:3-4 makes it clear that God tells the truth and we can believe Him, “For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” I John 5:13 makes it clear that if we believe on Jesus Christ we can know that we are saved, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (emphasis mine)
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If you are trusting in anything other than God’s power to save you, you have no reason to have any assurance. But notice the assurance that comes with exercising faith, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9).
Friday, September 25, 2009
DEATH
Summer has passed and fall has arrived. With fall comes harvest and Halloween decorations. Now I like pumpkins- especially pumpkin pie, but I am not a fan of the creepy Halloween decorations that pop up this time of year. Have you noticed that much of this holiday revolves around themes of murder and mayhem? For example, just consider the plots of the horror movies that are typically promoted during this time of year. Further, there is an undue fascination with death. Consider the typical Halloween costume or decoration. Sculls, skeletons, coffins, graveyards, mummies, spirits of dead men (ghosts) dominate the scene.
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You don’t have to be a stodgy conservative to see that evil prevails with this holiday. Witches and wizards are also prominent. Though many in our culture would try to make us think that these magicians are harmless, the scripture makes it clear that they are evil. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says, “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”
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I fear the “Christian” community has done an injustice in not warning about the dangers of these activities and in some cases has even promoted them. Books like the Chronicles of Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings, promote such abominations yet they are encouraged in Christian circles. No wonder Satan is getting such a foothold in this area. It is not just books and movies and cartoons though. Video games also promote witchcraft, wizardry, and communication with the dead (necromancy). God clearly speaks against such things. Though these verses come from the Old Testament, the Mosaic Law was for the Hebrew, yet the Gentiles are condemned for this activity in the Deuteronomy passage. The context of the passage shows that they should have known better than to do these things even without the Law that Moses gave.
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So why this fascination with all this evil at Halloween? Could it be a Satanic conspiracy? Don’t forget, a lot of people dress up like him too. Actually there are reasons why the devil would be fascinated with death. First of all, man is put here to glorify God, and once we die, we can no longer glorify Him on this earth. Further, it seems that Satan has been given a certain amount of power in this area of death. Hebrews 2:14 tells us, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”
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This intriguing passage suggests that the devil had some sort of power of death. It also shows that by dying Christ was able to destroy that power. Consider Christ’s words in Revelation 1:18, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
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So what was this power concerning death that Christ has the keys to? “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12) Death came into this world when Adam, the first man ever created, sinned. The devil had a huge part in that, so you could say that he, Satan, tempted mankind into death. No wonder he loves death so much. But all is not lost. “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)” (Romans 5:17)
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When Satan temped Eve and she ate the forbidden fruit and Adam followed her, sin and death entered the world. When Christ died on the cross, payment was made for our sins so we could have eternal life. Notice that nowhere did you read that what Christ did plus what we did defeated death. No, Christ did it all. Romans 5:17 makes it clear that it was by ONE, Jesus Christ that it was done- not by Christ plus us, or Christ plus the priest, or even Christ plus baptism. They which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ
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This time of year as you are reminded of death, remember, as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. The only way to escape the judgment after death is to put your full confidence in what Jesus Christ did on the cross to reverse the consequences of sin and death. That means putting your confidence in Him alone, not in anything else. Anything more or less than Christ in your life means Satan has won your soul in your death. Let Christ have the victory over your soul in death, not Satan. Christ is God, and He has the power to save you all by Himself. He is stronger than Satan.
-
You don’t have to be a stodgy conservative to see that evil prevails with this holiday. Witches and wizards are also prominent. Though many in our culture would try to make us think that these magicians are harmless, the scripture makes it clear that they are evil. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says, “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”
-
I fear the “Christian” community has done an injustice in not warning about the dangers of these activities and in some cases has even promoted them. Books like the Chronicles of Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings, promote such abominations yet they are encouraged in Christian circles. No wonder Satan is getting such a foothold in this area. It is not just books and movies and cartoons though. Video games also promote witchcraft, wizardry, and communication with the dead (necromancy). God clearly speaks against such things. Though these verses come from the Old Testament, the Mosaic Law was for the Hebrew, yet the Gentiles are condemned for this activity in the Deuteronomy passage. The context of the passage shows that they should have known better than to do these things even without the Law that Moses gave.
-
So why this fascination with all this evil at Halloween? Could it be a Satanic conspiracy? Don’t forget, a lot of people dress up like him too. Actually there are reasons why the devil would be fascinated with death. First of all, man is put here to glorify God, and once we die, we can no longer glorify Him on this earth. Further, it seems that Satan has been given a certain amount of power in this area of death. Hebrews 2:14 tells us, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”
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This intriguing passage suggests that the devil had some sort of power of death. It also shows that by dying Christ was able to destroy that power. Consider Christ’s words in Revelation 1:18, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
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So what was this power concerning death that Christ has the keys to? “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12) Death came into this world when Adam, the first man ever created, sinned. The devil had a huge part in that, so you could say that he, Satan, tempted mankind into death. No wonder he loves death so much. But all is not lost. “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)” (Romans 5:17)
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When Satan temped Eve and she ate the forbidden fruit and Adam followed her, sin and death entered the world. When Christ died on the cross, payment was made for our sins so we could have eternal life. Notice that nowhere did you read that what Christ did plus what we did defeated death. No, Christ did it all. Romans 5:17 makes it clear that it was by ONE, Jesus Christ that it was done- not by Christ plus us, or Christ plus the priest, or even Christ plus baptism. They which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ
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This time of year as you are reminded of death, remember, as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. The only way to escape the judgment after death is to put your full confidence in what Jesus Christ did on the cross to reverse the consequences of sin and death. That means putting your confidence in Him alone, not in anything else. Anything more or less than Christ in your life means Satan has won your soul in your death. Let Christ have the victory over your soul in death, not Satan. Christ is God, and He has the power to save you all by Himself. He is stronger than Satan.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Who Built My Lawn Mower?
I finally got my lawn mower running. The problem was more serious than being out of gas or not getting spark. It threw a rod and the motor needed to be taken apart and rebuilt. This gave me a chance to have some garage time after a day of sitting behind a desk.
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Although there can be some challenges, it is not an insurmountable task to disassemble and reassemble a small engine. I am however amazed at how such a machine could have originally been built. There is so much that could go wrong even with a simple reassembly. For example, the mark on the camshaft gear has to line up with the mark on the crankshaft gear or the valves will open at the wrong time. Further the carburetor cannot be plugged or the gas will not even get into the motor. If the flywheel key is broken and it sparked at the wrong time it would run too hot or not at all. And if the valves did not seat properly it would run terribly.
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It baffles me that anyone could’ve invented an internal combustion engine. All the little details that had to be worked out are remarkable. Then I think of my car. Instead of just one piston and set of valves like my lawn mower has, my car has six. Besides that, it has an automatic transmission and all kinds of computer sensors to keep everything working just right. Cars are becoming harder and harder to work on because of all these details.
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We know that cars are made in great big factories with technologically advanced assembly lines. Once a car is designed, all they have to do is to copy that design over and over again. The question we must answer however, is where did that first car come from? It likely developed from something similar to my lawn mower and through the years parts were added until we have our current cars.
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But where did the very first internal combustion engine even come from? If I were to tell you that it was likely formed over millions or even billions of years beneath the rocks of the iron range, you would say I was nuts. There is far too much detail for it to have just happened by chance. Obviously there was a designer. We could do an historical study and find out that many men contributed to the development of the internal combustion engine. Actually, theories for its development even date back to Leonardo da Vinci in 1509.
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What about man? He is even more intricate than my car. When I broke my arm, I didn’t just take it apart and put a new bone in. Instead the doctor put the bones back were they were supposed to be and it just fixed itself. I wish my lawn mower would do that. If my car and lawn mower needed a designer, I am sure that I did as well. Guess what? History tells me the answer to that as well. I can read about it in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Not only did God make man, He made the whole world and everything in it. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
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With such a clear explanation for how we got here, a man would have to be foolish to think any different. I will go a step farther, he would have to be evil to think any different. I believe men argue against God and His existence because they do not want to be accountable to Him. If He exists, why wouldn’t He be the creator just as history says? His existence is not even worth arguing about. Romans 1:20 tells us, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” Romans 2:15 also says, “Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another,”
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God’s existence is so clear. Now you can understand why I would suggest that a man would have to be an evil fool to say there is no God. In fact Psalm 53:1 says just that: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.”
-
So who will you believe, a God hating intellectual, or the Word of God? Jesus Christ, said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) Christ is God in the flesh. I will believe Him and His Word.
-
Although there can be some challenges, it is not an insurmountable task to disassemble and reassemble a small engine. I am however amazed at how such a machine could have originally been built. There is so much that could go wrong even with a simple reassembly. For example, the mark on the camshaft gear has to line up with the mark on the crankshaft gear or the valves will open at the wrong time. Further the carburetor cannot be plugged or the gas will not even get into the motor. If the flywheel key is broken and it sparked at the wrong time it would run too hot or not at all. And if the valves did not seat properly it would run terribly.
-
It baffles me that anyone could’ve invented an internal combustion engine. All the little details that had to be worked out are remarkable. Then I think of my car. Instead of just one piston and set of valves like my lawn mower has, my car has six. Besides that, it has an automatic transmission and all kinds of computer sensors to keep everything working just right. Cars are becoming harder and harder to work on because of all these details.
-
We know that cars are made in great big factories with technologically advanced assembly lines. Once a car is designed, all they have to do is to copy that design over and over again. The question we must answer however, is where did that first car come from? It likely developed from something similar to my lawn mower and through the years parts were added until we have our current cars.
-
But where did the very first internal combustion engine even come from? If I were to tell you that it was likely formed over millions or even billions of years beneath the rocks of the iron range, you would say I was nuts. There is far too much detail for it to have just happened by chance. Obviously there was a designer. We could do an historical study and find out that many men contributed to the development of the internal combustion engine. Actually, theories for its development even date back to Leonardo da Vinci in 1509.
-
What about man? He is even more intricate than my car. When I broke my arm, I didn’t just take it apart and put a new bone in. Instead the doctor put the bones back were they were supposed to be and it just fixed itself. I wish my lawn mower would do that. If my car and lawn mower needed a designer, I am sure that I did as well. Guess what? History tells me the answer to that as well. I can read about it in Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Not only did God make man, He made the whole world and everything in it. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)
-
With such a clear explanation for how we got here, a man would have to be foolish to think any different. I will go a step farther, he would have to be evil to think any different. I believe men argue against God and His existence because they do not want to be accountable to Him. If He exists, why wouldn’t He be the creator just as history says? His existence is not even worth arguing about. Romans 1:20 tells us, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” Romans 2:15 also says, “Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another,”
-
God’s existence is so clear. Now you can understand why I would suggest that a man would have to be an evil fool to say there is no God. In fact Psalm 53:1 says just that: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.”
-
So who will you believe, a God hating intellectual, or the Word of God? Jesus Christ, said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) Christ is God in the flesh. I will believe Him and His Word.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
I Can't Put the Tomato Back on The Vine
Being a father is a great adventure. After years of hearing stories from my mother about the things I did as a toddler, it is fun to call her and let her know about the latest escapades of her grandson. Our oldest is about a year and a half old and his antics are prone to cause us to laugh- or cry- or both. Instead of just saying dog, he barks out the word. If he sees bare feet, he is inclined to run his fingers over them while exclaiming, “ticky, ticky, ticky!” He also likes to explore. His latest exploration involved finding out exactly what was in his dresser drawers and that involved emptying all the clothes and scattering them throughout the nursery.
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He loves to go outside and help Daddy in the garden. He also loves to eat. We are pleased that he likes fresh vegetables and considers it a treat to nibble the fruits of our labor as Daddy works. It did not take long for those bright red tomatoes to catch his eye. Some of the earliest ones we had were also the smallest. Just perfect for a little guy to have his own personal treat. After letting him have one, he decided to pick his own. This one was orange and not quite ready.
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He has been trained to put things back when we tell him to, so when Daddy said, “Oh no, Jared, that one isn’t ready yet,” he simply took it back to a vine, and held it up. He was trying to put it back. I had to try to keep from laughing as I explained that once it was picked it was too late to put it back.
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What Jared did was really not all that serious. A few days on the window sill and that tomato would be just fine to eat, but I recall that there were many times that I wished I could just go back and undo something but now it is too late. For example, I said something thoughtless to my wife last week. I immediately knew that it hurt her feelings and I apologized. My wife is a wonderful lady and she forgave me, but I wish I could have just undone it like Jared wished he could put a tomato back on the vine.
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Some of our regrets are heavier to bear. I heard of a couple of instances recently of a driver who ran a stop sign and another person was killed. I do not envy the burden of wanting to be able to put that tomato back on the vine.
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When facing such a burden we must realize the importance of repentance and forgiveness. First let us realize that things we regret are sometimes simply accidents, and other times they are caused by sinful actions. A drunk or someone who is in a hurry and selfishly runs a stop sign has sinned. A person who is unfamiliar with a road and does not see the stop sign during a snow storm was simply involved in an accident.
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Even if there was no sin involved, we still feel better after expressing our regret and making restitution if possible. What if our irreversible action was caused by sin? Lets face it, we have all done irreversible actions of sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Whether you consider your sins big or little, they are all serious in God’s eyes. We must be reminded that none of us measures up to His standards. Consider even man‘s inability to keep the 10 commandments. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10)
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We have a sin problem and we cannot undo it. That is serious. How serious is it? Deathly serious. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). We cannot undo our own sin any more than Jared could put that tomato back on the vine. Do you think that Jesus Christ could put that tomato back on the vine though? Of course He could. He is God! You cannot reverse your sins and neither can I but Jesus Christ can. In fact, He is the only one who can. Acts 4:12 tells us, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
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Remember how serious sin is. Jesus died to pay for that sin. He is able to do it all by Himself because He is God. He testified in John 14:9, “he that hath seen me hath seen the father.” Then we clearly read in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
-
So what do you do when you cannot put a tomato back on the vine? You trust Jesus Christ and His payment for sin, realizing that no matter how small your sin is, you cannot undo it or even make up for it no matter how much restitution you pay, because the wages is death. But if you realize that Christ paid it all and trust Him, your receive His gift. Romans 5:20 also gives us further encouragement, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”
-
He loves to go outside and help Daddy in the garden. He also loves to eat. We are pleased that he likes fresh vegetables and considers it a treat to nibble the fruits of our labor as Daddy works. It did not take long for those bright red tomatoes to catch his eye. Some of the earliest ones we had were also the smallest. Just perfect for a little guy to have his own personal treat. After letting him have one, he decided to pick his own. This one was orange and not quite ready.
-
He has been trained to put things back when we tell him to, so when Daddy said, “Oh no, Jared, that one isn’t ready yet,” he simply took it back to a vine, and held it up. He was trying to put it back. I had to try to keep from laughing as I explained that once it was picked it was too late to put it back.
-
What Jared did was really not all that serious. A few days on the window sill and that tomato would be just fine to eat, but I recall that there were many times that I wished I could just go back and undo something but now it is too late. For example, I said something thoughtless to my wife last week. I immediately knew that it hurt her feelings and I apologized. My wife is a wonderful lady and she forgave me, but I wish I could have just undone it like Jared wished he could put a tomato back on the vine.
-
Some of our regrets are heavier to bear. I heard of a couple of instances recently of a driver who ran a stop sign and another person was killed. I do not envy the burden of wanting to be able to put that tomato back on the vine.
-
When facing such a burden we must realize the importance of repentance and forgiveness. First let us realize that things we regret are sometimes simply accidents, and other times they are caused by sinful actions. A drunk or someone who is in a hurry and selfishly runs a stop sign has sinned. A person who is unfamiliar with a road and does not see the stop sign during a snow storm was simply involved in an accident.
-
Even if there was no sin involved, we still feel better after expressing our regret and making restitution if possible. What if our irreversible action was caused by sin? Lets face it, we have all done irreversible actions of sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Whether you consider your sins big or little, they are all serious in God’s eyes. We must be reminded that none of us measures up to His standards. Consider even man‘s inability to keep the 10 commandments. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:10)
-
We have a sin problem and we cannot undo it. That is serious. How serious is it? Deathly serious. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). We cannot undo our own sin any more than Jared could put that tomato back on the vine. Do you think that Jesus Christ could put that tomato back on the vine though? Of course He could. He is God! You cannot reverse your sins and neither can I but Jesus Christ can. In fact, He is the only one who can. Acts 4:12 tells us, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
-
Remember how serious sin is. Jesus died to pay for that sin. He is able to do it all by Himself because He is God. He testified in John 14:9, “he that hath seen me hath seen the father.” Then we clearly read in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
-
So what do you do when you cannot put a tomato back on the vine? You trust Jesus Christ and His payment for sin, realizing that no matter how small your sin is, you cannot undo it or even make up for it no matter how much restitution you pay, because the wages is death. But if you realize that Christ paid it all and trust Him, your receive His gift. Romans 5:20 also gives us further encouragement, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”
Version Question
Q: What kind of versions would you feel comfortable using?
A: When we consider the kinds of versions available today, beyond the manuscript debates, the issue typically comes down to a translation philosophy. The simplified way of stating the issue would be to say that there are literal kinds of translations and dynamic equivalent types.
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A literal approach would be to translate each Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic word with it’s language equivalent (English). The dynamic equivalency approach would be to translate the idea, rather than the actual words. We must understand that among the translations available, there is a wide range into which they fall upon this spectrum of literal to loose dynamic equivalence.
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For example, I have on my shelf The Interlinear Greek- English New Testament. It is essentially a reference tool that has the Greek words of the New Testament written out with the English equivalent for each of those words directly below it, and the KJV written in the margin to the side for comparison. To understand how literal this version really is, consider how John 3:16 is translated. “For so loved God the world that his Son the only begotten he gave, that everyone who believes on him may not perish, but may have life eternal.” This version is so literal, that the word order is unnatural to our way of speaking.
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On the other end of the spectrum we have paraphrases which try to capture the idea of the passage, but have little concern for the actual words. This provides a problem because each word of scripture has meaning, and the change of a single word can change the meaning of a whole passage. When an overview of an idea is given, it could be argued that they are just relating a concept rather than actually translating a passage. The Message, and the Living Bible would fall into this extreme category.
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The danger of using such these paraphrases should not be overlooked. In their attempt to relay an easy to understand concept, the actual meaning has been changed. I find no comfort in these versions and fear they are leading many astray.
-
Although I am much more comfortable on the literal end of the spectrum, I must express a note of caution there as well. Because our language is so different than the original languages, the challenge of translating goes far beyond just restating the words to their equivalents. The challenge comes in both preserving the very words as well as not losing the concepts- the very ideas that the original languages were teaching. A good translation must take all of these things into consideration.
-
I believe the translation that has done the best job at this great challenge for the English language is the King James Version. I appreciate how when the translators added certain words that were not found in the original languages, they put them in italics. This was one way in which they went beyond being rigidly literal in order to preserve the meaning, while still letting the reader understand that these words had been added for clarification. Further, they arranged the word order in a way that was natural for the language that they were translating into (Note the difference between John 3:16 in the KJV and the Interlinear translation).
-
As I study, I will consult with Young’s Literal Translation, one that is even more literal than the KJV. I consult it basically to look at how a particular word in a verse happened to be translated. It often helps in coming up with descriptive synonyms for words as I preach. At the same time, I would not be comfortable in using that version for my reading or for my primary study.
-
I would as well like to address the NIV because it is quite popular today. I believe that this version has gone too far in the dynamic equivalent direction, and that much of the original intent of the words has been lost in the translation process. I am therefore not comfortable consulting that version. Though I am not totally comfortable with the NASB, I would consider it to be a much higher quality translation than the NIV, based on its more literal equivalency approach.
-
As we consider this issue, it is easy for us in the United States to become preoccupied with our English translations. May we not forget that there are many people in this world who do not yet have a translation in their own language. Baptist Mid Missions is one organization that has taken up that burden through Bibles International. As they translate, they attempt to balance the literal words with the intended meaning in a similar way that the KJV translators did. Not all Bible translation societies have this same philosophy. Many just throw together versions quickly and haphazardly. When supporting translation work, these issues must be taken into consideration as well.
A: When we consider the kinds of versions available today, beyond the manuscript debates, the issue typically comes down to a translation philosophy. The simplified way of stating the issue would be to say that there are literal kinds of translations and dynamic equivalent types.
-
A literal approach would be to translate each Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic word with it’s language equivalent (English). The dynamic equivalency approach would be to translate the idea, rather than the actual words. We must understand that among the translations available, there is a wide range into which they fall upon this spectrum of literal to loose dynamic equivalence.
-
For example, I have on my shelf The Interlinear Greek- English New Testament. It is essentially a reference tool that has the Greek words of the New Testament written out with the English equivalent for each of those words directly below it, and the KJV written in the margin to the side for comparison. To understand how literal this version really is, consider how John 3:16 is translated. “For so loved God the world that his Son the only begotten he gave, that everyone who believes on him may not perish, but may have life eternal.” This version is so literal, that the word order is unnatural to our way of speaking.
-
On the other end of the spectrum we have paraphrases which try to capture the idea of the passage, but have little concern for the actual words. This provides a problem because each word of scripture has meaning, and the change of a single word can change the meaning of a whole passage. When an overview of an idea is given, it could be argued that they are just relating a concept rather than actually translating a passage. The Message, and the Living Bible would fall into this extreme category.
-
The danger of using such these paraphrases should not be overlooked. In their attempt to relay an easy to understand concept, the actual meaning has been changed. I find no comfort in these versions and fear they are leading many astray.
-
Although I am much more comfortable on the literal end of the spectrum, I must express a note of caution there as well. Because our language is so different than the original languages, the challenge of translating goes far beyond just restating the words to their equivalents. The challenge comes in both preserving the very words as well as not losing the concepts- the very ideas that the original languages were teaching. A good translation must take all of these things into consideration.
-
I believe the translation that has done the best job at this great challenge for the English language is the King James Version. I appreciate how when the translators added certain words that were not found in the original languages, they put them in italics. This was one way in which they went beyond being rigidly literal in order to preserve the meaning, while still letting the reader understand that these words had been added for clarification. Further, they arranged the word order in a way that was natural for the language that they were translating into (Note the difference between John 3:16 in the KJV and the Interlinear translation).
-
As I study, I will consult with Young’s Literal Translation, one that is even more literal than the KJV. I consult it basically to look at how a particular word in a verse happened to be translated. It often helps in coming up with descriptive synonyms for words as I preach. At the same time, I would not be comfortable in using that version for my reading or for my primary study.
-
I would as well like to address the NIV because it is quite popular today. I believe that this version has gone too far in the dynamic equivalent direction, and that much of the original intent of the words has been lost in the translation process. I am therefore not comfortable consulting that version. Though I am not totally comfortable with the NASB, I would consider it to be a much higher quality translation than the NIV, based on its more literal equivalency approach.
-
As we consider this issue, it is easy for us in the United States to become preoccupied with our English translations. May we not forget that there are many people in this world who do not yet have a translation in their own language. Baptist Mid Missions is one organization that has taken up that burden through Bibles International. As they translate, they attempt to balance the literal words with the intended meaning in a similar way that the KJV translators did. Not all Bible translation societies have this same philosophy. Many just throw together versions quickly and haphazardly. When supporting translation work, these issues must be taken into consideration as well.
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