Reflections | Sunday, 7th July 2013

Subscribe to Catholic Daily by Email

(Taken from Reformed Doctrine)

Whether you try to keep the Law (circumcision) or don’t try to keep the Law (uncircumcision) will not ultimately determine whether or not you are saved. What matters is whether or not you are a new creation in Christ. 

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:4-9. 

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

We are finishing the Book of Galatians. In order to better understand why “For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” (Verse 15), let us review the Book of Galatians by remembering the following ten posts among the most recent posts. The title is followed by a summary quote. God willing, tomorrow, we will finish the review.

1. “The Deeds of the Flesh, the Fruit of the Spirit, and the Preservation of the Saints” – “Our faith is not in our own will-power to try harder to resist sin, although as stated above we should try harder. Our faith is not even in our ability to walk by the Spirit, although as stated above we should walk by the Spirit. Ultimately, our faith is not in ourselves; our faith is in God preserving us.”

2. “The Supernatural: We are “released from the Law” and “led by the Spirit of God“.

3. “Our Need for the Supernatural” – “One of the first steps toward loving and serving one another is to reduce the pride in us. We are not going to love and serve another through the flesh. We absolutely need “Some One” supernatural to possess us to make us love and serve another as we should.”

4. “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law” – “We can’t have one foot standing on grace with the other foot standing on the Law, thereby depending on the Law to hold us up if grace does not hold us up. We can’t buy a little “fire insurance” from the Law.” 

5. “Children of Promise” – “Paul continues the hammering. Do you want to be under the Law or do you want to be under the promise? The bondwoman Hagar, her son Ishmael, the desert (Mount Sinai), the Ten Commandments, and slavery represent the Law. Abraham’s wife Sarah, their son Isaac, the richness of heaven (Jerusalem above), walking by the Spirit, and freedom represent the promise. On which side do you want to be?”

6. “Enslaved All Over Again to the Law?” – “The temptation to go back to the Law to prove our own self-righteousness is with us today as it was with the Galatians.” 

7. “Students, Slaves, and Sons” – “Paul continues to build his case that we should not seek to be under the Law, but rather, that we should seek to be “in Christ”. At the end of the preceding chapter, Paul used the analogy of students and a tutor: ”Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:24-26. In today’s Scripture, Paul uses the analogy of slaves in bondage. Christ redeemed His elect under the Law, so that they might receive the adoption as sons and be no longer slaves.”

8. “We Belong to Christ” – “Our comfort is not in the Law. We are not going to prove our righteousness under the Law. We are not going to receive a blessing under the Law. Rather, under the Law, we will only prove how great of sinners that we are with the result of spiritual death. Romans 7:7-11.”

9. “The Teacher, the Train, the Father, and the Law” – “The teacher graduates her students, and the students leave the teacher and classroom and enter the next grade or work or otherwise get on with their lives. Likewise, “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Verses 23 and 24. The train delivers its passengers to the end, the station, and the passengers get off the train and enter the station and proceed to their destination. Likewise, the Law delivers us to Christ. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Romans 10:4. The father hands his daughter to the groom, and the daughter leaves the father and joins her husband.” Likewise, “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.” Romans 7:4.“

Subscribe to Catholic Daily by Email

Reflections | 11th June 2013

Subscribe to Catholic Daily by Email

In the Gospel reading, Jesus instructed His disciples: And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (Matthew 10: 7-8)

God teaches us today that the primary role of the Church is to preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick. Selah. All the energy and resources of the Church should be directed towards this Great Commission. As members of the Church it is important that we financially support Churches and Ministries that are fulfilling this Commission. 

We should have a Kingdom mindset and not a Denomination mindset. To have a Kingdom mindset means that whoever believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and has received the New Birth is your brother and sister in Christ irrespective of Denomination. As Christians we should not ask others what Denomination they belong to. We should ask- are you Born Again? 

In this post, I would like to talk about How to be Born Again? (Taken from BGEA)

A man named Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Perhaps he was afraid of criticism or he had a desire for a private conversation, or maybe he wanted to know more before committing himself to Jesus Christ. In any event, he came and asked Jesus some questions.

Jesus looked at him and said, “Nicodemus, you need to be born again” (Cf. John 3:5). In fact, He said, “Verily, verily”—and any time Jesus used that expression, He meant that what was to follow was very important. He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee ... ye must be born again” (John 3:5,7, KJV).

Have you been born again? Call it conversion, call it commitment, call it repentance, call it being saved, but has it happened to you? Does Christ live in your heart? Do you know it? Many people have thought a long time about religion and Christianity and yet have never made a commitment. Are you committed to Jesus Christ?

Nicodemus must have been stunned when Jesus said, “You must be born again.” It wouldn’t seem shocking if Christ had said that to Zacchaeus the tax collector or to the thief on the cross or to the woman caught in adultery. But Nicodemus was one of the great religious leaders of his time. Still, he was searching for reality.

You may go to church, but perhaps you are still searching. There is an empty place in your heart, and something inside tells you that you’re not really right with God. Nicodemus fasted two days a week. He spent two hours every day in prayer. He tithed. Why did Jesus say that Nicodemus must be born again? Because He could read the heart of Nicodemus. Jesus saw that Nicodemus had covered himself with religion but had not yet found fellowship with God.

THE ROOT OF OUR PROBLEMS

What causes all of our troubles in the world—lying and cheating and hate and prejudice and social inequality and war? Jesus said, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man” (Matthew 15:18). He said the problem is in our hearts; our hearts need to be changed.

Psychologists, sociologists and psychiatrists all recognize that there is something wrong with humankind. Many words in Scripture describe it. Among them is the word transgression: “Sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4, KJV). What law? The Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments. Have you ever broken one of those Commandments? Then you are guilty of having broken them all (James 2:10).

The word sin carries with it the idea of missing the mark, coming short of our duty, failure to do what we ought to do. The Bible says, “All unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17, KJV). And yet before we can get to heaven, we must have righteousness. God says, “Be perfect as I am perfect, holy as I am holy” (Matthew 5:48, 1 Peter 1:16).

Where are we going to get that perfection? We don’t have it now, yet we can’t get to heaven if we don’t have it. That is why Christ died on the cross; He shed His blood and rose again to provide righteousness for us.

Another word is iniquity, which means to turn aside from the straight path. Isaiah said, “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

The Bible says, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin ... thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Every person needs a radical change. We need to have our sins forgiven; we need to be clothed in the righteousness of God. To find fulfillment in this life we need to find something to commit ourselves to. Are you a committed person? What are you committed to? Why don’t you make Christ your cause and follow Him? He will never let you down.

THE NEW BIRTH

Some people ask the question: What is new birth? Nicodemus asked that question too: “How can a man be born when he is old?” He wanted to understand it.

I was born and reared on a dairy farm. How can a black cow eat green grass and produce white milk and yellow butter? I don’t understand that. I might say, “Because I don’t understand it, I’m never going to drink milk again.” And you’d say, “You’re crazy.”

I don’t understand it, but I accept it by faith. Nicodemus could see only the physical and the material, but Jesus was talking about the spiritual.

How is the new birth accomplished? We cannot inherit new birth. The Bible says that those who are born again “were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). Our fathers and mothers may be the greatest born-again Christians in the world, but that doesn’t make us born-again Christians, too. Many people have the idea that because they were born into a Christian home, they are automatically Christians. They’re not.

We cannot work our way to God, either. The Bible says that salvation comes “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

Nor is reformation enough. We can say, “I am going to turn over a new leaf,” or “I am going to make New Year’s resolutions.” But Isaiah said that in the sight of God “all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

Some of us have changed on the outside to conform to certain social standards or behavior that is expected of us in our churches, but down inside we have never been changed. That is what Jesus was talking to Nicodemus about. He said, “Nicodemus, you need changing inside,” and only the Holy Spirit can do that. Being born from above is a supernatural act of God. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin; He disturbs us because we have sinned against God. And then the Holy Spirit regenerates us. That is when we are born again. Then we can ask the Holy Spirit to come live in our hearts to help us in our daily lives. The Spirit of God gives us assurance, gives us joy, produces fruit in our lives and teaches us the Scriptures.

Some people try to imitate Christ. They think that all we have to do is try to follow Jesus and try to do the things He did, and we will get into heaven. But we can’t do it. We may know the religious songs. We may even say prayers. But if we haven’t been to the foot of the cross, we haven’t been born again. That is the message Jesus is trying to teach us.

To be born again means that “[God] will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:26). “Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4); we have “passed from death into life” (John 5:24). The new birth brings about a change in our philosophy and manner of living.

THE MYSTERY

There is a mystery to the new birth. Jesus said, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes” (John 3:8). But you can see the result. Jesus did not attempt to explain the new birth to Nicodemus; our finite minds cannot understand the infinite. We come by simple childlike faith, and we put our faith in Jesus Christ. When we do, we are born again.

It happens this way. First we have to hear the Word of God. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). That is the first step. “It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). It sounds foolish that words from a Bible have the power to penetrate our hearts and change our lives, but they do, because they are God’s holy words.

Then there is the work of the Holy Spirit. He convicts: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). He changes us. He changes our wills, our affections, our objectives for living, our disposition. He gives us a new purpose and new goals. “Old things pass away, and everything becomes new” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17). Then He indwells us: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” Does God the Holy Spirit live in you?

Jesus Christ says that we must be born again. How do we become born again? By repenting of sin. That means we are willing to change our way of living. We say to God, “I’m a sinner, and I’m sorry.” It’s simple and childlike. Then by faith we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master and Savior. We are willing to follow Him in a new life of obedience, in which the Holy Spirit helps us as we read the Bible and pray and witness.

If there is a doubt in your mind about whether you have been born again, I hope you will settle it now, because the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Now is the accepted time; ... [today] is the day of salvation.”

Subscribe to Catholic Daily by Email

Reflections | 8th June 2013

Subscribe to Catholic Daily by Email

In the Gospel reading today we read about the poor widow who gave all she had to God. Jesus said: Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for the rich put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12:43-44) For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

When you stand before God you should be ready for God's X-ray vision. It is possible to be Mr. Perfect in eyes of everyone around you and still have a rebellious heart in the sight of God.

I like how Jesus said: But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:28) You might have never committed the physical act of adultery but your heart has surely desired it at numerous occasions. Jesus taught that sin always begins in the heart before it becomes an action. Truly, God is more concerned about the heart of a person that his actions. You could be a religious person, going through all the motions of religion but the question to think about is- what is the position of my heart? Does my heart desire the wrong things? Am I having trouble overcoming certain sins? 

The heart is the core of man's being or his spirit. Every man, if he is honest will accept that his heart always desires the wrong things. The human Spirit is born sinful and is naturally driven towards sin. 

There is no religion or worldview on the earth that speaks of heart transformation apart from Christianity. Selah

Christianity is the only religion that teaches the sinfulness of Man from His birth and the need for a New Birth. This is what Jesus meant when He said- You must be Born Again. (John 3:1-16) 

If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, God promises to give you a New Heart. God said: I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. (Ezekiel 36:25-27) 

If you have never received the New Birth, today is the day of Salvation. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved! God will forgive your sins and give you a New Life.

I testify that after you experience the life-transforming power of God, your life will never be the same again. 

Subscribe to Catholic Daily by Email 

Also Watch: Grace in 60 seconds with Krish Fernandez

Reflections | 25th May 2013

Subscribe to Catholic Daily by Email

In the Gospel reading Jesus said to His disciples: Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” (Mark 10:14-15) In another verse Jesus said: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3) 

Jesus Christ did not come to give us another Religion. As some believe, He did not come to only give us an assurance of going to heaven when we die. Jesus accomplished a far greater work for mankind on the Cross of Calvary. Through His sacrifice He has prepared the way for all mankind to freely enter into the Kingdom of God and be one with Jesus Christ in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17) by grace through faith. We already touched upon this in the earlier posts of the month. 

In today's reading Jesus teaches us about how we can enter the Kingdom of God by using the illustration of a child. In John 3:1-16, Jesus taught us that we need to have another birth by the Spirit of God to enter His Kingdom. Another way of looking at this truth is to acknowledge that we must look to God alone to perform this great work of Salvation. There is nothing we can do in ourselves. Truly, our church attendance, acts of devotion, prayers, fasting, social service and rituals are incapable of providing us entry into the Kingdom of God. As little children who are completely dependent on their parents for everything, we too are completely dependent on God for our Salvation and entry into His Kingdom. David captured this truth perfectly when he said: Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. (Psalm 254-:5) 

Just like a little child is completely dependent on the mother's breast to live we too must be completely dependent on God and look to Him alone to be our Savior and Source of every good thing.

Subscribe to Catholic Daily by Email 

Also read | Kingdom of God by Brother Krish Fernandez

Reflections | Sunday, 19th May 2013

I believe that this Sunday's theme is the Holy Spirit. 

In the Gospel reading Jesus breathed on His disciples and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained. (John 20:22-23) 

I believe it was at this moment that the disciples received the New Birth. When God made Man, He breathed into him Life. (Genesis 2:7) Similarly when you are born again, God breathes into you New Life. (John 20:22) (2 Corinthians 5:17) In the Gospel reading we understand the work of the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation. 

In the first reading God teaches us about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit at the time of Salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit are two separate events in the life of a believer. At the time of Salvation when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit comes upon us and regenerates us in our Spirit. (Titus 3:5) But, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is when God gives us the power to be a witness. The scriptures say: 

And being assembled together with them, He (Jesus) commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5)

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The Holy Spirit gives us power to be a witness. When a person comes to Christ and is saved there is this peace and joy that settles in. Many receive physical and mental healing. Many are refreshed with new hope. Many begin to walk in the light of complete forgiveness and are set free from religious bondage. That is when Christians want to tell others about what God has done for them. (Mark 7:36) They just cannot hold themselves back. This is when you need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit more than anything else. I am sure when the disciples saw the risen Christ they could not wait to tell everybody about what they had seen and believed. But Jesus Christ commanded them to wait. 

This is what God says: I know you are excited about your New Life in Christ. I know you want to tell everybody. But wait for the Promise of the Father, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4-5) I will give you power to be my witness. 

God not only wants us to be His Witness, he also wants to give us His power and might to do it.

The power that God gives us through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is in the form of gifts and ministries. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (Ephesians 4:11-13)

We see that there are many gifts and ministries and the Holy Spirit gives them to those who believe freely. The scripture also tells us to earnestly desire the best gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:31). Every gift is for the profit of all. (1 Corinthians 12:7). It is not necessary that you operate only in one gift or ministry. You could also be operating in multiple gifts and ministries in the same day. 

Most of all, you will be very effective when witnessing to others because it is no longer your power but the power of God working through you. I freely operate in the ministry of teaching, the gift of different kind of tongues and the gift of prophecy. There are times when I might operate in other gifts as well. 

When you begin to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit witnessing becomes more effective and powerful. (1 Corinthians 2:4) 

(Also read | Baptism of the Holy Spirit - 1 | Baptism of the Holy Spirit - 2 | Speaking in Tongues)

Reflections | 16th May 2013

In the Gospel, Jesus prayed: And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (John 17:22-23) 

One of the miracles that takes place at the time of Salvation is that we are united with Jesus Christ in Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17) The Bible says: Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17) Our life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)

Throughout the Epistles, Paul refers to believers as living in and through Christ. (In Christ Bible Verses) If you have received the New birth, you are a New Creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) As a Christian it is important for you to study the Bible and understand your New Identity in Christ. 

I pray that God will open the eyes of your understanding today that you may see who you are in Christ. I pray that you will live in the reality of your New Identity always.

Also Watch: New Man by Curry Blake